Page 59 of Bratva Daddies for the Single Mom

“Happier than I deserve.” Ilya placed a hand on top of Annie’s head. “Do you hear me, Annie? Do you have any idea the love you have brought to my life? I have never loved anyone other than my brothers. Until you. You are the axis I revolve around. You are the light to my dark, the sun, stars, and moons that make up my world.”

I’d never heard Ilya speak that way before. His words were poetry, pretty things that broke down my barriers and opened my heart to the truth. I loved Annie. I had fallen in love with her weeks ago but hidden the truth from her and from myself.

When Ilya finished, I began. “I need you, Annie. Our world is a bleak landscape of routine. You shook up our lives, and now that I’ve fallen in love with you, I find I cannot let you go.” I’d give everything to have her open her eyes right this instant and tell us all that she loved us too. Perhaps then we’d find a way to move forward, making sure to protect her and her children, including our unborn baby.

Footsteps scuffled from the hallway, and the door creaked open. Tiny twin faces peeked through the crack.

Ilya smiled at them. “You look just like your mother.” He waved them forward. “It’s okay, you can come in.”

They scrambled closer, dark hair flying behind them and faces scrunched in fear. They climbed into Ilya’s lap and hung onto his neck. It was the single most precious sight, aside from Annie, and one that firmed my resolve that we’d all find a way to be a real family. Our past was part of us. If Annie accepted that and understood that our futures were forever entwined with our love for her taking root and digging in forever, we had a chance to find the forever kind of happiness that had long eluded us.

The girls fell asleep in Ilya’s arms minutes later, just as Tina rushed into the room in a panic. “Oh. There they are. Sorry.”

“It’s no problem.” Ilya stood with the girls and carried them back to their beds.

“She’ll wake up soon.” I said the words out loud so we both heard them.

Viktor never stopped stroking her arm. “And we will tell her once and for all how much we love her and the children. All the children.”

“Of course.” The girls barely knew us, and we them, but they’d burrowed into our hearts with the same swift tenacity as Annie. “Come back to us, Annie.”

31

VIKTOR

Asteady drumbeat of pain hammered my temples. Annie made a soft sighing sound in her sleep and her face scrunched up in obvious pain.

“Annie?” I refused to leave her side until she woke and I heard from her own mouth that she was okay.

Fyodor had a hand on Annie’s knee, and Ilya clasped her remaining hand between both of his. His lips moved in silence, the words lost between them. Their presence blocked the pain that had threatened to spend me spiraling. I shifted my legs to a more comfortable position and followed the thin blue veins up Annie’s inner arm to her elbow and back down.

She muttered our names one by one.

Ilya’s and Fyodor’s eyes shot wide, and we all leaned closer, almost looming over her. “Annie?” I breathed her name like it might be the last thing I ever said.

Green eyes opened, recognition taking hold and a small smile appearing before she winced and tried to sit up. “What happened?”

Ilya braced her back with one hand. “You’re safe. Kent’s been dealt with.”

She searched his face for the words he didn’t say. “You mean he’s dead.” She stated it plainly, with little remorse taking up space in her voice. She leaned into the pillows.

“Yes.” I scooted closer. “He’s dead, and no one will ever hurt you again. We swear it.” Why was that such a comfort to say out loud?

“He pushed me down the stairs.” Her fingers tightened around mine and Ilya’s. “My head aches like a bitch.”

Fyodor laughed. “Seems your attitude is intact.”

“And the baby’s fine.” Ilya guided her hand to her belly and flattened his over the top.

My heart thudded worse than my head. Would she try to deny it? Or would she admit to the truth but tell us we were not responsible for the new life inside her? Responsibility had little to do with it. I didn’t give a damn who the father was. I loved her, the girls, and this baby like they were my own.

Annie squeaked out an incoherent syllable.

“It’s okay. We know about the baby. You’re both safe. And so are Hannah, Hailey, and Tina. They’re resting down the hall.” I kissed the back of her hand and released it.

She immediately dropped it onto Ilya’s. “Everyone is okay. We made it out.”

“We all did.” Fyodor scooted closer. “Annie, can we talk about the baby?”

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