“There’s so much we have to learn about each other, and so much I want to do with you and Ethan. You bring my life color—joy, and I promise to be true always.”
My heart soars as I slide backwards, finding the right place to slot himself into me. He watches, and I can see myself through his eyes. There’s such admiration in them as we connect.
His hands roam over the many curves of my body as I ride him, connecting, falling deeper and deeper into him. We’re not fucking anymore. We’re making love, and it’s powerful.
Groaning, I let the momentum of riding him take me away. Dimitri pants as he watches, circling my clit and raising himself up. “Wrap your legs around me, Ava. I want to be close to you.”
Chuckling, I wrap my plentiful thighs around his chiseled back as we rock back and forth together, the moment intimate. Chest to chest, our mouths colliding in unbridled passion for all the time together we’ve missed.
Linking my fingers into his, Dimitri lays his head into my bosom thrusting hard, and the deeper he moves inside me, the more unleashed I become. Sighing, I feel the peak rising inside my core as I run my fingers through Dimitri’s hair. He kisses my collarbone, his breath ragged.
“Ava, you’re all the woman I’ve ever wanted.”
“All these words we didn’t say,” I respond in a croaky whisper. “Come with me, Dimitri,” I urge, placing the sultry request in his ear, the tenderness of his touch bringing me close to tears as we rock away the ghostly pain of the past.
“That’s a request, I can fulfill.” Our love has been a slow-burning one, scarred, but its flame is burning brighter than ever. Succumbing to my insistence, Dimitri gives me more of himself as the pads of my fingers dig into his back, holding on. He takes me higher, grunting and straining as the sweat pours between us. I moan, the first wave of orgasm budding as Dimitri thrusts, crying out. “Ava, you’re the love of my life.”
His words make me fly. “Dimitri,yes!” I shout as we release in sync, euphoria hitting as he loses all control, spasming in climax right along with me. We’ve left each other breathless, both of us heaving as we fall apart, laying together side by side, a sense of inner contentment filling me.
Together is where we belong. We do nothing for a while, laying sated and happy together.
“I could be here all day with you, and that’s dangerous,” I admit, rolling to kiss his cheek.
“No. It’s perfect, but you’ve made me hungry. Pick a movie and we can watch it and eat. Unless there’s something else you want to do?” He looks at me in earnest, but I beam.
“How did you know that’s exactly what I want to do?” I ask the mind reader.
Dimitri shrugs with a smug grin. “I don’t to be honest. I’m going with a hunch. We used to do it so much, and I’ve missed it. You—so much.” Admiring him, I lay on my side comfortably as he gazes at me.
“Are we going to get through the movie, Dimitri?”
“I’m not sure I can answer that, but I’m going to give it my best shot.” But we do, spending the night wrapped up in each other’s arms, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. It feels like a dream come true, but I haven’t forgotten the long road it took to get us back here, but they say time heals allwounds, and maybe I’m the woman who can tame the Bratva beast after all.
Raven’s Peak brought us together, taking us to the valleys of the lowest lows. The only thing I care about is we’ve made it back to the peak of the mountain.
Together.
Epilogue
Dimitri
One year later…
“I can’t believe this is happening. I don’t think I have enough photos. He didn’t even look back when I tried to take them!” Ava’s mouth slumps as we drop Ethan off to his first day at school, but I’m grinning from ear to ear watching how he’s changed and grown so quickly in front of our eyes. There’re many proud and anxious parents gathered around the school gates, and as Ethan finds his playmates, I watch on at his excitement. I stand next to Ava as she tries to squeeze out more pictures, waving furiously at Ethan and blowing kisses to him.
He’s at the age where he will blow them back, and he flaps his arms in a wave to us, but as the gates open and the sea of children engulf him, it gets harder and harder to see him. “Bye, Mom and Dad, I’m going inside. Bye!”
“Bye!” I call out, a proud father as he shuffles inside the gates, yelling and screaming with his classmates as the teachers wait near the brick building, calling each child in on roll call.
“Wow. He’s going in there. Can you believe it? Our son.” I hold on to Ava’s waist, whispering in her ear. “There’s nothing to fear; he’s an Utkin. Bravery is in his blood. Strong Bratva boy,” I growl, making her laugh.
“Dimitri, stop it! My baby, he’s gone,” she wails as the kids trail inside with backpacks on that are nearly bigger than they are.
Laughing, I tuck her sleek bob behind her ear, understanding why she might be worried, but I would cross mountains, rivers, and lakes to protect my blood. “I know the principal’s address. If anything goes down, I’ve got himcovered.” I wink, reminding her of the Bratva privileges should they need to be exercised, and she sighs.
“That’s right. Sometimes I forget.”
“I make it, so you forget. We have a normal life like any other,” I tell her in amusement as she rolls her eyes, age looking good on her. She’s as curvy as ever, her hair sleeker. She moves with the grace of water, and I make sure she’s relaxed and pampered. The more I spoil Ava, the better I feel.