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Mikhail stands by the window, his back to me as he gazes down at our little baby.
Nikolai stays near me, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder as he watches me with a tenderness that still manages to take my breath away.
These two men, the same men who changed my life in every which way, are now the pillars that support me.
And now, we have this; our family, our future.
I’ve often thought about how I ended up here, and sometimes, I still can’t understand it.
So many twists and turns happened to bring me to this place, and though I could never have ever imagined it happening, I’m glad it did.
If I wasn’t taken, the tension would have remained.
If I wasn’t taken, these two men wouldn’t have found their sister.
If I wasn’t taken, I wouldn’t be here with them, raising our two daughters under their roof.
“Come here, Mama.” Nikolai calls softly, his voice low but steady. “You need to rest.”
I glance over at him, catching the small smirk that plays at the corners of his mouth.
There’s a playfulness in his eyes, and I can’t help but smile in his direction.
Both Nikolai and Mikhail have been my strength throughout these years, in every single way that I’ve ever needed them.
I walk over towards him, feeling the weight of both their gazes now on me.
And as I turn my head, I find Mikhail’s eyes on mine.
He stalks towards me, and it doesn’t take long before they’re both standing on either side of me.
“We’ve talked about this.” Mikhail tells me, his voice so tender. “You need to rest whenever our babies are resting too.”
My smile only widens, because I know he’s right.
We’ve spoken about this numerous times now, but for some reason, I can’t seem to rest whenever my girls are. They’re both so sweet as they sleep, so peaceful, that it makes it difficult for me to rest too.
“I’m fine staying up.” I say to them, my voice soft, but firm too. “But thank you both for looking out for me. I’ve never felt more loved before.”
Nikolai reaches out, taking my hand as he raises it higher, leaning in to press his lips against my knuckles.
“And you will always be loved, darling. We won’t let anything happen to you, or to our babies. Not now, not ever.”
I nod at him, knowing it’s true.
They’ve proven it time and time again now.
So together, the three of us stand in the quiet nursery, watching over our little Aurora.
Both my girls will grow up in their home, surrounded by love, strength, and protection too.
“I know a lot has happened since the beginning.” I say as I look at both of them. “But I truly believe that everything that has happened has led to this; to this moment. Our family. Our girls.”
Mikhail moves forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead, his lips warm against my skin.
“We’ve been through hell and back, beauty.” He whispers, and I find myself shivering, knowing it’s true. “The fear…the secrets…the blood on our hands. The night we almost lost you. The deals we made. The people we buried.” His voice remains soft, but each word lands heavy. “But the one thing we never lost was each other, and that’s all that matters.”
Nikolai nods, knowing that Mikhail is correct, with his gaze locked on mine.