Epilogue

Two Weeks Later

Istand on the stepladder, adding minor details to the mural on the wall. Ania wanted the wall in her studio's changing area livened up, so I offered to put something there. She wants the whole family, as she calls it—Mikhail, Dimitri, me, and well, that's it. It's all we need. I've got a big smile on my face as I add flourishes to Ania's hair.

From behind me, she says, "Should you be up there?"

I turn, smiling down at her. "I'm, like, two weeks pregnant," I say.

"She's right, you know."

My man's voice makes nerves dance all over me. Ever since we first made love in the craziness after the party, we've been all over each other. I never knew how good it would feel, how right, like we were slotting into place exactly where we belonged. He's wearing his gym gear, his arms thick, steam rising from him as he stands at the bottom of the ladder.

Last night, when I told him what the test said, his smile was even bigger than when I said yes to his proposal. I never knew how much having a baby would make me smile, but I can't stop. I feel drunk on life, on love.

It's like anything's possible until I think about Oleg's ultimatum. We might have to fight a war for our marriage and our future family. Slowly, I climb from the ladder. My man reaches up on the last couple of rungs, lifting me down and holding me easily in his arms. I grin and dot his nose with paint.

"Trying to start a fight?" he says, then puts me down and hugs me, lowering his voice. "Are you okay?"

"Just… thinking."

He sighs. "I know. Me too."

The possible war has been hanging over us.

"Whatever happens, I'm sticking by your side," he says, then cuts off when his cell phone rings. He takes it out. "It's Oleg."

"Oh, God," I mutter, smoothing my hands over my belly as if I don't want my baby to hear.

"Loudspeaker, my Bratva queen?" he says with a smirk because even now, he loves teasing me with that Q-word.

"No, yes, no… yes. Final answer."

"Yes?" His smirk widens.

"Yes!"

He answers the phone. "Oleg."