Page 45 of Arranged Marriage By the Bratva

She’s beautiful, with pale rosy cheeks, blonde locks, and emerald eyes. I wonder if she knows she’s a heartbreaker already? I’m going to have my work cut out for me to keep the boys off her in high school. I already anticipate wanting to kill them all. Once they find out who her father is I’m hoping that should steer them clear enough. Until such time, I will guard her honor with my life.

Sophia holds up four fingers. “Daddy, I’m four. Four years old. That’s how old I am. Where’s my cake? Is it coming?” she asks with an urgency. We’re all gathered in the living room, but Sophia’s cake and other surprises are being prepared in another room as we speak.

“Yes, it is. In fact, it’s already ready. Let’s go into the playroom and we can get a piece.”

“Yay! I get to eat my cake.” Sophia has a few friends from daycare coming to join her for her special day, but I’m not too keen on outsiders coming by if they’re not from inside the family.

Elena has changed me on a lot of things, and that’s one of them.

“She needs normal friends her own age. If not, then your cousins and family need to have babies too, so they can play together.” I recall our conversation in bed from the other night, where we so often hold our family meetings. I folded a little, beefing up security and only letting her friends come to play for a few hours.

Sharon and Rina are with us, and that’s nice for Elena. I want her to have friends and to be happy in life and our family. It’s a fantastic family day. All my cousins are in town, and with the weather holding, Sophia should be able to get outside and play with her new present.

These days, I find it hard to keep a secret from Elena, so when I hold on to the secret smile on my face, her eyebrows arch.

“What are you up to, Nikkita Orlov?”

I bend to kiss her mouth with a big grin. “You’ll have to wait this one out. It’s a surprise you’re going to enjoy.” I wink at her, and she puts a hand on her hip.

“Will I?” she quizzes as I wait for one of my brothers to sneak the present in through the side door and into the playroom. My phone pings as she stands in front of me, her suspicions growing. Checking the text, it’s all clear for us to head into the playroom.

“Up to no good, you!” She points a finger, but she’s laughing. “I’m going to get the rest of the salads and bowls from the kitchen. The kids are going to be here in the next twenty minutes. Maybe some of them will arrive early,” Elena explains as Sharon and Rina tag along beside her.

“I’ll help you. You can’t carry all those things by yourself,” Sharon tells her as they start talking and totter off to the kitchen.

The Orlov estate is full of love, family, and the imminent promise of chaos, especially with other kids arriving, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We have plenty of room for them to run around, jump, play, and be silly. It’s something I need to get used to anyway, especially when the twins arrive.

“Where’s my friend, Aidan? I want to play!” Sophia shouts out, bouncing around in the cutest of dresses, that Elena picked, flapping her arms about. She has Elena’s outgoing personality, but I can see my features mixed in. And it’s such a beautiful blend. She truly is a miracle in my life.

“Aidan is on his way,” I tell her. She’s already wriggled free of my grip, and I’m sure it’s going to be the same when she gets older. I wait for Elena to come back out with the food, and follow her to the playroom, excited to see her reaction when she finds out what’s in store for her.

We all make it to the spare room that I decided to turn into Sophia’s playroom. There’s a cute rainbow on one wall with all her favorite stuffed toys in one corner, and a small table for her arts and crafts on another. The playroom faces outside to the front yard, which is perfect.

Elena sets the food down on the table with the other food and the special birthday cake in the middle with a large number four candle waiting to be blown out.

“Oh my gosh! It’s my cake. Mommy; it’s so pretty. It’s got stars on it.”

“Yes, it does, but let’s wait for all your friends to get here, and then we can share it with them, okay?” Elena crouches to our daughter’s height, hugging her tight. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Mommy.” I can’t have my heart melt any more than it is, but it does.

“Daddy? What’s that noise coming from the basket. That wasn’t here before!” she points at the bassinet off the side of the table, catching on.

“Wow. No, it wasn’t, huh? You should check out what’s inside it. Maybe there’s something inside it.”

Sophia turns around and puts her hands on her hips. “Daddy, did you put something in the basket? You’re naughty.” The room breaks into laughter, and Sophia’s the star of the show. A louder yelp sounds as she opens one side of the wicker basket and a russet brown puppy with floppy ears pokes its head out of it.

Sophia’s mouth flies open as she points to it, dancing around. “There’s a dog in there! That’s a dog! No way. Is this my birthday present? Is it?”

Nodding my head, Elena claps her hand over her mouth. “That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Nikk thank you!”

Seeing both my girls happy makes my heart soar. “You’re welcome. Sophia, happy birthday darling.” She’s already in love and has figured out how to get the puppy out of the basket. She pets it with a large smile on her face as Rina takes a photo.

“Pictures for the album,” she says, and I smile.

“Yes, it is, and there will be many more.”

The front doorbell rings, signaling the approaching chaos, and Yegor calls out, “I’ll get it!”

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