Page 28 of Surprise Quadruplets for the Mob

“Maybe not just luck,” Nadia says, her eyes darting between me and Abby with approval. “You have a gentle touch, Maksim.”

My heart does a slow roll in my chest, and I can’t help but smile back at them. Even though my life is filled with danger and shadows, this moment of peace and tenderness reminds me that there’s still some light left in the world. And maybe, just maybe, I can be a part of that light.

The moment I try to hand them over to Nadia, they start crying again, their soft wails tearing at my heartstrings. It’s as if they know I’m about to let go, and they don’t want me to. Neither do I.

“Maybe I’ll sit with them a bit longer,” I suggest, adjusting my hold on the little ones.

“Of course,” Nadia says, understanding in her eyes. She glances at Abby before gently laying the child she holds into a crib and leaving the room, giving us some much-needed space to talk.

“Did you sleep well last night?” I ask Abby, trying to keep things light. Her hair is messy, but she still looks beautiful. Exhaustion clings to her like a shadow, but her eyes sparkle with life.

“It could’ve been better,” she admits, sitting down beside me on the bed. “But I’m getting used to it. What about you?”

“Same here,” I reply, focusing on the warmth of the tiny bundles in my arms. “It’s hard not to worry, even when you’re trying to rest.”

“True.” Abby sighs, her gaze lingering on the infants. “They’re so adorable, though, even when they cry. It’s hard not to fall in love with them.”

“Definitely,” I agree, feeling the same pull. We share a smile, bonding over our shared affection for these tiny, beautiful babies.

“Did you ever think you’d be doing this?” she asks, her voice soft and vulnerable. “Taking care of babies, I mean.”

“Never,” I confess truthfully. “But life has a way of surprising us, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it does,” Abby says, her eyes meeting mine. In that moment, I can see the depth of her love for the babies, as well as the vulnerability that comes with being a mother.

“Let’s just enjoy this moment,” I suggest, and she nods, her smile gentle.

As we sit together, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride that I’ve managed to calm them down. Abby’s eyes are warm as she watches me, and I want nothing more than to protect her and these little ones.

“I can’t stop thinking about that night with Booker,” Abby says suddenly, quietly, although she doesn’t look up from her child.

“Abby,” I say, feeling my heart clench. “I wasn’t responsible for his—”

“I believe you,” she says quickly, although I notice that she flinches slightly. “But why did you go after him? Why did you do it right then and there?”

She looks up finally, and her blue eyes are a swirl of emotions that I can’t quite interpret.

“Was it because of me?” she says, and her voice shakes. “Because of what I told you?”

I hesitate a moment, because I don’t want her feeling even the slightest sense of responsibility for my choices.

“Partially,” I admit slowly, keeping a careful watch on her expression. “But I was already looking for him, although I didn’t know his name. Him, and others just like him. There’s a ring of scammers that have been operating for a while now, and I’m determined to shut them down.”

“Really?” She looks at me with concern. “Have you found out who’s behind it all?”

“We’re getting closer. My IT guy is investigating Booker’s computer as we speak. But we haven’t been able to catch themastermind yet.” I don’t want to scare her, so I leave out some of the information. “Booker was just a pawn in their game.”

“Be careful, Maksim.” She frowns, her eyes filled with worry. “These people are dangerous.”

I can’t help the wry smile that touches my lips. “So am I.”

Abby huffs in mild amusement and eyes me sideways. “So you’ve said, mister mysterious.” But then her expression sobers, and she bites her lip. “I’m serious, Maksim. No matter what happens between us, no matter who you are or what you’ve done, it would…” She sighs again and looks away. “It would be better if our children grew up with their father alive, I think.”

I take in a slow breath, and though I itch to touch her, to comfort her, I don’t move for fear of jostling the delicate cargo in my arms.

“I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

She bites her lip again, and doesn’t reply.

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