Page 79 of Savage Little War

Cara smiles and places her hand over mine, guiding it a little higher up. “Did you know our baby is about the size of a lime right now?”

I chuckle against her shoulder. “Really? A lime?”

“Maybe I should put that in terms you understand. He or she is about as big as a hand grenade,” Cara says.

I give her a playful squeeze, coaxing a laugh from her. “Do you think I’m some war-hungry barbarian?”

Cara reaches back to thread her fingers through my hair. “Sounds kind of hot, honestly.”

I leave a lingering kiss against her neck, feeling her shudder in response. “I wouldn’t mind less bloodshed.”

“Never thought I’d hear you say that,” Cara replies. “Getting burned out?”

“It would be nice to keep all my remaining men breathing,” I say. “And I’d like to leave the house without wondering if I’ll come back.”

“I’d like to stop worrying about that too,” Cara murmurs as she rubs my arm. “I just want to plan this wedding and then actually get to experience it.”

“We will,” I promise her. I don’t care what it takes. I’ll make it happen. “And it’ll be everything that you’ve dreamed of.”

Cara flashes me a warm smile. “You sound more like a prince now than a barbarian.”

Laughter rumbles in my chest as she melts into me. “I’ll be whatever you want me to be and whatever you need.”

Cara leans the side of her head against mine. “You’ve changed everything for me, Dmitri. I can’t begin to thank you enough for that.”

I shake my head a little. “You’ve changed me more. You made me realize that I could have more for my life. That I could have you.”

“You have me forever,” Cara says before lifting her hand up, admiring her engagement ring that fits perfectly on her finger. “I love this ring so much.”

“I did good?” I ask, smiling at the way the solitaire catches the light.

“Amazing,” Cara says, inspecting it closely. “It’s perfect.”

“I wanted something unique. Something that felt like you,” I tell her, remembering all the hours I spent at various jewelry stores trying to find the perfect ring.

There was a point when I started losing hope in finding it, but when I spotted it tucked beyond the glass of a display case, it called out to me. I’m glad that I listened.

Cara goes rigid, her eyes unfocusing for half a second.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I ask her as I lean to the side, trying to see her face. “Cara?” I say, tension winding around my heart.

Cara snaps out of her trance and pulls away from me. Then, she’s rushing around the penthouse, like the thought might evaporate if she doesn’t catch it.

“What are you doing? You’re making me nervous, milaya,” I say as I get off the couch, watching her rifle around in drawers and zip from place to place.

“Pen. Paper. Why don’t we have either?” Cara asks as she throws her hand up in frustration.

“My office,” I say as I point toward the door.

Cara hurries inside and emerges with a blank sheet of paper and a black pen. She kneels in front of the coffee table and starts sketching. “I just remembered something from when I was down in the basement.”

I move closer to the edge of the couch, trying to get a better look at what she’s drawing. “What?”

“There was a moment the blindfold slipped, just enough. I saw a ring when one of them grabbed my face,” Cara explains to me, her eyes locking onto the piece of paper in front of her. “I can’t believe I forgot about it. It just seemed like such an unimportant detail at the time, but I’m wondering if the ring was unique.”

I wait until she’s done drawing before sliding the sheet of paper over to my side of the coffee table to get a better look.

She’s drawn an oval seal with a winged sword in the center.