Epilogue
One Year Later
“Where is she?” Maxim asked Lev the moment he returned to the house.
The first thing he always did when he got home was ask about his wife and son.
“Her favorite spot,” Lev answered, eying him up and down. “You’re going to see her like that?”
Maxim looked at his blood-splattered suit and sighed. In his hurry to get home, he’d forgotten to change into a new shirt and suit. He had to set an example for the Bratva’s latest batch of fresh recruits after one mouthed off to him. Luckily for him, Lev wasn’t in the same room and no one had to die. Maxim only needed to shoot the recruit’s arm to teach him some respect.
Maxim made a quick stop at his bedroom. He disposed of his clothes and decided to take a quick shower. Once he felt clean, he went in search of Sofia and Viktor. She remained seated in her favorite rocking chair on the porch, Viktor bundled in her arms.
For a moment, Maxim gazed at them. He didn’t want to announce his presence. Not yet. Maxim savored the sight of his beautiful wife and son, asleep and without a single care in the world.
A year had passed since the Rossi Familia and Fedorov Bratva went to war with each other. The casualties had been enormous, leaving both organizations too weak to pose much of a threat to Maxim and the Bianchi Familia. It was a well-played hand, Maxim mused.
Sofia finally noticed his presence. She looked at him with groggy eyes, then she smiled. That smile lit up her entire face. Maxim couldn’t believe they had started as indifferent strangers.
Now, they were partners. Equals. Maxim still kept the more ruthless aspects of his business from his wife, but he always let Sofia know he valued her input.
“Hey, you. How long have you been watching us?” Sofia asked.
Maxim took that as an invitation to approach his wife. He leaned over her, kissed Viktor’s rosy cheek, then gave Sofia a sharp and rough kiss that left her panting for more. She gripped his hand, then looked him up and down.
“You’ve been home for a while now?” she asked.
“Needed to take a shower first,” he told her.
“I hope you’re hungry. I told the chef to head home early today,” Sofia said, rising to her feet. She offered Viktor to him, and Maxim accepted their bundle of joy. Viktor opened his big brown eyes. Seeing Maxim, Viktor thrust his chubby hands at him. Maxim kissed his fingers, making Viktor giggle.
His wife had a thoughtful expression on her face. Maxim processed her words. “You made us dinner? You didn’t have to.”
How Sofia juggled her freelance graphic design work, taking care of Viktor, and being his wife, Maxim never knew. His wife constantly surprised him, kept him on his toes.
“I had some extra time. I wanted your opinion on my modified lasagne al forno recipe,” she said.
“Will we have room for afterward?” Maxim asked, flashing her a wicked smile that Sofia would surely recognize.
“Maybe,” she said, giving him a wink. “Is Lev still here? Maybe he can join for us dinner?”
“I think he is,” Maxim answered.
He preferred just having some private time with his wife and son, but he also wanted Lev to feel included.
Ever since he married Sofia, Lev had become a little distant, distracted even. When Maxim prodded him, Lev became evasive. Sofia had shrugged it off and simply told Maxim that maybe Lev had begun thinking of finding a wife.
Maxim wasn’t sure his brother was capable of love, but since Maxim had found Sofia, maybe there might be a woman for love out there.
They bumped into Lev on their way to the kitchen. For more formal dinners, they ate in the dining room, but for informal nights like these, they settled in the kitchen.
“Lev, join us for dinner,” Sofia said, smiling up at his brother.
“I would like to join, but I have other plans,” Lev said, much to Maxim’s surprise.
“Brother, leave business for tomorrow. It’s a Friday night, and the Bratva has no pressing matters I’m aware of,” Maxim pointed out.
Lev hesitated. “It is a personal matter.”