Page 97 of The Mafia's Quadruplets

We step out of the car, and I move to the back door, carefully extracting the car seat. Simone sleeps peacefully, her tiny face relaxed in slumber. She’s gained weight over the past few weeks, and her cheeks now have some roundness. She and the others still have catching up to do, but they’re all thriving.

As we walk up the path to our front door, memories of the past six weeks flood my mind. The endless nights at the NICU, the worry on Claire’s face, and the small victories we celebrated with each milestone our children reached seem to blur together for a moment. Finally, our family is complete and all home.

Claire opens the door, and we’re greeted by the soft sounds of a lullaby playing from the nursery. Linda appears in the hallway, a gentle smile on her face. “How is she?” she asks, peering at the car seat.

“Perfect,” says Claire in a voice thick with emotion. “She’s absolutely perfect.”

We make our way to the nursery, the room we’ve spent countless hours preparing and has been used for almost three weeks, since Kolya came home. He was the first, followed by Natalia three days later, and Andrew a week after. Then we just had to wait for our sweet, tiny Simone to catch up with the rest.

The walls are a soothing sage green, adorned with whimsical animal prints. Four cribs line the walls, three of them already occupied by our other children.

I set down Simone’s car seat gently and begin the process of unbuckling her. As I lift her out, her eyes flutter open, unfocused but alert. I cradle her close, inhaling the sweet scent of her skin. “Welcome home,malyshka,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Claire moves to check on the other babies. Natalia and Andrew sleep soundly, but Kolya is awake, waving his tiny fists in the air. She lifts him out of his crib, cradling him close.

“Look who’s here, Kolya,” she says softly, moving closer so he can see his sister. “Simone’s finally home.”

Claire reintroduces the siblings, her voice soft and full of love. The sight of her holding our son and talking to our daughter fills me with an emotion I never knew existed before becoming a father. Love seems inadequate to describe it.

Linda quietly excuses herself, likely sensing our need for privacy for this special moment. As the door closes behind her, Claire turns to me, her eyes brimming with tears.

“We did it, Valerian,” she says in a wet voice. “All four of them, home and healthy.”

I cross the room to her, Simone still nestled in my arms. Carefully, we maneuver so that each of us is holding two babies. Their weight, solid and real in our arms, humbles and pleases me in a way nothing else ever has.

“We did,” I say, leaning in to kiss Claire’s forehead.

For a moment, we stand there in silence, the only sounds the soft breathing of our children and the gentle lullaby still playing in the background. The world outside this room ceases to exist. There’s only this—our family, whole and together at last.

I think back to the man I was before Claire entered my life. The hardened crime boss and ruthless businessman. That version of me seems like a distant memory now, replaced by this new identity of father, husband, and protector of something far more precious than any empire I’ve built.

“What are you thinking?” she asks, searching my face.

I look down at Andrew and Simone in my arms, then at Kolya and Natalia in Claire’s. “I’m thinking about how different my life is now,” I admit. “How much better.”

Her smile is radiant. “I never imagined this either, you know. Four babies, a reformed crime boss for a partner...” She chuckles softly. “Life has a way of surprising you.”

“That it does.” I think of all the twists and turns that led us here. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

We fall into a comfortable silence again, each lost in our own thoughts while we hold our children. The enormity of the moment settles over me—this is real, and this is my life now. The challenges we’ve faced and obstacles we’ve overcome have all led to this perfect moment.

Andrew starts to fuss in my arms, his little face scrunching up in displeasure. I shift him slightly, patting his back in a soothing rhythm.

“Shh,malenkiy,” I murmur. “Papa’s got you.”

Claire watches me with a soft expression. “You’re a natural.”

I raise an eyebrow at her. “I’ve had some practice these past few weeks.”

She laughs quietly. “True, but it’s more than that. You were meant for this, Valerian. To be their father.”

Her words warm me, chasing away the lingering doubts that sometimes plague me in the quiet moments. Can a man with my past truly be a good father? Looking at my children, feeling the unconditional love that flows through me, I know Claire is right. This is who I was always meant to be.

“We should put them down,” she says after a while. “While they’re all calm.” She glances at the wall. “It’ll be feeding time again soon enough.”

We’ve discovered a schedule is the only way to maintain sanity with multiple babies. I nod, moving to place Andrew and Simone in their cribs. Claire does the same with Kolya and Natalia. We stand back, arms around each other, admiring our handiwork.

“They’re so beautiful,” she whispers, leaning her head on my shoulder.

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