Epilogue
GABBY
TWO MONTHS LATER
The chandeliers are lit.
All twenty-three of them hang from a ceiling that took more than eight months and one goat to finish. Nikolai told me that story over breakfast one morning, like someone had merely inconvenienced him by sending a severed goat's head to his construction site.
Tonight, the light reflecting off all that glass turns the ballroom gold.
It pools on the marble. Catches in the crystal on the tables.
Nikolai designed this room before he'd ever laid eyes on me.
Before Luke. Before any of it. He built a cathedral for the two of us to stand in and didn't even know he was doing it.
“Go, go, go.” Lila shoos me out of the room. “He’s going to see you in your dress.”
I laugh. “I had to see the room. He’s been talking about it more than Luke talks about dinosaurs. Do you know he refused to rent out his million-dollar ballroom for New Year’s Eve because he wants us to be the first to use it?”
“That’s romantic,” Lila says.
I smile. “It really is.”
“Come on. You are supposed to be getting the finishing touches on your makeup.”
“If they put any more makeup on me, no one will know who I am, including my soon-to-be husband.”
I let her drag me into the bridal suite. Sofia is sitting in a chair, the makeup artist putting lipstick on her.
“You caught the runaway bride,” Sofia says.
“Gonna put a bell on her,” Lila laughs.
My friends. I have friends. I’ve never really had friends. Not ones I could trust with secrets. Growing up, it was always about being careful not to say too much because you never knew what information could be used against you or your family.
The family spent Christmas together in Maksim’s Miami home. It was the best Christmas I’ve ever had. And I know it was the first of many amazing Christmases for Luke. Lila introduced Luke to horses.
Nikolai is now looking for someone to build a stable on the property so he can buy Luke a horse. Or five. Neither of my boys knows how to dip their toes into something. It’s all or nothing.
And I love it.
I only wish Greg could be here to see me get my happy ending. He always promised me that it would be over one day. One day, I could settle down.
We made it, Greg. Thank you.
Twenty minutes later, I’m made up to look like I’m not wearing makeup, which is quite the skill. My dress is white and simple. I did the princess wedding dress once and hated every second of it. I don’t want to look like I’m sitting on top of a cake.
I stand in front of the mirror. The fit-and-flare style with a sweetheart neckline is beautiful. Sofia is the one who insisted I lean into my curves instead of trying to hide them.
“Ready?” Lila asks.
“I am.”
The wedding is small despite using the massive ballroom. We’re not doing a wedding party. Just me, Nik, and Luke standing in front of a preacher.
I follow Lila down the hall. Sofia holds open the door to the curtained-off area.
“You look stunning,” she says. “I cannot wait to see Nik’s face when he sees you for the first time.”
“Record it, because I’m pretty sure my vision will be blurry.”
“Absolutely.”
They take their seats, leaving me alone in the small space. I inhale and wait for the music that is my cue to walk down the aisle to my guys.
The music starts. I step out from behind the curtain.
And I see them.
Nikolai stands at the end of the aisle in a black tuxedo that fits him like it was painted on. His dark hair is perfectly styled. His blue eyes lock onto mine like I’m the only thing in the universe.
Beside him, Luke fidgets in his matching tuxedo.
Same cut. Same color. Same everything, except smaller.
His hair is freshly cut by a professional.
It is one of the many huge signs of progress we’ve seen with his therapy.
He’s clutching Steggy in one hand, even though we talked about leaving the dinosaur in the room.
I’m glad he didn’t. I love that Nikolai doesn’t care about tradition or what anyone thinks.
My heart swells so full that I think it might burst.
These are my boys. My family.
I take the first step down the aisle. Then another. For once, I’m not bracing for something to go wrong. I’m walking toward the two people I love most in the world.
Nikolai’s expression doesn’t change, but I see his chest rise and fall a little faster. His thumb and forefinger press together once before he forces his hands still at his sides.
Luke spots me, and his face lights up. He waves, a big enthusiastic gesture that makes several people in the audience chuckle softly. I wave back, not caring if it’s proper.
When I reach them, Nikolai extends his hand. I take it. His fingers close around mine.
“Hi,” I whisper.
“Hi.” His eyes move over my face, my hair, and my dress. “You’re beautiful.”
“So are you.”
Luke tugs on my dress. “Mom, you look like a princess.”
I bend down, careful not to wrinkle the fabric too much. “Thank you, buddy. You look very handsome.”
“Nik and me match.”
“I see that. Very fancy.”
I stand back up. Nikolai’s hand finds mine again.
The officiant clears his throat. “Shall we begin?”
I nod. Nikolai nods. Luke is distracted by something on the floor, but that’s okay.
The officiant starts, and I try to pay attention, but all I can focus on is Nikolai’s hand in mine. The way his thumb strokes across my knuckles. This is a day I want to remember forever. Every second.
“Nikolai, do you have vows you’d like to share?”
Nikolai clears his throat. We talked about this. I told him we didn’t have to do vows. I know he loves me. I know his promises. But he wanted to do it. “You and Luke are my family. I will protect you. I will provide for you. I will love you for the rest of my life. That’s my vow.”
Tears blur my vision. I blink them back, but more come.
“Gabriella?” The officiant prompts gently.
I take a shaky breath. “Nikolai, you saved us. You showed me what it means to be loved without condition. To be protected without being controlled.” My voice cracks.
“You are an amazing father. I promise to love you through everything. The easy days and the hard ones. The days when words come easily, and the days when they don’t.
I promise to be patient and to love you. ”
Nikolai’s eyes are bright. He blinks, and I realize he’s fighting tears too.
“The rings?” the officiant asks.
Pasha steps forward from the front row. He hands Nikolai the rings.
I slide the ring onto his finger. He slides mine onto my hand next to the engagement ring I’ve been wearing for two months.
“By—”
“Wait,” Nikolai says.
He releases my hand and drops to Luke’s eye level. He pulls out a small box from his pocket.
“Luke, I have something for you.”
Luke looks up, curious. “What is it?”
Nikolai opens the box. Inside is a silver necklace with a falcon pendant. It’s simple but beautiful.
“This is for you,” Nikolai says. “Sokolov means ‘falcon’ in Russian. You’re a Sokolov.”
Luke stares at the necklace. Then at Nikolai. “I’m a falcon?”
“You’re my falcon. My son.”
I put my hand over my mouth to hold back a sob. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for without even knowing it was coming.
Nikolai carefully fastens the necklace around Luke’s neck. The falcon pendant rests against his small chest.
“Ty moy syn,” Nikolai says softly. “You are my son.”
Luke touches the pendant. Then he throws his arms around Nikolai’s neck.
Nikolai catches him, holding him tight. His eyes close.
I look out at our small audience. Lila is crying into Maksim’s shoulder. Sofia has her hand over her heart and tears streaming down her face. Even Sergei—stoic, controlled Sergei—has his jaw clenched tightly, and his eyes are suspiciously bright.
Pasha is wiping his eyes openly.
The twins, Kirill and Anton, are squirming in their parents’ laps, too young to understand what’s happening but sensing something important.
Mila is watching with wide eyes, her hand in Olga’s. Olga is dabbing at her own eyes with a handkerchief, her cane propped against her chair.
Kylie, Irina, and Galina are sitting together. All three women are crying. Several of Nikolai’s trusted guards are suddenly very interested in their feet.
Nikolai stands, still holding Luke. He reaches for me with his free hand. I take it.
“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Nikolai leans in and gives me a quick kiss. “More later,” he says softly.
When we pull apart, Luke is looking up at us. “Are you married now?”
“Yes,” Nikolai says. “We’re married now.”
“Good.”
The officiant clears his throat, clearly moved. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Sokolov. And their son, Luke Sokolov.”
Everyone claps. Maksim whistles. Lila cheers.
Nikolai looks, and I see everything in his eyes that he can’t say out loud.
I love you. Thank you. You saved me, too.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you,” he whispers back.
Luke squirms. “Can we have cake now?”
I laugh through my tears. “Yes, buddy. We can have cake now.”
Nikolai sets Luke down and takes my hand. We walk back down the aisle together. Past our family. Past the people who have become part of our story.
As we step into the hallway, away from everyone else, Nikolai pulls me close. His forehead rests against mine.
“Thank you,” he says.
“For what?”
“For giving me a family.”
“Nik.” I cup his face in my hands. “You gave us a family. You gave us everything.”
He kisses me again, the kiss he’d been holding back.
Luke tugs on both of our hands. “Cake!”
We laugh. Nikolai scoops Luke back up and settles him on his hip.
“Let’s go get some cake,” he says.
We walk back into the ballroom together.
Two hours later, I sit at our table, watching everyone have a good time.
Nik is talking to his brothers. Maksim has his arm slung over the back of a chair, laughing at something.
Sergei stands with his hands in his pockets, watching the room.
Three men raised in the same house, and by different degrees of the same violence.
I know enough of their history now to understand what it means that they're laughing.
Sofia joins me with a toddler hand in each of hers. She looks exhausted in the best way.
“We’re going back to the house,” she says. “I need to get these guys to bed. Nik asked if we could take Luke. Is that okay?”
“If his father says it is, it is,” I reply. “Thank you so much for staying with him this week. I’ve never been away from him, and I’m trying so hard not to freak out.”
“I get it. Sergei forced me to take a honeymoon a year after the twins were born. It was wonderful. Luke will be in his house with his people. I promise you that he’ll be okay.”
“Thank you.”
I watch her wrangle the children as we go find Luke. He’s wearing his headphones and playing a game on the tablet. After a long, stimulating day, we knew he’d need some downtime.
“You’re going home with Aunt Sofia and Uncle Sergei,” I tell him.
“Is now when you fly on the plane?”
I smile and touch his knee. “Yes.”
I don’t ask if he’s okay or tell him he will be. The therapist has spent the past two months helping us prepare Luke for this moment. It’s a huge step, but I feel okay with it. Terrified, but okay.
“Okay.”
Nik and I walk Luke to the SUV. After a quick goodbye, they are on their way. My heart is pounding, and I think I might be the one to crash out.
But Nik is there. He takes my hand. “Dance with me. I like holding you.”
I smile. “One more dance.”
When we walk back in, Maksim and Lila are on the dance floor, swaying to some bluesy country song. Their love radiates from them. I wonder if Nik and I look like that.
I loop my arms around his neck, and he leans his forehead down against mine.
"Your vows were beautiful,” I tell him.
“I tried.”
We dance, which is nothing more than a gentle rocking of our bodies. His arms hold me tight. I think about a lifetime of reaching for this man.
“I love you,” I say on a soft exhale.
“I love you, my lioness.”
For the first time in my life, I know I’m right where I’m meant to be, with the family I’ve chosen.