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Lifting a shoulder, I applied the band-aid on his forehead and returned the items to the box. “I was worried that something had happened to you.”
Silence.
Then, from out of nowhere—completely nowhere— he pulled me in a hug and nuzzled his face between my neck. For a good minute, I didn’t move—didn’t know what to do. This was the first time he had hugged me. Like a full-blown hug. It was warm and felt like he was giving more of himself than he ever had.
“Something did happen, golub.” He kissed my shoulder, and the rumble of his voice vibrated on my skin. “I realized that I hurt you. I should have given you a fucking chance and listened to you. Moy malen’kiy golub’ I don’t want a life without you. Never fucking did. Not since the first time I set my eyes on you. And trust me, I know, you have every reason to hate me after everything I put you through. But why do you still care?”
“What if I say I don’t?”
He gave me one of those knee-weakening smiles and lifted a brow at the first aid box on the island. “You don’t care about me.”
I shook my head and slowly traced the dark ink on his skin. “Nope. If given the chance, even Sasha will be more than willing to clean your wounds.”
“Really, Ava?”
He called my name intentionally, knowing how much that had an effect on me. Resilient, I maintained my stance.
“Say it then,” he prodded. “I want to hear you say that you don’t care about me.”
This was it. This was us addressing the elephant in the room. What I did or said now had the power to change everything between us. I knew he saw the truth in my eyes; I’d never been a good liar. I still cared so much, it hurt. It wasn’t rational or logical, and he was correct; I had every reason to hate him.
But maybe that was what this was.
“What I feel is a lot more than just care, Viktor.” I chewed my lips and, finally, grew the courage to look him in the eyes. “It’s just you. I try so hard not to, but all I can think about is you. You’ve infiltrated my thoughts, my feelings—my heart—and planted yourself there like some... some unmovable boulder. And the crazy part is, I don’t want you to leave. I want you close to me all the time. Just like this.”
He pulled me closer, brushed his lips over mine, and rasped. “Like this?”
I breathed, “Yes.”
“And why do you want me to be this close to you, all the time, golub?”
I cupped his cheeks, caressed the soft pillow of his lower lips, and searched his face. “I... I think I’m in love with you, Viktor.”
He pecked my thumb and rubbed my nose with his. “Wanna know something, dove?” I felt the rapid beat of his heart against my chest, smelled the blood, sweat, and antiseptic off his body, tasted the cherry of his breath, and heard the sincerity in his voice when he said, “I’m madly in love with you, and I swear on my life, I’m going to protect you and our baby with everything I have.”
My heart swelled and, for the rest of the night, I wanted just one thing, and that was to show him how much I loved him in more ways than one.
EPILOGUE - Viktor
One year later
“It’s such a dream, isn’t it?”
Damien’s voice clashed with the excited squeals and shrieks floating over our heads. Clicking the zippo lighter, I shielded the orange flames and brought it to the stick between my lips. “What? Watching the old man playing with Avian or watching the old man playing?”
He laughed and stole a stick from the pack of smokes on the table. “Both?”
“Definitely, having Cian hopping around the yard like a fucking child makes my day.”
A year ago, the mere thought of having O’Sullivan anywhere close to my son sounded like a fucking nightmare. No, I needed to start with a fucking rewind.
A year ago, I never would have seen myself having a life like this; with the most beautiful woman as my wife, and a son I could call mine. I had a family, and that family had ties with one of the Bratva’s known enemies—a former enemy. Cian O’Sullivan. My son was his grandson. It was crazy but hadn’t turned out to be too bad.
“Should you two be doing that at a kid’s birthday party?”
I took the glowing stick from between my mouth and smiled at my former boss—Rafail Varkov. He’d flown in with his family, honoring our special invite to Avian’s first birthday.
“In my opinion, I don’t think Viktor wanted this party at all. Everything looks just as beautiful as Ava. Left to him, the poor kid would spend the day having his first gun lesson.” Mark winked and took a sip from his glass. “Or maybe his first lap dance.”
