Page 41 of The Enemy’s Defector (Ivanov Syndicate #3)

KATERINA

M onths later…

“She is precious,” I told Sloane as I hugged and rocked her newborn. “Absolutely precious.” With my baby bump sticking out further, I found it kind of funny that it served almost like a prop to help me hold and rock my first niece.

Isabella Ivanov would be a Mafia princess, the first of her generation, and I couldn’t wait to watch her grow.

“That labor was not ,” Sloane admitted tiredly. Giving me a knowing look, then Lucy, she huffed. “Whatever you do, do not wait so long for an epidural to the point that you miss the window and can’t have one.”

“Noted,” Lucy said with a laugh, watching Isabella yawn as I held her. Lucy leaned around me, peering over my shoulder at this new princess, and in unison, we gave an aww at the newborn yawn.

We’d become closer than ever since I’d moved into the building.

As new wives to the family and also with all three of us being pregnant at the same time, it was impossible for us to stay apart and hold grudges.

It had taken a few long talks, and lots of apologies and explanations, but I was safe to call Lucy my best friend.

Sloane was too. We were three forces to handle, and I felt blessed every day that I had them in my life.

“Congratulations, again, Sloane,” Joann said as she came through the room, bearing a new cup of ice water for her.

She didn’t have a job. Maxim had to constantly remind her that she was just a permanent guest at the house.

But it was in her nature to nurture and help us.

We would be lost without her, and as these babies came into our lives, I knew she’d step in as an honorary godmother and be such a huge help when we’d need it.

“But let me take her,” she said, smiling at the baby. “I haven’t had my chance to hold her yet today. And you don’t want to be late for your appointment,” she told me with a knowing wink.

“Shit.” Nik checked the time. “We will be late.”

“No, we won’t,” I argued. “It’s not like we have far to go.”

Even though today’s appointment was just supposed to be a routine checkup, Nik and I decided last week that we wanted to find out our baby’s gender, after all. The doctor said that they could take a few extra minutes for us and do a gender reveal.

“It’s just a few rooms down the hall,” I reminded him.

Every time I came to an appointment, I felt grateful all over again that he’d relented on keeping me home or letting me come out to an office or the hospital.

The closer my due date came, the more I started to worry about how I would fare during childbirth, but that wasn’t going to help me.

Worrying that far in advance would drive me nuts.

All I could tell myself was that Nik would provide every possible resource for me to have the smoothest birth possible.

That was how my man loved me.

He knew when to fight with me and when to compromise. I tried to always do likewise.

I handed Isabella over to Joann, who was already cooing at her and rocking. Lucy smiled at me and wished me and Nik luck.

“And you guys still don’t want to find out the gender of your baby?” I asked her and Damon.

He shook his head. “I want it to be a surprise.”

Lucy nodded with a silly little smile. “Yeah. It’s exciting to guess and wonder.”

“Nah. I can’t wait to know,” Nik said, taking my hand.

“Why, so you can practice baby names?” I joked.

“You know it,” he replied as we left the room.

“Maybe we could just have someone else name him or her.” Because the argument about our baby’s name often got heated and we both dug in, vetoing each other’s ideas just for the sake of not giving in.

“We’ll find one that we can both live with.”

“And then there’s nicknames,” I added.

“That’s just a loophole.” He laughed. “We will find a name.”

We would. While bickering came naturally for us, we both knew when to bend a little. Our baby’s name was an important decision, but we’d manage it.

Twenty minutes later, after a walk down the hall for my appointment, we were both beaming with the news that we’d have a daughter as well.

Nik kissed me, so happy and excited, as the ultrasound tech cleared the gel off my stomach.

“Louisa,” he suggested.

I smirked. “I told you. I like Rebecca.”

“Everyone would nickname her Becky.”

“What’s wrong with Becky?” I sat up with his help.

“It’s not good, that’s what’s wrong with it.”

I rolled my eyes as I stood, leaving the room with him a moment later. “Okay, then why not Simone?”

“I don’t care for a name that starts with the letter S .” He held my hand as we left the room. As we walked back to visit Sloane, Maxim, and Isabella, he smiled at the ultrasound images the tech had printed out.

“So you don’t like Sloane’s name?”

“Her name doesn’t matter. Or it doesn’t matter whether I like it or not. It’s her name that she was given and that’s that.”

I smiled, shaking my head. “Okay, then what about Josephine?”

He cringed. “Why do you want weird names?”

I groaned as we returned to the room. “Fine, what name is your backup for a girl?”

“A girl?” Lucy squealed. “Oh, that’s so exciting!”

Sloane and the others congratulated us as well.

“What about Farrah?” Nik suggested.

That wasn’t terrible, but then Saul cleared his throat.

“No. Please not Farrah. I once had a long weekend on a yacht with a Farrah and…” He quieted, noticing Anastasia and Grigory making a face as though to suggest here we go again .

“Never mind.” He made a gesture with his hand at his throat to suggest that we nix that name from consideration.

“Oh, well if we’re going to ask you for advice about names for the fairer sex,” Nik teased, “you’ll have too many opinions.”

Saul furrowed his brow, looking out the window instead of taking the teasing in stride like usual. He never made it a secret that he liked to sleep around. Like his brothers, he was naturally against the idea of settling down with one woman.

For now… Watch, Saul. It’ll be your turn next. I smiled a secret little smile, letting my hunch deepen and my ideas grow. This wasn’t the first time I’d noticed him seeming aloof and maybe a little sad. Like he was always left out of the talks about the babies and marriage.

Even though he planned to be in charge of going after the Romanos so the Ivanov Syndicate would have no major enemies to worry about, I bet he could make time for some love in his life.

His brothers had managed to open their hearts.

And I bet Saul would too.

As I looked over all the happy, wonderful people in this room, my family , I knew that I would always wish this kind of good fortune on others. Belonging with a family for the first time in my life, I felt secure and wanted.

I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

That was how beautiful the gift of love was, no matter the risks it took to claim it and hold on to it.

Yep. Just you wait and see, Saul. Once you take your mind off business and duty, it’ll happen. You’ll find your love, too.