Epilogue - Paisley
Christmas day
The next few days went by in a swirl of emotions, all of them good.
I didn’t think I could ever be so shocked as when Dan proposed to me, but the happiness I saw written all over his face couldn’t have been feigned.
He had no reason to lie to me, and the moment I truly believed he wanted both me and the baby, I gleefully accepted, without a single reservation.
He refused to keep it a secret that we were together, not wanting me to go back to my own room, but I insisted we keep the pregnancy quiet for a couple of months at least. I wanted to fulfill my duties as nanny until the actual job was finished, but Katie insisted I was one of the family now and wouldn’t hear of it.
The kids still wanted snowboarding lessons and trips down the hill in their sled, so I did as much as my morning sickness, which refused to be confined to the mornings, would allow.
Dan always tagged along, everyone’s favorite boisterous cousin.
Now it was Christmas day and we were being hustled out of bed by the shouts of impatient children, raring to open their presents.
All of the adults had solemnly gathered together the night before and Mila had handed around gift bags that contained matching pajamas.
She and Nat told everyone this was a new tradition and dared anyone to complain about it.
We untangled ourselves from each other and pulled on the striped longjohns. Mine had a screenprint of an elf with alarmingly huge ears on the top, and Dan’s had a reindeer with a red satin nose. He looked at me and laughed, then looked at himself in the mirror and scowled.
“It’s for the kids,” I reminded him. “Even Aleks will be wearing a pair.”
That perked him up and we headed downstairs.
In the huge entry hall, with the overstuffed leather furniture pushed out of the way, the entire family was packed in around the tree.
The kids saw us and cheered that they could finally get started, and I blushed to realize we were the last ones down.
It was a sea of stripes and cartoonish holiday characters, but everyone remained as dignified as possible.
As soon as we found a spot to sit, mayhem ensued. I watched in awe as presents flew to their proper recipients, paper was shredded and tossed aside. Squeals of laughter rang out. Everything was merry and bright, as if everything was normal and no international crime group was after them.
I felt cozy, warm, and completely at ease, safe and accepted and loved. Sappy tears filled my eyes and I blinked them away before anyone noticed. I wasn’t used to this kind of family where everyone accepted each other and fought for each other.
I had talked to my parents a couple days before when they called to tell me they were going on a last minute cruise and wouldn’t be available on Christmast day.
That would have made me sad if I weren’t surrounded by this loud and raucous bunch.
I shared almost everything with Marlowe, leaving out the crime stuff of course, and she couldn’t wait to meet Dan when we returned to LA.
To my surprise, Daria pushed a big present into my hands, and Emerson plopped a gift bag on top of it, with a volcano of sparkly tissue paper erupting from the top. The children paused in playing with their favorite gifts to watch me open it.
Inside the bag was a pretty gold bracelet with a heart charm on it, along with a handwritten certificate from Lev offering boxing lessons.
“You’ll need to know how to defend yourself now that you’re one of us,” he said with a grin.
“No she won’t,” Dan said, putting his arm around me. “Not as long as I’m around.”
“I love it, and I’d love to learn how to throw a proper punch,” I said, making everyone laugh when I pretended to knock Dan on the chin.
“Do you like the bracelet?” Alina asked, bobbing on her toes. “I picked it.”
“It’s my new favorite,” I said, holding out my wrist so Dan could put it on.
“I’ve never had a prettier one.” My little snowboarding student glowed with pride, urging me to open the other box.
It held a beautiful cashmere sweater and scarf set, so soft I couldn’t stop petting them.
Once again I found myself blinking back tears, but thankfully everyone went back to opening their own gifts and didn’t notice.
It was all over in a half an hour, with the kids drunkenly stumbling through the wreckage and piling up their toys in order of what they wanted to play with first. The adults were half heartedly pushing aside crumpled paper, then giving up and joking about spiking the orange juice at brunch.
I was happy to sit on the sidelines and soak it up, occasionally answering a question or smiling at the kids when they started showing off.
The last few weeks had been such hell, full of stress and fear and disillusion.
This was like reaching an island after being adrift all alone, thinking I was lost forever.
“Wait, what’s this?” Dan said, pushing aside the branches of the tree and hauling out a package that was almost as big as he was. The paper crinkled as he dragged it over to me and he smiled like someone who just won a major prize.
“Is that for you?” I asked. He’d been lavished with new clothes, a laptop, a watch from his brothers, and enough bottles of fine liquor to start his own bar. His family was certainly generous and definitely doted on each other.
“It’s for you,” he said, putting it down at my feet. “From me.”
“Looks too big to be a ring,” Rurik called.
“She’ll get one of those,” he grumbled, then smiled at me. “I bet you like this even more.”
Confused and curious, I leaned over and ripped away a strip of the wrapping paper. My breath hitched in my throat as I instantly recognized what it was. I let out a sob as I kept tearing, revealing my old snowboard, all cleaned up after being buried in the snow.
“How?” I asked, leaning across my treasured board to hug him. “I thought it was lost forever.”
“Not when you get everyone who works on mountain patrol to be on the lookout for it,” he said. “And when you offer a reward to the one who finds it.”
I hugged him tighter. “It’s just an old, beat up wreck,” I said. “You shouldn’t have done that.” Knowing him, he spent thousands, probably more than a new, top of the line one would cost, and certainly more than it was worth.
“It means something to you,” he said quietly. “It’s priceless, just like you.”
“You turned him into a romantic,” Masha said.
It was the best gift I had ever received and no matter how much I prodded him, he refused to say how much he spent on the salvage mission. I held on tighter, turning my face to kiss him. After a long moment, I remembered where we were and pulled away, hiding my blush.
“I love you,” I said in a low voice. It was crazy how easy it was to say now.
“I need you,” he growled back.
Melting against him, I turned to see no one was paying us any mind. The kids were wrapped up in a game and most of the adults had wandered into the dining room where a chef was setting up a spectacular Christmas brunch.
I was hungry but not for food. With his arm around me, Dan and I slipped away, up the stairs and into his room. The chair was buried under a pile of my clothes that he insisted I bring in, not wanting to be away from me even for the length of time it took to get dressed.
It should have been infuriating but instead it was sweet. He could be as possessive as he wanted, because I was his and he was mine. Once the bedroom door clicked shut behind us, he turned the lock and grinned down at me.
“Merry Christmas,” he said. “The first of many together.”
Warmth spread through me at that promise and I locked my arms around his neck, rising up on my toes to kiss him. The taste of hot chocolate lingered on his lips and I pulled back, smiling. He had gone from driving me crazy in a bad way to driving me wild.
“The best one ever,” I said, meaning it.
“Until next year.”
I shoved his goofy pajama top up, eager to get my hands on his skin. I could never get enough of the feel of his muscular chest and dug in my fingernails, smiling some more at the sound of the low rumble rising in his throat.
He tore the shirt off and threw it aside, then picked me up and carried me a few steps to the bed, dropping me on the edge before leaning down to tug my striped pants down.
“By the way,” he said, running his fingers up my bare leg.
“Matching pajamas are not going to be part of our family tradition.”
I laughed at how much he hated wearing them, but there was no ridiculous pair of pajamas in the world that could have made him less scorching hot.
“We’ll see if you change your tune when it’s our kid asking you to wear them.”
He softened, thinking about it. “Maybe you’re right,” he said, slowly tipping me backward as he kissed his way up my thigh.
I closed my eyes, basking in the teasing trail he forged, wriggling in anticipation. I loved what he could do to me. I loved him. I loved everything and grabbed his hair, pulling him closer.
“Impatient this morning?” he asked, glancing up at me.
I pushed harder. “Yes. I can’t wait.”
He chuckled, but gave me what I needed. What I craved. I wrapped my legs around his shoulders, locking him between my thighs as he lapped at me with his tongue. When he delved deep, I arched my back, moaning out his name. He could turn me to jelly in seconds and I couldn’t get enough.
His fingers dug into my hips, pulling me closer to his mouth. I let go of his hair and twisted my fingers in the soft blankets, still in a tangle from when he scurried out of bed. I wanted this to last forever, but I knew what else was in store, so I also wanted to let go.
No screaming here while we were still surrounded by his family. I pulled a pillow down, lifting my hips with the rhythm of his tongue.
“More,” I said, too loud, too urgent.
The vibration of his lips as he laughed against my wet heat had me stuffing the pillow over my face. He swiped his tongue over my swollen clit and I shuddered as wave after wave of pure bliss washed over me.
“I need more, little girl,” he said, not letting up.
I already had him in a strangle hold with my legs, but now I clamped them tighter around his head. Then I went completely limp, just letting the ripples of pleasure course through me. The pillow fell away and I came back to earth to the sound of his soft laughter.
“I love making you come,” he said.
All I could do was make an incoherent sound as he kissed his way up to my chest, pushing up the pajama top until he could suck each nipple to a tight peak. “I love doing this, too,” he said, holding himself up to look down at me. “And I love how you look when you think you’re satisfied.”
I laughed weakly, growing serious when I glanced down to see his big cock pulsing under his striped pants. I reached to press my palm against his thick shaft, then tucked my hand under the waistband to grip his length.
“My turn now,” I said, sliding out from under him and wrestling him onto his back.
It didn’t take too much effort and soon that big beast was in my mouth, dragging my teeth against the silky skin.
Now it was all mine. I kept my hands planted on either side of him, but he made no move to escape.
His hands rested lightly in my hair, his breath coming in sharp pants as I eased my lips up and down around his cock.
He let me believe I was in charge for approximately five minutes, then with a low roar, he pulled me up and flipped me over onto my stomach.
His hand slid under my belly, lifting my backside.
When his fingers found my clit again I gasped, pressing back against his strong thighs.
One hand glided up my belly to cup my breast as he drove deep inside me.
“Yes,” I said, letting my head drop. “So much, yes.”
He leaned down to kiss me between my shoulder blades, then swept my hair to the side to kiss my neck. “I’ll never get enough of you, Paisley. But I’m so glad you’re giving me a lifetime to try.”
It was just about the sweetest thing I ever heard and I lifted and turned my head for his kiss.
It was slow and tender but we both needed more.
I nipped at his lip and he pulled away to grab my hips, slamming me back against his driving cock.
Again and again until I buried my face in the nearest pillow to muffle my gasps.
A lifetime of this was something I never would have dreamed possible.
Was I actually grateful to Axon for making me run away from LA and straight into Dan’s arms? Yeah, I kind of was. Now that I was marrying into the Bratva, I had nothing to fear from anyone anymore.
“Now,” I begged, feeling the wave about to crash again.
He drove deep once more, leaning down to press his mouth against my shoulder, a strangled sound rising up his throat at the same time I cried out into the pillow.
We were in perfect sync, a raging, crashing flood, then slower and sweeter and finally falling against the mattress, both of us out of breath.
He pulled me against his chest, kissing my neck and smoothing his hand down my front to rest against my belly. I could feel his heart pounding against my back as he held me close, tucking his arm under my head.
I was weak and spent, and utterly and completely happy. I had gone from thinking I would be alone and scared this Christmas, to being surrounded by a family so amazing I couldn’t have dreamed them up if I tried. And they were real. The tears I had been holding back all morning finally fell.
Dan felt the first hot drop on his arm and turned me to face him, concern radiating from his eyes. I shook my head.
“They’re happy tears,” I said. “Everyone’s been so sweet, making me feel like I belong.”
“You do belong,” he said simply. “You’re one of us now.”
“That’s the best present,” I said. “Even better than the snowboard. You and your family—”
“Our family.” he corrected, smiling. His eyes shone with love as he looked down, placing his hand on my stomach with a smile. “And don’t forget the best gift of all. Our little Christmas surprise.”
*****
THE END