“I’m sorry I…”
“There’s nothing to apologize for,Rodnaya Lisichka.” And at the sound of the words that I have longed to hear for all these months, I feel my heart blooming.
He rests his thumb over my lips. Oh, the nights I’ve spent with only my recollection of his touch could hardly do justice to the real thing. I’m shivering, but why should I care? Everything I’ve ever wanted is appearing right in front of me.
His thumb traces my bottom lip. “You’re too precious to me. And I hurt you. I promise, I’ll never do it again. As long as I live.” He leans forward. “And beyond my life into eternity.” A smile ghosts his lips. “I’ll keep both promises. I love you, Liya.”
My vision blurs back as I tilt my chin. His breath ghosts my lips. He’s waiting for my response. He’s waiting for me to push him away—or to embrace him.
I know what I want.
I cup his face, resting my thumbs under his eyes just the way he likes. His skin is warm under my fingertips. He’s not just here to earn my forgiveness. He’s here to earn me.
Joy returns tenfold. I shiver as I pull his face to mine and greedily meet his lips. My heart races, and I feel myself burrowing into the space between our bodies. He returns the kiss in earnest, draining my lungs as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, and I whimper with triumph as his arms encircle my back.
Unbelievable. Magnificent.Sublime.
All those feelings rush me at once. I stand on my toes and crane my neck to accept more of his affection. I’m gasping for air when I break the kiss—and still, I want more. I can’t give this up. I never want to give this up.
And to think that I was so ready to throw it all away. To walk away and never look back.
“I love you,” I say through a haze of tears. “I love you. I love you. I love you!”
He slides one hand to cradle the back of my neck and rests the other hand gently on my stomach. The pure devotion that radiates from his fingers makes me tremble.
This is everything I wanted, want, and will ever want.
He gently rubs my stomach. “I’ve missed you so much.”
My entire body flushes with heat. Every inch of me vibrates with triumph. This isn’t a dream. I’m not asleep. I’m in the arms of a man who’s cared about me this whole time. A man who will move mountains and earth for me. A man who loves me and can’t live without me.
I tearfully gaze up at him. Disbelief and relief swirl inside me. “I’ve missed you too.”
He kisses me again. Each deep kiss is followed by a smaller one, as if he’s dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s of a signature. Each one promises a fresh new beginning.
He holds me in his arms, looking down from his commanding height and asking, “Will you come back with me? Build this family with me? Live and love with me? From this day until our last days.”
I nod eagerly. “Yes,” I say, crying. “A million times, yes!”
Finally—I can stop running. I can stop looking over my shoulder. I can settle down with Pavel. My lips tremble as I rest my hand over his hand that sits on my belly. All I’ve ever wanted is to be with the one I love—the same one who loves me in return. We can handle the Bratva stuff later. Right now, the most important thing is being together. And no matter what happens, I want to stay by his side. I want to be his and for him to be mine.
He wraps me in his arms, letting me nestle against his neck to greedily drink in his musk. His hand drifts to the small of my back, rubbing soft circles that leave me sighing with relief and warmth.
My face tilts up, and our lips find each other again. His strong fingers dip beneath the bands of my maternity pants to caress my curves as his tongue dances in delicious circles with mine. An ember of desire flickers to life within me, and my feet guide him slowly to the bedroom.
And not once does he ever let me go. Even as we fall onto the tiny bed and my fingers fumble at the buttons of his pants to take hold of the familiar pulsing heat that I’ve longed for in my dreams.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Pavel
God, I’ve missed her.
Liya kisses me with the intensity of someone starved of affection for months, and I kiss her back just as hard. Her mouth opens wider reflexively, and my tongue sweeps in, teasing circles against hers.
She slides an arm around me as her other hand grips my cock, soft fingers insistent and demanding. My own hands roam her body, exploring the changed yet utterly familiar curves that haunted me in my dreams, drawing out a light gasp when they find the patch of wetness between her thighs.
She has filled out in the months that we’ve been apart. Her breasts are fuller, her hips wider, and the bump where our child lives is now plainly visible. She looks absolutely perfect, and I can’t get enough of her.