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“I love you too. I’m sorry it took so long to figure out, but it’s always been there. I love being yours, Lev.”
He laughed joyfully, lifting me off my feet. “Good,” he said. “It doesn’t matter that it took a little while. We’re forever, baby, and I’m glad you finally figured it out.”
“Forever,” I whispered as he pulled me close for another kiss.
Epilogue - Jenna
Three months later
After a seemingly interminable bout of morning sickness, it finally ended, and I barely had a bump, though it would have seemed like I was smuggling a pumpkin under my tops the way Lev was always patting my belly. We had decided it was time to drive down to LA and make the visit I’d promised Katie.
I was dying to see my niece and wanted the rift between the brothers healed by the time our baby was born so the cousins could be the best of friends. Brooke and I had much more time to hang out since I wasn’t bogged down with classes, and she happily accepted our invitation to join us.
I was probably using her as a buffer since I didn’t think Aleks would go berserk in front of a guest who wasn’t family, but I also thought she deserved a break from her constant hard work. Besides the boutique and delivering food part-time, she’d increased her class load and was even babysitting one of her neighbor’s kids a lot of evenings. I had tried to offer her some help with money now that I was rolling in it, but she always refused, and I wouldn’t dare infringe on her pride since I knew all too well how important it was.
Lev had finally decided what to do with the Hardys, and at about the same time, I decided to put school on the back burner. Since they were too high profile to just disappear without a trace, he figured the best way to deal with them was to completely destroy their reputation and credibility. To the vain and power-hungry councilman, it was a fate worse than death.
I was eager to help, and he shared every last bit of dirt he had on them, along with new things his informants had dugup. I spent a month compiling it into a scintillating article, really enjoying outlining every tawdry detail. I had never been so proud of something in my life, and Lev used his connections to not only have the article published by news outlets in California, but it got pushed out as a national story that swept the headlines for days.
Hardy was impeached and lost all chance at his big dreams of running for mayor and beyond. The last I heard, his wife was leaving him since he could no longer support her in the manner she desired now that all his kickbacks from extorting local companies had dried up. She was shunned from society functions and a broke laughing stock.
As for what became of the other Russian organization plaguing my new family, I never outright asked. Once we returned from Monterey, Lev had a few late nights, returning with some cuts and bruises he told me I didn’t need to worry about.
The most important thing was that he’d always keep me safe. Of course, I was always going to worry, but I trusted his abilities and believed that he would do what was right for us.
Once we arrived at Katie and Aleks’s mansion, the whole family was there, including Aunt Marjorie, who flew in to see little Alina. She looked amazing and glowing with health now that her treatments were finished, and she was once again in remission. I wasn’t going to waste a minute with her and couldn’t wait to tell her the news that she was going to have another great-niece or nephew to spoil soon.
Max rushed out to greet us, flustering Brooke by asking if she wanted to take a tour of his famous Hollywood diner. It was clear he was trying to get her out of the way since there mightbe a blow-up between Aleks and Lev, and I appreciated it. At the same time, I wanted to cling onto her as a shield.
“Go on,” I finally said. “It’ll be fun. But don’t let him flirt with you too much, he’s a complete player.”
“Ugh, as if I’d fall for that,” she said, but let herself be bundled into his brand new Italian convertible and whisked down the long drive.
I gave Lev a look, almost afraid to go inside. I’d been hopeful and optimistic, but Max’s insistence about getting Brooke to safety had my stomach sinking. Lev shrugged and took my hand, leading me through the big double doors.
Inside, Aleks was waiting, glaring at Lev in a way that sent shivers down my spine. I thought I was getting used to being around stone-cold Bratva men, but this was like the Arctic Circle; he was being so icy.
“Aleks, be good,” Katie said, hurrying into the grand foyer with the baby in her arms.
“He deserves at least one punch,” Aleks said.
Lev dropped my hand and stepped forward. “Fair enough. Do your worst.”
Aleks reared back his fist and slammed it forward. I winced and snapped my eyes shut, but there was never a crack against bone or groan of pain. When I opened my eyes, Aleks had his fist stopped against Lev’s cheek. He lightly slapped him and burst out laughing.
“Leave the jokes to me,” Lev said, relieved. “You’re awful at them.”
They shared a brotherly hug, with Aleks slapping him on the back a bit harder than necessary, but there was no more tension between them. Jenna hurried forward to hug me, and Iburst into happy tears. The morning sickness was gone, but the waterworks continued to flow.
Mila, Nataliye, and Aunt Marjorie hurried out now that Aleks’s little show was over, enveloping me and Lev into more welcoming hugs. Two more brothers appeared to join in. I thought they were Dimitry and Ivan, but there was plenty of time to catch up and get everyone straight.
I loved being around so many people who loved and cared for each other, after so many years of being just Katie and me. They dragged us out back to where a poolside barbecue was underway and got us settled with drinks and overflowing plates of Katie’s delicious food.
Lev and I were going to quietly tell everyone about the baby one at a time, but I was so happy that I stood up in the midst of all of them and blurted out that I had an announcement.
Lev stood beside me as I prepared to share our news, but then Mila and Dimitry both shouted, “You’re going to have a baby!”
“It’s plain as day,” Nataliye agreed. “You’re glowing.”
