My Possessive Criminal

Capítulo Cuarenta y Tres

Chapter 43

I sigh, plopping down onto the couch.

"Just one more game, please?" Anahit mumbles, her breathing short and ragged. I smile sweetly.

"Anahit, you're too tired. Come here and sit, tell me some stories from back home," I tell her instead, noticing from the corner of my eye that Arsen was casually stood, watching us.

It made me just a tiny bit self-conscious. But now I had more ways than one to show him I could fend and parry for myself.

She giggles and sits down next to me, trying to cross her legs like myself. I end up giggling with her as I watch her concentration.

"What's Russia like?" I ask once she's settled. Anahit's very adorable thinking face takes into action, and I watch as her big, green eyes turn to look at the ceiling.

"Uncle Dean says Russia is the best country ever, but sometimes, I think he's just boasting. Russia isn't that great. They have mean boys and the girls only like dresses," She explains to me. I laugh.

"They have mean boys?" I snort, wondering why she disliked Russia over such a silly - but I admit, charming - reason.

She nods vigorously. "Yup. They're not nice at all."

I laugh again, trying not to look at what Arsen's expression is. A snort comes out when I realize he probably doesn't even know what that word means.

"Do you like boys?" She suddenly asks me. My eyes widen.

"Well, I like plenty. There's actors, singers, my family, my friends..." I look at her, raising an eyebrow, and she bursts into a fit of giggles.

"No, I mean do you love any boys?" Anahit whispers. I swallow.

"I'm still not sure what love even means, Anahit," I laugh unevenly. She shakes her head.

"That's pathetic. Everyone knows what love means. It's when you're always thinking about somebody and they always make you happy," She shrugs innocently.

Her words process through my brain as I observe her, narrowing my eyes.

"Anahit, how old are you?" I ask, genuinely curious. She giggles.

"I'm nine, Xanny! Nine!" She says, laughing in a completely frustrated way. I laugh along with her.

"You're very mature for your age," I tell her, lifting my hand. She gives it a high five, smiling at me.

"I wish I had a mommy like you, Xanny, and Arsen could be my daddy!" She says, bursting into another fit of giggles.

My cheeks instantly grow warm and my eyes widen, heart fluttering slightly. This time, I fully shift to Arsen to check if he heard that or not, but when I do, he turns his face immediately.

Now there's a whole damn zoo in my stomach. And the Amazon forest. And Russia.

"Arsen!" She suddenly squeals, grabbing my hand and dragging me off into his direction.

I try not to let the fact that a nine-year-old can drag me across a room get to me. It's probably normal.

Yeah, right. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

I didn't ask for your opinion.

You never do.

Shut up.

"I want to show Xanny my gun collection. Can you play with me?" She asks. I furrow my eyebrows, trying to make sense of her sentence.

And whoa. She has a gun collection?!