Page 62 of Deadly Vows

When we were done, I stood back and surveyed the room. It was perfect. The soft colors, the golden light, the feeling of warmth and safety, it was everything I had hoped for.

“Do you think Talia will like it?” Sasha asked, standing beside me, her eyes wide with anticipation.

I knelt beside her, pulling her into a hug. “I think she’s going to love it.”

By the time Sandy brought Talia back, the sun had set. The kids and I were waiting in the nursery, the lights dimmed just enough to give the room a soft glow. I heard the sound of Talia’s laughter, her voice filled with the same lightness it had carried ever since the wedding.

“Aleksandr?” she called, her voice echoing through the mansion. “We’re back! You won’t believe the things we found today.”

I stepped out of the nursery and saw her as she ascended the stairs. She was glowing, her cheeks flushed, and I smiled at the sight of her. Sandy followed closely behind.

“Kiska,“ I said, meeting her at the top of the stairs and taking her hand in mine. “There’s something I want to show you.”

Her eyebrows furrowed, but she followed me without hesitation, her curiosity clearly piqued. I led her to the nursery door and paused for a moment.

“Close your eyes,” I said softly.

She laughed but did as I asked, her trust in me unwavering. I opened the door, slowly leading her inside, carefully guiding her through the threshold without her peeking.

“Okay,” I whispered, my hand on the small of her back. “You can open them.”

Her eyes swept over the room, taking in the soft blue walls, the clouds on the ceiling, the crib across from the window, the carefully arranged stuffed animals, and the rocking chair in the corner. I watched her expression change from surprise to love, and it nearly took my breath away.

“Aleksandr…” she whispered, her voice breaking slightly. “This is perfect.”

I pulled her close, pressing a kiss on her forehead. “It’s for you. For our baby.”

She looked around the room again, tears filling her eyes. “You did this while I was out?”

“Sasha and Maxim helped,” I said, glancing over at the kids standing by the crib. They were watching her with wide eyes, clearly eager for her approval.

Talia moved toward them, wrapping her arms around them and pulling them close. “Thank you,” she whispered, kissing the top of Sasha’s head and ruffling Maxim’s hair. “It’s beautiful.”

The kids beamed, and a warmth spread through me, the feeling of completeness that had been growing ever since the wedding now settling firmly in my chest.

“Now,” I said, clearing my throat, “how about we celebrate?”

Talia raised an eyebrow. “Celebrate?”

I nodded. “Family movie night. I thought we could all head to the theater room. Popcorn, ice cream, the works. What do you think?”

Her smile grew, and she nodded eagerly. “I think that sounds perfect.”

We spent the evening in the theater room, curled up on the large, comfortable sofas with blankets, pillows, and enough snacks tolast a week. Sandy and Dimitri joined us, the room filled with laughter and the sound of Sasha and Maxim debating which movie we should watch.

In the end, we settled on an animated film that had Sasha and Maxim enthralled, their eyes glued to the screen as they munched on popcorn. Sandy sat beside me, smiling softly as she watched the kids, while Dimitri leaned back, pretending not to care, though I could see the amusement in his eyes.

Talia rested her head on my shoulder, her hand resting on her stomach, where our child grew with every passing day. I glanced down at her, pressing a kiss to her temple as the movie played on.

This was it. This was everything I had never known I wanted - a family, laughter, love. And now that I had it, I wasn’t letting it go. We were a family in every sense of the word, bound together by something far stronger than I had ever imagined.

As the credits rolled, I looked around the room. This was part of my life now, and for the first time in as long as I could remember, I was truly happy.

“We did good,” Talia whispered, her voice soft and full of contentment.

I nodded, wrapping my arm around her. “Yes,” I said quietly. “We did.”

Chapter 36

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