Page 183 of Hidden Empire

“Ja, Ja, Ja,” she chants, unable to say my name just yet.

“Smart girl,” I coo, using a finger to tickle her cheek.

Despite all of the sadness and the deep bit of longing for our family who has passed, that little girl’s responding giggle is enough to make both Dad and me smile.

We’re going to be okay, and it’s going to be the next generation of kids who get us through this. Even when the present is gloomy and dull, there’s the light of the future to look forward to.

Soon enough, I’ll have my own babies to hold on to. To make the bad days good, and the best days even better. And everything I have, I owe to this family. The Morettis and the Morozovs. The best people in the whole wide world.

Chapter 51

Jade

4 Months Later

The shattered cries from my birthing room have died down, and my pain has quickly shifted into adrenaline. I chose to have a home birth very carefully, with Doc as my primary help and Dr. Petrov on standby outside, just in case. Doc delivered Nico, Remo, and Matteo years ago and was honest when Dmitri grilled him about his confidence in delivering our babies.

He has unmatched experiences and degrees in the medical field, and since we have all of the equipment and supplies that a hospital has, he agreed that it was safe enough to try at home. I decided to go without an epidural, which unsettled my caring husband, but the idea of a needle in my spine made me more scared than the process of pushing out two babies.

Thankfully though, the pain was bearable enough, and neither of the babies were in difficult positions. I was able to push through the worst of the contractions and breathe through all of the waves of anxiety. I was sweating uncontrollably, but Dmitri used a cold compress on my forehead while holding my hand and coaching me through it. It was messy and otherwise indescribable, but so fucking worth it.

We have two beautiful, healthy babies now. A boy and a girl, just like me and Sage. The sexes were a surprise, Dmitri and I deciding to wait but choosing two names for each option just in case.

I’m still shaking from the overflow of adrenaline and endorphins, but the afterbirth is finally over with. Doc says that my vitals look good and that I have just the right amount of bleeding. So yay, I’m not going to hemorrhage.

Dmitri is holding our little girl while our baby boy rests on my chest, taking his turn with skin to skin. They both have little bundles of dark hair on their head, and I can’t even begin to explain the way my heart feels so full.

“They’re so perfect,” I whisper.

“You did so fucking good, Krasotka,” Dmitri tells me for probably the fiftieth time.

“We did good,” I correct. “I wouldn’t have them without you.”

He smiles like he’s never been happier.

Doc is still in the room, discarding the rest of the no-longer sterile towels, gloves, and tools. He’s going to stay for the next few days, keeping me monitored while I heal up. I’m so not looking forward to the postpartum pain and discomfort, but it’s worth it, knowing I get to have these little babies.

“Can you let my brothers and Dad in?” I ask Doc softly. My throat is still a bit dry, but I can only have ice chips for the first few hours, or I’ll throw up, apparently.

Dmitri and I switch babies, easily passing them as they sleep. I want my dad to hold my son first, and I know it’ll mean a lot to Dmitri to hand him over. I’m just as eager to get my baby girl in her grandfather’s hands too, but there’s a method to our plan.

“Typically new moms only allow a select few people in, it can be very stressful with a newborn and a crowd,” he warns kindly.

“Do most new moms typically have nine brothers?” I tease, giving him a tired laugh.

“They won’t stay long,” Dmitri assures him. He’ll know when it becomes too much for me and won’t hesitate to kick the group out.

“As long as you’re sure,” Doc concedes, heading to the locked door to unlatch it and let the group of men waiting in.

Apollo and our father are the first to pass through the door, Ivan and Matteo hot on their heels. Part of me wanted Ivan in here for the birth, but we ultimately went with having just Dmitri and myself. I think it was a good decision that brought us even closer together.

My husband offers our little boy to Dad first, passing him over as carefully as can be. Matteo takes the seat right at my side and reaches out to squeeze my hand.

“Holy shit, you’re a mom,” he blurts quietly, looking at the little bundle in my arms.

“Do you want to hold her?” I offer, smiling at his overwhelmed face.

“Oh my gooood,” he breathes. “Yes, definitely.”

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