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.”
I shot him a dark look and flipped him off. “Fuck you.”
The rest of the men on the table busted out laughing. We had everyone around; Damien, Mark, Rafail, Fedor, and even Declan. Ava sent that invite herself. I’d have preferred to shoot myself in the foot. Pretty face Dicklan did take us by surprise when he came with some arm candy. She had bright, red lipstick and short dark hair. He said she was an actress and made a big mistake by showing Markone of the films she’d featured in.
After he said a lot about her terrible acting skills, we had to prevent Declan from shooting him in the head.
“I think he’s just happy the kid doesn’t take after his grandfather,” Damien chipped in, and I lifted a glass to that.
“He reads my fucking mind,” I laughed, and I saw the corner of Declan’s lips tilt upwards. The blonde shrugged, swirling the drink in his glass.
“I think he has his eyes, though.”
I snickered, shaking my head. “Wrong, Dicklan. My boy has his mother’s eyes.”
As if on cue, loud giggles and laughter came from the table at the corner. The ladies caught our attention, and we turned, watching them set the table with food and fruit bowls. Juliana said something to Declan’s plus one that sent them bawling with laughter again. Archie Mason’s daughter, my wife’s new friend, made an input, and they laughed until they cried. I’d never seen a sight more heartwarming.
I’d never seen a woman more beautiful.
While the rest of them tittered and chatted, my eyes were set on the princess with the flaming red hair and sparkling emerald eyes. The breeze whipped her hair back and ruffled her short green dress, showing a glimpse of her fair thighs. She put the last bowl down and motioned to the back door leading to the kitchen.
When she moved, I got up from my seat.
“I’ll be back.”
“He’s so fucking whipped,” Damien blew out a breath of smoke with a dark chuckle.
I ran my tongue across my teeth, a hearty laugh escaping me. “Keep an eye on Avian.”
“Don’t worry, your father-in-law is keeping a close eye on him,” Rafail added and moved to receive a phone call.
Briefly, I watched them under the tree. Cian looked satisfied, and content. The world around him didn’t seem to matter. He watched my son with a fondness I knew he had for only his daughter. Pure joy erased the wrinkles on his face when Avian mumbled into his ears. With a content smile, I went into the house.
She had her back turned to me and stood on her tiptoe, reaching for something in the cabinet.
Padding the floor, I settled wrapped one arm around her waist, and brought out the spice jar with the other. She took it from me and turned around with a cheesy smile. “Thank you.”
I dipped my head lower, reeled by the twinkle in her eyes. Without a doubt, I loved this woman. I loved everything about her; her fucking scent, the tiny sounds she made when we made love, the unruliness of her mane, the smile on her lips. I loved how neat she was. How well her small dresses fitted her curves. How she slept sometimes with her mouth open. How she never assumed she knew enough and always wanted to learn more.
Fuck, I was in deep. So deep with her, and I didn’t want an escape. We were bound together by the chains of forever; caged and captured by something as irrational and fucked-up as love. I laughed, and she kissed the smile on my lips.
“What’s so funny?”
I grabbed her hips, hoisting her from the floor. “You, me,” I deepened the kiss, slowly burning up. “We’re funny. And in love. I love you more, dove, now and always. I love how good you are at handling shit. You’re such a great mother to our Avian and are such a wonderful wife.”
“You’re great too, you know?”
“Don’t patronize me, sweetie.”
Her other words got lost when I nipped her jaw and met her mouth with mine. I kissed her like both our lives depended on it, controlling every flick, and press of our lips. I trailed my mouth down her neck and fondled her breasts through the soft cloth. I wanted her skin against mine, but there was no time to get everything.
Her breath fanned my neck, and I grabbed a fistful of her hair. So, fucking soft and full. She gave my top lip a gentle flick, stole my breath right from my lungs, and spread her legs wider, pulling me in.
I pressed my face against her throat and sucked the skin. She smelled like strawberries today and it made me want to taste her everywhere. Slipping a finger under her dress, I shifted her thong and stroked her clit. “Fuck, you’re wet.”
“Are you sure we can do this here?” she nipped my bottom lip; her heart pounding harshly against my chest.
“You want us to wait?”
“What I want is you,” her tongue lapped on mine, and heat spread like wildfire to my groin. “I want you now.”
She pulled my erection out and moved her hips closer to mine. My lips found hers and I jerked my hips, driving inside her, shuddering when she accommodated every inch. She held my face and rolled her hips, slow and lazy. I groaned into her neck and gripped her ass, yanking her harder against me.
“Viktor...” her nails dug into my back, and I thrust faster. Our legs slammed against the counter, and I grabbed her throat, swallowing the rest of her moans, kissing her hard and wet. Hot pressure began to build, and I knew she could feel it too. A shiver ran down her skin and her moans grew louder.
Our breaths mingled, erratic and heavy, and she trembled as pleasure burst and warmth spilled all over my cock. “Please, come inside me,” her lips begged in my ears, and that was my undoing.
I let out a groan that rose goosebumps on her skin and bit down hard enough on her neck to leave a mark. My chest heaved, sweat rolled down our temples, and she kissed the side of my mouth, letting it linger.
“We have to finish this tonight.”
I helped her off the counter and watched her go upstairs to the bathroom to clean up.
Damien was somewhat right. It didn’t matter how many times I thought about it; the more I did, the more convinced I was that I captured someone else’s life. I might have been her nightmare, but Ava Voronin-Varkovwas a fucking dream. The kind of dream men like me didn’t deserve. We were separate, different. But together, we made perfect sense.
*****
THE END