Epilogue
Kirill
Five Months Later
“They’re here,” I whisper into Annika’s ear.
She turns away from Eva and Viktoria, her beauty blinding me as she focuses those deep blue eyes on me.
Happiness sparks through them, and I can’t help but smile down at her.
Her maternity dress fits over her like a dream.
A soft baby blue maxi dress that brings out her eyes and makes them sparkle.
It’s also an homage to our son- who will be arriving any day now.
“They’re here?” she asks, and begins that adorable dance I love where she bounces on the balls of her feet.
“Careful,” I chuckle, placing a hand on her full, rounded stomach, “Don’t want to shake the baby. And yes. Edik just told me their car pulled up. Come on, let’s meet them at the door.”
Her smile brightens, then she whirls back around to Eve and Viktoryia.
The three of them have been inseparable four months now.
Poor Tolya has been spending a fortune on jet fuel to make sure his wife is able to fly to New York from Chicago any time Annika gets the urge to shop for baby stuff- which is… frequent.
“I’ll be back in a little bit,” Annika assures Eva and Viktoryia. “My family’s here!”
She lets out a little squeal of delight as her friends shoo her off, knowing that she’s been excited for the day for weeks now. I take her arm, feeling my chest swell with pride as I walk by my wife’s side, and we move through the small crowd of party guests to make our way to the front door.
Viktoryia wanted to throw a baby shower for Annika months ago, but Annika refused, saying she couldn’t have it until Yulian and Valya returned.
Now our due date is any day now, and after killing the last of the rumors and dealing with the small upset caused by my brother’s death, I was finally able to deem it safe for Annika’s father and sister to come back to New York.
We make it into the foyer just as the front door opens, and my beautiful wife lets out a sob of relief as she sees her family.
I drop a kiss atop her head as I untether her arm from mine, and I watch as the three of them run toward another.
Hugs, kisses, excited chatter erupts from the trio and I watch at a distance as they are reunited.
“You did the right thing. Sending them away.”
I turn from the sight of my wife’s happy reunion with her family and nod at the three men that have joined me.
“I know,” I tell Tolya.
“It’s still a little risky,” Nico Vitelli, the Don of Chicago Italian families remarks.
“You may still get a few people coming after them. Betrayal like this, no matter the circumstances, has a ripple effect,” Luca Di Meglio, the Don of the Las Vegas Italian families adds.
I nod, knowing it’s true in many ways.
“I’m keeping an eye on them,” I reply, then turn back to watch my wife.
“Are you three enjoying the party?” I ask them.
“Zoe loves your Annika,” Nico tells me, which causes Tolya to chortle.
“Careful,” he warns Nico, “You’ll spend a bundle on jet fuel if they get too close. I speak from experience.”
I chuckle with them, but Luca only watches my wife and her family with a stoic expression. He’s the oldest among us and has seen the most. Bloodshed. Betrayal. Loss. But it all made him into one of the most powerful, dangerous men in our country; maybe even the world.
“I wanted to offer my condolences,” Luca says as Nico and Talya go to refresh their drinks. “It’s never easy having to kill a family member. Even if they deserve it.”
I nod and swallow the sudden burning rage in my throat.
Since she first woke up from her gunshot wound Annika and I talk almost every night now.
Long, deep conversations about our lives and what we’ve been through that last for hours.
Within those conversations my brother’s name almost always comes up, and if my wife is bothered by my lack of guilt for what I’ve done, she doesn’t tell me.
“Is it wrong that I blame him for his own death?” I ask, both us keeping our eyes forward.
“No,” Luca replied. “Because it was his fault, Kirill.”
“I’m still furious,” I confess. “Sometimes I get so angry that I scare myself.”
“Use it,” Luca replied. “Use that fear to protect your wife. I see the way you look at her, Kirill. The way you hold her like she’s a precious epitome of perfection. You know how rare that is for people like us? To find a soulmate through the death and chaos of our responsibilities?”
I shift my eyes back to the Don of Las Vegas, a man more powerful and richer than me, and I feel a sense of pity for him.
He’d come close, I’d heard, at one time.
Then she was killed. Luca had painted the streets of Las Vegas with blood after her death according to the story, and it was how he’d become the Don.
“I know,” I whisper, turning my eyes back to my wife.
“She loves her family, that’s clear,” Luca goes on, “But don’t let them be the reason you lose her.”
I nod and clear my throat, beyond bothered that they were the reason I’d almost lost my wife in the first place.
“Tread lightly, my friend,” Luca says, then pats me on my back. “And congratulations.”
I shake the hand he offers, and as he turns to go find Nico, I walk up to my wife. Luca was right. About everything. And I wasn’t taking any more chances.
“Welcome back,” I say politely to Yulian and Valya.
“Thank you, Pakhan,” Yulian replies, bowing low. Valya blushes and follows her father, and when they both look at me again, they’re both a little flushed with fear. Good. That’s how I want them to be. I never want them to think it's okay repeat their mistake.
“Thank you for bringing them back in time for my baby shower,” Annika says, drawing a smile out of me as she hugs my waist.
“Of course, devochka,” I murmur, kissing her forehead, “Anything you want.”
I keep quiet over my doubts. For now. My wife is happy, and I’m not going to jeopardize that today.
In the future though, if they persist, I will share them with her- because my wife- my Annika, knows every part of me now, and I trust her.
Oh, how I trust and love her with every fiber of my devious, bloodstained being.
I hear a trickle of water splatter against marble and pull away from Annika as I look at the ceiling.
What was that? I think, inspecting the ceiling for water stains. Then my wife gasps, grabs me, and my head whips to her. She’s breathing heavily as she doubles over, and suddenly I realized that this isn’t a water leak in my home. It’s her.
“Annika…?” I ask, feeling my chest swell with happiness. “Is it-”
“Yes!” She gasps, and looks up at me with the same happiness. “It’s time! Go get Dr. Silinsky!”
My heart gushes with a mixture of anticipation and fear as I hear the news, and I call Edik to my side. As always, he’s never far away.
“Go get Dr. Silinsky!” I command, leading Annika toward the room we’ve prepared for the birth.
My loud command catches the attention of the guests, and they all look at Annika and I as they part like the red sea to make room for us.
“Our son!” I crow joyously, leading my wife to the elevator, “Our son is coming!”
A cheer rings out through our home as the elevator doors shut, and I pull Annika into my arms.
“He’s coming,” she pants, smiling despite the drops of sweat peppering her forehead. “We finally get to hold him!”
“I know, devochka,” I reply, framing her face with my hands.
“I love you,” she pants, and then her face twists as another contraction hits her.
“I love you,” I promise her, picking her up as the elevator doors open. “And I love our son.”
A low groan pours from my wife’s lips as she curls and spasms in my arms, and I rush her to the delivery room.
The End?