Epilogue – Nika
The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as I carefully poured two steaming mugs while my mind drifted elsewhere. As I added a cup of hot tea for myself, a flutter of nerves danced in my belly. It was time, because this was a secret I could no longer contain.
After setting the mugs on the tray, I took a deep breath and made my way to the living room, where Malachi and Rurik sat engrossed in conversation. After living with them for several months, it was a sight I was accustomed to, but it never failed to send my pulse skyrocketing to see them again after even a brief time apart.
Rurik glanced up first, his brow furrowing slightly as he studied my face. “Is everything all right?”
I forced a smile, setting down the tray on the coffee table. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
Malachi’s piercing gaze met mine, and I knew he could see right through my feeble attempt at nonchalance. He reached out, taking my hand in his calloused grip. “What’s going on, Nika?”
Swallowing hard, I sank onto the couch between them, my heart hammering. No more stalling. I had to tell them. “I...I’m pregnant.”
The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Rurik stiffened beside me, his eyes widening. Malachi’s expression morphed from concern to utter shock, his mouth parting but no sound escaping.
Panic seized me at their silence. “Say something, please.”
Rurik recovered first, his hand finding my knee in a reassuring squeeze. “Are you sure?”
I nodded, the knot in my throat making speech difficult. “I took three tests. All positive.”
“But how...” Malachi trailed off, running a hand through his dark hair. “We were careful.”
A humorless chuckle escaped my lips. “Apparently not careful enough.”
Silence stretched between us, thick with tension. Just as I began to fear the worst, Malachi’s face split into a broad grin. “We’re having a baby.”
Relief washed over me as Rurik echoed his smile, their joy sincere. In an instant, they had both moved closer, enveloping me in their warm embrace.
“This wasn’t planned,” said Rurik against my hair, “But we’ll face it together, like everything else.”
Malachi’s hand cupped my cheek, tilting my face to meet his intense gaze. “You and our child will be protected, Nika. I swear it on my life.”
Tears pricked my eyes as I basked in their love and acceptance. All my fears melted away, replaced by a fierce determination to embrace this new chapter of our lives. With a watery laugh, I leaned into the arms of my lovers. “I know,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to each of their stubbled jaws. “I’m not afraid with you two by my side.”
The days ahead would undoubtedly bring challenges, but I was surprisingly unafraid of the changes before us. Our bond was unbreakable, forged in fire, and tempered by love. This child would be born into a world of danger, but also into a circle of protective loyalty and absolute devotion.
As Malachi’s hand drifted to my still-flat belly, his eyes shone with a mixture of awe and resolve. Rurik’s arm tightened around my shoulders, his lips brushing my temple in a soft kiss. Their tenderness was undeniable, and they hadn”t flinched from the idea of being fathers. I was reassured, feeling safer than ever.
The gentle rise and fall of Malachi’s chest lulled me into a sense of tranquility as I nestled against his solid frame. My fingers traced idle patterns across the taut muscles of his abdomen, reveling in the warmth of his skin. Rurik’s arm draped over my waist from behind, his breath tickling the nape of my neck in a comforting rhythm.
Malachi’s deep voice rumbled against my ear, shattering the silence. “We should get married.”
I stilled, certain I had misheard him. A glance up at his resolute expression told me otherwise. “Married?”
Rurik propped himself up on one elbow, his brow furrowed. “He’s right. It’s the honorable thing to do.”
Panic fluttered in my chest as the implications sank in. Marriage? To both of them? The very notion seemed absurd, a concept straight out of fairy tales and fantasies. Yet, as I studied the earnest determination etched onto their handsome features, it was obvious they were serious.
“But...how?” I sputtered, struggling to wrap my mind around the idea. “It’s not exactly legal, you know.”
A wry smile tugged at the corners of Malachi’s mouth. “Since when has legality ever stopped us?”
“The priest at the Russian cathedral will perform the ceremony,” said Rurik with conviction. “He won’t dare refuse.”
I opened my mouth to protest, to point out the sheer insanity of their plan, but Malachi silenced me with a finger pressed to my lips.
“Hear us out, solnyshko.” His eyes burned with an intensity that stole my breath. “This child deserves to be born into a real family bound by vows and commitment.”
“We might not be able to make it legal on paper, but in our hearts, in our souls, we’ll be as married as any couple, dorogaya.”
A tremor ran through me at the depth of emotion their words conveyed. This wasn’t just about tradition or societal norms. It was about creating a foundation, a sacred bond as the bedrock of our family.
Malachi’s gaze bored into mine. “Say yes, Nika. Let us pledge ourselves to you, and you to us. Let’s do this the right way, for our child’s sake.”
My throat constricted with a swell of emotion I couldn’t quite name. Fear, elation, and love were a heady cocktail that left me dizzy and breathless. Could I truly commit myself to these two men, bound by vows as sacred as any church ceremony?
The answer came to me in a rush of clarity. I was already bound to them, heart and soul. This was merely a formality to solidify what we already knew in our hearts. “Yes. Let’s get married.”
Rurik laughed with delight as he crushed me against his chest in a fierce embrace. Malachi’s fingers tangled in my hair as he poured every ounce of his love and devotion into a gentle kiss.
When we finally parted, breathless and flushed, I giggled at the absurdity of it all. “You know, when I pictured getting married, this wasn’t quite what I had in mind.”
A devilish glint sparked in Malachi’s eyes. “Oh? And what did you have in mind, my naughty girl?”
Heat bloomed in my cheeks at the wicked promise in his tone. “I always dreamed of getting married in Vegas.”
Rurik barked out a laugh, his fingers trailing along the curve of my spine. “Is that so? A shotgun wedding in Sin City?”
“Why not?” I asked, emboldened by their infectious mirth. “No license required—just a cheesy ceremony and a tacky chapel. Maybe an Elvis officiator.”
Malachi’s brows shot up, but I could see the idea taking root behind his eyes. “You can’t be serious.”
Feigning a pout, I batted my lashes at them in exaggerated innocence. “What can I say? I love the kitsch of it all. It’s my dream wedding. Don’t you want to make all my dreams come true?”
After a beat of silence, Rurik threw back his head with a roar of laughter. Malachi clearly couldn’t resist cracking a grin too, and his shoulders were soon shaking with mirth.
“Very well, my insatiable little vixen.” He nipped at my earlobe after his laughing fit passed. “Vegas it is, but we’re doing it our way.”
Rurik nodded. “I insist on a nice chapel and absolutely no Elvis.”
I pretended to think about it for a moment before smiling. “I guess I can compromise on that.” Relief and excitement flooded my veins in equal measure as they gathered me close, the three of us discussing our forthcoming wedding. With a contented sigh, I allowed myself to sink into their embrace, savoring the moment. Somewhere out there, the city of sin awaited, ready to facilitate us as we pledged ourselves to each other in the most deliciously unorthodox way imaginable.
I couldn’t wait.
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Want more Russian Bratva romance and suspense? Check out bad boy Mikhails’s story in Ruthless Heir, book one in the Sokolov Bratva series.
Ruthless Heir blurb:
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In my world, you don’t ask for what you want. You take it.
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MIKHAIL
My father built an empire, and he gave me the tools I needed to take over one day.
Power. Instinct. Ruthlessness.
Now that day has come, and my first order of business as Pakhan of the Sokolov Bratva is marrying the daughter of Egor Baranov, sworn enemy of my family.
The last thing I want is to play house with some spoiled ballerina, but I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my father’s legacy.
Annika Baranov is about to learn that when I’m the one giving orders, everyone falls in line.
Because I was born to rule this city, and there was only ever one way to do it —with an iron fist.
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ANNIKA
My path was always clear: escape Las Vegas, move to New York, live happily ever after as a professional ballerina.
My father had other plans.
Even for a man as cruel and calculating as Egor Baranov, handing your daughter over to a hardened criminal to suit your own business needs is low. But that’s exactly what he did.
Now, I’m at the mercy of the heartless Mikhail Sokolov, a man I know I should fear and despise, despite my heart — and my body — insisting the opposite.
But I’ve spent my life being controlled, and I won’t bend to his will. I won’t let him own me.
Even if part of me wants him to do just that.
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