Epilogue - Emily
EPILOGUE - EMILY
Twelve months later.
“I can’t believe he slept through the entire ceremony.” Danil laughs as he looks down at our sleeping son in his arms.
I stroke the tuft of dark hair on his head. “It’s better than having him scream the place down.”
Even at four months old, he is starting to look so similar to Danil that it’s uncanny. He has the same dark eyes and hair, and even his slightly fuller bottom lip.
He’s perfect. And so is my new husband.
Before I have a chance to reach up onto my tiptoes and press a kiss to Danil’s lips, my sister suddenly appears.
“My turn to have a cuddle with Dima. Plus, you two should go and mingle. It is your wedding day after all, so stop using the baby as an excuse to be antisocial.”
I roll my eyes at Zara. I told her that I was more than happy to go down to the courthouse and sign some papers to make this marriage official, but she wasn’t having any of it. Apparently, being pregnant and then giving birth to an almost ten-pound child is not a good enough excuse not to have a wedding.
As a compromise, I let Bianca and Alexei host the wedding at their Forest Hills mansion, and it was definitely the right choice. It’s been a perfect July day, with not a cloud in the sky.
Bianca set up gazebos around the grounds to provide shade for the tables, and the pool was filled with flowers and covered with glass that we used as an aisle.
Everything about this day has been magical.
“We’re not being antisocial. We’re having some quality family time.”
Zara folds her arms across her chest. “If you hadn’t noticed, your entire family is here. And as your maid of honor, I demand you go and mingle .”
I chuckle. “The power has officially gone to your head.”
Zara narrows her eyes, and I know I’m treading on thin ice.
“Danil, hand Zara the baby before she starts shooting daggers out of her eyes.”
Danil chuckles before passing Dima over to Zara.
I watch her carry his sleeping form over to a table near the pool where Nina, Lucia, Bianca, and Elle are all sitting. My eyes land on the sleeping bundle in Elle’s arms, and I smile at the sight of my new niece.
Dima ended up coming almost two weeks early, much to my annoyance. Whereas Zara and Dimitri’s new addition, Kira, arrived two weeks late, putting her only two weeks older than Dima. It was a magical experience having a baby at the same time as my sister. Danil and I practically moved into their penthouse for the first month so Zara and I could spend our days curled up on the sofa snuggling our new babies, and Danil and Dimitri could try their best to entertain the twins.
I think birthing the newborn was the easier job.
Danil holds my hand. “Do you want to dance?”
After the ceremony, the glass top that was used to cover the pool has now been turned into a dance floor which is currently being occupied by my parents.
“I don’t think we could compete with that.” I watch my father spin my mother around.
Danil smiles. “It’s cute that they’re having so much fun. I hope we’re still like that when we’re their age…”
I glance up at my husband and feel such a rush of affection that my eyes start to sting with tears.
He looks exceptionally handsome in his tuxedo and his hair has started to curl slightly from the humidity, which makes me even more emotional because Dima’s hair does the same thing.
“What is it?” He reaches out to stroke my cheek.
Sometimes, I can’t help but think back to our first date and how I went from feeling the happiest I’ve ever felt to almost losing everything in the space of a few hours. I curse the power that Igor Ivanov still has over me. Even though he’s gone, I still struggle with the idea that someone else is going to come along and take away every person I love most in this world.
But Danil has been my rock, and we’ve been taking each day as it comes and trying to soak up as much joy as possible.
“I’m just feeling so grateful for our family.”
“Are you sure about that?” He spins me around so I can see Dimitri dancing the robot alongside my dad.
I burst out laughing, and my worries start to dissipate. “That’s something that is going to haunt my dreams.”
Danil never fails to lift my mood and make me feel better.
“You and me both.” Danil chuckles.
For a moment, we both stand looking out over the grounds at our friends and family. Mikhail, Anton, and Lev are standing on the edge of the dancefloor like they’re hired security, despite the fact that we actually do have hired security. Alexei has managed to steal Dima from my sister and is gently rocking him as he talks with Massimo, Lucia’s father, and the rest of the children are running riot around the tables, each one covered in ice cream.
These people are my family, and I’m so grateful that my son gets to grow up surrounded by so many wonderful people.
Danil spins me back around to face him, and his eyes soften as he takes in the sight of me in my dress.
“You look so beautiful, malishka .”
My cheeks flood with color as I look down at my dress.
I was worried it was too simple, but when I saw Danil’s eyes light up when I appeared at the end of the aisle, I knew I could wear a paper bag, and he would still think I was beautiful.
He’s everything I ever wanted and more, and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him.
“I want nothing more than to take you upstairs and make this marriage official,” he murmurs as his eyes roam over my body. “But I have a feeling your sister is monitoring our every move.”
Heat starts to pool in my lower belly at the thought of disappearing upstairs with Danil.
I heard that once you have a baby, your sex life is meant to go out the window, but ours has been the opposite. If anything, I feel sexier after having a baby, though that might be down to the fact that my boobs have doubled in size and so has my ass.
Danil certainly isn’t complaining, that’s for sure.
And watching Danil becoming a father has only made him more attractive.
“Maybe we should find another way to satisfy our hunger.” I run my hands over his broad chest.
“Emily…” His eyes darken in that way they do when he gets turned on.
I purposefully keep my eyes on his face, as I know if I look down and see the evidence of his arousal, I won’t be able to keep my hands off of him.
I smirk. “I was thinking of cutting the cake! You’re the one with the dirty mind.”
Danil groans as his eyes dip to my lips. “You’re such a bad liar.”
My heart flutters in my chest as he leans in and kisses me with such hunger that I can’t help but moan as his tongue strokes against mine.
“That is not mingling!” Zara yells, and we reluctantly break apart.
“You are officially fired!” I yell back.
Danil buries his face in my neck as he tries to contain his laughter.
I huff. “I think if we want to make it to our honeymoon, we should just do as my sister says.”
“Fine, but only after I have one more kiss.”
I grin as Danil wraps me up in his arms and holds me tightly against his strong body.
“Thank you for being mine,” he whispers before kissing me once more.