Chapter 24

twenty-four

Avery – Seven Weeks Later

I'm sitting in my row at my graduation ceremony on the green field outside of NYC School of Medicine, and I realize…I'm the youngest student here.

I look up to the sky, the sun beaming down on me, and I smile. I'm thinking of my parents and how proud they would be right now as I place my hand on my large bump, rubbing it as my twins move against my hand.

As the speakers drone on and on, my mind wonders back to seven weeks ago, when Maria and Dimitri Volkov appeared at my door.

I've just gotten home, and I feel drained, when someone knocks on my door. I sigh and open it without looking into the peep hole, and my eyes widen at the people standing in my doorway.

"Hi Avery, we're sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if my husband and I could talk to you for five minutes?" Maria inquires, her eyes holding guilt and sorrow. Dimitri's eyes are full of apologies. I take a step back and let them in, hoping I haven't made a big mistake.

I lead them into my small living area and clear my throat. "I don't have much to offer you, but I could make you a tea or coffee, or get you a water." I wring my hands together, overwhelmed at having them here after everything that's happened.

Maria smiles gently at me and shakes her head. "We're alright, sweetheart, we won't be here long; I know you've just got off work." I nod and take a seat on my chair while they take the sofa.

Dimitri speaks, "You shouldn't be staying here, darling. I don't mean that in a nasty way, I just mean the neighborhood is not safe."

I tilt my head and assess him, seeing only sincerity. I smile a little and state, "I know. At the time, this was the only place willing to let me rent with cash in hand despite my age. Then I just wanted to save up, and staying here seemed an easier way of living without using my college fund from my parents. I have been looking into apartments near Elm Street, but Sergi asked me to wait a little while. I'm trying to respect him and hold off, though he thinks I'll change my mind about our relationship. But I don't think I will, and he needs time to understand that, and that our relationship will be co-parenting only."

He looks at me with skepticism. "Despite what we've done, what he's done and said to you, you're still willing to respect him?" he asks like he doesn't believe me, like I have something to hide.

I just shake my head. "He's the father of my children, he'll be in their lives, I have to respect him. And not only that, but I also can't just turn my feelings off, Mr. Volkov. He became my person, the other part of my soul, and the only person I let in after I lost my father. We weren't just together for a few weeks before everything fell apart, we were together for eight months. I was practically living with him, before he decided I was better off as his whore. He changed the code to his place, stopped answering my calls and texts, and only showed up at my apartment or work when he wanted me on my back. I got pregnant in the bathroom at my work, all because he didn't respect me anymore. And when I finally knew his real identity—the person he hid from me for months, lying to me—he threatened to kill me. I didn't deserve that treatment, no woman does, but I'm not going to hold that against him. I can't because that's not fair to my kids; they deserve to see us be co-parents, acting cordial with one another, not shouting or at each other's throats. Will we ever be together again? No, I don't think we will, he's broken my trust in more ways than one. But will I act civilized with him for my children's sake? Yes, I will, because they come first."

Maria wipes the tears from her cheeks and Dimitri looks down, his shoulders drooping, but I don't react.

After a moment, Maria speaks, "We didn't want to come here and make you explain yourself. My husband, he loves Sergi, we both do, so much, and we may not be blood but he's our son. We watched the pain he went through when he lost his mother, we were the ones he called when he found her gone. He fell apart and struggled every day for years without her. He leaned on us and saw us as family, and we became his parents. We watched him grow and become the man he is today, we helped raise him…and we didn't handle your relationship very well. He never told us about you, and we thought you were using him." She clears her throat, then continues, "We didn't realize you were together for so long, and we just weren't aware that he hadn't told you about his lifestyle, so we didn't understand how much you meant to each other."

Dimitri looks at me, sorrow in his gaze, as tears flood my cheeks. I wipe at them with the back of my hands.

Dimitri takes my hands, and he rasps, "He was broken for so long. You're the first person we've seen him get serious about, and the fact that he didn't tell us about you…." He shakes his head. "We took it as a bad sign. We thought you were just another gold-digger. He's second to a Don and Bratva Pahkan. He's the heir to the Spanish Mafia's and a billionaire. Many women would do anything to get their hands on him." When I flinch, he sighs and squeezes my hands. I may believe we are better off apart, but it doesn't stop the pain of him moving on with someone else. It's just something I need to get used to, eventually. Dimitri continues, "I believed you at the hospital. Every word. And I felt guilty for forcing you to open up about a past that we had no right knowing about. Then, suddenly, he's pulling away from you, and I started to doubt you. Then he slept with Mindy, and I got angry; I thought you played me, that you were one of those girls who wanted the kingdom, and I did something stupid. I told Peter about you to punish you. Then I agreed with Juan because, at that point, I believed you were the whore that Sergi made you out to be those last few months before you left him. And when you said you were pregnant, I thought you purposely trapped him. I still believed that when he ran out after you that day, until I saw the absolute devastation on both your faces. When you walked away, he could barely hold himself up. He destroyed not only himself but you as well." He leans forward and wipes my tears, while his wife sobs.

I shake my head. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Dimitri smiles gently at me. "It does because you both still love each other. It does because you're bringing twins into the world, and no matter how they were conceived, they were still made from your love." He looks into my wet eyes, his full of guilt. His next words make my breathing shallow. "It does matter, because you, Avery, deserve all the love in the world. You haven't had an easy life. But you've survived. You survived so many terrors, but I think it's time you have your happiness. I'm not saying you should forgive him now; I honestly think you should take a leaf out of Phoebe's book and knee him in the balls." I snort at that, and he smiles. "I think you should make him work for it for what he did to you, but I also think you should consider the happiness you could have if you chose to give him another chance. Your life has been hard, Avery, you've suffered abuse and loss more than a person can take, let alone a child."

More tears fall, and I shake my head when I realize…he's seen my CPS file.

I stiffen, but he continues, ignoring my response, "Your father, he did a good job trying to hide your past but, unfortunately, when I'm concerned for my children, I'm better, even if it did take me a few months to access. I've seen all the horrors you had to suffer, Avery. No child should have gone through that." I try to pull my hands away, but he tightens his around mine, and he whispers, "You're not tainted, and you're not dirty, and Sergi would never think that of you. I know that is why you want to keep him in the dark about your past."

I just shake my head as a sob comes out. Years, I've managed to keep what happened to me quiet for years.

Maria grips my chin and forces me to look at her. She states firmly, "You're not tainted or dirty, do you hear me. You're a survivor. And we promise not to say anything to Sergi. That is your place, not ours. As far as I'm concerned, we've already hurt you enough, and I hope, one day, you'll forgive us and let us be a part of your family." She leans down and places a kiss on my forehead.

Dimitri stands and leans over me, kissing my head, and he whispers, "I'm sorry for the hurt we caused you, but know this, you are family. We'll leave you in peace but we're always here if you need anything, you hear me?"

I slowly close my eyes and nod my head, and they both leave. Suddenly, I'm alone with my thoughts and the painful memories of my past…and the ache in my chest where Sergi is supposed to be.

I never did tell Sergi about them showing up. He's been to every doctor's appointment and picks me up from school. He's also showing up at my work whenever he gets a chance. He's trying, I know he is, but if he can hurt me as bad as he did and threaten my life when he apparently loved me, then what's stopping him doing it again? I can't go through anymore heartache, my life's been full of it, I need to think about the twins, and I think that's all I can focus on. He'll back off when he sees how dead set I am, right?

I'm brought out of my thoughts when they start calling names, and I look up to the sky again. "I wish you were here," I mumble. I look back to the stage just as the speaker, whose name I can't remember, announces my friend, "Melanie Farley." I stand and cheer for her, and she grins back at me, pulling a funny face, making everyone chuckle. I take my seat again, feeling proud for my friend, and I wait for my row to be called. An ache appears in my chest. I have no one that'll cheer for me except Melanie. I have no family. I'm alone. I feel a kick and I look down at my belly and smile. I'm not alone, I do have someone, two someones, and that's all I'll ever need. I'll make sure they never have the life I did before the Gibsons. Finally, our row stands and we line up toward the podium.

"Avery Gibson." I smile as my name is announced, I asked them to remove the Taylor because my birth mother has no right to me anymore. I walk up the stairs toward the dean and the speaker. I hear Melanie scream and shout my name as I shake the dean's hand, making me grin, then I walk toward the speaker. I shake his hand and thank him, then take my diploma. I hear a loud cheer from the back of the field, and when I turn, tears fill my eyes. Sergi, Alexandr, Phoebe, Damian, Sofia, Maria, and Dimitri are all standing there, cheering. My tears fall and I nod, when I realize that not only will Sergi not give up, but they're my family…and I'm not truly alone.

After the rest of the pupils have received their diplomas, the speaker announces our graduating class, and we all stand, cheering, and throw our caps in the air. I catch mine and grin, looking up to the sky. "I did it Mom and Dad," I whisper as the sun shines on my face.

Two arms wrap around me, and I smile, hugging Melanie back. "We did it!" I squeal because we fricking did. We did it! Someone shouts Mel's name and we both look to see her parents waiting for her. They wave at me, and I smile and wave back, then hug Mel again.

She says, "I'll call you later. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" I smile; her parents offered for me to join in on their celebratory meal.

As I look over her shoulder, I see all the Volkovs waiting, and I say, "Turns out I do have family." I give her a smile. She turns to see who showed up for me and she grins. She kisses my cheek. "For what it's worth Avs, I think you should give him another chance." Then she winks and leaves, making me chuckle and shake my head at her. I look back toward Sergi, and he's smiling gently at me while his family look nervous.

I walk over to them. When I get closer, I offer a mock glower, then grumble, "I'm pretty sure I told the office that I didn't need any tickets anymore."

Sergi smirks. "Hmm, and yet you have a family here wanting to see you graduate." He sweeps his arm out toward his family, and they all smile at me. I can't help my reaction, I cry; he doesn't seem to realize what he's given me today. And as much as I want to hate him for everything, my love for him shines through all of that in this moment. I run toward him and fling myself into his arms, and he catches me with ease. He picks me up so my feet dangle off the ground, while my bump is squished up against his stomach. I place my face in his neck, breathing in the woodsy scent that I've missed so much.

My tears fall as I whisper, "Thank you."

He holds me tighter and kisses my head, murmuring, "Anything for you, dragotsennyy , anything. You deserve to have your family here with you to celebrate."

He gently places my feet on the ground, then rearranges my cap and smiles. His hands gently cup my cheeks. Using his thumbs to wipe away my tears, he rasps, "We can't take their place, we don't want to. They'll always be with you, but we are your family, too, Avs. I know I fucked up, badly, and I know your dad would have probably shot me for how I spoke to you that day, and would have castrated me when I did what I did. But I love you, dragotsennyy , so much. You're my whole world, you and our twins are my family. You needed us here just as much as you wished they were here, too." More tears fall, and he wipes them. He leans down and gently kisses my lips, once, twice, three times, before he places his arm around my waist and guides me over to his family. My family.

Phoebe rushes forward, and pulls me out of Sergi's grip and hugs me. Our baby bumps bumping, making us both pull apart and giggle.

She pulls me in for another hug and whispers, "I've missed you, friend."

I sniffle and I rasp, "Missed you too, friend." We pull apart and smile at each other as Alexandr comes over and places a kiss to my head.

He says, "Congratulations, sestra ."

I tilt my head. "What does that mean?"

I see Sofia smile as she comes over and gives me a tight side hug.

My eyes go wide when Al replies, "Sister," as Damian comes over and kisses my head, too.

He grins down at me. "Proud of you, sestra ." I look at him in shock and he just chuckles and shrugs. "You're family, Avs. Did Sergi fuck up? Yeah, he did, it's the Volkov way; we have a habit of fucking up to the point our women leave us. But that doesn't make us less your family, though." I hear Sergi snort while Sofia smacks Damian on the back of the head, and I smile a watery smile, making Damian's and Alexandr's eyes soften.

Maria and Dimitri walk over to me, and I smile, meeting them halfway. I hear the others gasp as I hug Dimitri first. He kisses the side of my head and says, "We're so proud of you, Avery," as Maria hugs me. When we pull apart, I smile at him as his wife touches my bump. She grins when one of the twins kicks her hand.

Sergi clears his throat, and we all look at him as he raises a brow. "Want to tell us what's going on here?" Dimitri chuckles while Maria continues to feel the baby's movements.

I shrug. "They came to see me, and they made me understand why they were so protective of you. You're their son in every way but blood. I cannot fault them for that." Everyone looks at us in shock, while Sergi smiles softly at me.

I sniffle. "I want to thank you all for coming. I miss my parents, severely, and I didn't think I needed anyone here today. But I was wrong; you all being here makes the day feel even more special, and I…." I stop what I was saying when I notice a figure leaning against the tree, and rage takes over my body.

How dare he?

I feel Dimitri grip my arm and I look at him, he shakes his head.

"I didn't tell him, Avery."

I nod. I feel myself vibrating. He has no right being here. He left me, he denied me. The more my thoughts form, the angrier I get, and I storm toward him. He remains relaxed despite the anger showing on my face, and it pisses me off even more. I hear the others following me, Phoebe and Sergi calling my name, but I continue. I think it's about time ‘Peter' realized what his selfishness caused.