Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Maksim

Ipeek inside Abby’s room, the sound of four crying babies echoing through the space. She and Nadia are busy trying to soothe them, but it clearly isn’t going well.

“Can I try holding them?” I ask, surprising both of them with my offer.

Abby looks at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, let me help,” I insist, feeling the need to be useful in this situation. “I can at least take one or two of them. There’s…so many.”

Abby snorts softly and sends me a wry smile. “Four seems like a small number, doesn’t it, until it’s four crying newborns.” She hesitates for a moment and her tiny smile falters, before she carefully places Alexander in my arms. Nadia does the same with Sofia, both women watching me closely as they step back.

Slowly, gently, I sit down and hold the two little ones in my lap while the women help position the babies’ heads carefully to ensure their comfort. I’ve never been particularly good with children, but I helped create these tiny lives. They’re a part of me. My blood. My family.

“Shh, it’s okay,” I murmur softly, rocking them back and forth. To everyone’s surprise, including my own, the crying tapers down into quiet whimpers, and when the women pick up one baby each it’s as if the mood shifts through the babies in my arms and into the others. The room goes quiet in less than a minute, save for the gentle cooing of the now content babies.

“Wow, that was impressive,” Abby admits, a hint of warmth in her voice that I haven’t heard since the night Booker died.

I look up from the two in my arms, feeling a sense of pure awe sweep through my chest. “Do you think they know I’m their father?” My eyes jump between the two women, both of whom are looking at me with gentle smiles now.

“Oh, Maksim,” Abby says, and she takes a step towards me, her expression melting into something tender before she appears to stop herself, and looks down. “Yes, I do.”

I smile, feeling my lips stretch in a full, broad, happy grin, more than a little proud of myself and feeling a sense of connection with these babies that I didn’t fully expect. Not so soon, anyway. “Or maybe I just got lucky today.”

“Maybe not just luck,” Nadia says, her eyes darting between me and Abby with approval. “You have a gentle touch, Maksim.”

My heart does a slow roll in my chest, and I can’t help but smile back at them. Even though my life is filled with danger and shadows, this moment of peace and tenderness reminds me that there’s still some light left in the world. And maybe, just maybe, I can be a part of that light.

The moment I try to hand them over to Nadia, they start crying again, their soft wails tearing at my heartstrings. It’s as if they know I’m about to let go, and they don’t want me to. Neither do I.

“Maybe I’ll sit with them a bit longer,” I suggest, adjusting my hold on the little ones.

“Of course,” Nadia says, understanding in her eyes. She glances at Abby before gently laying the child she holds into a crib and leaving the room, giving us some much-needed space to talk.

“Did you sleep well last night?” I ask Abby, trying to keep things light. Her hair is messy, but she still looks beautiful. Exhaustion clings to her like a shadow, but her eyes sparkle with life.

“It could’ve been better,” she admits, sitting down beside me on the bed. “But I’m getting used to it. What about you?”

“Same here,” I reply, focusing on the warmth of the tiny bundles in my arms. “It’s hard not to worry, even when you’re trying to rest.”

“True.” Abby sighs, her gaze lingering on the infants. “They’re so adorable, though, even when they cry. It’s hard not to fall in love with them.”

“Definitely,” I agree, feeling the same pull. We share a smile, bonding over our shared affection for these tiny, beautiful babies.

“Did you ever think you’d be doing this?” she asks, her voice soft and vulnerable. “Taking care of babies, I mean.”

“Never,” I confess truthfully. “But life has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it does,” Abby says, her eyes meeting mine. In that moment, I can see the depth of her love for the babies, as well as the vulnerability that comes with being a mother.

“Let’s just enjoy this moment,” I suggest, and she nods, her smile gentle.

As we sit together, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride that I’ve managed to calm them down. Abby’s eyes are warm as she watches me, and I want nothing more than to protect her and these little ones.

“I can’t stop thinking about that night with Booker,” Abby says suddenly, quietly, although she doesn’t look up from her child.

“Abby,” I say, feeling my heart clench. “I wasn’t responsible for his—”

“I believe you,” she says quickly, although I notice that she flinches slightly. “But why did you go after him? Why did you do it right then and there?”

She looks up finally, and her blue eyes are a swirl of emotions that I can’t quite interpret.

“Was it because of me?” she says, and her voice shakes. “Because of what I told you?”

I hesitate a moment, because I don’t want her feeling even the slightest sense of responsibility for my choices.

“Partially,” I admit slowly, keeping a careful watch on her expression. “But I was already looking for him, although I didn’t know his name. Him, and others just like him. There’s a ring of scammers that have been operating for a while now, and I’m determined to shut them down.”

“Really?” She looks at me with concern. “Have you found out who’s behind it all?”

“We’re getting closer. My IT guy is investigating Booker’s computer as we speak. But we haven’t been able to catch the mastermind yet.” I don’t want to scare her, so I leave out some of the information. “Booker was just a pawn in their game.”

“Be careful, Maksim.” She frowns, her eyes filled with worry. “These people are dangerous.”

I can’t help the wry smile that touches my lips. “So am I.”

Abby huffs in mild amusement and eyes me sideways. “So you’ve said, mister mysterious.” But then her expression sobers, and she bites her lip. “I’m serious, Maksim. No matter what happens between us, no matter who you are or what you’ve done, it would…” She sighs again and looks away. “It would be better if our children grew up with their father alive, I think.”

I take in a slow breath, and though I itch to touch her, to comfort her, I don’t move for fear of jostling the delicate cargo in my arms.

“I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

She bites her lip again, and doesn’t reply.

“On that note, Abby,” I wait for her to look at me again before continuing, “I want you to be careful, too. And I need to know that you’ll listen to me if I tell you to do something or go somewhere, even if you don’t like it.” Her brows draw down, and I touch her knee with my own. “I need you to trust me. At least when it comes to your safety, and the safety of our children. I would never do anything to jeopardize that. You know that, right?”

She holds my gaze for a long moment, before nodding.

“What concerns me right now is your safety. Whoever is behind this scam might be targeting you because you exposed Booker, if no other reason.”

Her breath catches, and I see fear flicker in her eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you or the babies, Abby. I promise.”

“Thank you, Maksim,” she says softly, her eyes shining with gratitude.

“I mean it,” I tell her, my gaze locked on hers. “No one will hurt you or these little ones. Not on my watch.”

“Your watch?” Abby teases, trying to lighten the mood. “You make it sound like they’re under attack.”

“Maybe not literally,” I admit, “but they’re vulnerable, and so are you. That’s why I’m here, to make sure you’re all safe.”

“I know,” she says quietly. “And I appreciate it.”

“Good,” I reply, my voice soft but firm.

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of our conversation settling around us. The babies continue to sleep peacefully in my arms, unaware of the danger lurking beyond these walls.

“Can I ask,” I begin, shifting the conversation to something lighter, “how you ended up with four babies? That’s really rare, isn’t it?”

She smiles, a mix of wonder and amusement. “My sister has ARPKD.” I nod, knowing this already, and she continues. “One of its symptoms, so to speak, is fertility—or the lack thereof. She’d been trying for almost a decade to have children and couldn’t.”

“But,” I interrupt, my brows furrowing. “She has a set of twins. I saw them.”

“Yeah, well, apparently it was a year of miracles for the both of us.”

My confusion continues and apparently it shows on my face, because she smiles and shakes her head.

“Hold on, let me take a step back. So she was trying for years to conceive, even adopt, but everything fell through and she was devastated. That’s when I decided to be a surrogate for her. And no,” she says firmly, as I open my mouth to speak, “before you ask, there isn’t even a small chance that these babies are hers, we were still in the very early stages of the process.”

I close my mouth, and listen.

“I started fertility treatments to regulate my periods, but she got pregnant before my course of treatment was complete. And I met you before I had a chance to stop the fertility drugs. I’d found out about her pregnancy that very night, actually.”

“Well, that’s quite a series of events to lead up to my being a father of four in the space of barely a year.” I raise my brows as I take in the multiple events that had to fall perfectly into place for this to happen.

“It was all because of the hormones. My doctor said it’s rare but not unheard of, four eggs were released during ovulation and all four were fertilized, and, well, here we are.”

“Sounds like a miracle,” I remark.

“Definitely feels like one,” she agrees. “I wouldn’t change it for the world, even though it’s been tough at times.” She looks down at the bundles in our arms, and slowly stands. “I think it’s time we put the little ones in their cribs, I think they’re sleeping well enough now not to wake up for a little while.”

“Tell me more about your family,” I suggest as I stand, not wanting our conversation to end.

“Okay.” she smiles at me as she gently places her bundle down, hovering for a few moments to run her hand up and down the baby’s back soothingly before standing. “My sister Maggie is ten years older than me. She married a politician, Michael. They’re a great couple, and they’ve been a huge support system for me. Maggie runs the foundation and frankly I think she’s training me for that same role. Michael is a good guy, always willing to lend a helping hand, even though he often travels abroad on business.”

“Sounds like a solid family.” She takes one of the babies from my arms and moves to the next crib, and I walk slowly to the last empty one lined against the wall.

“Yeah, they’ve really stepped up since the babies arrived. We’re lucky to have them,” Abby admits, her voice filled with gratitude as she leans over the next crib. I hesitate with my own bundle, before carefully laying her down.

Their peaceful slumber creates an intimate atmosphere, drawing Abby and me closer together as we stand and watch over them, before I turn to face her. Our eyes linger on each other as our faces inch nearer, the undeniable chemistry between us sparking like electricity in the air.

I’ve missed her, I’ve missed this. My entire being hones down to the diminishing space between us, and the anticipation of her lips on mine.

Our mouths are just a hair’s breadth apart when my phone pierces the silence, its urgent ringtone jarring us back to reality. The moment shatters, and I curse inwardly at the interruption.

“Dammit,” I mutter, reluctantly withdrawing from Abby to answer the call, if only to stop the ringtone from waking the babies. The intensity of our almost-kiss lingers between us, leaving a tingling sensation on my skin as I reach for my phone.

“Excuse me,” I mumble, trying to hide my irritation as I swipe the screen and press the phone to my ear. “What?”

“Boss, it’s Lev. We’ve got a situation,” he says quickly, his tone urgent.

“Okay, I’m coming.” I end the call, turning back to Abby. But where I had every intention of taking her face between my palms and continuing right where we left off, I notice she’s taken several steps back from me and has her arms crossed defensively, looking away. A clear indication that she doesn’t have the same intent as I do right now.

I purse my lips in disappointment, but remain where I am, just out of reach.

“Everything alright?” she asks, her voice soft but laced with worry.

“Hopefully, yes. But I need to take care of this,” I assure her, trying to keep my own anxiety in check. I don’t want to scare her, but whatever has Lev so worked up must be serious.

“Of course.” She bites her lip as if holding back a thousand questions. I know she wants to ask what’s going on, but she respects my need to handle things without getting her involved.

“Stay here with the babies, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can.” My words are both a request and an order, my concern for her safety paramount in my mind.

“Alright, Maksim,” she agrees, her gaze lingering on mine for a moment longer before she looks away, her fingers gently brushing over the sleeping infants.

I leave the room, my heart heavy with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. As I stride down the hallway toward the main living area, my thoughts race, attempting to piece together what could have prompted Lev’s call. I trust him implicitly, and I know he wouldn’t interrupt me without good reason.

***

The fluorescent light above me flickers, casting a sickly hue over the cramped office. Sweat beads on my forehead as I clutch the arms of my leather chair. Lev stands in front of me, his jaw clenched and muscles tense. Alyosha sits across from me, fiddling with his laptop, his gaze darting between the screen and me.

“Spit it out, Lev,” I demand, my voice hoarse with worry.

“Boss, there was an incident at Maggie’s office,” Lev begins hesitantly, avoiding my eyes. “It was vandalized while she wasn’t there. We had men following her, of course, but no one was guarding the office at the time.”

For a moment, the room seems to spin around me. Abby’s sister’s life could be in danger because of my carelessness. I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to slam my fist into the desk.

“Fuck. How could this happen? Where were our men?”

“Outside the building. They were watching her, not the office. It’s my fault, I should’ve been clearer with my orders.” Lev’s admission is filled with guilt and self-blame.

“Stop beating yourself up,” I snap, my temper flaring. “We need to focus on fixing this shitstorm.”

“Right, boss,” Lev says, straightening himself up.

“Have you talked to Maggie? Is she okay?” My heart races at the thought of Abby’s sister being caught in the crossfire because of some thugs who are trying to get at me.

“She’s fine, Maksim,” Lev reassures me. “We were with her. She’s safe and sound at your second safehouse now.”

“Thank fuck for that,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. “Has her husband returned? Do we need to watch him?”

“No, she says he’s scheduled to be in Singapore for several more months.”

Alyosha clears his throat, finally joining the conversation. “Boss, I’ve been scanning through any security footage we have access to, but so far, there’s nothing concrete,” he says apologetically.

“Keep looking, Alyosha. I want answers.” My voice is steel as I issue the command.

“Understood, boss,” Alyosha replies, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

Lev’s voice is tight as he elaborates on the damage. “They took every single computer from her office, Maksim. And it looks like a fuck ton of paper files are gone too.” He swipes through photos on his phone, showing me the chaos left in their wake.

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter, my knuckles white as I grip the edge of my desk. The shattered glass and upturned furniture make my stomach churn with fury.

“As if they couldn’t just download the hard drives,” Alyosha scoffs as he types. “Amateurs.”

“Don’t dismiss them so easily,” I warn. “They clearly know what they’re doing digitally. Maybe they didn’t have had time for the transfers.”

“Pff.”

“Any leads?” I ask Lev, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.

“Nothing concrete yet,” he replies, his brow furrowed in frustration. “But we did hear that some members of the Irish Mafia were spotted near Maggie’s office around the time of the attack.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Those bastards have been itching for a fight ever since our last run-in.” I slam my fist on the desk, the impact resonating throughout the room.

“True, but we can’t be sure it was them without more evidence,” Lev cautions, his eyes dark with concern. “We’re still digging, Maksim.”

“Dig faster,” I snap, impatience gnawing at me. “I want those responsible for this shitshow found and dealt with. And I want Abby’s sister kept safe. No more fuck ups.”

The room falls silent, the tension thick enough to slice through.

Alyosha finally speaks up, his voice cutting through the charged atmosphere. “We’re pulling video feeds from nearby businesses and digging deeper into the web for any chatter related to the attack. We’ll find who did this, Maksim.”

“Good,” I mutter, my mind racing with possibilities. Not only is Abby and her sister’s safety at risk, but so are the lives of everyone involved in our organization. These fuckers crossed a line, and they’ll pay dearly for it. I clench my fists, barely able to contain my rage.

“Lev, Alyosha,” I order, my voice cold and steady, “I want you both on this, full force. Don’t leave any stone unturned. Keep a close eye on Maggie and anyone else associated with the foundation. Got it?”

“Of course, Maksim,” Lev replies, his face set in grim determination. “You know we’ve got your back.”

Alyosha nods, his eyes flashing with a steely resolve that reassures me slightly. “We’re already working around the clock, boss. We won’t let you down.”

“See that you don’t.” My gaze travels between the two of them, making sure they understand the gravity of the situation. “Because if anything happens to Abby, Maggie, or my kids, heads will fucking roll.”

“Understood,” they both say in unison, their expressions hardening with the weight of my words.

“Keep me updated on every single detail,” I demand, my heart hammering in my chest as I imagine the worst-case scenarios. The thought of losing Abby or Maggie or any of my loved ones sends waves of cold fury crashing within me. “And make sure this never happens again.”

“Absolutely, boss,” Alyosha confirms, his tone resolute. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise.”

“See that you do.” I nod, my jaw clenched as I envision every possible outcome of this mess. Whoever did this will pay, and if it’s the Irish Mafia, they’d better start praying now. Because once I get my hands on them, there’ll be no mercy.