Chapter 29 Ivan
IVAN
Luka didn’t seem eager to take up much of my time.
Emil had already forwarded him the video of what happened in the back of that gambling hall.
I walked into his study when he was replaying it, stopping and going back over the part where I asked if the two moles knew if Konstantin lived or had died.
“They just wouldn’t say,” he summed up sourly, closing out the window on his screen.
“No. They wouldn’t.”
Luka sighed, shaking his head slightly. He zoned out at the wall, looking pissed, tired, and annoyed. “What’s your take on it?”
“My take?” My uncle often asked for my opinions, but he hadn’t yet about this. “I think you should believe that Raisa is telling the truth.”
“For fuck’s sake, Ivan.” He smirked. “Isn’t it obvious I already have? I wouldn’t have let her stay here if I didn’t trust her. Gabriella seems to trust her, and I trust her judgment too.”
I smiled. “Then why is Raisa acting like she’s still unwanted here?”
He huffed. “That’s a you problem.” He flung his hand up. “I don’t know. Marry her and see how that goes.”
I sat, chuckling.
“A real wedding,” he added. “Emil told me about your drunken party when you unofficially married her.”
I grinned. “Are you just talking crazy talk right now or are you serious?”
He blew out a deep breath. “I am serious about respecting that you will never give up on this woman. You loved her all this time and have never been happier to have her in your life again.”
I nodded because it was true.
“Now, if you’re asking if I’m serious about you marrying her…” He made a face and shrugged. “I think that would be a hell of a way to use her as bait. If Konstantin is alive, he’d reveal himself to protest that marriage.”
“No fucking way. There isn’t a chance in hell I’ll ever let her be used for anything. Especially not as bait.” I was furious he’d even suggest it.
“Easy. Easy.” He waved his hand down. “It was just an idea.”
“It’s not happening.”
He pointed at me. “See what I mean? You’ll never give up on her. So I may as well just follow along.”
Yeah, right. He was the Boss. The leader. But I appreciated his sort of joking that he’d make himself okay with having her in the family.
“I would rather have the reassurance that her father is dead. Maybe you were too young then, but he stirred up all kinds of trouble. More of a nuisance than what I want to put up with anymore.”
“I recall some of it. I knew the second Raisa told me that she was a Petrov that our time together was doomed.”
“Yet, it’s not.” He held his hands up. “Looks like a complete full circle to me. A healthy, strong boy. You and Raisa are back together.”
“Does this mean you will no longer be suspicious of her?”
He sat up and seemed pensive before answering. “It was more a suspicion about who’d be interested in her than suspicious of her.”
I liked that answer. Because it was true. Raisa wasn’t someone to worry about, but it was a valid point to be concerned about anyone after her. This talk with my uncle was more than enough proof that he wasn’t interested in her as an enemy to capture and punish.
He saw her as mine.
Just like she should be.
“Go on. Go find her and tell her what you learned.” That, too, was a blessing. He was verbally granting me permission to share family secrets and intel with her. I almost felt silly for ever worrying so much about this. Of course, she’d fit in with us and belong.
I didn’t wait, leaving his study and going right back to her room. She was sitting on the bed, looking ready to fall asleep.
“Let me shower and I’ll be right there.” I was already taking my shirt off. If she didn’t look so tired, I would’ve suggested something else, but she looked beat. I hurried to clean up and then joined her in bed.
“Raisa?” I asked once I spooned her, loving how she yawned as I woke her up and readjusted her so she’d be snug against me.
“Hmm?” She patted my arm, not even fully rolling over or opening her eyes. “We’ll just talk in the morning.”
I smiled, nestling up against her. “In the morning?”
She yawned. “Mmm-hmmm.”
“I’ll be right here.”
She nodded. “Good.”
I fell asleep and stayed put all night. In the morning, I woke up refreshed and in no hurry to leave her bed or room.
She was already awake, stirring and rubbing up against me.
“What if you and Lev just move in with me already?” I asked, kissing her lazily and cuddling.
“Here? In your room?”
I nodded. I’d noticed how Gabriella seemed like a bridge to connect for her.
“Then once we can confirm whether Konstantin is dead or not, you can move into my house.”
She stared at me, almost smiling.
“Will you consider it?”
She kissed me as a reply and I wanted to take that as a yes.
Over the next couple of days, I seriously wondered if Raisa was starting to soften and warm up to me more.
If she trusted me. I hoped that one day, there would be no doubt.
But in the meantime, while more Dubinin men looked into the possibility that Konstantin could be alive after the rumored time of his death, I enjoyed this domesticity.
Of spending time with Lev. Of getting closer to Raisa.
Even Luka seemed more welcoming of her, if busy.
At the pool, where we all hung out and gathered around one night, Alexsei and I were teasing Misha and Lev.
“Oh, you and your Dad jokes,” Gabriella teased.
I smiled, loving the fact that I was a dad.
“Hey, I’m funny, too,” Emil said, splashing her back. They’d definitely settled into a more brother-and-sister bickering than a stepson and stepmom. Which was weird because Emil was older than Gabriella.
“Yeah, but you’re not a dad,” Lev said, joining in the impromptu roast.
Emil rolled his eyes. “Not yet. I like being a bachelor.”
“Mama?” Lev looked at Raisa. “What’s a bachelor?”
We all laughed, teasing Emil some more.
Like this, it was hard to recall the pain of missing her and not knowing where she was.
She fit in so naturally with us, and it served as a daily motivation for me to be patient.
I did my best not to be overly protective of her and Lev, giving them room and space to acclimate, but when I had her alone at night, I showed her more of how my vision of a family would work with her.
Where we’d come together in bed no matter what.
Lev wanted a “sleepover” with Misha in his room in the big fortress-like house, so we had our room to ourselves. And the first thing Raisa had on her mind was to shower after the pool time.
Watching her on her knees, sucking me off, would never get old. I framed her face and smiled. “I will never stop loving you. Only you.”
She paused, pulling back and licking her lips. “Is it true that you could only get hard to memories of me all those years?”
I groaned, rolling my eyes. “Let me guess. Emil got chatty with you and told you?”
She giggled, nodding. “Maybe.”
“Yes.” I leaned down to pick her up off the floor, delighted by her giggles. “It was true. You’re the only one for me.” I smacked her bare ass as I carried her out of the shower to drop her on the bed. I didn’t care that we were soaked. We’d just end up back in the shower soon, anyway.
With her legs splayed open, that pink pussy for me to feast on, I grinned up at her. “It’s only been you.”
I lowered to kiss her then licked her arousal already dripping for me.
It will always be only you.
She was it. She was the one. And I showed her all night long how much I would celebrate that she was mine to play with and pleasure. Because seeing her happy and safe was literally my dream come true.