Epilogue

DMITRY

I creep from the room, wincing with each step in case it makes the smallest of sounds that will wake my sleeping baby girl.

I head downstairs, a sense of relief filling me that she’s finally sleeping, even if it is twenty minutes later than I’d wanted.

Marshall and Phoebe pull apart as I enter the kitchen, and I roll my eyes. “Make sure you watch over my daughter instead of canoodling like teenagers,” I remind him.

He grins. “Yes, boss.”

“Where exactly are you going?” asks Phoebe.

“It’s a secret,” I tell her.

The sound of my wife’s heels clicking through the hall have me turning in her direction. Every single time I see her, she takes my breath away. But right now, standing before me in a red, fitted dress and matching heels, all I can picture is getting her alone.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” she asks Phoebe and Marshall.

I groan, striding over and wrapping my arm around her, leading her to the door. “They’ll be fine. Natalya loves her aunt and uncle.”

“But you know what she’s like for waking.”

“I do,” I say through gritted teeth. The last six months have been a real test on our sex life, not that I mind because my daughter’s gummy smiles make up for it. But for one night only, I need to spend time with Victoria.

I lace our fingers together and walk around the back of the manor. Victoria frowns as the small marquee comes into view. “I know you don’t like to leave Natalya,” I tell her as we step inside. She stares at the twinkling lights and gasps.

“It’s beautiful,” she tells me.

“So, I decided we would celebrate here, where we are happiest.” I lead her towards the table set up for dinner in the centre and pull out a chair for her to sit. “Happy one-year wedding anniversary.”

TORI

I stare in awe at the twinkling lights pinned neatly around the small marquee. It’s perfect. The table in the centre is set for two, and towards the back of the marquee is a corner set up with blankets and cushions.

“You did all this?” I don’t know why I’m so surprised because he does so many thoughtful things just to show me he loves me.

“I brought in your favourite chef,” he adds, nodding towards the entrance. Two waitresses enter carrying trays of food. They place them on the table, and I smile at the gourmet burgers and fries. “I know how much you love the burger shack in town.” I laugh. As much as I love the expensive restaurants, all I really crave right now is these exact burgers.

I rub my hand over my four-month bump. “Your son is very happy right now.”

He grins, just like he does whenever I mention that I’m carrying a boy. The son he’s always wanted.

We eat while reminiscing back to our wedding. It wasn’t all bad. Before the altercation with his father, we’d had a lovely day, and once I’d cleaned up, we partied into the night. It was surprisingly freeing to know Vladimir and Vivian were not around to ruin it.

And the past year has flown by. We have been completely consumed in our baby girl. Natalya is everything we’ve both ever needed but didn’t realise. We’re in complete awe of her, and I know without a doubt, she already has her daddy wrapped around her finger.

We move over to the blankets and drop down on the cushions, where he wastes no time stripping me naked and pulling me into his arms.

“Who would’ve thought the crazy woman who dragged her heel along my car would now be lying in my arms, carrying my second child?”

I grin, running my hand over his chest. “I never did pay you back for that.” I climb over him and pin his hands to either side of his head. “I don’t have a job.”

He laughs, gripping my waist and spinning us so he’s above me. “I am in your debt, my krasota . You owe me nothing.”

He’s wrong, of course, but I don’t correct him. If it wasn’t for this amazing man, I’d still be in the grips of Marcus and my family. He rescued me, and then he rescued Poppy, who is thriving at school, thanks to him. I owe him everything, and I’ll spend my life making him happy.

He is my everything. Our lives were so far apart, and somehow, fate brought us together and entwined us so deeply, we can’t imagine ever being apart.

My navsegda.

We are forever.

THE END

Konets