Page 30 of Deadly Vows

I smiled, wiping a smudge of sauce from her cheek. “Of course, Sasha. We’ll make it a tradition.”

“Dimitri has to come, too,” Maxim insisted.

“Da. I wouldn’t miss it,“ Dimitri smiled, taking a big bite of pizza.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the bowling alley, the hours slipping by in a blur of laughter and love. When we returned to the mansion, the kids were exhausted but happy. I carried Sasha to her room while Maxim got ready for bed.

After tucking Sasha in bed, I went to Maxim’s room. Sitting up in bed, he looked at me intently. “Uncle Aleksandr, are you going to marry Talia?”

The question caught me off guard. I paused, searching for the right words. “Why do you ask?”

He shrugged, pulling the covers over his legs. “Because you love her. And she loves you.”

His simple, innocent words struck a chord deep within me. I remembered the night before when I finally told Talia I loved her. The look in her eyes when she said she loved me too was something I would never forget.

“Yes, Maxim,” I said finally. “I am going to marry Talia.”

A sleepy smile spread across his face. “Good. She makes you happy.”

“She does,” I agreed, feeling a warmth spread through me.

“Will she be our new mom?” he questioned, hope shining in his eyes.

“Of course,” I assured him. “She loves you and Sasha as much as the baby.”

Satisfied, Maxim lay down to sleep.

“Good night,” I whispered, pulling the covers up and tucking him in.

I left his room and found Talia in the hallway, her expression thoughtful. “This was a perfect day,” she whispered.

I nodded, taking her hand. “And we will have many more days like it.”

Tears glistened in her eyes, but she smiled softly. We stood a moment allowing our love and future to settle around us. It was a future I had never imagined, but now that it was within reach, I couldn’t wait to embrace it.

We returned to the master bedroom, and the house was quiet. As we lay in bed, Talia nestled against me, I thought about how far we had come. From the moment I met her, I knew she was special. She had brought light into my life, which had only grown brighter each day.

“I love you,” I whispered, my hand resting on her belly. “And I will love our child with everything I have.”

“I love you too, Aleksandr,” she replied, her voice filled with emotion. “And I know you will.”

As we drifted to sleep, I felt a sense of peace I had never known before. Knowing I had found my family, which I would protect and cherish with all my heart, was a peace. The world outside might be dangerous and unpredictable, but here, in this moment, we were safe. We were home.

Chapter 18

Aleksandr

The morning sun was bright, chasing away the shadows in my office. The papers scattered before me were a testament to the night’s work—accounts to settle, shipments to confirm, and messages to send. But today, my mind was elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of Talia.

I leaned back in my chair, letting the leather cushion my weight as I ran a hand through my hair. The decision had been made, and now it was time to act. I needed advice, and there was no one better to turn to than Dimitri.

I picked up my phone and dialed his number. It rang twice before he picked up, his voice gruff with the remnants of sleep.

“Da?”

“Dimitri, I need to talk to you.”

There was a pause, a rustling of sheets, and his voice became clearer and more alert. “What is it?”

---