23. Nikita #2
Savanna nudges my arm and shares a look with my uncle. “Technically, I haven’t been asked to join the family yet.”
I cup her face and tilt it up to mine. “We’re getting married, Van. I was just giving you time to heal before I officially ask.”
She shoots a quick look at my uncle, who I’m guessing is looking happier than a pig in shit, and says, “I look pretty healed up, don’t I?”
“Absolutely,” he says, and I can hear the giddy sound of his voice because the man lives on gossip and butting into private moments. “Better put a ring on her, Niki. You can’t send her back to that university looking unclaimed.”
Ignoring him, I lean in close so only Savanna can hear me. “You sure about this, baby? I’ve been trying to find the right moment, but I wanted you to heal, and then I didn’t want to take anything away from your birthday.”
“Take away?” she asks, looking at me like I’m the slowest kindergartner in her class. “How on earth would that take anything away? Wouldn’t it just make it the best birthday I’ve ever had?”
I lean closer and whisper in her ear. “I thought my finger in your ass this morning did that.”
She chokes on a laugh while I grin and kiss her cheek. When I reach into my pocket, her blue eyes widen in surprise. “Wait, you’ve been carrying around a ring this whole time?”
The velvet box is hidden away in a drawer because I didn’t want to make it obvious, but I’ve been carrying around the diamond and sapphire ring that’s cupped in my hand and hidden from her curious eyes for four days.
I met with a jeweler before she was taken, and once it was ready, I snuck out to get it while she was taking a nap.
I was just waiting for the right time, and apparently that moment is now, in front of my entire family and her parents.
I’m usually a pretty private person, but Savanna’s big heart means she likes to include everyone in everything, so with everyone starting to stare and wonder what’s going on, I grab her hand and lower down onto one knee.
“Holy shit,” I hear my Uncle Vitaly say, still standing way too close and holding the cougar cake.
I’m guessing he looks ridiculous, but once my knee hits the carpet, everything disappears except the woman in front of me.
Her blue eyes are already filling with tears, and when I open my hand and she sees the large diamond, her mouth drops open in surprise.
She shouldn’t be. She knows me well enough by now to know this was never going to end with a tiny diamond on her finger.
The large stone is surrounded by sapphires.
It’ll match her bracelet perfectly, and the necklace and earrings she doesn’t know she’s getting.
“I knew you were it for me the second I saw you,” I tell her.
“Sasha tricked me into going out that night, knowing I wouldn’t have gone if he’d told me Cindy was trying to set us up.
My life has always been my computer, but when I saw you that night, everything changed.
For the first time in my life, I wanted more. ”
A tear runs down her cheek as I caress her hand and she squeezes my finger.
“You are everything to me, Van. I knew it then, and I know it now, and I’ll know it sixty years from now.
My heart is yours, and no part of me will ever belong to another.
I will always love you, I will always be faithful to you, and I will always take care of you and as many babies as you want us to have. ”
She grins and whispers, “Six.”
I swear my heart skips a beat. The love I feel for her is overpowering, a tangible thing that my body can’t help but respond to.
“Six,” I repeat, smiling even bigger when her dimple appears. “Will you marry me, Van? Will you be my wife and let me spoil you and love you for the rest of our lives?”
Tears stream down both her cheeks and her voice is shaky when she says, “Yes,” but it’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.
Our families cheer when I slide the ring on Savanna’s finger and then stand so I can kiss her.
There are catcalls and whistles as I kiss my fiancée for the first time.
I cup her face and savor every second of this kiss before I finally let her go so we can turn to face everyone.
Most of the women are crying, and the men are all smiling and raising glasses in our honor.
Apparently, at some point my Uncle Vitaly switched the cake out for a bottle of vodka.
He’s grinning and pouring another drink as he walks over to us.
He hands me the glass and then grabs Savanna in a big bear hug. She laughs when he spins her before putting her down. Then he holds up his hand for her to high-five.
Looking over at me, he says, “That’s called teamwork right there.”
“I was going to propose tomorrow,” I say in my own defense.
He laughs and then pulls me into a bear hug. When the bastard spins me around, everyone laughs and he looks way too proud of himself.
“I can’t believe little Niki’s getting married,” he says.
“Yeah, seems like just yesterday he was carrying around that little toy laptop and chasing after his older cousins,” my Uncle Roman says with a grin.
“They grew up too fast,” my Uncle Matvey says.
“They did,” my Uncle Lev says. “But they’re having lots of babies, so that helps.”
“Apparently, they’re going to give us six more,” my dad says while pulling me and Savanna in for a hug.
My Uncle Vitaly winks at me. “I told you you’d have stamina.”
“Jesus,” I groan. “Someone take the bottle from him.”
My uncles laugh while everyone else crowds in to congratulate us. Grace and Phil both envelop me in a big hug and tell me how happy they are. I easily return it, knowing I hit the jackpot in the in-law department. My cousins join in, all of them thrilled for us, and Cindy can’t stop crying.
“It’s just the pregnancy hormones,” she tells a very worried-looking Sasha. “I’m just really happy.”
He relaxes a bit at that and then lifts Isabella up when she tries to jump in his arms. I can’t wait until our own kids are here.
I never thought I’d be excited about being a daddy, but every time I think about holding our baby, I get a big, goofy grin on my face.
Judging by the sweet smile Savanna is giving me, I’m wearing it right now.
Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her close and kiss her.
“That was perfect,” she whispers. “Thank you, Niki. The ring is gorgeous.”
“Thanks for saying yes, and I’m glad you like it.”
“I was always going to say yes,” she says. “No was never an option.”
“I want you pregnant,” I blurt out, grateful I’m at least still whispering and my family is loud enough to cover it. “It’s all I can think about. One of six, Van. There’s no time to lose.”
I feel her lips graze my ear before she says, “We’ve never once used protection, Niki.
My guess is you’ve already got your wish.
” Before I can say anything, she nips at my earlobe and whispers, “Don’t say anything.
This secret is just ours until we know for sure.
We can buy a test later, okay? One last birthday present. ”
“I love you,” I tell her, knowing those three words will never be enough to encompass everything I feel for her.