I smile, nudging her gently. “Because leaders don’t go alone.”
“They’re a pack,” she says simply, like that explains everything.
A gray wolf lifts its head, ears twitching, and the others respond instantly, changing direction as one.
“They talk without talking,” Brianna adds. “That’s why they’re so smart.”
I nod. “They trust each other.”
The front door opens.
Moments later, Worth steps into the living room, jacket draped over one arm, pausing when he takes in the sight of us on the floor—pencils scattered, a half-finished wolf sketch laying between us.
“Did I interrupt something important?” he teases.
Brianna looks up at him, grinning. “We’re learning about wolves.”
Worth looks at the screen, then back to us. “That explains the serious atmosphere.”
I smile. “Brianna is very invested.”
“She’s been talking about this documentary for weeks,” he says, setting his jacket aside. “I assumed it was a cartoon.”
Brianna scoffs. “Cartoons are for kids, Dad.”
A chuckle escapes him. “Noted.”
I lean back on my hands, watching the two of them—how naturally Brianna gravitates toward her father, how easily he softens around her. It’s been a few weeks since the gala—and even though nothing sexual has happened again between me and him, everything has shifted.
I’ve been here every day. Just… here. Some days we just sit on the floor, drawing wolves, as Brianna explains—in great detail—why they’re better than dogs and how one day she wants to see them in the wild. Sometimes it’s just the two of us, sometimes Maggie is there too, and Worth joins us for dinner when he can.
Bri and I have grown fond of each other quickly. Faster than I expected. Faster than I probably should have.
Worth watches us now with a smile.
“How about I take my girls out for dinner when the doc is done?”
My girls.
My stomach flips, tiny dancers somersaulting in my chest.
Even though I keep reminding myself that this is just for the sake of the arrangement, my heart can’t help but react to Worth’s softness. In front of the world, he’s this big bad wolf, a man people fear crossing. But in front of Brianna, he’s something else entirely. Gentle in a way that feels almost guarded, like softness is a language he only speaks at home.
I could get used to this life. I can picture it too easily, which is exactly why I can’t let my mind drift there.
The only part that truly breaks my heart is losing this connection with Brianna. She’s such a strong girl, and I’ve loved getting to know her—the way she thinks, how deeply she feels, how fiercely she loves the things that matter to her. It’s going to hurt when I have to cut ties.
But maybe I won’t have to.
I’m sure Worth wouldn’t mind if Bri and I stayed friends.
After the documentary ends, we head out to a small Greek restaurant Worth has been raving about.
The moment we step inside, the owners greet Worth like family, ushering us toward a private table near the back, close to the open kitchen where the cooks move with ease.
“Kalispera, Worth!” the cook calls out with a grin.
“Kalispera, fílos mou!”