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“Do you regret leaving?”

“Yes,” she laughs once and picks at an appetizer. “I do. Every day, I wish I would have stayed in their lives. But that is more for my sons than anything. You don’t have that attachment.”

“I’m plenty attached, Vanya. I love my men,” I say.

She shrugs. “If you did, would you be so concerned? You’ve known what they do for most of your relationship. If you love my sons and Lief, it is in part because of what they do. So if you love them, would you be asking me anything?”

Groaning, I rub my face. “I’m not considering leaving. I haven’t considered walking away from them in a long time. I’m asking how you can live this life without losing something about yourself. What if I stop being the woman who cares about reasons? What if I become a killer too ... well, more than I already am?”

“Then you will survive,” she answers. “The world says killing is a terrible, unforgiveable thing, but the world rarely cares about the reasons. You do. You have yet to take a life with your own hands and yet you survive.”

I nod once and rub my arms. “I’m just worried.”

“As any bride-to-be is.”

“I’m worried about taking the Volkov name and putting people in danger. I’m worried about what this means for the future. I mean, someone came to take me or kill me in my place of work, where innocent people are!”

“Then leave. Those are your options, Valerie. Find a way for you to live with it - as you have been doing, or leave these men. I can tell you, though, if you love them, you’ll be back. You may not be as lucky as me. They may be married, dead, or in hiding,” Vanya says.

I suck my lip.

“You told me not to get to know my sons or get involved in their lives if I was going to leave,” Vanya reminds me. When I nod, she continues. “I’m going to ask you to do the same. If there is any part of you that wants to leave, don’t get married.”

I open my mouth to tell her I’m not like her, and she smiles. Vanya kisses my cheek. “I was wrong about warning you back then. You’re the only one that my boys could be with and you’re the only woman I’ve been surewillsurvive this world.”

Vanya walks away to join the card game. I assure the chef that I’ll take the plate to the guys in the conference room. He tries to argue, telling me he doesn’t want to get in trouble, but I convince him it’ll be fine.

“I can take it, it’s not an-”

“I think I can serve my fiancés, but thank you for being so dedicated. I can’t stop eating these, they’re so delicious. You’re a talented chef,” I say, complimenting him.

He blinks, blushes, and turns around to get back to work. “I’ll make you something very good. I promise.”

Smiling, I head to my men. I set the appetizer on the table and sit in Chase’s lap. He rubs my side and I catch sight of the laptop. “Are you wedding planning without me?”

“We figured we could narrow down the venue options,” Chase says.

“Although we had an interesting talk about engagement photos,” Hunter murmurs. “I think we all have very different ideas about that.”

“And I’m going to help get décor,” Roger says.

I notice Josefine and Mr. Volkov then. I lean back on Chase and whisper in his ear. “Did you organize this?”

He grins, proud of himself. “I did. You’re not doing this wedding planning on your own.”

“Hell no,” Hunter agrees, rubbing my leg. “We’re in this together.”

“My mom suggested a place you might like,” Lief informs.

We go over the venues, I look at pictures and nod along since the guys have it so put together. Vanya gives me a secretive, knowing smile. I can’t help but get excited as I see the options. I love being around Josefine and Roger, Vanya, and even Mr. Volkov. My men have good families and we’re going to become a good family of our own.

Ignoring my experience with my parents, ignoring how they imploded, and ignoring what my men do for business makes this all feel normal–even if I’m marrying three men instead of one.

Lief eyes the space between us with evident frustration, as if he didn’t just fuck me a bit ago.

“Valerie, you can get your stitches out tomorrow,” Chase informs while rubbing my hips and kissing my neck. “Are you excited?”

“Thrilled,” I hum. “Just as thrilled as I am to go to these venues and hear all of Roger’s plans for décor.”

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