Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ALEXEI

Bianca is glowing. “I can’t believe he’s finally here. He’s perfect.”

I press a kiss to her hair and smile down at the sleeping baby in her arms.

“You did amazing, zhizn’ moya .”

She turns to look up at me, her blue eyes shining.

My finger caresses her cheek. “Are you happy?”

“So happy I feel like I could explode.” She chuckles.

My eyes start to sting with tears as I watch my newborn son sleeping peacefully in my wife’s arms.

I never knew I could love like this. I knew becoming a father would change me, but I had been so focused on the negative. That I would fail him in every possible way, that I wouldn’t be able to protect him from the world.

But as I look at Bianca, knowing she’s by my side through this journey, she gives me the confidence that I can do this, and do this well.

“Who would’ve thought a year ago that we would be here today.” I chuckle as I stroke the dark tufty hair on my son’s head .

Bianca laughs. “Definitely, not me.”

“You didn’t picture it the moment you chased me into that elevator?” I smirk.

Bianca scoffs, swatting at my chest. “I did not chase you down.”

“If you say so…”

“Did you picture it?” She looks up at me under her dark lashes.

I cup her face, running my thumb over her bottom lip as I gaze at her.

“The moment we exchanged vows, I knew that this was going to be so much more than a business deal. You were everything I didn’t realize I had been looking for, Bianca.”

“Alexei…” Her voice cracks.

“I knew I was going to have my work cut out.” I chuckle. “But there was never a moment where I thought it wouldn’t be worth it.”

She laughs though her eyes shine with tears. “Look at you getting all soppy,”

“I love you, Bianca. More than I ever thought possible.” I bend down to kiss away the tears that have spilled down her cheeks. “Thank you for bringing such light into my darkness, solnyshka .”

Bianca reaches her hand to cup the back of my neck and presses her lips to mine.

Dimitri knock on the door. “Can we come in now?”

I chuckle against Bianca’s lips as Danil and Mikhail mutter in the background.

“Are you ready for visitors?” I search Bianca’s face to make sure she’s okay. “I can tell them to go away.”

“It’s fine.” She smiles. “I’m excited for this little guy to meet the family.”

I give Bianca one last peck on the mouth before sliding off the bed and striding across the room to let my brothers in.

“About time.” Dimitri scoffs, barging past me to go to Bianca’s side. “Congrats, Bianca,” He kisses the top of her head.

“Do I not get congratulations?” I close the door behind Mikhail and Danil who are hovering.

“Fuck no, you literally did none of the work. This is all Bianca’s work.”

“True.” I laugh as I head back over to the bed and perch on the end, looking at Bianca. “Do you want to tell them his name?”

She smiles before glancing at each of my brothers.

“Everyone, this is Leonid Emilio Koslov. Baby Leo, meet your uncles.” She strokes his cheek.

“We’re going to give him a very thorough education when the time comes.” Dimitri grins at Bianca.

I shake my head. “God help this child.”

Bianca catches my eye and grins. “Now you just need to hurry up and give him some cousins. Otherwise poor Leo here is going to get lonely in such a big house.”

I swallow my laughter as Dimitri’s face pales.

I chuckle. “You’re going to give Dimitri a heart attack.”

“I just delivered a baby. Let me have some fun.”

I glance over my shoulder at my two youngest brothers who are still hovering by the door.

Mikhail looks like he wants to be anywhere else, but Danil is looking at Leo with nothing but wonder in his eyes.

I smile and nod at him. “You can hold him, you know?”

“Really?” Danil looks at Bianca.

“Of course!”

“Let me.” I scoop up Leo and carry him over to Danil who takes him into his arms. “You’re a natural, Danil. ”

My youngest brother shrugs, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

I shake my head. “I remember when you were that small.”

“Really?”

Dimitri laughs. “You looked like an alien.”

Danil glares at him. “Fuck off.”

I shake my head. “You looked a lot like Leo, actually. Lots of hair and a wrinkly forehead.”

Dimitri laughs, clapping me on the shoulder. “Sorry, brat , but I think he looks just like Bianca.”

Mikhail peers over Danil’s shoulder to get a closer look at the baby. “Just as well.”

Bianca scoffs. “Are you saying I have a wrinkly forehead?”

“Uh…” Dimitri looks to me for help, but I shrug.

“I’m not getting involved in this.”

Mikhail looks at me. “He’s definitely got the Koslov chin. You can’t deny who fathered him.”

Danil sighs. “Poor kid, having to grow up to look like Alexei.”

I shake my head, smiling. “You’re all assholes.”

Mikhail shrugs. “Just speaking the truth, brat . Just because you have a son now doesn’t give you a get out of jail free card when it comes to piss-taking.”

Dimitri laughs. “If anything, it’s going to get worse.”

Mikhail smirks. “So much worse. Now, come on, let me hold my nephew.”

As I help maneuver Leo from Danil’s arms to Mikhail’s, sniffling comes from behind us.

I turn around to find Bianca wiping her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I come to perch on the bed beside her.

She shakes her head and offers me a watery smile.

“It’s just…” She gazes at Leo who’s now being held like a football by Mikhail. “I’ve always wanted a big family, and now I have one.”

I laugh. “Trust me, you won’t be saying that when these idiots are over every damn day. You’ll never have another moment of peace.”

“I don’t want a quiet house. So, I want you all to know that just because Alexei and I have chosen to reside there most of the time, the mansion is still very much your home too, so stay as long as you want. But if you’re there, you help change diapers.”

“Yeah, no. I’m out.” Mikhail hands me back the baby.

I laugh. “Well, that’s one way of getting rid of them.”

Dimitri smiles. “We should leave you to rest. Congrats again.”

Once my brothers have gone, I hand Leo back to Bianca and shuffle in closer so that I can pull her against my chest.

As I stroke her hair, I watch Leo sleep, and my heart feels like it’s fit to burst.

“Thank you for being mine,” I whisper against Bianca’s hair.

She looks up at me and smiles.

“I love you, Alexei Koslov.”

“I love you too, zhizn’ moya . My life.”