Page 84 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
I’ll admit, she has an eye for it.
Pale blue balloons twist around archways and the decorative columns. There are far too many cakes and desserts spread around the room, and I swear, there are enough gifts from the group to keep the baby supplies stocked for a few years.
Everything about it is wholesome and far more touching than anything I’ve experienced before. It almost makes me wonder what happened to my real family.
And Victoria…she has spent the whole day looking nothing short of divine. Like the one gift I’ve been waiting for my whole life. And now, she’s giving me one of her own.
Even my brothers managed to soften up for the occasion, surprising me with their enthusiasm over tiny socks and whatever gimmicky onesies they could get their hands on that made them laugh harder than I’ve heard from them in a long time.
“Check those bad boys out,” Sergey says, grinning ear to ear while Victoria opens up a small box containing a tiny pair of soft leather boots. “Now that’s style.”
I lift a brow at the interesting choice. “What, styling the little guy after me already?”
He scoffs. “Of course not. That’s entirely Victoria’s influence.”
I roll my eyes at that, but I end up chuckling. “You know what…I think you’re right.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling, but I still can’t stop myself as more warmth moves through my heart, reminding me of just how perfect this moment has turned out.
And more importantly, Victoria looks beyond pleased while she holds the boots up. “Maybe I’ll teach him my ways.”
Mikhail snorts. “Something involving less biting, I hope.”
Well aware of what he’s insinuating, I try to suppress my smirk, but it’s a challenge.
“And forget that crowning moment? That would be a travesty,” Sergey adds, surprising me by not being the one to bring it up first.
After the night we confronted Maxim, he made a noted effort to remind everyone of how Victoria helped us take Maxim down. He even refers to her as an ‘honorary member of the Bratva.’
While it was certainly more than enough action to include Victoria in for both of our nerves, I can tell she enjoys the sentiment.
In a way, I don’t mind it either.
Everyone has been nothing short of welcoming to Victoria, not acting cagey or hesitant like they easily could.
Even Nikolai gifted us a book of Russian lullabies translated into English for us to read. Inside the cover, he wrote a simple note welcoming the baby to the family.
In a way, that note seems to encapsulate it all, reminding me of what the day is—a welcoming.
Once the last of the gifts has been opened, Elena stands, claps once decidedly, and smiles. “It’s time for fresh air and photos!”
At once, my brothers groan, but they still listen to her anyway, following Elena out to the backyard. I chuckle at the way she is almost like an honorary boss in that way. Everyone certainly obliges her like she is one.
As Victoria goes to stand and follow, I gently reach for her wrist, pulling her down onto my lap with ease before wrapping an arm around her back.
Her soft, appreciative gaze meets mine while I gently stroke her cheek with the back of my finger.
“You did well.”
“I did…how so?”
My lips pull faintly. “You’ve done more than just change me…”
She lifts a brow at me, curious and slightly amused. “Oh?”
Humming my amusement, I gently cup her chin to hold her face steady. “You changed this place, you changed me, and it seems you’ve managed to bring out the gentler side of my siblings, too. They never would’ve agreed to something like this before.”
Regardless of how casually I mention it, the sentiment sits with significance in my chest. I can see how it seems to do the same to her.
