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The world seems to stop for a moment as her words sink in. I’m going to have a baby. Viktor’s child. The enormity of it all crashes over me like a wave, and I turn to Viktor, tears welling up in my eyes and blurring my vision.
His scowl vanishes as he pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly. “We’re going to be parents,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Sage.”
I cling to him, my heart swelling with love and joy. “I’m happy too, Viktor. So, so happy.”
As we leave the clinic, hand in hand, I feel like everything is finally falling into place. The future is uncertain, but with Viktor by my side, I know we can face anything together. And with a baby on the way, our bond will only grow stronger.
We drive home in a comfortable silence, both of us lost in our thoughts. The mansion looms before us as we pull into the driveway, and it looks more beautiful than ever. I can’t imagine a better place to raise a child.
As we step inside, Viktor pulls me close, his lips brushing against my forehead. “I love you, Sage,” he says, kissing me. “So much.”
I’m surprised by his words, not because I doubt them, but because there was no warning that he would admit such an intimate thing to me. He’s really started to open up since our conversation about his childhood.
A husband should love his wife, of course, but that isn’t always the case. I’ve felt quite strongly about him for a while, but I didn’t want to say anything unless he did first. I was never sure if he wanted to take it that far.
“I’m sorry if I seem taken aback,” I say, looking up at his earnest eyes.
“Don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong, and I don’t even expect a response. I just want you to know how I feel.”
I place my hand over my heart, stunned even further. “Have you been going to therapy or something?” I ask, letting out a nervous laugh.
His eyebrows draw together in a slight frown, and I realize I’m making light of his intimate confession. “I didn’t mean it likethat,” I blurt. “I mean, I’m just surprised. I wasn’t expecting all this.”
He shrugs. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it.”
“And you’re not just saying it because of the baby?”
“Of course, not,” he replies, trying to hide the fact that he’s offended. I can still hear it in his voice, and that’s how I know he’s being honest. He wouldn’t be this emotional if he was lying.
I hug him suddenly, wrapping my arms around his waist and squeezing him hard. “I love you too, Viktor,” I say, my voice full of conviction. “We’re in this together.”
He wraps his arms around me slowly, like he doesn’t quite believe he could be this lucky. But he is. We both are, and we’re going to get through this together. I’m sure it won’t be easy, especially with the threats looming on the horizon, but we’re a team now.
Because that’s what true love is. It’s an unbreakable bond, forged in the fires of adversity and strengthened by the knowledge that you don’t have to go through life alone.
I would hug Viktor forever, but our time ends too soon when he gets a phone call.
“It’s Ivan,” he says as he pulls the phone from his pocket. “I have to answer this.”
I nod, taking a step back to give him space.
“Ivan, what’s up?” he asks, his eyebrows drawing together in a tight frown. “Hold on, slow down, please. Slow down.”
22
Viktor
Imade the mistake of thinking the past could never come back to haunt me. I thought my demons had been vanquished, but they were never truly gone. All the memories that came flooding back when I met Sage have ironically come to life.
“Does that name ring a bell?” Ivan asks, his voice revealing an unusual amount of excitement.
I’m not quite as excited, though, even though I do recognize the name. It’s the surname that gets me. It’s a name that I haven’t heard since I fled my home in Russia after putting a bullet through a man’s head.
“Levin, you said?” My voice is tight and dry.
“Alex Levin, that’s right. We’ve come up with a lot of information on him already. Addresses and businesses. I’m sure you’ll want to meet and discuss this.”
I glance over at Sage, who seems to know something is wrong. She won’t understand exactly what until I get off the phone. “Alright,” I say to Ivan, gripping the phone so hard it creaks in my hand. “I want you to come over to my house. Just you, and nobody else. We need to discuss this one on one.”
