“I took a test this morning, while you were downstairs. I don’t know why—missing my period could have been stress. I’d thought it was. But I just had a feeling, and Sasha went out to get me one.” I look up at him, my eyes shining. “I counted back, and I’m sure of the timing. It lines up with just before I was abducted in Moscow. Our baby—” I swallow hard, blinking back tears. “Our baby survived everything, Viktor. It’s a boy, I’m sure of it. An heir for your new endeavors, just the way you wanted.”
“Caterina.” He breathes my name, his hands pressed against my face as he brings my mouth up to his, kissing me fiercely. “I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl,” he whispers against my lips. “All I care about is that we’re going to have a child together, a new member of our family. That’s all that matters to me.”
I feel tears spring to my eyes as he kisses me again, his forehead pressed against mine. We kiss like that for a long time, hands clasped together, the ring warm against my skin as we breathe each other in.
When we split apart at long last, I lean back in the seat, still holding Viktor’s hand as I look out the window. There’s changes ahead of us, a new life and new challenges. But all I care about, in that moment, is that we’re headed home.
Home to New York, and our new future.
“I love you,” I whisper, looking up at Viktor, and he smiles down at me, his face shining with all the love he has for me in return.
“I love you too,” he murmurs, raising my hand to his lips and kissing it, just above the ring on my left finger.
“My Caterina. My beloved bride.”