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“It’s official. I’m giving that man a raise.”
The rumble of footsteps racing down the hall reaches my ear. Dimitri practically skids across the tile floor in his haste, throwing himself into the room. His hair is a whipped mess and his tie is flung over her shoulder, but I don’t think he cares. The moment he lays eyes on his nieces, his lips stretch into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.
Aurora beams. “Meet your Uncle Dimitri, baby girls.”
“Girls?” He claps his hand and laughs.
The sharpclick, click, clickof stiletto heels announces our next guest. My mother stands at the doorway, watching us with her usual air of disinterest and superiority. Catherina glances down at my daughters. For a moment, I think I see a spark of something almost…warm. But it disappears just as quickly as it comes, ghosting across her face within a matter of seconds.
“Girls cannot be Bratva heirs,” she says coldly. “What a disappointment.”
Any other day, I would throw her out. This is not the time or place for her attitude. Luckily for her, I’m too elated about the birth of my little ones to care. I refuse to let my mother’s unnecessary comments ruin the day.
“You can either sit there in silence, or you may leave,” I tell her. It is all I say to her before turning in my seat, facing my beautiful wife so Catherina is out of my view.
The sound of her heels retreating is all I need to hear.
My brother shuffles over. “Jesus, what’s that woman’s problem?” he grumbles, speaking what everyone’s thinking.
“She’s just in a bad mood because Konstantin finally told us Lev’s location.”
Aurora’s eyes flit up to mine. “Seriously? Are you sure he’s not leading you on a wild goose chase?”
“That’s always a possibility, but this is the furthest we’ve gotten in months. I’ll have some of my men try and verify the information before we send out a scout.”
Dimitri pats me on the shoulder. “That’s enough business talk, hm? Enjoy the moment.”
“He’s right,” Aurora says.
“Can I hold her?” he asks me.
I nod, carefully placing my little girl in his arms. “Mind her head.”
“You should probably call Pyotr and Luka,” he suggests. “They’ll want to know they’re uncles, too.”
I chuckle. “I’m sure they’ll be delighted.”
Chapter 46
Aurora
Sandra and Charlotte are fast asleep in their cribs. The twins are only fourteen weeks old, but their personalities are night and day.
Sandra, the oldest twin by a total of three whole minutes, is probably the most well-behaved baby on the planet. And I’m not saying that as a proud and boastful mother, either. She usually sleeps for long stretches and rarely ever cries. Sandra definitely takes after her father, far more reserved and serious than her little sister.
Charlotte, on the other hand, is my spitfire. She cries non-stop, is always hungry, and God help you if you don’t change her diaper as soon as she needs changing. She’s got an impressive set of lungs on her, so much so I don’t think Mikhail andI got an ounce of sleep the first few weeks after we brought her home from the hospital.
My bestie thinks it’s hilarious that her namesake gives me so much trouble and makes me promise to bring both girls to visit when they are old enough to fly. For reasons neither of us say out loud, Charlotte will never return to Russia.
I love both of my girls with all my heart. They are the apple of my eye. I don’t know how to explain it, but I love them so much that even when I’m in the same room with them I still somehowmissthem. I wake up every morning excited to see them. The nursery is right across the hall, but it still feels like a million miles away.
They’re down for their second afternoon nap right now, lying right next to each other. My twins always find a way to hold each other’s hands, always wanting to be near. I hope they’ll be this close when they grow up, their uncles a shining example of what it means to be there for one another. In this crazy world I’ve brought them into, the only people they can truly rely on is their family.
A soft knock sounds at the door. I look up to find Mikhail entering quietly. He smiles and joins me, peering down at our daughters with nothing but fondness in his eyes.
“I’m glad Charlotte’s finally out,” he murmurs. “When she stopped crying, I thought I’d gone deaf.”
I lean my head against his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his back. “Don’t worry. She’ll test your hearing in another hour or so.”
