Page 108 of Bride of Vengeance

"Stop," Mikhail says, reading my mind. "No more mysteries. No more conspiracies. Just us and our future."

He's right. Whatever Harrison meant, it doesn't matter now.

As the ambulance doors close, I realize something:

We actually won.

Against all odds, against our own enemies and ourselves, we won.

"I love you," I tell him.

"I love you too."

Chapter twenty-three

After the Storm

Mikhail

The hospital room smells like disinfectant and hope.

Mariana sleeps beside me in the narrow bed, her head on my chest, one hand protectively covering her stomach. The monitors show three steady heartbeats—hers and both babies. Twins. Confirmed by ultrasound two hours ago.

Two babies. Two tiny humans who will call me Papa.

Terror doesn't begin to cover it.

"You're thinking too loud again," she murmurs against my chest.

"Sorry. Go back to sleep."

"Can't. Your heartbeat keeps speeding up every time you think about twins."

"It's a lot to process."

She props herself up on an elbow, studying my face. The bruises from the torture are purple-green now, healing but visible. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"About you? Never. About being a father?" I pause. "I've killed twenty-seven people, Mariana. What kind of father does that make me?"

"The kind who'll protect his children from anything." She traces a finger along my jaw. A knock interrupts us. Alexei enters with Mila, who's carrying what looks like an entire gift shop.

"Presents!" Mila announces, dumping bags on the visitor's chair. "Baby clothes, prenatal vitamins, those weird pregnancy pillows, and—oh!—tiny little socks!"

"Mila, we don't even know the genders yet, it’s still too early," Mariana points out.

"That's why I bought everything in yellow and green." She pulls out two tiny onesies. "Look! They say 'My Uncle is Scarier Than Your Uncle.'"

"Technically, you're their cousin," I correct.

"Details." She waves dismissively. "How are you feeling? Both of you?"

"Alive," I answer. "Free. Confused."

"What's confusing?" Alexei asks. "You have immunity, Harrison and Pavel are handled, and you're about to be parents. Seems straightforward."

"Nothing about our situation is straightforward."

"True." He sits on the arm of Mariana's chair. "Which is why I have a proposal."