Page 86 of Plus-Size Bratva Possession

“Hi,” I said, smiling at my sister.

“You’ve been looking at Sophia,” she murmured. “Throughout. I noticed.”

Once again, I looked over at the little cot she lay in, near the dining table.

“Larissa, I’m so sorry. I asked for forgiveness from all, but not my niece.”

I hung my head in shame, and Larissa took my hand and squeezed, forcing me to look at her. “Would you like to hold her?” she asked.

“I would,” I said, unable to keep the emotion from my voice. “Very much.”

Larissa walked me to the cot and slowly lifted my niece up, handing her to me. “Support her head,” she instructed softly. “There, like that.”

I swear, I didn’t think my hands had done anything useful until then.

“She looks like you.” Larissa smiled with tears in her eyes. I felt mine well up, too.

I glanced around the room and caught Elena watching me, her expression soft and full of emotion. In that moment, with my niece in my arms and Elena looking at me like that, everything felt right. Complete, in a way I hadn't experienced since before Adriana died.

No—this was different. Better. This wasn't built on a lie or a half-truth. This was real.

***

Later that night, Elena and I lay in bed, the day's events washing over us. She was curled against my side, her head on my chest, my arm around her.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice quiet in the darkness.

“For what?”

“For today. For apologizing to my family. I know how hard that was for you.”

My fingers traced lazy patterns on her shoulder. “It was the right thing to do. Should have done it long ago.”

She propped herself up on one elbow to look at me. “Better late than never.”

I reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I was such a fool, Elena. Blinded by hate, by the past. I nearly lost everything that matters.”

“Which is?”

“Love,” I said without hesitation. “Family. The future we could have together. I've spent so long looking back, I almost missed what was right in front of me.”

She smiled, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my lips. “And what's that?”

“You,” I whispered against her mouth. “Us.”

When she pulled back, there was a thoughtful look in her eyes. “Did you mean it? What you said about family being what matters?”

“Every word.”

She bit her lip, suddenly shy. “Would you ever want one of your own? A family, I mean.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. “More than anything,” I admitted, watching her face carefully. “But only on one condition.”

“What's that?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

I cupped her cheek, making sure she was looking directly into my eyes because this was a moment we would forever remember. I didn’t know if there was a correct way, time, or place to say such a thing, but it felt right just about then. Natural.

“My only condition is that if there is to be a family, it's to be with you. Only you, Elena. I love you. I don't deserve you after everything, but God help me, I love you so much it terrifies me.”