Page 28 of The Pakhan’s Arranged Bride (West Coast Bratva Pakhans #2)

I laugh, holding onto my swollen belly, unable to get out of the car on my own. Benedikt watches me with amusement on his face.

“Are you still going to try and tell me you don’t need my help?” he teases.

I’ve been trying to do things on my own. But I’m at the point in this pregnancy where if I drop something on the floor, it’s gone forever. I can’t bend down to pick it up, and I have to leave it where it is. Benedikt thinks it’s hilarious. The same way, he thinks this is hilarious.

“I got out of the car on my own yesterday,” I huff, reaching to grab the frame of the door.

He shakes his head. “Stop being so difficult, little fox. I want to do these things for you.” He leans into the car, wraps his arms around me and lifts me with ease, as though I don’t weigh a whole extra person more than I did before.

“You can put me down now,” I laugh, wiggling in his arms.

“Mm. What if I don’t want to? My overly independent wife, never accepting my help—she needs to confess that she needs me now,” he teases, nuzzling his face against my neck.

I roll my eyes.

“You’re pushing right against my bladder,” I warn him.

“I don’t care. You must confess,” he says in a serious tone, his eyes shining with mischief.

“Fine. I admit it. I need you. I kind of suck at everything right now, and yes, you will be tying my shoe laces from today onwards.”

Loud laughter bursts from him and he lets me slide down his body until my feet touch the ground.

“I’ll tie your shoe laces now until the end of time,” he says, brushing his hand over my cheek to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

“You have the oddest love language,” I laugh, smiling up at him, my heart filled with warmth and admiration.

He’s been incredible. Every step of the way over the last seven months, as I got bigger and bigger and more frustrated with my changing body and the raging hormones and the mood swings. Every single thing he did was with love and patience. He’s made things a million times easier for me.

That’s why I don’t ask for his help if I can do it on my own. He does so much already.

“Hey, are you two coming in?” Belle shouts from the front door, waiting for us to finish our moment at the car.

“We’re coming,” Benedikt shouts back.

Tonight’s dinner is a family reunion. I’m so excited to see Nestor and my mom.

It’s been a few months since they could get down to Las Vegas, and the doctor doesn’t want me flying anywhere at this point in the pregnancy.

He’s convinced I’m going to explode early and Benedikt won’t leave my side because he’s worried he’ll miss the action.

We walk into his mom’s house hand in hand, but as soon as I’m through the door, Nestor pulls me away and hugs me tight.

“How is my nephew?” he asks, excitedly.

“Sitting on my bladder,” I groan. “And kicking nonstop. I hardly get any sleep lately.”

“He’s a fighter. He’s going to make our family proud,” Nestor grins.

“Did you guys decide on a name yet?” Lara asks, wrapping her arm around my brother’s waist and leaning into him. They look so happy together.

I glance at Benedikt.

He grins and shakes his head.

“It’s a secret,” I say, answering Lara. She rolls her eyes but grins at me.

“What’s a secret?” my mom asks, walking in and hurrying over to me to hug me while Benedikt and Nestor say hello to each other.

“Oh my goodness, you’re glowing,” Mom says.

“I’m a whale,” I groan. “I don’t remember what my toes look like.”

“I was just as big as you are when I had Benedikt,” his mom says, hugging me too.

Everyone gets ushered to the dining room and guided to their seats. Benedikt is sitting next to me, my chair pulled right against his.

He’s chatting with Nestor about business.

“I warned you, you two can’t talk business all night.” I shoot him a stern look.

“Not all night,” he promises, squeezing my thigh.

While I talk to Belle about the thousand baby gifts she had delivered last week, I overhear Nestor and Benedikt discussing Ardalion.

He’s been a pain in the ass. After Benedikt refused to give him a chunk of territory in Las Vegas, he started messing with our business. Not enough to break alliances with other people, but enough to be annoying.

“So, do you want me to talk to him?” Nestor asks.

“No, leave it for now. He might get bored and give up. It hasn’t been anything serious yet. He’s just taking out his frustration.”

“I don’t like it. He’s asking for trouble.”

“No more business talk,” Lara says loudly, grabbing everyone’s attention. She lifts her champagne glass. “I want to say how nice it is to have everyone sitting at one table together.”

“Yes, it’s amazing,” Nestor agrees. “It’s been a while.”

Dinner is wonderful. We laugh and talk and share stories, catching up on the past few months since we last saw each other.

Being surrounded by real family, having this sense of comfort and homeliness without stress or worry—it’s all I ever wanted.

The smile on my face reflects the warmth in my heart as my husband, the most beautiful man alive, the one who fills my life in ways I didn’t know were possible, wraps his arm around me and pulls me into a hug.

In front of everyone, he says, “I love you more than words, little fox. And every day I wake up smiling, thankful that we found each other. I can’t imagine a life without you.”

I fight back my tears, over-emotional and flooded with hormones. He chuckles and brushes one off my cheek.

I reach up and touch his beautiful face.

“I love you too, Benedikt. You’ve changed my life. Everything about you—it’s exactly what I’ve always wanted.”

He pulls me close and kisses me.

My heart bursts with happiness.

My life is perfect.

*****

THE END

Dear reader, thanks so much for reading Benedikt and Ulyana’s story. I hope you enjoyed it.