Epilogue
Olek
Iwoke her up the way I planned to wake her every morning for the rest of our lives—with my dick buried deep inside her.
"Olek," she gasped, her body arching beneath me.
"Good morning," I murmured against her neck, moving slowly. "How are you feeling?"
"Full." Her nails dug into my shoulders. "God, so full."
"Good." I thrust deeper. "Get used to it."
We moved together in the early morning light, slow and sweet. None of the desperate urgency from before. Just us, connected, claiming each other. When she came, it was soft and shuddering, her body clenching around me perfectly. I followed seconds later, groaning her name as I finished inside her.
All mine.
I pulled out carefully and cleaned us both up with a warm cloth, then helped her into one of my shirts.
"We should tell everyone today," I said. "About us and the baby."
"At breakfast?" She looked nervous. "Your whole family is here."
"Exactly, and they leave today." I kissed her. "I'm not hiding you anymore. I want everyone to know you're mine."
She smiled, and it lit up her entire face. "Ours."
"What?"
"Not just yours. Ours. We're each other's."
"Yes." I pulled her close. "We are."
Breakfast was chaos, as usual.
Everybody around the table, passing plates and arguing in Russian and English. Mila sat next to Zara, the two of them giggling over something. Shanice was talking with Irina. Everyone looked happy, relaxed.
I stood and tapped my glass with a fork. The room gradually quieted.
"I want to thank everyone for spending Christmas with me," I said. "It means a lot to have you all here."
"Sentimental," Adam called out. "Who are you, and what did you do with our cousin?"
Laughter rippled around the table.
"I'm getting to something," I continued. "I have one more surprise. An announcement, actually. Katrina and I are together," I said simply. "And we're getting married. Soon."
Silence for exactly two seconds.
Then Zara squealed. "You're marrying my sister?!"
"I am."
"That means you'll be my brother!" She launched herself out of her chair and threw her arms around me. "Best Christmas ever!"
The table erupted—congratulations, questions, Irina crying happy tears. Mikhail grinned and raised his glass. Elena was beaming. Everyone was happy, except Adrienne.
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping. "This is ridiculous. Mila, get your things. We're leaving."
"What?" Mila's face fell. "But Daddy…"
"Now, Mila."
"No."
Everyone turned to look at Katrina, who'd stood and was walking around the table toward Adrienne.
"Mila is staying for the rest of winter break," Katrina said calmly. "She'll have regular visits with her father going forward. Every other weekend, plus holidays."
"Excuse me?" Adrienne's eyes flashed. "You don't get to decide what happens between us."
"Actually, I do." Katrina's voice was steel wrapped in silk. "Because if you try to take her and disappear again, we'll cut off your monthly support. All of it. And then we'll take you to court for custody."
Adrienne's mouth opened. Closed. "Olek would never!"
"She's right," I said. "Those are the terms. Accept them or lose everything."
"You can't be serious."
"I've never been more serious." I stood and moved to Katrina's side. "My daughter deserves to know her father. You've kept her from me long enough."
"I'm her mother, and I have rights!"
"And you'll continue to be her mother. With appropriate visitation in place and support." Katrina's voice didn't waver. "But the games are over, Adrienne. You don't get to use Mila as leverage anymore."
Adrienne looked between us, her face red with fury. "This is bullshit, Olek! You can’t do this to me!"
"We can. We did." I put my arm around Katrina. "Now you can either sit down and finish breakfast, or you can leave. Alone."
For a moment, I thought she might actually try to grab Mila and run.
Instead, she threw her napkin on the table. "Fine. Keep her. I don't need this."
She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. The table was silent.
Then Mila said quietly, "Is she coming back?"
"Eventually," I said gently. "But for now, you're staying here with me. Is that okay?"
Her face lit up. "Really?"
"Really."
She ran to me, and I caught her, holding my daughter without the shadow of Adrienne's manipulation hanging over us.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You don't have to thank me. You're my daughter. You belong here."
Katrina smiled at us, and in that moment, I saw our future. Children, happiness, and her being all mine.
The house was finally quiet.
The guests had all left this afternoon. The decorations were being packed away. The mansion was returning to its usual pristine order. But some things had changed permanently.
Mila and Zara sat in front of the Christmas tree—the one we'd decided to keep up through New Year's—playing with the new dollhouse I'd had delivered. They'd become inseparable since they met. Sisters in everything but blood.
Katrina was curled up in my lap on the couch, drowsy and content. Her hand rested on her stomach, still flat but carrying our child.
"You're smiling," she murmured.
"I'm happy."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." I kissed her hair. "I have everything I want right here."
"Sap."
"Your sap."
She laughed softly and snuggled closer. Outside, snow was falling again. Inside, the fire crackled. The girls giggled over something. This was what I'd been missing my whole life without knowing it.
Not power. Not money. Not respect. Just this: Family. love. Home.
"When do you want to get married?" I asked.
"I don't know. Spring?" she yawned.
"Too long."
"Olek, really?"
"New Year's Eve." I decided. "We'll get married on New Year's Eve. Start the new year as husband and wife."
"That's a week away."
"I can make it happen."
"Of course you can." But she was smiling. "Okay. New Year's Eve."
"You won't regret it."
"I know." She turned her face up for a kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too." I rested my hand over hers on her stomach. "Both of you."
Zara looked over from the dollhouse. "Olek, can Mila stay forever?"
"Not forever. But she'll visit a lot."
"Good." Zara went back to playing.
Mila beamed.
Katrina's breathing had evened out, she'd fallen asleep in my arms, exhausted from growing our baby. I held her carefully and watched the girls play and the snowfall. Complete and total peace.
Marcus was dead. Adrienne was handled. Katrina was mine.
Our baby was safe. The girls were content.
This was my family now, and I always protected what was mine.
I closed my eyes and let myself drift, holding the woman who'd become my entire world.
The contract was long forgotten, burned along with everything else from before.
This wasn't about agreements or terms or negotiations anymore. This was love. And I was never letting it go.
THE END