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“Is that it, little bird?” The question was so soft, she almost couldn’t hear it. “Are you done with me?”
A lump formed in her throat, but she spoke past it. “Never, Master. But . . .”
He pushed her to sit up, then looked her hard in the eyes. “But, what?”
Just say it, Varushka. Her eyes watered but she pushed forward bravely. “I need to know if you want me . . .”
“Of course I want you.”
“. . . and my baby.” She braced herself. “Our baby.”
He blinked a few times, as if he hadn’t fully comprehended what she’d said. Then his gaze dropped to her stomach. She placed a hand there. When he looked at her again, she nodded as his eyes widened and filled with understanding.
“A baby?” he repeated. “You’re pregnant?”
She’d expected some amount of shock, but her heart beat rapidly in her chest, waiting for what came next. “Yes.”
His lips curved in a big grin, then he pulled her up tight against him. “A baby! I can’t believe it! But how?”
He sounded . . . excited. Excited? She pulled out of his grip so she could see his face. Although he was good at fooling other people, she could usually tell if he was hiding something. “You’re okay with this?”
“Okay? I’m not okay, I’m fucking ecstatic! It’s a shock, but I’m thrilled. A baby is . . .”—his smile was contagious—“is . . . amazing.” He stared at her like a million happy thoughts were running through his head at once. It was interesting seeing it from the other side. Then a look of concern settled behind his eyes. “Oh, Varushka. I’m sorry. I’m so wrapped up in how excited I am I forgot to ask if you were okay.”
“I was surprised, but other than you, this baby is the best thing that has happened in my life.” She cocked her head, staring into his eyes, trying to read the truth there. “Are you sure you want us? Because I would understand if you didn’t. I don’t want to be an obligation. You didn’t ask for this.” Her hand splayed automatically over her belly, warding the child from his possible rejection.
For a moment, he looked at her as if he’d never seen her before. “I love you, Varushka. This baby just makes everything sweeter.” Smiling, he cupped her face in his hands and pecked her on the lips. “I’ll love this baby.” He moved his hands from her face to her belly, laying them over her own. “I already love this baby.” Laughing, he looked at her again. “You’re mine, Varushka. From the moment Baba sent me your picture you’ve been mine.”
She had to admit, if he was faking, he was doing a damned good job. But then her heart spoke, louder than her head, drowning out her doubt and fear. Of course he’s excited, it said. He loves you. He’ll never leave you. He’s your Master.
Her Master.
Then she grinned with him. More tears came. Master kissed them all away—on her cheeks, her chin, even her eyelashes. All her anxiety, her apprehension, faded.
He loved her.
She’d marry him, knowing he chose her out of love, not obligation. And their baby would be born into loving arms, knowing it was desperately wanted. She couldn’t think of a better ending to her fairy tale.
Epilogue
Even though it was a back hallway in a tiny church in a backwater Russian town, the painstaking detail of the murals all around them was astonishing. They boasted a wealth of color and heavy gold accents so much more impressive than the simple, elegant churches that other faiths seemed to have. It made the one he’d taken Varushka to in America look plain. Here, it was go big or go home.
Konstantin fiddled with his left cuff link, impatient to get on with things but having nothing to do until Varushka and her parents showed up. Part of him still worried her father would back out at the last minute, or bring a rifle. This wasn’t exactly how Konstantin had wanted things to go, even though the end result was the same—he was getting what he wanted.
Varushka had trusted him not to get her pregnant, and yet here they were. He knew that condoms sometimes failed, but that was the sort of thing that happened to other people—like to teenage boys who didn’t know how to put them on right. Putting Varushka in the position where they were marrying under what her father and community considered shameful circumstances had never been his plan. Not that the community knew, but he was sure rumors would follow their very sudden nuptials, especially after her father had probably just finished bad-mouthing him all over the village.
“You realize you suck.” Ambrose gripped Konstantin’s shoulder and gave it a shake. “Now they’re all going to want one.”
Banner raised his brows and shrugged. “I’m ready anytime. The idea of my baby growing in Kate’s belly is hot.”
Konstantin’s cheeks heated, but his friends were kind enough not to mention it. He made a hissing noise at them and glanced around. “This is a church. Shut up.”
“Yes. We should be careful in case the empty hallway or the priest who doesn’t speak English overhears us.” Ambrose nodded, picking a piece of lint off Konstantin’s suit jacket. “What were we thinking?”
“Be nice,” Banner chided their friend. “He’s probably nervous.”
“I thought I would be, but I’m not.” A strange calm had settled over him in the past few days. Marrying his Varushka and knowing their baby was growing inside her should have freaked him out, but instead his elation had become almost unbearable. Varushka was so radiantly happy that all of his worry over ruining her had vanished. This was what she wanted—he was what she wanted—even after having time to think about it and after he’d accidentally trapped her into marrying him.
Although they were ten minutes late, Varushka and her family eventually arrived. For those ten harrowing minutes, he was sure her father had stolen her away and he was going to have to spend the rest of his life searching for her. Then Varushka swept in, her parents struggling to keep up.
