Page 74 of Forced to Marry the Russian

“No one cares. Leave.” Amy was basically pushing them out the door. Once everyone was out, she winked at Zia. “You two have fun. I’ll call you later.”

Zia nodded and smiled at her friend.

It was just Lev and Zia now.

“Thank you, Zia,” he voiced out, sitting at the head of the bed so Zia could lean on him.

Lev gave her a confused look. “For what?”

“For coming to save me. It was hard that night, but I held on because I trusted you would come.” She fiddled her blanked between her fingers. “Thank you for loving me too.

“I think that’s my line,” Lev said, his eyes lighting up.” “I never exactly thought I’d get married one day, much less have a kid,” Lev sighed. “But even when I saw Mikhail get stressed and tired when his twins were born, I always thought he looked so happy and fulfilled.”

“I always wanted to be a mother,” Zia confessed. “I was all alone and wanted to make a family of my own, but I knew I wanted it with the right person. I loved Owen, but I just knew he wasn’t the one for me.”

“How about me?”

“You’re more than perfect for me, husband.” She rested her head on his shoulder. I can’t wait to tell our kids how we met.”

“Am I going to be a hero or a villain in that story?”

She raised her head and looked at him. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we love each other fiercely. And you fell in love with me at first sight.”

A deep laugh rumbled from Lev’s throat. “I did. I want you to know, Zia, that if I had to go back to that moment, I would choose you over and over again.”

Zia looked up at him, a bright smile on her face.

“You’ve given me a gift that transcends all gifts ever received. You’ve shown me that my heart is capable of more, and it’s beautiful to see. I know ours wasn’t the most conventional wedding and I bet there are lots of things you’d like to change about that, but in the middle of all that, just know that one thing will never change. I’ll always be smitten by you every day, the way I was when I saw you in that club for the first time. I love you, Zia Nikolai.”

“I love you too, Lev. More than you know.” Zia cupped Lev’s face. It was still so hard to believe that this man who would torture and kill for her was her man. He was her husband and the father of her unborn child. “It’s true that our love story wasn’t conventional, but I love my life with you more than anything I’ve ever had, and, dare I say, I couldn’t have had it any other way. You’ll always mean the world to me.”

“You mean more than the world to me, my love,” Lev promised.

And with that, he leaned down and claimed her lips in his, cradling her softly so he wouldn’t hurt her if she moved too much. She kissed him back, as fiercely and as passionately. as he was kissing her, neither of them wanting to break it.

When finally, they broke the kiss and came up for air, they held onto each other, panting softly.

This was going to be their new normal and oh, did they look forward to it a whole lot already.

At that moment, she swore with her life that she would love him fiercely and protect the family they were building, just like she knew he would do for her.

Nothing would ever come between them. Nothing.

Epilogue - Lev

Two years later

“Thank you for shopping with Zia’s Florals. Please call again,” Lev heard his wife say as he walked through the doors of her store with Alexander in his arms.

“Momma!” Alexander screamed, wiggling out of Lev’s arms.

“Woah! Easy, tiger,” Lev grunted, lowering the boy to the floor.

He was off as soon as his chubby feet hit the floor. Zia came out to stand in front of the counter, her hands on her hips, watching with admiration as her son ran up to her, a big grin on his face.

“That’s my boy!” she praised when he finally reached her, scooping him up in her arms and planting kisses all over his face and body that made him giggle with glee.

She looked up from the laughing boy and smiled at her husband, who had caught up with them, leaning forward to kiss him.

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