Page 70 of Secret Bratva Twins

I had never been surer of a decision like I was sure of this one.

“Yes. I’m going ahead with the plan.”

***

Stars dotted the sky, and the gentle rustle of leaves from the trees filled the quiet silence. Raphael, Viktor, and Lucien joined us during the meeting.

Their presence was needed for the strategizing, Sergey had explained gruffly.

Later, we decided to join the women outside for a bonfire dinner.

The scent of chicken wings and stir-fried veggies was in the air. The children lay on their mothers, sound asleep with deep snores as evidence that they were knocked out cold.

The wooden dinner table sat abandoned, and they sat under the stars, chatting on spread blankets on the grass, seated close to the fire for heat.

Our heavy boots crunched dry twigs as we approached them, which got their attention. Raphael, Viktor, and Lucien, with no permission needed, fixed themselves on the abandoned dinner table and dug into the meal.

Vincent was the first to reach for his offspring, and Mariana’s gratitude was unmistakable. He lifted Sasha with one arm and extended the other to aid his wife.

“Seems like you guys had a lot of fun without us,” Sergey remarked, reaching for Oleg and hoisting him as if he were a weightless feather.

Liliana joined his side on the table, and Nikolai and Giselle followed suit.

“We should go drop the kids first before joining them at the table. I don’t think I can survive Ryan’s weight.” Gianna laughed, and I adjusted Daylan’s head on my shoulder.

With one long look at her face, I knew this was the right moment.

No doubt, it was awkward, with the boys on our shoulders and the rest of the family passing food on the table, and I felt a lot like I was holding back shit, but this had to be done.

The time was right, under the twinkling stars, and with the whole of nature present to witness me say,

“I can.”

The table grew quiet—so quiet that a pin drop would have been heard. The whole world had our attention now.

She blinked.

Shit.

“What?”

Tell her, Max, what can you do?

I licked my lips. “I meant… I can.” What the fuck is wrong with you, Maxim? Speak up! “I can handle Ryan’s weight, Daylan’s, yours, and mine. I can handle whatever the fuck the world throws at us. I want you to know I’ve got the three of you right here…” I placed a hand on my chest. “And I want you there forever. Or close to forever. For as long as—”

“—you want me,” she helped me finish.

The corner of her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and her lips were pulled back in the most brilliant smile I had ever seen.

“Oh, Max,” a tear dropped on her cheek. “I don’t even know what to say.”

I knew. I knew exactly what I wanted to hear.

“Say yes.”

She laughed, wiping her eyes. “What?”

“This has to be the cutest shit I’ve ever seen,” the gentle wind carried Vincent’s voice right before the heavy crunching of teeth sank into chicken bone.

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