Page 63 of Wicked Vow

“Did you tell him about the baby?”

I nod. “He said he didn’t care.”

Caterina looks a little surprised. “Well, that’s not something that happens every day. But if you felt like it wasn’t right, then it doesn’t matter.” She presses her lips together, looking at me worriedly. “I know it felt like we were pushing him at you, but–”

“I know you meant well.” I shake my head. “I know you’re worried about me. But I need to figure out how I’m going to do this on my own, I think. Without a man, I mean–not without any of you. I definitely need you and Sasha and Ruby,” I add wryly.

“Speaking of Ruby, she’s going to meet us for lunch,” Caterina says encouragingly, clearly trying to cheer me up. “She wanted to see you again before you left, and I thought you’d feel the same.”

“I definitely do.” I dab at my eyes, wiping away the spots where tears had started to well up.He’s not worth crying over. None of this is. And it’s over, so just put it behind you.

“We’ll leave in about an hour. If you want a little time to yourself first.” Caterina gives me a hug, standing up. “It’s going to be okay, Natalia. Things will work out. And I think you’ll be happy in Boston with Sasha.”

“I know,” I tell her as we both stand up, but the knot in my stomach remains, a feeling of apprehension that I can’t shake.

Things with Erik should be over.

But I can’t help feeling as if he isn’t done with me yet.

Natalia

The flight to Boston is an easy one. We take Viktor’s private jet, the three of us, and Sasha and I sit next to each other while she tells me about the McGregor estate, about Liam and Ana, Saoirse and Connor, Niall and Isabella. “We’ll have a girls’ night as soon as you’re settled in,” she tells me enthusiastically, squeezing my hand as she looks at me bright-eyed. I can tell that she’s happier than she’s ever been to have me coming to stay with them.

It feels good to be wanted. To feel like I have family that wants me there just for the sake of it, not because of a marriage I can make or the prestige I could bring them. It feels simple and comfortable, even if nothing else about my life is simple at all right now.

The estate itself is gorgeous. Max helps with the bags, loading them into the car, waiting for us at the hangar and back out again when we pull up into the massive courtyard in front of the mansion, flanked by expansive lawns and surrounded by a wrought-iron fence. The air is warm and a little humid, and as I step out of the car, I truly feel as if I’m a million miles away from Moscow. A million miles away from everything that hurt me there.

I miss Ruby already. Lunch had been emotional, but I could tell she’d been happy for me that I’d be with Sasha, and have a chance to get closer to a part of my family that I never knew I had until very recently.

Meeting everyone is a whirlwind. When we arrive, Connor and Liam are still at their offices dealing with business, but Ana and Saoirse are there to greet us. Ana is the first one at the door, opening it with a small dark-haired baby in one arm, her face alight as she ushers us in.

“I’m so happy you’re here!” she exclaims, giving me a hug with her free arm. “Sasha told me you were coming to stay, and I was so excited–she told me you were a ballerina in Moscow. I used to dance too–”

She keeps talking as she ushers us inside, and I see Saoirse standing there, tall and elegant, with her red hair pinned up behind her head. She smiles at us as we walk in, walking over to give me a brief hug.

“I’m glad you’re here, Natalia. It’ll be good for you and Sasha to have time together. She’s told me a lot about you.”

I have a suite upstairs–a huge bedroom and attached bathroom, and Ana eagerly tells me to make myself at home. Both her family and Saoirse’s live on the huge estate, as well as Sasha and Max now, and she assures me that there’s plenty of room even beyond that. There’s more space than anyone could ever possibly hope to fill.

I spend the first two days settling in before everyone is invited over to meet me, something both Ana and Sasha are clearly very excited about. I’m introduced to the babies–Ana and Liam’s daughter Brigit and Saoirse and Connor’s son Sean, both of whom are adorable and make me feel a little better about the idea of having a baby of my own, even if Brigit does cry more often than I’d imagined a baby could. Liam and Connor are both pleasant and welcoming, even if it’s very obvious why each of them is married to their respective wives–Liam has the same kind good nature that Ana does, whereas Connor is more reserved. But they’re all clearly glad to have me here, and when Saoirse and Ana host everyone at the estate to meet me, I don’t feel as nervous as I thought I might.

I’m introduced to Isabella, who married Liam’s best friend Niall, and Maggie, who is Saoirse’s best friend. “Saoirse and Isabella are just starting to get along,” Sasha and I whisper conspiratorially as we go into the kitchen to collect the spread of food for the party from the cook. “Saoirse and Niall had a bit of a–well, I guess you could call it a fling, I suppose, before she and Connor fell in love. And Isabella ended up with Niall, so it was all a bit tense for a while, according to Ana. But it’s water under the bridge now. Everyone gets along, for the most part. It’s like a very large, complicated family.”

Maggie is the one who stands out the most, especially to me. I can tell that she’s not part of any of the mob families, and that’s confirmed to me when Saoirse introduces us and I find out that she’s a teacher. “It’s nice to meet you,” she says, shaking my hand as we all make our way into the spacious living room. “This place gets more and more crowded by the day,” she adds–facetiously, considering that we’re both aware that four families could probably live comfortably in the mansion.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” Isabella says when we’re all seated in the living room, Sasha and I sitting next to each other and sipping on sparkling non-alcoholic cider. “It must be so good to be home with your sister. I miss mine so much.”

“You have a sister?” I glance over at her, reaching for a piece of fruit from the table. “She doesn’t live in Boston?”

Isabella shakes her head. “No, she’s still in Mexico with my family. Things aren’t good there–my father is a cartel boss, and it’s been much tenser since I left…escaped, really, with Niall. One of the rival cartels has been getting more and more threatening. But I know Niall, Liam, and Connor are looking into it.”

I can hear the worry in her voice. I can empathize–I remember all too well how afraid I’d been for Sasha, and I’d barely known her when I’d helped Max and Levin rescue her from my father’s compound. “Is she younger?” I ask, and Isabella nods.

“She’s only eighteen. Almost nineteen. I wish I could have brought her with me, but it wasn’t a possibility.”

“There’s always a chance that she’s able to come here,” Ana says comfortingly from where she’s sitting. “Liam and Connor have a vested interest in what’s happening with your family. If they can help Elena, they will.”

The conversation lightens after that, turning to talk about the babies and work and hobbies. As the mingled voices fill the room, I can feel myself starting to relax–beginning to feel that sense of home that I’ve been missing for so long. I can see a future where I could be happy–the kind of future I’d envisioned for myself when I’d been planning my escape back in Moscow.

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