Page 29 of Surprise Quadruplets for the Mob

“On that note, Abby,” I wait for her to look at me again before continuing, “I want you to be careful, too. And I need to know that you’ll listen to me if I tell you to do something or go somewhere, even if you don’t like it.” Her brows draw down, and I touch her knee with my own. “I need you to trust me. At least when it comes to your safety, and the safety of our children. I would never do anything to jeopardize that. You know that, right?”

She holds my gaze for a long moment, before nodding.

“What concerns me right now is your safety. Whoever is behind this scam might be targeting you because you exposed Booker, if no other reason.”

Her breath catches, and I see fear flicker in her eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you or the babies, Abby. I promise.”

“Thank you, Maksim,” she says softly, her eyes shining with gratitude.

“I mean it,” I tell her, my gaze locked on hers. “No one will hurt you or these little ones. Not on my watch.”

“Your watch?” Abby teases, trying to lighten the mood. “You make it sound like they’re under attack.”

“Maybe not literally,” I admit, “but they’re vulnerable, and so are you. That’s why I’m here, to make sure you’re all safe.”

“I know,” she says quietly. “And I appreciate it.”

“Good,” I reply, my voice soft but firm.

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of our conversation settling around us. The babies continue to sleep peacefully in my arms, unaware of the danger lurking beyond these walls.

“Can I ask,” I begin, shifting the conversation to something lighter, “how you ended up with four babies? That’s really rare, isn’t it?”

She smiles, a mix of wonder and amusement. “My sister has ARPKD.” I nod, knowing this already, and she continues. “One of its symptoms, so to speak, is fertility—or the lack thereof. She’d been trying for almost a decade to have children and couldn’t.”

“But,” I interrupt, my brows furrowing. “She has a set of twins. I saw them.”

“Yeah, well, apparently it was a year of miracles for the both of us.”

My confusion continues and apparently it shows on my face, because she smiles and shakes her head.

“Hold on, let me take a step back. So she was trying for years to conceive, even adopt, but everything fell through and she was devastated. That’s when I decided to be a surrogate for her. And no,” she says firmly, as I open my mouth to speak, “before you ask, there isn’t even a small chance that these babies are hers, we were still in the very early stages of the process.”

I close my mouth, and listen.

“I started fertility treatments to regulate my periods, but she got pregnant before my course of treatment was complete. And I met you before I had a chance to stop the fertility drugs. I’d found out about her pregnancy that very night, actually.”

“Well, that’s quite a series of events to lead up to my being a father of four in the space of barely a year.” I raise my brows as I take in the multiple events that had to fall perfectly into place for this to happen.

“It was all because of the hormones. My doctor said it’s rare but not unheard of, four eggs were released during ovulation and all four were fertilized, and, well, here we are.”

“Sounds like a miracle,” I remark.

“Definitely feels like one,” she agrees. “I wouldn’t change it for the world, even though it’s been tough at times.” She looks down at the bundles in our arms, and slowly stands. “I think it’s time we put the little ones in their cribs, I think they’re sleeping well enough now not to wake up for a little while.”

“Tell me more about your family,” I suggest as I stand, not wanting our conversation to end.

“Okay.” she smiles at me as she gently places her bundle down, hovering for a few moments to run her hand up and down the baby’s back soothingly before standing. “My sister Maggie is ten years older than me. She married a politician, Michael. They’re a great couple, and they’ve been a huge support system for me. Maggie runs the foundation and frankly I think she’s training me for that same role. Michael is a good guy, always willing to lend a helping hand, even though he often travels abroad on business.”

“Sounds like a solid family.” She takes one of the babies from my arms and moves to the next crib, and I walk slowly to the last empty one lined against the wall.

“Yeah, they’ve really stepped up since the babies arrived. We’re lucky to have them,” Abby admits, her voice filled with gratitude as she leans over the next crib. I hesitate with my own bundle, before carefully laying her down.

Their peaceful slumber creates an intimate atmosphere, drawing Abby and me closer together as we stand and watch over them, before I turn to face her. Our eyes linger on each other as our faces inch nearer, the undeniable chemistry between us sparking like electricity in the air.

I’ve missed her, I’ve missed this. My entire being hones down to the diminishing space between us, and the anticipation of her lips on mine.

Our mouths are just a hair’s breadth apart when my phone pierces the silence, its urgent ringtone jarring us back to reality. The moment shatters, and I curse inwardly at the interruption.

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