EPILOGUE ONE
SAPPHIRE
Iam so fat I can’t touch my toes. I’m also the happiest I've ever been.
The men are out and I am trying to open a peanut butter jar. Boob power is not cutting it with this thing. “What the hell?” I throw a drawer open and grab a butter knife.
“I don’t think stabbing the thing will help.” Gregor comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my tummy and lays his hands palms down. “Is the little one hungry?”
I rest my head on his shoulder and let him take some of my massive weight. “She’s never not hungry, Gregor. I swear, I think I eat five times a day and I’m bloated like a puffer fish. And horny. Like all the freaking time.” It’s embarrassing.
My man’s lips turn up in a wolfish grin. “Did I not satisfy you last night?” he presses kisses over the slope of my bare shoulder and works his way up to the spot just beneath my ear.
“Oh, you did. But that was hours ago and now I—” I turn in his arms and slip my hand inside his pants for a quick squeeze of his hardening cock.
His eyes darken and I see the devilish intent glittering in those depths.
“Since you are home before the other two, how about we find out which body part tastes best with peanut butter on it? I’m thinking we start with the nipples and maybe—”
A string of Russian cuts into my convincing Gregor to take me to bed.
Lev comes into the kitchen and his arms are piled so high with boxes I don’t know how the man hasn’t crashed into a million things.
“What the heck is this? More packages from Harlon and the guys?” Harlon kept his word and kept and let me find my happiness with my men. We don’t talk often but when we do it’s nothing but affection and worry in his voice. He’s got his hands full with a woman I suspect will give all three men of Genesis a run for their money. Polaris has baggage of her own from what Harlon has shared and all I can say is I’m glad I am not the one dealing with it. I’ve got my own to handle.
Gregor takes off a few boxes so Lev can look me in the eye.
“Not this time. The man behind me discovered what a black credit card can do in a baby store. I hope you want a stroller for each day of the week because you’ve got it.” He’s shaking his head but I also see him set all his packages down with a gentleness that does not fit the muscled bratva’s rough exterior.
I clamp a hand over my mouth as a team of men and women come in behind Lev. They drop boxes off the length of the floor between the elevator and the living room.
“Oh, no. How many babies does he think we are having?”
“As many as we can, malyshka. As many as we can.” Elyah comes off the elevator next and weaves his way around the packages until he gets to me.
I’m in his arms and sitting on the counter with him between my legs. It’s just routine now. I get love, their attention, and devotion before they do anything else.
He rubs the tips of our noses together. “Did you remember to get a crib in all your stroller buying escapades?”
“Nyet.”
He takes his phone out and makes a call to probably the same store he got all this loot from.
“How many do you want, beautiful?”
Behind me, someone has turned on the news.
On the screen, a car is on fire and the glass front of one of Harlon’s restaurants is blown out.
“...they are saying the bombing has come in retaliation to the leader of the Southern Alliance allying with the Northern Alliance. Who is responsible is yet to be determined. A union like this will increase each side’s strength, according to the authorities who fear the danger on the streets will only get worse...”
The newscaster's voice fades away and I am left with a sickness in the pit of my stomach.
Lev and Gregor are exchanging looks. Elyah wraps me in his arms and cradles me close. His heart thunders under my ear.
“Are we next?”
“Never. You are safe with us. We made a blood oath and a promise to your cousin. You will be protected and so will our child.”
“I hope so. I can’t imagine a life without the three of you in it.”
My brain hears the words and my heart twists them into barbed wire to wrap around my heart. It squeezes until I have a hard time breathing. I can’t lose them. I refuse. I fought so hard for this family. No one will take it from me.