Page 158 of Claim

Our children, yes.

But without her, our future wouldn’t exist.

I’d still be living in the depths of my own hell, letting the scars of my past taint my future.

She clawed her way in. She took my heart in her hands and she claimed it as hers.

Anastasia Volkov saved me when I didn’t even realize I needed to be saved.

And I will repay her for the rest of my life.

I will worship and adore her.

Fuck, I’ll even bark for her.

And I will forever be owned by my pretty girl.

I was right when I gave her the nickname “iskorka”. The woman that sparked me back to life.

Love is about letting them claim your soul and your heart.

True love is finding someone who will dance in the rain with you, and love your imperfections when you can’t yourself.

“I will always dance in the rain with you, pretty girl.”

The End.

EPILOGUE

ANASTASIA

“You can do this,baby. One more push.”

Mikhail's deep voice calms me as he wipes the sweat from my forehead.

Another wave of contractions cripples me. I squeeze his hand harder than I’ve ever gripped anything in my life.

The pain is so fucking bad, I can’t see straight.

“Take a deep breath in and push, Ana. We have to get him out on the next one.”

Fuck. This feels like it’s been going on for days.

“I can’t take anymore.”

“Now Ana!” The midwife calls out from the end of the bed. The room is filled with beeping and I close my eyes, letting a scream rip through my lungs and I push with everything I have left in me.

It takes everything out of me as I sag back against the bed.

Newborn cries fill the room, I look up and smile.

“You did it, pretty girl.” Miki presses a kiss to my head and squeezes my limp hand.

The smiling midwife brings him over and places him down on my bare chest.

“I’m so proud of you,” he croaks out and that brings tears into my eyes as I look down at our little boy.

A mass of dark chocolate hair, long thick lashes and a perfect little button nose.

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