36. Valentin
Retirement has turned out to be one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. There’s a sense of peace in looking out at the beach from my cabana. Here, hidden away from New York on my private island, the air feels lighter and the sun more striking.
There’s no more deceit. No more hidden dangers waiting for me. For too long, I was taught to live in the shadows, but now, for the first time, I’m getting to enjoy the warmth of the sun.
Weeks went by as I struggled to recover from my gunshot wounds. I almost didn’t make it here. That fucker almost killed me!
But Elise, true to form, had a plan.
My supposed death would secure a clean escape from the brutal world of the Bratva. The only ones who know I’m still alive are the Savins, my family, and Lexi.
It broke my heart to see her in tears at my funeral.
She collapsed to her knees, gripping my letter as if it were her lifeline. I knew she loved me, but in that moment, I understood the extreme depth of that love.
Elise’s original plan was for me to stay away from Lexi. That was the agreement. My retirement for Lexi’s future. I took that deal for her own good. She was young with a promising life ahead, and I believed she needed to move on and find someone new.
The Savins were supposed to look after her, provide her with a job, and be her family so she could forget about me.
However, when Andrei reached out to tell me that she wanted to embrace my legacy, everything changed.
I realized then how much I needed to be with her, and no ocean could ever keep us apart.
I kept sneaking back to the city, yearning to see her and feel her presence. Without her, I felt lost, better off not existing at all. So, I decided to take a chance. She once told me she would join me, and I held onto the hope that she still meant it.
“Sir, I’ve been instructed to let you know that the plane has arrived.”
I savor the last sip of Scotch in my glass, letting its rich flavor linger on my palate. “Thank you.”
“Would you like another drink?” she asks, lifting my empty Scotch glass.
“Yes! And can I also get two Mai Tais?” I say, folding the newspaper and setting it down on the table.
“Yes, sir,” the housekeeper hums before quietly disappearing, leaving me surrounded by the soothing sounds of the ocean.
Sir. It’s a shift I’m still adjusting to after being called Brigadier for over thirty years.
As the sun sets, its vibrant orange rays dance upon the waves.
“Daddy.”
I turn, my heart racing as Lexi joins me on the beach.
“Krasotka.”
She arches an eyebrow, glancing at me and then at the enticing Mai Tais waiting on the table. “Are we really going to do this every time I go away?” she asks, wrapping her arms around me from behind.
“Absolutely!”
I take her hand, our fingers intertwining in a gentle embrace. In that instant, the world around us comes to a complete standstill, as if time itself is holding its breath for us.
I pull Lexi closer, holding her in my arms, and everything feels effortless and right. “How was the baby shower?”
“Ivy looked absolutely stunning, and I could have sworn I saw the Colonel tear up.”
I laugh, wishing I had been there to witness that moment.
“And your sister?”
“She’s great. Demyan is getting older every day,” she mutters, but smiling as she says it.
I know she misses Elise, but our trips to New York need to be infrequent. After all, I’m a dead man.
“I’ve missed you.”
I pull her in slightly, my hands cradling her face as she meets my gaze. I never want to lose her again. “Marry me?”
A shaky laugh escapes her, and she wipes away the tears beginning to spill. “Are you serious?”
My heart does a complicated little flip of happiness and nerves, waiting for her answer.
“I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“Well, where’s my ring?” She lifts her hand, her ring finger empty.
“I think that,” I gesture to my initial on her neck, “already says you’re mine.”
With a glance back at me, she sparkles with that familiar twinkle in her eyes. “I would like my sister to be at my wedding.”
“I know. I already spoke to Andrei, and as soon as Ivy has the baby, they’re all coming here for the wedding.”
She laughs, her eyes shining with a warmth that I’ve become addicted to. I want to spark that light in her eyes every chance I get. “What if I say no?”
“Krasotka, you know the rules. Things go better for you when you behave.”
She hops off my lap and dashes into the remaining sunlight. “I’ll think about it.”
“Keep teasing me, Krasotka. Today might be the day I kill you.”
She slips off her heels and throws one at me, which I catch. Then she wiggles out of her skirt—no panties. “I said I’ll think about it,” she repeats, her voice full of love.
I can’t help but watch as she lifts her top over her head, unclasping her bra with a teasing grace.
I stand, watching her radiating beauty as the sun begins to sink beneath the horizon, casting a warm light around her.
She strides to the water’s edge, her toes sinking into the warm sand, and glances back at me with an enchanting smile. “I’ll think about it!”
I can’t help but laugh as I chase her into the water, catching her by the neck. “Marry me?”
Her arms slide around my neck. “Yes, Daddy.”
My smile is completely unrestrained, living in a moment where my heart is filled with pure joy.
It’s funny, in a way, how everything started with my kidnapping. I swore I was going to kill her. I still might if she ever tries to leave me.
“I love you, Valentin.”
I lean down to brush my lips against hers, slipping the diamond ring on her finger. “I love you, Mrs. Volkov.”
In this instant, everything else fades, leaving just the two of us in our own world.