Page 45 of Finding Alexei
I can’t even imagine what my life would be like right now if Alexei hadn’t stopped that night on the street—if he hadn’t intervened with that guy outside the club. I shudder when I picture it.
“Alexei! Wait!” I call, jogging over to where he stands at the edge of the field before he heads to the locker room.
He turns and sees the emotion written all over my face. I run straight into his arms and plaster my face against his neck. He lifts me and I wrap my legs around him, clinging to his muscular frame like he’s my safety, my security, because he really is.
“Thank you. I love you so much.”
He pulls back and cups my face with one hand. “I love you too. You and Ella. You’re mine now, okay?”
“Da.” I nod.
He breaks into deep laughter, chuckling at my use of Russian. “You’re the best. See you in a minute, okay? I promise I won’t smell so bad when I come back out.”
“You know I don’t mind your smell, but yes, I’ll be waiting with your sisters.”
“They’re your sisters now too.”
A fresh wave of emotion hits, and my throat feels tight. “See you in a minute.”
I rejoin his sisters—my sisters—in the suite, where they promptly all lose their minds over how stunning my ring is. I have never felt happier or more loved in my entire life, and I never want this feeling to end.EpilogueAlexeiFive years later . . .“I don’t think I can do this,” Ryleigh whispers from the passenger side of the car, her hand resting on the round bump of her belly.
My stomach drops, and I reach over and place my hand on her knee. I hate the thought that she’s scared. “The glucose test? It’ll be fine. It’s just a quick blood draw. I’ll hold your hand and distract you. Anything you need.”
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head at me. “I’m not talking about the glucose test today.”
She’s six months pregnant with our second daughter, our first biological child, if you want to get technical about it. Either way, I’m over the fucking moon. We’re headed to the doctor’s office after we drop Ella off at her first day of kindergarten. So, yeah, it’s a big day all around.
Ryleigh’s gaze darts to the back seat where Ella sits, humming quietly to herself. “I mean . . . did we really consider homeschooling, because it’s not too late, you know?”
I swallow a chuckle and stare straight ahead as the parking attendant at the private school we’ve selected for Ella motions us forward into the drop-off line. “Baby, this is one of the best schools in the entire country. Ella is going to love it.”
Ella’s been talking about her first day of kindergarten for months. She’s ready—even if Ryleigh’s not.
Ryleigh completed her master’s degree in teaching last year, and she would have been teaching here this year if she hadn’t gotten pregnant. She decided to take one more year at home, knowing it was Ella’s last year at home too. But they held her position and she’ll begin teaching first grade next year when the baby is about eight months old. Though to be honest, I really wonder how long that will last. My mother is determined that she’ll be the one watching the baby, but I have my doubts that Ryleigh will really want to leave the baby and go back to work.
I’ll support whatever she wants to do, of course. God knows with my salary, she certainly doesn’t have to work. The Hawks renewed my contract for another three years—another $30 million. After that, I plan to retire. Retired by thirty-six sounds about right to me. Then I can enjoy all of my girls more. No more early morning practices or away games. I’m already looking forward to it, although Ryleigh swears I’ll miss it. I may miss the game, but I won’t miss being away from them on such a grueling schedule.
More time with the ones I love is not something I take for granted. Especially after watching Andi struggle and die so young. To be fair though, Andi exceeded all expectations, living until Ella was nine months old, crawling around, babbling, and saying Dada. She loved her daughter, and loved how happy the baby made Ryleigh and me. I know she’s in a better place, and Ryleigh and I made peace a long time ago with her passing. Plus, we got the best gift in the entire world—Ella. Which brings us to this moment.
“I don’t know, Alexei.” Ryleigh chews on her lower lip, eyeing the sturdy brick building.
“Mommy, is that my school?” Ella asks from the back seat, her voice chipper. Thankfully, she’s completely oblivious to Ryleigh’s near breakdown.
“That’s your school, my love. What do you think?” I ask as Ryleigh wipes at her teary eyes with a tissue.
