Page 67 of Sold to the Russian
“That’ll be perfect, thank you,” Maeve called from behind. Fedya turned to her, kissed her forehead, and lingered for amoment. Then he said, “You’re going to be the best mother these kids could ever dream of.”
“Great,” she managed through a croak as he proceeded to clean and dress her up. “You’re just going to make me cry.Again.”
Fedya kissed her again and again and again, until she was laughing against his mouth and pushing him away. He shifted slightly when he got a text notification from his phone and smiled to himself as he read the message.
All ready. She’s going to love it.
From Margot.
After everything that had happened with Aleksander and the Irish, Maeve had made Fedya promise her that he would keep Margot safe. So he did as she asked, quietly relocating her to a secure residence under Nikolai's protection, her new life as peaceful as it was comfortable. The unfortunate incident with Cormac had permanently ripped away her ability to speak. It wasn’t the most convenient lifestyle, but it was better than working under the Butcher.
“You ready to go?” Fedya asked as Maeve came out of the exam room, cradling the black and white pictures to her chest.
“I’m so hungry,” she said, still staring at the pictures as he led her out of the hospital. “I could kill for a blini right now.” She rubbed circles over her stomach. “Do you think they’d love a blini too? I’ve had to eat a lot, though, since there are two of them there.”
“You can have as many blini as you want,zhena,” he said as he opened the car door for her. “You’re pretty damn good at making them yourself these days.”
“I learned from the best.”
Fedya drove away from the hospital, trying and failing to hold himself together as he drove towards the beach instead of their home. Maybe he hated surprises because he barely knew how to keep them. This was the longest he’d gone without keeping a secret surprise from someone. He’d been planning this with Margot for a while now—the perfect wedding, just for Maeve and him and their family.
She’d often voiced out how much she wished their wedding had been different. How she wished she’d met him under different circumstances. She’d talked about her dream wedding even in her sleep, describing what she’d love it to look like.
Their marriage had been far from ideal anyway. There was barely a wedding. But he wanted to give her that perfect moment she craved, the one she longed for whenever she stared at her ring.
He took her to a beach he’d rented out for her, and he was satisfied when he watched her eyes light up at the scene in front of them. Soft lights glowed along the sand, strung between wooden posts and white fabric that billowed in the wind. Pink flower petals were scattered on the ground, alluring with the orange and pink colors of dusk that streaked across the sky. A small group stood beneath the archway—their family. His cousins and their wives, his siblings, and his sister-in-law. A priest stood with them, waiting, beaming with a Bible between his hands.
“I hope this is everything you wanted, Maeve,” Fedya said, his voice low as he dropped on one knee in the sand in front of her. He pulled out yet another new ring from his pocket, a symbol of true love and devotion rather than an alliance forced by her father.
“I want you to marry me all over again, Maeve,” he said seriously as he looked up at her. His voice was raw and full of feeling. “I want you to marry me for real this time, becauseyouwant to. I want you to spend the rest of your life with me, as my wife and the mother of my children. I’ll beg you if I have to.”
“This is your last chance,” she said, her lips trembling as she accepted the ring and slid it over her finger. It sat right on top of the former one he’d given her. “If you make me cry again, I’ll actually get mad at you.”
Fedya grinned and gave a thumbs-up to his spectating family ahead. Their cheers were loud and happy as he stood, pulled her towards him, and kissed her like he’d never get the opportunity to again.
He went on his knees again, kissed her stomach twice, and murmured against it, “Our children are going to know nothing but love. Just love, always love.”
Maeve dragged her knuckles over her eyes and nodded in agreement, sliding her fingers through his as he led her down the aisle.
“Just love. Always,alwayslove.”
*****
THE END