Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Maksim

Eight Months Later

Ican hear the sounds of little feet and little babbling voices coming down the hallway long before my beautiful family comes around the corner.

“They’re getting a little faster,” I say with a grin as the four wobbling toddlers come into view. “We’ll be chasing them up and down these hallways pretty soon.”

Abby gives me a worried look. “You can do the chasing. I’m already exhausted.”

I scoop up two of the kids and leave her with the other two, then lean in and press a kiss against her forehead. “New plan. They can chase each other up and down the hallways while we stand here and yell for them to slow down.”

She laughs. “Sounds good to me. Are you ready for tonight?”

I nod, barely suppressing an anxious smile. “Definitely. It’s going to be a special night.”

Not only are we having our first big family dinner now that my father is back from overseas, but I have a surprise planned for the love of my life. A surprise that’s been burning a hole in my pocket all afternoon.

She leans in for one more kiss, then turns her attention back to the children. “Let’s go wash up and get some dinner.”

They follow her into the kitchen to wash their hands, and I’m left wondering how the hell I got so lucky.

“I’ll pull the SUV around,” I call out, already heading for the door.

Ten minutes later, we’re all loaded up and buckled in and on our way to my father’s house on the other side of town. When we get there, Dimitri and Lev greet us at the door, swooping in and carrying off our giggling, squealing brood of kids and giving us a few minutes of relative peace and quiet before we have to sit down for dinner.

“There are my grandbabies,” my father says from the other room, his voice booming through the house. “So beautiful. So perfect.”

I turn to Abby and grin. “Just like their mother.”

“Charmer,” she says, leaning in as I wrap my arms around her.

I don’t miss the way my father sends Abby a slightly strained smile as he moves past us towards the kids, but we’ve come a long way since I found out he agreed to the DNA test.

In the end, we all trusted Alyosha, and I can’t blame him for taking that man at his word when I’d done the exact same thing.

We’d taken another test, just to appease my father. And although it irked Abby that we had to do it, I think she understood the paranoia that can come with our positions, and the fact that my father had been completely cut off from the entire situation and had very little to go on in terms of trust.

But even without the test, it’s clear beyond all doubt now that the black-haired little terrors are mine. They look just like me, every last one of them, save for their mother’s blue eyes.

Although we’re still working on the perfect family, I think my father is finally coming to terms with the fact that Abby is a good woman, and a good mother. And he’s absolutely doting on his grandkids.

“Maks,” he says, smiling and giving me a one-handed hug when we walk into the living room, a giggling Sofia dangling from his other arm. “You’re looking well.”

“You’re looking well yourself, Papa. Glad you could make it home this month.”

“Oh, me too.” He smiles and glances over his shoulder, where the rest of the kids are climbing all over Dimitri and Lev, their little faces lighting up at the attention. “I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”

We all take our seats around the table and the meal begins. We catch up on business and the kids, and when we’re almost finished eating, I clear my throat.

“There’s something I want to share,” I say, trying to contain the grin on my face. “Something important.”

“What is it, Maksim?” my father asks.

“Yeah, Maks, what’s up?” Lev echoes.

“You all know I had a very rough year last year, but thanks to all of you, I’ve come through it and have started a wonderful new chapter in my life.”

I look at Abby and she’s grinning. She has no idea what’s coming.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here today without all of your help and support, and I want to thank you for that. I also want to thank Abby, who is the light of my life. You’re a wonderful, loving mother, and an amazing woman.”

Her cheeks flush pink and she looks at me curiously.

“The reason for all of this,” I say, reaching into my pocket, “is to give you this.” I pull out the box, get down on one knee, and pop it open to reveal the ring I’ve been keeping safe. “Abigail, my love, my everything, will you marry me?”

Her mouth falls open and she stares at me in shock, her eyes wide and filled with tears.

“Say yes,” someone mutters. Probably Lev.

“Yes,” she finally whispers, her voice cracking. “Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”

The room erupts into cheers and applause, and I slip the ring onto her finger, then kiss her gently.

“Oh, Maks,” she murmurs. “This is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much.”

I can’t stop grinning as I look at her. “Nothing is too good for you, beautiful. Not a thing.”

We celebrate for a while longer, but as the kids start to fall asleep, we decide it’s time to get back home and put them to bed.

As we drive home, I can’t stop thinking about how much things have changed. How happy I am.

Abby and the kids are the center of my universe. They’re the reason for everything. They’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

And nothing will ever change that.