Epilogue
Nine years later
Alyona
Sipping the glass of water, I groan, rubbing a hand over my growing stomach. Roza was a damn breeze, but my madmen had to put a boy inside me, and the little shit thinks my kidneys are a kick bag.
Both my men and Viktor look over at me and smile from the other end of the bar. We had to come to The Vault to sort through some paperwork.
“I’m hot,” I whine.
Z approaches me and starts massaging my shoulders. “We’ll be done soon. Do you want to wait in the car?”
Dropping my head forward to enjoy his ministrations, I grumble, “No, I want my ankles to be their normal size again.”
Nipping my ear, Z whispers, “Your ankles are beautiful.”
I’m grateful that my madmen don’t care about my size, whether I’m big, small, or anything in between. For all these years, they have loved me through those changes, and I have never felt anything less than perfect in their eyes.
“Your turn Zahkar,” Viktor says, holding out a pen.
I hobble to my feet and walk over to where Roza is playing near the dance floor with a pop star Barbie type doll she’s obsessed with. Taylor, something or other.
“Should a little doll like her be in a place like this?” a voice says from a dark corner booth.
I startle and place a hand to my chest. “It’s dangerous to frighten a pregnant woman.” Asshole. I want to tack on the last part but refrain.
The club is closed, and we’re heading out for a family dinner after the twins finalize the purchase of The Vault. Viktor has met someone—actually, two someones, and is packing up to return home to Russia.
“And,” I say, pointing to the doll, “that’s her favorite toy.” I wave my hand dismissively at Viktor’s boyfriend. He really creeps me out.
Dark curls spill over his forehead as he leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees, his deep brown eyes swallowing all the light around him.
The intensity of his gaze feels palpable, casting a dark pulse over the room.
I instinctively place my hands on Roza’s shoulders, needing to feel her skin beneath my palms.
“Not the toy, the girl. She’s beautiful.” He studies her, head cocking to the side, and my hairs rise all over my body. A heavy silence envelops us. It feels like the world stops moving and holds its breath.
“She’s like a perfect little doll. What’s your name?” he asks her, and I stiffen.
“Roza, what’s yours?” she responds, not recognizing the danger baring his teeth at her. She slips her doll into her backpack and zips it.
“Z,” I bark, and he moves swiftly over to me, sensing my tone and glaring at the man who is way too relaxed under the weight of Z’s scowl.
“What’s wrong?” Z stands in front of us, a human shield.
“I don’t like it here, I want to leave,” I say. Eight months pregnant or not, I will fight this asshole.
“Benjamin,” Viktor barks, his voice sharp and filled with a clear warning.
The man straightens, cracking his neck with a confident flick of his head, and a sly smile curls at the corner of his lips.
It’s as if you’re staring directly into the face of the devil himself, handsome yet utterly terrifying.
“Benny,” the man says, holding out his hand toward Roza.
Z smacks it away. “You better back the fuck up or we’re going to have a problem.”
Rodion arrives in an instant, placing himself protectively in front of Roza. Benny raises his hands and says, “Calm down, I'm not a monster.” The way he utters the word “monster” sends a chill down my spine, as if all the darkness around us is drawing closer to him, and he is absorbing it.
He is every part a monster.
I’ve been around evil, perversion, and everything in between, but nothing has ever unsettled me as much as he does.
“We’re done,” Viktor announces, and Benny walks past us. “Be seeing you.”
No, the fuck you won’t.
I shudder and grip Z’s shirt and lower my voice. “Let’s get the hell out of here and be grateful he’s fucking off to Russia.”
Twenty years later…
Hands, lips, and teeth roam all over my body. Rodion is at my back, and Z is at my front. We move in tandem as they both fill me, skin to skin, sweat misting our bodies.
“I love you,” I cry out when the pleasure crests and takes me over the cliff. They follow me over, and when we’re just a pile of panting limbs, Z traces the tiny, thin scars littered over my torso.
I swallow and say, “Brett proposed to Roza.”
Z stiffens, the soft strokes stilling, and Rodion jumps up from bed.
“You planned that,” he accuses. “Get us all sated and then tell us.”
I promised our girl I would share the news with her fathers so she wouldn’t have to.
She agreed to tell her brother, who will be much harder to convince.
He disapproves of Brett because he sees Brett as just an ordinary guy.
Like his fathers, our son Dion is a trained fighter, and believes that all men should be capable of protecting their women.
It’s wild because Roza knows how to defend herself if needed.
She doesn’t need Brett to do that for her. Her momma taught her that.
Z shakes his head. “It’s not happening. He’s not good enough for her. He’s a damn accountant for fuck’s sake.”
Slapping his arm, I pout. “Don’t be mean. Would you rather she end up with Vsevolod and have Vlad as a father-in-law?” I shudder at that thought.
“Yes, Vol is strong, brave, and rich,” Rodion replies, this time pacing.
“Don’t be gross. She doesn’t need strong and brave. He’s not going to fight bears in the wild. And we’re rich, therefore she will always be rich.”
“Exactly. He’s a gold digger.” Z this time.
“And, he’s skinny,” Rodion sneers.
“So, I’ll feed him.” I roll my eyes and sigh when Z resumes stroking over my torso.
“You don’t cook,” he reminds me.
“I meant Kath, the housekeeper slash cook, will feed him up.”
“I don’t like it.” Both of them now.
“You don’t have to like it, but for Roza, please try. After things went bad with Vol, it took her a long time to get over him.”
And I don’t want her with a Vasiliev. Roza nearly moved to Russia when they started dating. We went over to visit the family, and Ven had a big party where he invited everyone. It took one look from Vsevolod, and my Roza was hooked.
“Fine. We should have alone time with Brett, though,” Z says and Rodion grins from the side of the bed, buck-ass naked with his hands on his hips.
These two men have aged like fine wine. The slight dusting of white in Ro’s hair catches the light, and his muscles flex with each movement.
In all the years we’ve been together, I’m still just as obsessed with these men as I’ve always been.
“Play nice,” I warn them. “I’m meeting Roza for breakfast and I want to tell her you both approve.”
“We don’t lie to each other, love,” Ro says in a sugar-coated tease.
Z dips his hand lower, and I have to bite my lip. I toss a pillow at Ro and he catches it with ease.
“What time are you meeting her?” he asks.
I squirm. “In an hour, why?”
His large palm wraps around my ankle, and he drags me down the bed with a squeal escaping my lips. “Time for our breakfast.”
“There’s no time to eat, I have to meet…” My words fall from my lips when his mouth sucks at my clit. Then, he lifts his head and asks, “Are you rhyming, Alyona?”
Fisting his hair, I shove him back down where I want him and lose all mobility when Z joins him.
“Sorry I’m late,” I rush out, slamming the car door and jogging across the street to Roza who is waiting outside the coffee shop.
Tugging her coat closed, she raises a perfectly groomed brow. “Do I want to know why you’re late?”
A crimson blush warms my cheeks. “No, definitely not.”
“Gross, Mom. Do they ever put you down?”
Laughing I say, “Come on. You know what it’s like when you’re in love.”
She laces her arm in mine and rolls her eyes. “That’s the only thing missing with Brett. Passion.”
“Roza,” I gasp, halting her and turning her to face me. Her stunning blonde curls bounce around her face. “Passion is such an important component in a marriage.”
Gripping my arm, she blurts, “Vol texted me.”
Oh God. I try to keep my face neutral, but she narrows her beautiful blue eyes on me, and I buckle.
“Vol broke your heart,” I remind her. “He married someone else.”
“Isn’t that what passion is? If there wasn’t passion, he wouldn’t have been able to break my heart.” She tugs me forward, and we begin walking again. “Their marriage is over, and he’s moving here.”
Oh great. I’m pretty sure Yuri is laughing up from hell at this point.
“And Brett?” I query.
Sighing, she says, “I love him, but I owe it to myself to get closure before moving forward. Marriage is a big commitment. You should know, you do it every decade.”
She raises a brow. I nod. My madmen wanted me to have their surname like our kids and a ring on my finger, so every ten years I divorce one, and marry the other. The clerk’s office who files that paperwork must be really confused.
“You’re a wise woman.” I stroke down her hair, proud of the amazing woman she’s grown into. We did good with our kids. Dion only just turned twenty, but he’s already immersed in the businesses with his fathers. He’s happy and content.
“I take after you.” She nudges me and a smile spreads across my face.
Roza approaches the restaurant door. Just as she reaches for the handle, the door suddenly swings open, and she stumbles forward, her balance wavering, and in an instant, unseen hands catch her, steadying her before she can fall.
A chilling sensation washes over me like ice pouring down my spine, when the man holding onto her comes into view.
He’s aged but I’d remember those damn eyes anywhere.
“Well, what are the odds? I remember you. It’s Roza, right?” he says, with more familiarity than he should have. How the hell does he recognize her?
Chuckling, she rights herself, pulling from his grip. “Yes, sorry. You have me at a disadvantage.” Her eyes search his face. “Do I know you?”
“We met a long time ago. I’m Benny,” he tells her, his gaze lingering on her face too long.
I peer at him over Roza’s shoulder and the devil stares back at me.
“Excuse us.” I push Roza past him and shudder when the door closes behind him.
“There was something creepy about him, right?” Roza asks. “And kinda hot?”
No, she was right the first time. Creepy.
I watch him out of the window until he disappears from sight. There’s something very wrong with him. I pull my phone from my purse and type a text to Viktor. We don’t speak often but keep each other in the loop usually.
Just seen your Benjamin. Here in the US.
Once we’re sitting at the table, Roza gets lost in talking about her interior design company. Viktor finally texts back.
Benny is gone.
I know. I just saw him. What happened? I’m sorry.
“I’ve been asked to design Eddie Reeves' new house,” Roza says excitedly.
My mouth drops open and I reach over and squeeze her in a hug. “Sweetheart that’s huge. He’s so hot right now.” I wink and she rolls her eyes. Eddie Reeves is a championship boxer whose career is gaining momentum and garnishing celebrity status.
“Don’t try to sound hip, Mom.” She groans.
“I am hip,” I protest.
“Neither of us are hip. We’re too old to be hip.” She chuckles, snagging a piece of my bacon, and shoving it into her mouth as another text comes through.
You misunderstand, Alyona. Stay away from him. He is not Benny anymore.
Maybe he’s had to change his name. That’s a theme among us all at some point.
“Everything okay?” Roza asks, dipping her eyes to my phone.
“Fine. When is Vol coming over?”
Stabbing at a piece of fruit she moves it around her plate. “This weekend. Then, hopefully we can start planning the wedding.”
If she says so. I can’t help but think there isn’t going to be a wedding…not to Brett anyway.
“I appreciate you always supporting me, Mom.”
My heart swells and I reach over and squeeze her hand. “Always, baby girl.”
Who is he then?
I type back after paying the bill and pushing out the restaurant into the brisk morning air.
Roza kisses my cheeks and waves goodbye, taking off in the opposite direction. I watch until she reaches her car before I turn for mine, checking my phone for Viktor’s reply.
The monster.
THE END …