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I shout with laughter and hug her again, one hand on her stomach. I’m in there. My precious girl is carrying part of me. “But it is. I’ve been longing for this moment forever and feeling like it would never come.”
I dip my head toward hers to finally kiss her.
“I have another confession,” she says.
I growl in frustration. “I don’t care if you went back in time and assassinated a president, I need to kiss you or I’m going to fucking explode.”
“I love you.”
I press my forehead to hers, a smile spreading over my face as my anger immediately dissipates. “I love you too, princess.”
“You look like a devil with an angel’s smile,” she whispers, stroking my hair back from my face. “No wonder I fell in love with you.”
“I knew that I was for you and you were for me a long, long time ago, dandelion. I just had to wait for you to grow up and realize it for yourself, and you can’t deny I’ve been a patient man.”
She wraps her arms around my neck, smiling up at me. “Tell me again how patient you’ve been. I think this is going to be my new favorite story.”
I brush my lips over hers. Anything for her. “Since the night you killed a man and watched me torture four more to death without flinching. Since you jumped on me in the swimming pool and it was all I could do not to kiss you. Since you picked gravel out of my shoulder and ate me up with your eyes. But really? I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. Since always, every day, forever and ever. Before I even met you. My queen. I’ll always want you and I’ll always love you.”
“I love you, too, Kristian.” She traces a finger down my collar, her smile dimming. “Now all we have to do is tell everyone else. We should gather everyone together because Dad’s got some news that’s long overdue as well.”
I can guess from her expression that the news isn’t good. I take her hand and give it a squeeze. “Whatever happens next, I’ll be there with you, princess.”
* * *
The tears falland keep falling in the living room of the Belyaev mansion. All of Troian’s children are gathered on the couches, along with myself and Eleanor, as we listen to my brother reveal that this is it. He’s dying.
As much as we’ve fought over the years and despite all the pettiness of him banishing me, I still love my brother. I’ve had two years to come to terms with what he did, and while it still angers me, Zenya loves me and that’s what matters. Troian is the only brother I’ll ever have. A brother despite the fact that we share no blood, and with all the trials that come from having a brother who’s a rival, a business partner, and aPakhan.
“Daddy, we don’t want you to go,” Nadia whimpers, tears falling down her face.
He reaches for her, and Eleanor stands up and places the little girl in his lap. He cuddles her close, his eyes filled with pain. “I don’t want to go either, but I’ll always be with you. All of you carry a little part of me inside you, and when you feel sad and want to give me your love, you can give it to one of your brothers and sisters. Wherever I am, I’ll feel it.” He smiles at Chessa’s children, the ones he adopted. “I’m so proud of each and every one of you.”
My throat burns, and I remember my accusation years ago that Troian found it easy to discard me because I’m adopted. They were words spoken in anger. Troian never loved anyone less just because they didn’t share his blood.
Zenya is sitting next to me, and I reach for her hand and hold it tightly. Her eyes are glossy with tears, though they’re not falling. I suspect she’s done all her crying in the privacy of her bedroom.
Troian stares for a long time at our joined hands. Then his eyes meet mine and my whole body tenses. This is his daughter, and I can only imagine how ferociously protective I’ll be over my own daughters. If any man like me comes within a mile of my daughters, I’ll probably gut them.
“I’m sorry for what I did to the two of you,” Troian says in a shaky voice. “I hope you can forgive me one day for keeping the two of you apart. Grief gave me a kind of madness, and I know everyone in this room will do better than I did.”
The kids and Eleanor look between us and Troian, frowning in confusion.
Troian clears his throat. “Kristian and Zenya have some news to share with you all. Some happy news, and I hope we can all be happy for them.”
Zenya and I look at each other. What the hell are we going to say?
Instead of words, Zenya blushes and sheepishly holds up our joined hands. I don’t know what she’s doing until I realize she’s showing everyone the sparkling engagement ring on her finger.
There’s confused silence in the room.
Then Lana screams. She jumps up and flings her arms around her sister, yelling at the top of her lungs, “You’re getting married to Uncle Kristian? I’m so happy! Can I be a bridesmaid? Can I be the maid of honor?”
The rest of my nieces and nephews catch on one by one and crowd around us asking dozens of questions. Troian’s smiling. Eleanor’s expression is one of blank shock. It takes a few minutes for the buzzing in the room to die down.
To my surprise, all my nieces and nephews seem happy for us, and no one’s especially confused by Uncle Kristian marrying their big sister. Love just makes sense to children, but I’m sure they’ll have lots of questions for Zenya over the coming weeks. Lots of questions for me as well.
“When’s the big day?” Lana asks eagerly.
