Page 70 of Den of Thieves

“No? Wait until Volodya hears about this—”

“Shut up, Aksana.” He shook her shoulders. Not hard, but that didn’t stop her head from bobbing around with the sudden motion. “You don’t belong to me. You are a part of me. The most important part.” He finished quietly.

“Dasha…what are you saying? I don’t like these games.” She turned her head and discreetly wiped her eyes.

Dimitri took her hand. He hated seeing her distress. “It is not a game, moya lyubov’. I was a fool to let you go. I was hurt and wanted you to hurt just as bad I as I did. I know what you did was not easy and I’m sorry for dismissing your trauma.”

Aksana’s cheeks turned pink. “Do you mean it, Dasha?”

“Of course, Sana Bear. I am nothing without you.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out the small, square box. Aksana gasped, her good hand covering her mouth. “I have carried this in my pocket every day for the last three months.”

Her eyebrows twitched; no doubt realizing they were broken up for less than that long. “What is it?”

He opened the box and her mouth gaped further upon seeing the eight carat, emerald-cut diamond ring in a platinum setting.

“Aksana Kovalyova, even though we broke up two months ago, I bought this ring long before that. Every time we were alone, I was either too nervous to say the words or we were deep in the throughs of passion—”

“Fighting or fucking, most likely,” Aksana snorted.

“Silence woman.” Dimitri glared at her with false annoyance and cleared his throat.

“The moment was never right. I thought I had to have the perfect setting, the most exclusive dinner reservation, the best weather possible in this freezing city to make your jaw dropping moment one to last a lifetime. Once again, I was a fool.

“When I saw your helicopter explode, I didn’t wet my pants like our enemies or go on a blood induced rage like your brother. When I thought you were gone, I wept… In this lifestyle, we must live with no regrets. But not having you as my wife was my biggest mistake.

“Aksana Kovalyova, will you marry me?”

There were tears rapidly flowing from both of their eyes. Aksana threw herself in Dimitri’s arms. Well, as much as she could, given her injuries and various IV lines.

“Da, I will marry you!” she squealed as Dimitri slid the giant rock on her slender finger.

Aksana smiled at Dimitri, and he almost wilted under her loving gaze. He had the love of his life back, and there was nothing he would do to jeopardize that ever again.

“I don’t want to wait,” she said suddenly.

“Okay, I’m sure we can plan something for a few months out,” Dimitri agreed, stroking her fingers. He still couldn’t believe she said yes.

“No. I want to get married as soon as I’m released.”

“O-okay.” Dimitri pulled out his phone, ready to call Karina and get the name of her party planner. He was willing to pay whatever it took to give Aksana the wedding of her dreams with forty-eight hours’ notice. Anything to make his fiancé happy.

Her cool fingertips, covered his phone and lowered it to his lap. Aksana had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as her eyebrows lifted suggestively.

Dimitri was almost afraid to hear what wild thoughts were running through her beautiful head.

“I have always wanted to go to Las Vegas.”

26. “Thou Art Thy Mother’s Glass,”

-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Karina dropped to her knees and steeled herself as her three babies all but tackled her in the foyer of Gustaf’s island mansion.

“What? No love for your father?” Vladimir asked in mock indignation.

“Papa!” Anya squealed, detangled herself from Karina to fly into her father’s arms.

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