Page 143 of Jump on Three

He shrunk in on himself even more. “I would never harm your girls, Vanya. All I want is to be their deda. I love my grandchildren, even the two I’ve yet to meet.”

I believed him, so I allowed him into the living room where my mother was holding Mila and Evelyn had Raya on her chest. Delilah was hanging out too, with her newest baby, Cora, who had been born one day after our twins.

Our girls were ten days old, and their parents were fucking exhausted. We’d spent too much time staring at the little people we’d made instead of resting when we should have. But my mother had arrived, and she intended to whip us into shape.

The only reason I was allowing this to happen was because Evelyn thrived on order, and she had become somewhat desperate to establish some. My mother was old school and had eight children. She would get us where we needed to be.

It was a relief for both Evelyn and me.

Delilah and Ev were chatting while my mother walked around with Mila, singing her a Russian lullaby.

“Are they speaking Greek?” my father asked.

“Yes. Evelyn speaks Greek to the girls, and I will speak Russian. We want them to know where their families come from.”

He made a choking sound before patting my shoulder. “That’s…a good idea. Perhaps when they’re bigger, you can bring them to Russia to see where you grew up.”

“We will. Let’s get through the first month before we start making travel plans.”

He chuckled. “All right. Can I meet my granddaughters now?”

Evelyn stretched out beside me, her finger hooked with mine. The girls were swaddled in their bassinets beside our bed. For the moment, all was quiet. It seemed like the first time in days.

“Are you happy?” she asked.

“In general? I’m ecstatic. About my father? I’m…cautious.”

“That makes sense. He cried when he held the girls. I think he’s happy.”

My father had fucking sobbed while holding my daughters. I couldn’t say my eyes had been dry either. We could never repair our relationship because it had always been toxic, but I was hopeful we could forge something new. Time would tell.

“And you’re still okay with my mother being here?”

She exhaled, long and slow.

“There are not enough YouTube videos to properly prepare a person for becoming a mother to two babies at once. I am not ashamed to say I need help, and Agata understands me well. I think having her here will have a positive outcome.”

I hooked a second finger with hers. “I think it will too. Maybe I will actually be able to spend time with my wife.”

Her head turned as she eyed me with an edge of panic. “Six weeks, Ivan. You have to wait six weeks for that.”

I grinned. “That is where your mind went. It is not what I meant. I want to take you for a walk tomorrow.”

Her mouth turned into an O. “All alone? No mother-in-law or hungry babies?”

“All alone.”

She rolled to her side to face me, her hand landing on my cheek. The stare she gave me was intense and raw. “I would love to be all alone with my husband. I accept.”

She continued to stare, rubbing her palm on my scruff. I let her do her thing, soothing herself on me. I held her by the waist, tracing the strip of bare skin between her top and pajama pants with my fingertips, soothing myself too.

“Do you worry they will be like me?” she asked.

“I worry they won’t be like you.”

Her brows fell. “How can that be?”

“Because I love every fucking thing about you, angel. My girls would be lucky to be like their mother, and I would be the luckiest to have three of you.”

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