Epilogue
He thinks I don’t know.
Artem thinks I wouldn’t find out my brothers transported Janis back to Chicago in the cargo hold of our plane and then by sealed crate to Obsidian. He, like my brothers, actually believe I wouldn’t know that he was thrown into the Pit, a room my brothers have under their club for people like Janis.
Or that Artem spent a full night down there, and when he came back up his knuckles were bruised, swollen, and bleeding. None of these men really understand how much I can find out when I really want to. But when it came to Janis, Megan and Vee were helpful in filling in the blanks.
Vee still has friends working at Obsidian, and sometimes they see things they’re not supposed to. Sometimes those stories make their way to Vee. And this time, they made it all the way back to me.
But I’m not angry.
How can I be?
Evil needs to be expunged.
The women Janis sold have been found, along with a dozen others, and my brothers have assured me they’ve all been treated with humanity and respect. Cole’s aversion to the flesh trade makes me feel better that he’s going to keep his word about not letting it move into Boston.
“Are you ready to come down yet?” Artem peeks his head into the bedroom of our new house. “Kaz and Sienna are here.”
“Did they bring the baby?” I drop my brush and shove away from the mirror.
“What kind of question is that. Of course they did.” He looks like I’ve asked if the Pope was coming to dinner.
“Then why are you in my way?” I gently shove him as I pass through the door and hurry down to the living room where my brother is holding his little baby girl in his arms.
Sienna sits beside him looking exhausted but happy, watching.
“No, Tommy?” I ask as I breeze into the kitchen.
“He’s in the kitchen stealing all your cookies.” Kaz says with a proud grin.
“He can have all of them.” I push the soft blanket from the baby’s face and smile.
“What’s with you?” Kaz questions, eyeing me suspiciously.
“Nothing.” I sit on the love seat across from them and fold my legs beneath me. “Did Alexander tell you he’s coming next weekend?”
“He did.” Kaz nods slowly. “Ivan can’t make it, but he’s coming the week after.”
“If they’re going to come out this way so often, why don’t they just buy a place?” Artem sits next to me, draping his big arm around my shoulders.
“Alexander has the penthouse in the city,” I point out. “But it would be nice if they just moved here. Especially since Megan’s going to be having the baby soon. Nora would have someone to play with.” I point to my new niece in Kaz’s arms.
“New York isn’t for everyone,” Sienna says, looking over Kaz’s shoulder at her daughter.
“They’re here enough.” Artem rubs a strand of my hair between his fingers. “Are you feeling all right?” He asks me.
“What? Yes. I’m fine.” I try to laugh off his question but a small wave of nausea hits.
“No.” Kaz leans forward a little. “You’re not.”
“Oh, shut up.” I wave a hand.
“Elana,” Artem warns. “Do we need to have another talk about honesty?” He doesn’t bother to keep his voice down as he threatens me.
Sienna does her best to hide her amusement, but Kaz makes no attempt.
“No,” I hiss. “Now stop it. I’m fine.”
Another wave hits me, and I swallow a few times until I’m sure the orange juice I had an hour ago stays where it belongs.
Not like this.
I wanted a romantic night before I tell him. And not with Kaz here.
“We’ll talk about it later.”
Kaz’s eyebrows shoot up. “Already? You’ve only been married a month!”
I glare at him to shut his mouth, but in true Kaz fashion he ignores me completely.
“What’s he talking about?” Artem blinks a few times, looking between us.
“Shut up. Kaz.” I point at him. “Let me.”
“Well, do it soon before you throw up all over the man,” Kaz shakes his head and looks down at little Nora. “You’re not going to be stubborn like your Aunt Elana, are you? No, you won’t do that to your father.”
Sienna laughs. “She’s going to give you gray hairs before she’s three, and by five, you’ll have pulled every strand out yourself.”
He gasps in fake shock. “Not my little girl. You two won’t corrupt her.”
“Elana.” Artem snaps my name, not letting their conversation sway him from finding out what he wants to know.
I exaggerate a sigh and turn to him.
“Yes, Artem?”
“Tell me.”
“Tell you what?” I play innocent.
“If I have to—”
“I know, I know, if you have to ask again it will be with me over your knee, but you know how much I love being there, so I don’t see how that’s a threat.”
“Elana!” Kaz barks, making Nora stir and start fussing.
“Now look what you did.” Sienna takes Nora and starts to pace behind the couch.
Kaz has the decency to look guilty.
When I glance at Artem, a vein in his neck is pulsating.
“Fine.” I sigh. “I wanted to do this right, but my brother is an ass, so I’ll just do it this way.”
“Do what?” Artem leans into me.
“Tell you.”
His nostrils flare as he mentally prays for patience. It’s almost too easy with him. A fact our children are going to use against him repeatedly.
And soon.
“Tell me what? Did you buy a new car? Did you start a cult? With you it could be so many things, Elana. What is it?”
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt.
His eyes go wide, then every bit of him goes soft, like a melted puddle of mafia enforcer.
The room falls silent.
Even Nora quiets while we wait for him to say something. Do something.
He laughs.
Bursts out in a belly shaking laugh.
“It’s funny?” I poke him.
“No. It’s amazing.” He kisses me, again and again, until I can hardly breathe.
“Hey! Okay, okay, you can stop now.” Kaz snaps his fingers at us. “You’ve already done the job, let her go.”
Artem laughs harder, and I join him.
“I was wrong,” Artem whispers as he hugs me close.
“You often are, but what exactly this time?” I ask.
“I thought I had the perfect life when I woke up this morning. But I was wrong. It just got better.”
“Just wait until you tell Alexander you knocked up his little sister,” Kaz says.
“Kaz.” I sigh. “Shut up.”
“Come on.” Sienna taps his shoulder. “Let’s go make sure Tommy hasn’t eaten them out of house and home.”
Once they’re gone from the living room, Artem moves me to his lap and kisses me again.
“You are everything I don’t deserve in this life.”
“No.” I shake my head at him. “You deserve even more.”
His brow wrinkles. “You’re not telling me something, what is it?”
“Well.” I brush a lock of hair from his forehead and rest my head on his shoulder, inhaling the warm spice of his aftershave.
“How would you feel about triplets?”
Unable to say goodbye to these characters, I invited the men of Vicious Sinners to sit down for an interview. It was a little like herding cats, but I came out unscathed. You can check it out now!