Chapter 30 - Vivian

After everything went down with my brothers, Ari followed through with his word and had a nurse come by the house nearly as soon as we got there. To our relief, no harm had come to the twins, and they were still just as happy despite the spike in my blood pressure I had endured.

Ari did everything he could to make me feel safe and comfortable moving forward, including staying home from work for a week to make sure I was doing all right. Even in wake of what happened, that time for just us was everything I needed to feel better again. Everything I needed to feel so completely adored and appreciated by him.

Behind the scenes, Lara and some of their cousins worked together to plan a baby shower for us, and on that beautiful day, the back yard was full of Levovs as they gathered to celebrate our little ones.

By then, I was more noticeably pregnant, much to Ari's delight, and there was no doubting just how big my belly was getting. It made it easier for me to hold my bump lovingly, and to offer our babies as much comfort as I could.

Of course, Ari was never too shy to do the same. Every night, he'd caress my stomach and whisper his feelings, letting them know how much he loved them already. Those words would be directed to me afterward, affirming the work I was putting into growing our sweet twins.

With most of his family there, I spent the first part of the afternoon getting to know everyone, finally able to place the names I heard in passing to faces.

It was easy to see just how much they all cared for each other, with that sentiment going beyond just Ari and his siblings. Regardless of how intimidating most of them seemed, I came to realize they were all just hardened masks used while they did business. But underneath it all, they were rambunctious and caring, and they took pride in teasing one another.

There were endless streams of congratulations for the two of us, along with a sea of more gifts than we could ever use.

"You've impressed me, Vivian," Anastasia said as she stood with her slice of cake in hand. "I never thought anyone could get through Ari's macho exterior, but you've done the impossible."

"Eh, we've all known he's soft under there, he's just too embarrassed to show it," Lukyan teased with a knowing grin.

As he and the others laughed, Yaro came up from behind and hooked an arm around his neck playfully, ruffling his hair. "Says the softest one here, kid."

"You've got me all wrong," he said in defense of himself. "I'm just hoping that if I follow Ari's lead, I'll snag a wife of my own."

"It doesn't get softer than that," Ari said with a chuckle, putting an affectionate hand against my waist. "But I'm waiting to see who manages to whip Benedikt into shape. Any luck at the clubs yet?"

With a scoff, Benedikt rolled his eyes. "It might be your day today, but you're still not allowed to say ‘I told you so.'"

Amused by how they always seemed to end up in a constant roll of banter, I was glad to witness it for myself.

Despite everything we went through, I finally felt at ease. That lingering dread in my stomach went away after our worries were taken care of, and all that remained was the chance to truly explore our connection.

Ari had been dedicated before, but after it was all said and done, he became the best husband I could ever ask for.

We were closer than ever, and there was no doubt in my mind that we would be just fine.

He was everything I wanted and needed, and I could put my complete faith in him.

Making the deal even sweeter, I felt like I had a place in his family, as his siblings and cousins accepted me without hesitation. Even if I had been a reluctant outsider before, I felt like one of them, and I never got sick of being around them.

While they had made me nervous initially, that hesitation went away as I warmed up to them and realized they weren't as intimidating as they seemed.

"All of that aside," Lara began, throwing her brothers a warning look as she steered everyone back on track. "I just want to say to Vivian that I'm still so glad to have you here with us. Not only do you give me a break from these idiots, but you bring out the best in Ari, and I know you two will make incredible parents."

My heart swelled at the acceptance as the others smiled.

"A toast to Ari, Vivian, and the twins," Benedikt proposed, lifting his glass flute full of punch in the air.

Everyone joined in, offering us another wave of congratulations. Even the children who had spent the whole time running around and playing joined in with their enthusiastic cheers.

My cheeks started to ache from smiling as Ari held me close to his side and gently clinked his glass against mine, mirroring his happiness back to me.

"So where to?" Lara asked, looking at us through her stylish sunglasses.

"I found a great place for us in Costa Rica. We'll be there for a week before heading to the Keys," Ari said, sounding just as excited as I felt for our baby moon.

"Don't tempt me into booking a flight," she added, smiling at the idea.

"No offense, Lar, but I don't think they want any visitors on this trip," Kir murmured with a mischievous grin.

Lara threw him a look of repulsion at the idea as she playfully swatted him away. "Gross!"

The others laughed as I tried to push away the heat creeping up my neck at the implication, well aware of how we intended to pass the time together.

Eventually, the celebration came to a close, and everyone saw us off. With our bags already in the back of the car, Ari pulled away from the house as evening set in, holding my hand all the while.

We finished the wonderful day spent with his family by catching our flight to Costa Rica, prepared to continue the celebration on our own.

"The honeymoon we never got to have," Ari murmured to me as he kissed the back of my hand while we sat together in the private jet, overlooking the world beneath us.

I smiled at him, grateful for it all.

After everything, I couldn't wait to relax and focus on the two of us in the warm weather, soaking in the sun and the fresh air.

Realizing he was right, I knew the trip was going to be even better than I had anticipated.

***

The suite was even more perfect than I could've imagined, in awe of the resort choice Ari had made for us.

Surrounded by glimmering water, we were practically staying in a mansion on a pier connected by boardwalks and short bridges. Outside every window was a view of the ocean, along with the beautiful scenery.

The lush interior felt so open and airy as the white curtains billowed in the light breeze, immediately offering us pure comfort and relaxation.

I breathed in that salty air as Ari wrapped his arms around me and pressed a gentle kiss against my neck.

"You like it?"

"Of course," I hummed, putting my hand over his where it rested against my stomach tenderly. "It's incredible."

"Good. Make yourself at home for the next week," he said, pressing a kiss against my neck that made me smile. "I have a relaxing itinerary you can take a look at, and dinner will be brought to us shortly. But in the meantime," Ari hummed, carefully turning me around to face him, "I was thinking we could break this place in."

Catching on to his real meaning, my heart thrummed, and my skin was already warm all over.

"I wouldn't complain," I murmured in return, looking up at the gorgeous man I had the privilege of calling my husband.

Pleased by my confirmation, his hands were already ghosting my waist and hips—a telltale sign that he was already turned on and growing more restless by the minute.

"I'm glad we're always on the same page," he returned quietly as he leaned in, capturing my lips with his.

It didn't matter how many times we kissed, it always felt just as intense as the first time, and it always left me wanting more. Thankfully, he seemed to be thinking the same thing, as he didn't break the kiss to nudge me back, guiding me toward the bed.

"You don't know how worked up I've been all day," Ari mumbled as the mattress connected with the back of my legs, and he carefully eased me onto it. Pushing my hips back and guiding me to a lying position, he sank to his knees as he pressed kisses down my legs. "Seeing you in that dress, walking around and looking so pregnant—fuck..."

Excitement scurried through me at his confession, still just as glad about how much it aroused him to see me that way, knowing I was carrying his children.

"Now I don't have to wait," he continued, moving between my thighs as he made his way closer to my throbbing heat and pushed the hem of my dress up to expose more of my skin.

Sucking in a deep breath the moment he hooked his fingers into the hem of my underwear and pulled it down, not bothering to tease me beforehand, I let go of it the second his tongue brushed against my clit.

Breathlessly, I moaned for him, melting as his tongue ran through my folds, eagerly collecting my arousal.

He hummed into me as he gripped my thighs, taking so much pleasure in exploring me that I couldn't help but wonder if it was borderline more for him than for me. Losing himself in it, Ari moaned into me and devoured every inch, not letting it go to waste.

As his saliva mixed with my arousal, creating the perfect concoction between us, my thighs started to shake, my belly already tightening from his enthusiasm.

Arching my back slightly off the bed, I let myself soak up that addictive attention, beyond grateful he took so much pride in making me feel good. It seemed like a bonus that his pleasing me turned him on with absolute ease.

Before long, I was moaning out for him, practically begging for more, and to my relief, he was too desperate to tease me any longer.

Leaving a final kiss on my clit, he pushed the dress up and over me as he hovered above, reaching to free my breasts from over the top of my bra. Urgently, he leaned down to kiss me, dragging his cock through my folds.

He moaned into my mouth, catching my own as I shuddered from the feeling, aware of every pass he made over my clit.

Sinfully, he slowly moved his hips, slicking himself in that damp combination of fluids between my legs. His whole body tensed at the sensation as he supported himself above me, dropping his head as it coursed through him.

Head already foggy from just getting started, I reached up for him and gripped his back, prepared to stabilize myself through the bliss he was about to feed me.

"Christ, you're too much," Ari managed to say, voice gruff as he parted my legs further and lined himself up.

Given how wet I already was, he faced no resistance as he slid inside, making us both gasp at the sensation.

I had grown used to Ari's size and knew what to expect, but every time he entered me, it felt just as intense. His girth made me pause to accommodate him and to revel in how much it completed me.

Surrounding me and filling me so completely, I could only grip him tighter, letting my nails sink into his skin as he started to move.

No matter how hard he tried to hold back his moans or how he attempted to resist how tightly I clenched around him, Ari could never keep those sounds to himself. His rigid body always made it clear just how much it was affecting him, and how eager he was to move within me.

With one hand on the mattress to prop himself up and the other on my hip, he started at a slow pace, jaw clenching from that sheer bliss.

Moaning for him, I felt every second of pleasure, and every inch of him as he dragged himself in and back out again, letting us both hear just how aroused we were. He did it several times, driving me crazy every time he entered me again.

As lust darkened his eyes, Ari couldn't keep up that deliberate pace as he thrusted into me harder, building a rhythm that had me squirming for him.

Encouraging him on, I knew it was no use swallowing back my moans. Instead, I wanted him to know just how much I loved it, and how he could push me closer to release every time.

Zeroing in on his movements, Ari snapped his hips harder, digging his fingers into my skin all the while.

I couldn't complain, not while I did the same to his back, clawing at him and clinging as much as I could. He was the only thing I could anchor myself to as he pulled those groans from me and made me take that endless intensity.

Mindlessly murmuring how much I was enjoying it, those words seemed to come out more like a chant for him. Useless babbling was all my hazy mind could come up with, but as far as I could tell, he didn't mind it for a second.

Instead, Ari let go of his shaky moans and drove his hips into mine. That sickeningly addictive slap of his skin against mine echoed throughout the room, only making the whole thing more alluring.

The closer he moved his body to mine, the more muted that sound became, and the deeper he thrusted into me.

As my throat went dry from moaning, those sounds cracked and fragmented as I took more of him, so overwhelmed by the fuzziness filling my system.

His size alone was enough to push me over the edge, but pairing it with his relentless speed, depth, and perfect sounds, it was all too much.

Dropping his hand between us, he circled my clit, immediately lighting fire across my entire body with how intense it felt. With the added stimulation, everything mounted at once, building and building until I couldn't keep it in.

Letting go of a choked groan, I crashed into my release as I clenched around him, and my vision went black. My lower belly tightened when my orgasm hit me, and it was all I could do to hold on.

Ari's thighs quivered as he groaned, stilling against me as he released inside me, filling me with his warmth. He gripped me as his head tipped back, bliss cloaking him, looking like a god through my haze.

Panting, he supported himself above me as he swallowed back his relieved moan before relaxing next to me. Ari draped an arm lazily over me as we both collected ourselves, staying as close to me as possible.

"I love you," he whispered, nuzzling his face into my neck.

Reaching for his hand, I laced our fingers together and soaked up my relief, unable to deny how complete I felt. "I love you too, Ari."

There was no telling how long we stayed like that, blissed out and not missing a moment of our shared time together.

We were both at ease, not needing any words to fill the silence. It was more than perfect, and I knew I couldn't ask for more.

Eventually, there was a hesitant knock at the door, and I looked at him in confusion.

Recognition filled his eyes, and Ari chuckled. "Must be dinner. What good timing."

Laughing at how absurd it was, I fell back on the bed and felt as his arms pulled me close, not letting me go despite the employee waiting outside the door.

"Just a minute!" he called, not making any move to get up as he pressed a kiss against my skin. He murmured into my neck, "My wife currently has my full attention."

My heart clenched at his words, reminding me of the simple fact that was always so difficult for me to believe.

Despite everything, it turned out that being Ari's wife was the furthest thing from a curse, and he was everything I ever needed, wrapped into the most perfect package.

*****

THE END