Page 78 of Defiant Devotion

“Will you marry me, Sonya? Will you be my wife?”

Nodding quickly, almost jerkily with how overcome she was by emotions, she laughed. “Yes. Yes, Ben. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

I kissed her hard, loving the press of her smile against my lips.

31

SONYA

Three months later…

I clenched my teeth, bearing through the pain that I was supposed to be able to handle as a woman.

Life was no easy adventure. It hadn’t been so far. As a Mafia princess, like my sister and friends, I would always be held to the expectation to tough out more than any ordinary woman could face.

Being kidnapped.

Watching my mother raped and killed.

Threats of rape.

Fighting off killers.

Facing deadly men who wanted to threaten my family.

But this…

“Come on, Sonya. You’re doing fine,” Ben promised. He clutched my hand, holding it tight.

“I amnotdoing fine!” I snapped, biting out the word through clenched teeth.

Giving birth was hands-down the hardest thing I’d ever experienced in my life.

“I don’t want you to gaslight me. I amnotdoing fine. I feel like I’m being ripped apart and splintered and—” Another scream tore from my lips. I roared, baring my teeth and trying to stay awake through the agony of pushing my baby out.

“Youaredoing fine,” Irina coached. She was here too, the most experienced and hence the one I wanted in the room with Ben. Once an enemy but now a cousin, she was a close confidante I couldn’t imagine not having in my second take on life. She’d given birth a couple of weeks ago. Regardless of all the complications she’d faced, she and her son were healthy and whole. It was her expertise and recent experience of advocating for herself during her childbirth experience that made me want her near.

“You’re almost there.”

“It doesn’t seem like it,” I protested, breathing hard.

“Well, after thirty hours of labor, I bet not,” she replied, almost teasing. “But you are doing fine. You and the baby are doing fine. No concerns. It just hurts.”

“A lot,” I agreed as another contraction came.

Eva was in another room, being monitored for her pregnancy. After the misfortune of a miscarriage, she quickly found out she was pregnant with twins. And with more cramps and spotting, she was already on bedrest and monitored.

I wanted to be there for her. That was how much I cared about my family at all times, no matter what. Nothing would ever complicate or end my devotion to my family.

“One more push, Sonya,” the doctor said.

I closed my eyes, feeling Ben’s fingers gripping my hand tighter. Bearing down, I tried to do as the doctor said. I tried. I fought. I persisted through the agony claiming my body, mind, and soul.

And it was over.

I sucked in a breath, fearing I would throw up. But the pressure was gone. The sharp pain receded—not disappearing, but changing.

I no longer felt like I was being stretched and ripped in half.

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