EPILOGUE
ZORA
I'm halfway up the stairs when the baby rolls over and sits on my bladder.
I have to stop and breathe and shift the sandwich bag to my other hand.
This kid has terrible timing. I've been telling Kaz that for weeks and he laughs every time because he thinks it's funny.
It is funny, but it's also my bladder, so…
The new headquarters doesn't look like anything from the street.
Kaz picked the building because it's forgettable—gray walls, no sign, the kind of place you'd walk past a thousand times without wondering what's inside.
It's perfect and nondescript the way a good illegal fight ring should be.
But upstairs, the paint is fresh and the floors are done and the conference table is surrounded by family.
When I push through the door with the bag on my hip, the whole room perks up because they can see I'm carrying food.
"Finally," Stepan says, already on his feet.
I toss him a sandwich and start passing the rest down the table.
Everyone's here for the first real planning session since the rebuild started, and the energy in the room is good.
It feels like the beginning of a new chapter, and I've been around this family long enough now to really feel like a part of it.
Kaz is at the far end of the table with a pencil behind his ear and his tablet in front of him with floor plans for the new gym.
He's really in his element and I'm so turned on when he gets so focused like this.
I walk up behind him and put my hand on his shoulder.
He reaches up without looking and covers my hand with his.
"Brought you the one with the peppers," I say, setting his sandwich next to his tablet. The layout he has planned looks incredible. It's better than anything I could come up with.
"You're my favorite person." He turns in his chair and pulls me in by the waist and kisses me. Somebody at the table makes a noise pretending to gag, and it sounds like Stepan. He's good at picking on Kaz all the time, and it makes Kazimir grin against my lips.
When I straighten, I feel the baby kick hard. It's so much, I wince and squirm because I feel like I might pee myself. Kazimir smirks at me and says, "Baby?"
"Right here," I tell him, pointing at my lower belly.
He puts his palm flat against the curve of my stomach and waits, and the baby kicks again right into Kaz's hand. His face breaks into a grin that makes him look like a kid at Christmas.
"That's my kid," he says.
"That's your kid standing on my organs."
He laughs and keeps his hand where it is. The baby kicks a third time and he shakes his head, still grinning, still amazed by it even though he's felt it dozens of times by now. I don't think that goes away. I hope it doesn't.
Then he stands and wraps his arms around me, kissing me slowly. His lips drag over mine gently, then pull back as his eyes open. "I've been thinking about something," he says.
"Dangerous…" I mewl, swaying my hips.
"When we relaunch the club, I want to take you somewhere. You and me, away from all of this, on a trip."
"What kind of trip?"
"The kind where you marry me," he says softly, and I feel my chest warm.
"You're kidding?" I knew this day was coming, but I didn't expect him to want to go away for it. He has such a loving, supportive family. They'll want to be a part of it. Roman's wedding was so large.
"Not kidding, Z." He's taken to calling me that a lot now. Sometimes, I go days without hearing my full name. "I know your family won't come, and I don't want it to be uncomfortable. I want to do it away from everyone, just the two of us so it's special. What do you think?"
My heart flutters a little and I can't stop smiling. This man is so thoughtful and considerate, how could I tell him no? Besides, I love him more than life itself, and I can't wait to start my life with him.
"Yes," I whisper, "so finish this club now because I want to get married before we have a baby stealing all our time." I wink at him, and he whoops loudly.
Everyone stops talking as he shouts, "She said yes! We're getting married."
The next ten solid minutes are full of congratulations and well wishes, and even a few texts to Alisa, who after everything has forgiven my mess and wants to be the baby's godmother.
My life is fuller than it's ever been. And though tension between me and my brothers is at an all-time high, Yefim has reached out a few times to tell me he's sorry.
We'll get there eventually.
But for now, the Kuzins have welcomed me with open arms, and with a wedding on the horizon, I can’t wait to see what happens next.