Page 33 of Maxim (The Syndicates #12)

Months later

“I ’m so happy you decided to stay close. We have loved having you around.” Lia tells me as she helps unpack the food Ivy brought.

“No one would have blamed you,” Thea adds.

I really considered leaving town. Maxim told me that if that’s what I wanted, he would leave the Bratva with Nikolai’s blessing and take me anywhere in the world I wanted to live.

I could see it in my head even. Living with the kids in a suburban home.

A safe, gated community that rarely has any crime.

We could live a normal life where I get a job and work from nine to five while Maxim has his normal job.

The kids would go to a public school and make friends.

We could leave this entire nightmare behind us.

It would never work, though. I know I will never be able to forget where we came from. I still wake up in the middle of the night sometimes remembering what we had to go through. What I had to do.

I will never be able to wash the blood from my hands, but I’m willing to bear the burden for the two children who rely on me to care for them.

Those gated communities are just a mirage anyway. Nowhere is ever safe.

So I decided to stay. Maxim’s family has taken us in as their own. My siblings went from only being able to rely on each other to having uncles and aunts who would take a bullet for them if the occasion arose.

We have a tribe now.

“I appreciate you all helping us out. I couldn’t take Maxim from this,” I admit.

“Maxim wants you to be happy, so I’m glad you decided you could be happy here.” Ivy comes over and hugs my shoulder as I put the shashlik onto a tray.

I let the moment pass as I finish my task, turning to take the tray out to Maxim, who is manning the grill.

When I step outside, I stop at the sound of a child’s laughter.

My eyes tear as I see Maxim and Dimitri tickling Alek. The smile on his face is huge as he tries to escape them.

My heart is in my throat.

“Are you okay?” Lia asks, having stepped out behind me.

“I haven’t heard Alek laugh in years. He’s been so closed off that I never thought I would hear it again.”

She lays her head on my shoulder. “He’s healing. Maxim and the guys are showing him that he doesn’t have to always be on the defense.”

“He gets to be a kid again,” I choke out.

Maxim glances over and freezes when he sees I’m upset.

He ruffles Alek’s hair. “Show дядя Dimitri that new trick I taught you. I need to go get the food from Olena.”

I hate that Alek’s joy fades as he looks over at me. He nods, getting into a fighting stance. Lia steps away, taking the pelmeni to the table.

Maxim jogs over to me, grabbing the tray from my hands. “What’s wrong?”

I shake my head. “Thank you.”

He hugs me from the side as he escorts me to the grill. He sets the tray on the table he has set up beside it before turning and pulling me into his arms for one of his firm, comforting hugs.

“I don’t need any thanks. What’s got you emotional?” he whispers.

“You. The way you are with the kids. You have been a blessing to us.” I let out a quiet sob.

“Shhh.” He rubs his hand down my hair. “It’s okay. I love you, and I love those kids. Everything is fine.”

“I know. That’s it. These are happy tears, Maxim. You have done so much for them already. They are miles away from the children they were when we saved them.”

“You are too, Olena. It’s going to take time, but our little family is going to be all right. Look around. We have family surrounding us. They will help raise the children to be strong and smart. We aren’t alone anymore. You aren’t alone.”

His words are like a calming balm to my soul. This isn’t the first time he has said them, but they are still impactful. I need his reassurances. They help me sort through the thoughts in my head.

“You are an amazing man,” I tell him, pulling back to look in his eyes.

“Only because I have you.”

It’s a lie. I know it is because Ivy, Lia, and Thea have all told me about how amazing Maxim has always been. He doesn’t see himself like the others around him do. That much is obvious from the way he talks about himself sometimes.

Even when we talk about the way he saved us, he doesn’t see himself as a hero.

I think he still feels guilt for the ones he put into the very system he was trying to break. He hasn’t admitted it, but we will get there. I learned from him that talking about our demons can help chase them away.

I want to be that for him the same way he has been that for me.

Maxim wipes the tears from my face before leaning down and kissing each eye. I soak in his love and warmth as he kisses each cheek, then my nose, before finally settling on my lips.

I sink into his kiss, pressing my own against his so that he can feel the way I feel about him.

When I met him, I thought my life was over. I thought he was going to be the man that ruined me.

Instead, he took all the pieces I let fall apart and helped put me back together one piece at a time. He took his time and showed me that he wasn’t the man I believed him to be.

He went from my damnation to my savior.

Pulling back, I smile up at him. “I’m grateful for you.”

He gives me that silly grin. “I’m grateful for you.”

“Good. Now you better start grilling. I’m getting hungry.”

He lets out a boisterous laugh. “We can’t have that now, can we?”

He swats my ass as I walk away, and I look back, giving him a coy smile.

This is it. This is the life I almost lost.

Maxim doesn’t believe he is a savior, but he is.

He saved me.

I’ve kept my eye on Olena all day.

Who am I kidding? I always keep an eye on her. The children too.

Daryna has flourished in her new environment. She’s resilient. Whatever she saw in that house seems to have fled from her mind. I worry she is suppressing it, but she seems to be happy, so I’ve let her live.

Everyone dotes on her too. She is the little princess of the Bratva. Especially Nikolai.

He’s been waiting for Lia to be ready for children, but I can see it in his eyes. He wants them sooner rather than later.

Until then, he’s being the best uncle he can be.

It makes me laugh watching the kids con him into things.

If someone would have told me a year ago that the Pakhan for the Petrov Bratva would let a couple of kids boss him around, I would have laughed in their face. Seeing it now, though, it makes sense.

This is why we did what we did. Why I live with the haunting memories of what I had to do. To save them. Not just these children specifically, but all of the ones that could have been trafficked and the ones that did that we were able to save.

Logically, I know we cannot save them all, but damn it if I’m not going to try.

“You are thinking hard over here. Second guessing your choice?” Nikolai asks as he hands me a glass of vodka.

I look out over the yard at our family chatting and having a good time. Today is our housewarming. The girls helped Olena get the house together as soon as we closed on it. The guys helped me build the playset the kids are currently playing tag on.

That’s not the choice he is talking about, though.

“No. It is the right thing to do,” I tell him.

“Have you told Olena?”

“She knows,” I admit.

“The team is happy to have you. They take precedence.” He pats me on the shoulder.

After everything was said and done, Greer and Killian asked if any of us would be willing to remain on the task force we had put together to help stop other organizations. We all know another one will pop up in our area in due time, but she wanted us to take down others in the meantime.

I volunteered my team to assist theirs. It’s where I feel I can be of most use.

“The Bratva comes first,” I tell him, reassuring him of my position.

“You misunderstand. I am ordering you to put the mission first. We can handle things here when you are needed elsewhere. What we did was a good thing. I never want to see another human sold. That is unrealistic, but it’s the dream.

I can spare you and your team to hunt down the evil in this world. Do us proud.”

“I will,” I promise him.

He nods. “Let’s go join everyone. I think as the host, you need to make a toast.”

I snort but follow him. Of course he would put me in the spotlight, knowing I hate it.

“Excuse me. If I could have everyone’s attention,” I call out.

I watch as one by one people turn toward me as word spreads that I am speaking. When it is quiet, I clear my throat.

“Thank you for being here. Olena, Daryna, Alek, and I appreciate all of the help you have provided to help make this house our home. I know I can speak for Olena when I say that without you, we would not be here. The love and support that you have provided is invaluable. We hope to make many memories in this home and have many more get-togethers in the years to come. To family. To love. За здоровье! ”

Everyone echoes my last statement before holding their glass up and drinking.

I walk over to Olena and the kids, taking my seat between Alek and Olena.

“That was a nice speech,” Olena tells me, leaning against me.

“Thank you.”

“Can I make a speech too?” Daryna asks.

I chuckle, standing back up.

“Everyone,” I call out.

They all quiet down again.

“Daryna would like to make her own speech.”

Everyone laughs quietly as she stands in her place on the bench.

“I want to thank everyone too. Especially Uncle Nikolai for the new doggy he is buying me.”

I shoot my eyes to Nik and see him smiling as he shakes his head.

“A dog?” I hear Olena whisper as Daryna babbles on.

“I also want to thank my new daddy for being the best daddy and making my sister happy.”

My heart catches in my throat. I never asked them to call me Dad, but hearing her say it has me fighting to hold back the tears. The little girl is going to make me cry in front of my men, and I can’t even be mad about it.

“And to Olena. You are my sister, but you are more like my mom, so I want to call you Mommy. Can I?”

Olena is full on sobbing as she nods.

“Yes, baby. You can if that’s what you want.”

“Yay. I have a mommy and a daddy now. That’s all. Za zadovy or whatever Daddy said.”

She butchers the saying, but nobody cares. They are too busy hiding their own tears as they hold up their drinks before tossing them back.

“Why is everyone crying? Did I do it wrong, Daddy?” Daryna asks, dropping back into her seat.

“No way. You did amazing. Everyone loved it,” I tell her as Olena sobs into my chest.

Alek gets up, moving around us to hug Olena from the other side. Daryna moves in, climbing into my lap to hug Olena too.

“It’s okay, Mom,” Alek whispers to her, only making her sob more.

Everyone leaves us to our little bubble as Olena feels all of the emotions.

I know this means the world to her. She has tried to be the best for these kids from the moment they were born.

She truly has been their mother in every way, so to hear those words come from their mouths?

It has to be something special. Hell, it was to me, and I have only known them a few months.

Once she is able to get a hold of herself, she wipes away her tears, kissing each kid on their cheek.

“I’m honored to be your mother, but I will always be your sister too. No matter what.”

“You have always been our mom,” Alek says. “It’s time for it to be official.”

She squeezes him tight. He doesn’t say a word. He lets her.

After the heavy moment has passed, Olena pulls away and looks toward Daryna.

“So what’s this I hear about a puppy?”

Not quite ready to say goodbye to Maxim and Olena? Check out their bonus epilogue HERE !

Thank you for reading Maxim.