Page 55 of Bound For You

Both men chuckle. “Peter has asked to be involved, so along with Damian and Al, he will be attending.”

I sigh and look at my girl, who’s snoozing, and nod. She’s still not ready to have contact with Peter. She’s been speaking with her therapist about forgiveness, but because of him, she was left to be abused for years. He never fought for her. That’s a lot to get over. For the rest of the five-and-a-half-hour flight, I play with my girl’s hair while she sleeps, feeling very fucking content.

By the time we land in New York, Avery wakes but keeps her head on my shoulder while I rub her bump, loving the feel of them moving beneath my hands.

I speak, “I have a surprise for you, and usually I’d just show you, but I think this needs more delicacy.” She looks up at me and I smile. I get my phone out and show her the pictures of our dark blue, seven-bedroom house, with a four-car attached garage. The enclosed yard with a jungle gym, a shed full of toys, a pool, her father’s grill and smoker, and a patio set.

I look at Avery as she sobs, seeing her parents’ belongings, then I look to Dimitri and Juan. They nod, indicating I should continue, so I slide to the next photo. Inside, the walls are light gray throughout, with black and dark gray furniture, including her dad’s comfy, reclining chair in the living room. Her parents’ dining table is set up in the dining room, where pictures of their life together sit on the fireplace mantel, along with pictures of my mother and the Volkovs. The cream and white kitchen is modern, and just off to the right of the dining room.

Then I show her the bedrooms, including the twins room on the first floor for when they’re older, as well as the guest room that is full of her parents’ guest room furniture, with light blue walls and a dark gray carpet, matching the wooden furniture. I show her the nursery opposite our master suite on the second floor. I show her the pictures of the third floor, where I removed one bathroom and turned the room into a library for my girl, and turned the other room into an office. I removed the shower and bath, leaving the toilet. I then show her the basement that I turned into a toy room/cinema.

Through all this, she’s silently crying.

Deeply moved by her emotions, I murmur, “This is our home, baby. This is where we’ll raise our twins and any other children you may want. It’s only a twenty-five-minute drive from General, too. I made sure your parents were with you when you can’t be with them, anything you decided to leave in Seattle, I used. I did the same with my mother’s belongings, too; some of the paintings on the walls, she painted.”

She sobs, her body shaking, and I start to panic. I go to plead my case with her about going behind her back, but before I can open my mouth, she flings herself on me, her arms wrapping around my neck.

She blurts, “Thank you!”

I breathe a sigh of relief and hold her closer to me. I look at Dimitri and Juan to see them both smiling. Dimitri has unshed tears in his eyes, and he nods, his eyes full of pride. I smile back.

I move her hair out of Avery’s eyes, and I rasp, “You ready to go home, baby?”

She grins and nods frantically, and we all chuckle at her.

Fucking finally!

twenty-eight

Avery

When we arriveat the beautiful, dark blue Victorian mansion, my heart races. He did all this for me. I shake my head as tears slide down my cheeks.

Sergi grabs my hand and kisses the back of it. Using his other hand to wipe my tears, he rasps, “Anything for my love.”

I smile at him. The past month hasn’t been easy. We spent three nights a week in therapy in Seattle, and we’ve discussed everything from his behavior toward me, the cheating, and both of our pasts. I’m trying to move forward and forgive, and with Sergi its easier. He’s my heart and soul. I physically miss him when he’s not near, it’s like I can’t breathe. My issues with Peter, however…. I can’t seem to forgive his abandonment so easily. If he had fought for custody, he would have won because my birth mother had nothing. She only wanted me because of the money she got from the state. But he didn’t fight; you could tell the DNA results were fake, I’ve seen them. My adoptive father looked at the police report of her murder and saw she’d been killed by her drug dealer. The DNA results were printed froma library computer on library stationery and never noticed the library name stamped across the top—but neither did the social workers, police, or even the man who was biologically my father. He took one glance at it and basically said ‘okay,’ and left me to the monsters. He took her word for it and went on with his life like I didn’t even exist, like he never came to see me and take me for ice cream. Because of that, I lived through something no child, hell no adult, should go through. I have put most of the blame on him and its warranted.

Sergi brings me back from my thoughts by kissing my forehead, and helps me out of the car. Phoebe is standing near the mansion steps, her baby bump sticking out a little under her tank top, and her white-blond hair is piled on top of her head. I smile and walk over to her. She grabs me in a hug, our bumps colliding, making us giggle.

She whispers into my ear, “Welcome home, friend.”

I smile and hug her again.

Sofia, Damian, and Al all walk out of the house, and they smile when they see me. Sofia comes over and gives me a hug while Al and Damian both kiss my head, then walk toward the SUV. They lean against it while Sergi walks toward me.

He leans down and kisses my lips lightly, and supplies, “I have work to do, so the ladies are going to show you our home. It’s probably better this way, because you’ll most likely cry, then I’ll kick myself for being so thoughtful.”

I giggle at his words, then wrap my arms around his waist, and place my ear over his heart. It always soothes me. He leans down and kisses my head, then pulls the tie from my hair so he can run his fingers through it as he holds me to his chest.

Phoebe clears her throat, making Sergi chuckle and pulls away. He kisses my forehead.

“I’ll be back soon,dragotsennyy.” He presses a quick kiss to my lips before turning to leave.

Sofia and Phoebe slide up beside me and link their arms through mine as we watch out mean leave. The guards close the gates, and I sigh, hating being away from him after spending four uninterrupted weeks alone with him.

Phoebe nudges me with her hip, I look at her as she states, “Ready to cry your heart out with what your has man done?” I shake my head and smile as she pulls me toward the beautiful home Sergi bought for us.

We head inside through a double glass door. Instantly, I see my father’s chair, and I walk over to it, leaving the girls near the door.

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