Page 148 of Caged

Brushing my hair from my face, I catch my breath. After the battering I took from Ivan, I’m not quite back to full strength yet.

Nikolai clears his throat behind me. I spin to face him and have to stop for a second when I realize he isn’t towering over me.

He’s down on his knees.

Make that one knee.

My hands fly to my mouth.

“Are you doing what I think you are?” I whisper.

“He is!” Elena shrieks from behind me.

Nikolai chuckles at his daughter's outburst.

“I am, d’yavolitsa.”

My heart rate accelerates.

I step forward, closing the distance between us, and Elena rushes over, wrapping her arms around my legs.

I wince, at the contact.

“Baby, Mila is still a little sore, be careful with her,” Nikolai says. He looks up to me and raises an eyebrow.

My cheeks burn.

Like he’s been careful with me. That’s probably what has hindered my recovery. We’re fucking like we didn’t almost just die.

It’s perfect. Exactly what we both need.

“Mila, I-I mean, we love you.” He nods to Elena.

“I never want to lose you again. I can’t. Those days without you was like ripping my own heart from my chest.”

Tears well in my eyes as I nod. “It was the same for me, Niki.”

“I’m down on my knees, asking my soul mate, the love of my life, my future, to be my wife. To live and love beside me with Elena. To build a family. So, Mila, d’yavolitsa. Please, baby. Marry me?”

I take one final step and Nikolai looks up as I cup his face in my hands.

Biting down on my bottom lip, I grip his jaw a little harder.

“There is nothing I want more in this world, Mr. Volkov. I’ll marry you right this second if I could. You and Elena are my life now. That never changes. I’ll be here until I take my last breath. My heart is yours, my soul is yours. I am yours.”

I lean down, pressing my lips to his and he wraps his strong arms around my hips.

It’s only Elena’s squeal of excitement that makes me break the kiss.

“We shall continue this later,” Nikolai whispers and butterflies erupt in my stomach.

He grabs my left hand, holding it between us and starts to tie a lilac ribbon in a bow around my ring finger.

“I love it.” I look at Elena and give her a smile. I was the one that put it in her hair this morning.

Then, he pulls something out of his pocket. A small black box.

“You thought I’d ask without a real diamond? When I’ve had my hands on a few recently.”

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