Page 26 of Bluff

“I love you,” I tell him. “I lied every time I said I didn’t want this marriage. I love you. I should have told you when you married me. I almost lost it all because I was stubborn. I should’ve waited in the car with Damir. I shouldn’t have sought revenge against the families.”

“Oh, my beloved wife. I love you too. I’ve loved you since before I first touched you. It was all a bluff when I said I’d take one for the team.”

I fall asleep in his arms, just like I want to for the rest of my life. I don’t care about revenge anymore. I only care about this man who gave me his name and protected me.

Epilogue One

MIKHAIL

FIVE MONTHS LATER

I stand in the large recreation room in Andrei and Sparrow’s home, taking in the crowd of family and friends around us. My beautiful, beloved wife is standing with Ridley and her daughter, Franci, and the other wives. Ridley is showing the girls ultrasound pictures of the baby she and her husband are adopting. I hear Ainsley’s voice as she explains that we’ll be trying for adoption if the IVF fails.

We’ve decided to try for a baby, but after numerous tests, it was determined that Ainsley isn’t producing as many eggs as they’d hoped. The doctors want to boost her egg production with hormones and a healthier lifestyle. I’ve made her promise that we’ll only try for six months before we consider adoption, like Ridley and Leif are doing.

“She’s beautiful. They both are.” JJ’s deep voice comes from beside me. The man stands at six foot five, taller than me, and just as big as Dmitri. He’s been avoiding talking to either of his sisters since Ainsley was attacked. His mother, on the other hand, has been coming to the house on a weekly basis. She practically moved in after Ainsley was released from the hospital.

“She is.” I don’t look away from her.

When she turns and sees JJ standing next to me, she slowly makes her way toward me. She’s been walking normally for a while now, but after standing for too long, like today, she starts to feel sore. I pull out a chair for her as she gets closer. She sits down and looks up at her brother, who takes a seat beside her so she doesn’t have to strain.

“I’m sorry for not protecting you,” JJ says, his voice heavy with regret. “It was my job as your brother, and I failed you. I’ve tried to help you in every way I could, but in that moment, I didn’t.” He holds out his hand. She takes it and laces their fingers together. I hate seeing another man touching her, but I remind myself he’s her brother.

“It wasn’t your doing. He made his own choices. How have you helped me?” She tips her head to the side, her long red hair sliding along her back.

“I saw how well you were doing in school, so I paid your tuition so you could focus on your studies and not on how you were going to pay for it.”

“That was you?”

“Yes.” He smiles sheepishly at her.

“Will you start to come over and see us more?” she asks as she squeezes his hand.

“I will,” he promises. “Did Mom tell you how she tried to adopt you and Lyric but couldn’t.”

“No.”

“That’s a story for later. I have to talk to Andrei. Be here when I get out.” He stands and nods at me.

JJ and I walk over to where Paddy and Andrei are whispering.

“Andrei Morosov, don’t you dare do business during our family time,” Babushka scolds him.

“Only a moment.”

“I’ve heard that before.” She scoffs.

“I heard this was only going to be a few people.” Andrei waves his arm at the nearly packed room.

“I had to invite everyone when your sister and niece came home,” she argues back, and people around the room chuckle. Babushka is the only person, other than his father, who is allowed to argue with him. Although, I’ve heard Sparrow argue with him too.

Dmitri, Paddy, JJ, Andrei, and I head upstairs to Andrei’s office.

“This can only be us. No one else can know,” Paddy starts. I look at him, then at JJ. He pauses for a moment before huffing and sitting in one of the chairs. “We have a rat in our ranks.” His words hit hard because, as Ainsley remembered details of her attack, she told me what Johnny had said, and I agree with Paddy.

“It’s not just us. The main rat has minions amongst all the families. We have a plan to set a trap. But we need your help,” JJ adds.

“Okay,” Andrei says without thinking twice.

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