Chapter Twenty-Six - Ruslan

One year later…

Chicago does put on a good showing in the summertime, and today is no exception. The meat is cooking on the outdoor grill of the estate grounds, the mouth-watering aroma of kebabs drifting right under my nose as Fiona drops Arina's bucket hat on her head.

It only take two steps after lathering her up with sunscreen for my mother to swoop in and scoop her up, bathing her with kisses. Arina grins, hugging her grandmother back. "Oh, Fiona, Arina's growing up so fast! Too fast. I swear, I only saw her four months ago, and she was only crawling back then. I'm going to have to put the brakes on her. She was so tiny back then and you were breastfeeding."

Shaking her head, Fiona pings one of Arina's soft dark curls, her big emerald eyes staring up at her grandmother as she holds on to her hand. "Yes, tell me about it. She's so full of beans too," she says wearily, looking happier this time to be at the Utkin family reunion under better conditions. I flip the hamburger patty on the grill, listening to the sizzle as I throw on more onion to caramelize.

It was my idea to bring the family to the estate. That way there's less chance of external interference. Not that I expect any trouble. Especially now we have files that can keep everyone under our thumb, but for Fiona and Arina's comfort, I'm more than happy too.

"You're looking well, though. How do you feel? Are you ready to give us another one?" My mother grins, winking and nudging Fiona as I glare at her.

"Mom, back off. We've got one," I remind her as my mom laughs it off.

"Sorry, sorry. What's a grandmother if they don't ask for another child?" She shrugs, but I know for fact, she's not joking. She's already informed me, she expects Fiona to pop out two more to run around and play with, to which I promptly told her to enjoy the grandchild she already has.

I'm in the best of moods today, and Fiona looks the happiest she's ever been. I think her going back to work for a couple of days a week has helped give her shine back.

"I feel good, but not good enough for child number two. Let me recover from this one," she jokes with my mom as they both hug. I'm relieved the initial animosity between them is gone. I can understand she might want grandkids to play with because she's a widow, but she'll have to wait. Andrei joins in the conversation, giving Arina a high five, and me a short hug.

"You look nice in your summer dress, Fiona. Arina keeping you busy?" They might have gotten off to a rocky start, with the kidnapping, but now they're getting along famously.

"She sure is, but it's a good thing. Work is too," she tells him with a lemon spritzer in her hand. I can't help but admire my wife, enjoying the view of he—her wide-brim straw hat, her long brown hair falling down her back, her summer floral dress, hitting all the right curves and flaring out. She looks too good, and I'm resisting the urge to whisk her away for a little while because I want her to get to know the relatives and let her hair down.

"Ah, the magazine you work for. I think I know your boss."

Fiona's eyes widen as I hear her talking to my cousin just out of earshot. "You know my boss? The dragon lady? Alexandra Kritcher?"

Andrei chuckles, sliding his hands in his khaki shorts with a cheeky smile. He's one of Chicago's eligible bachelors, and his life is a whirlwind of dates, but personally, I prefer my life and wouldn't trade it to return to clubbing and hunting down women for the night again. Fiona's changed all that for me. I let myself drift back into the conversation, hoping Andrei can find himself a nice woman to settle down with.

"Ah, I wouldn't say Alex is a dragon. At least she wasn't when I took her out on those dates back in the day," he replies.

"What? You dated my boss, Andrei?" Fiona quizzes.

"I might have. Timelines are a little blurry, but hey, if she gives you any trouble, you just let me know. I can sort something out."

Tilting my head at him with curiosity, I narrow my eyes in suspicion. "No. You won't sort anything out, Fiona can handle herself just fine. Right, babe?"

Fiona winks, and as much as her dress spells sunshine, so does her smile. "I sure can. We get on fine now. There's more respect between us."

My mother-in-law shoos him away, chastising him for meddling as I slap down some steaks and season them. I watch as my cousins and aunts bring Fiona into the fray, and the next thing I know they're pouring each other margaritas from the snack table and gossiping. I know she's having a good time because she's talking to the crazy Russian aunts that keep trouble stirred up. Bridget, Stephanie, and Arnette.

Arina finds her way over to me, and I pick her up, hitching her on my hip and feeding her a little bit of hamburger. She grins chomping on it and sliding down my leg.

"You only want me for my hamburger, don't you, Arina?" I tease as my grandmother and other aunts take turns showering her with love.

"That's okay, I want you for other things," Fiona quips, giving me a quick pinch on the butt and picking at a roasted tomato on the grill. I dip, as she adjusts her straw hat to give her a quick, juicy kiss on the mouth.

"I want to know about these other things you speak about, wife," I reply, pressing down the steak, the grill steam making my eyes burn.

"Mm, that's only a secret that can be shown, not spoken of," she whispers as I promptly hold up my spatula.

"Who wants a turn on the grill next? The prawns and more steaks need to go on," I call out as one of my cousins volunteers to take my spot.

Fiona grins, a little tipsy I can tell. I drop a casual arm around her shoulder, whispering in her ear again. "Do you want to give me a demonstration in the gardening shed? You go first, and I'll meet you there in five minutes or less."

"Oh, Ruslan Utkin, at your family reunion? Right under their noses?" Fiona mocks, and I can tell she's up for getting a little devilish.

"Well, we might as well get started on baby number two. Are you feeling frisky?"

"Yes, I am. So much. Especially with you wearing that apron."

"Gardening shed, go." I watch as Fiona discreetly removes herself, claiming she's fetching drinks, but minutes later, I follow her, bending her over the garden bench where she prunes her dahlias, her ass bare, thrusting deep inside her, the table shaking, and flowers falling everywhere.

"Ho, wow—so good. Don't stop. Oh my! Ruslan," she says breathily, her bright floral sundress hitched high around her hips.

I alternate rubbing and slapping her ass, her moans injecting me with jet fuel as I pump into her from behind. "I want you so bad. You look so good in that dress. So good. And you're mine, all mine," I grunt as Fiona stretches her arms out on the bench, our guests none the wiser to our exploits only half a mile away.

"I'm yours forever, Ruslan." I shift in and out of her, tugging at her hair until I feel the vise grip of her velvet glove clench around my cock, her body quaking in orgasm, right before I climax after her.

As her body goes limp, she flips over, her face flushed and ripe, her hair mussed up, a glowing smile on her lips. " Phew! No need for a workout today, I think I've gotten my cardio in."

Grinning, I pull up my pants, sliding my belt back into its notches, hugging Mrs. Utkin into my body with a hearty sigh. "You sure did. Now I'm hungry."

"Me too. Let's go out and eat with your kinfolk."

Fiona reapplies her lipstick and we return to the barbecue, ravenous from working up a sweat, and it's as if we'd never left.

And when I look around at the world we've started to create, I realize the Omerta files were only part of the treasure, because the real Omerta files included the secret files of the deep love Fiona and I share.

*****

THE END