Epilogue
Milana
The sun rises above the mountains, as I stroll along the rocky banks of Lake Louise. It’s mid-august, but it’s only a chill forty-four degrees this morning. My warm coat helps stave off the cold, as I stare into the crystalline blue waters. The color reminds me of Lyov’s eyes.
I’ve got used to the concrete jungle of New York, but it’s a relief to escape for once. Lyov managed to convince Andrei to give him two weeks off for a getaway. I’d taken living in Miami for granted, never being far from the beach.
Even so, I couldn’t convince Lyov to pick a beach location. He said he had always wanted to visit the Canadian Rockies. A place I’d not considered before, but I’m glad he insisted. It is beautiful here, if a bit cold.
Lyov admitted that we needed somewhere quiet and far away from any other brotherhood’s territory. After everything that has happened in the last six months, I was quick to agree. There’s no chance we’re going to bump into any of the bratva up here.
It’s eight o’clock in the morning, and when I got up, Lyov was fast asleep. He isn’t exactly a morning person. I couldn’t sleep any longer. For three weeks, I’ve struggled to sleep. It’s because of the news I got from my doctor.
I’m pregnant.
The mix of emotions are so intense that I can hardly work out whether I’m happy or just downright scared. Am I ready to be a mother? More importantly, are we prepared to be parents?
I haven’t told Lyov yet. Fear of what he will think has held me back since we haven’t discussed children or our future. It’s been just over six months since we met, and it feels like it could be too soon to start a family.
That’s not even taking into account how dangerous it is to raise a family in this world. A world full of crime, brutality, and violence isn’t exactly what I want to offer my future family.
Do I want to bring a child into this world? The bratva world.
My dad is gone from it, which makes it a safer place. Dima was quick to take his place as leader, but he’s not a strong one. I’m confident he won’t pose any threat to the New York brotherhood. He’s foolish and doesn’t command the same respect our dad did.
“Mila,” Lyov calls out from behind me.
I turn to face him. “What are you doing up and out of bed so early?”
He jogs to catch up with me, wrapping his arms around my stomach and pulling me into his chest. “I think the more important question is, why did you sneak out of bed without me?”
I sigh. “It’s so beautiful out here, and I wanted to explore, but I didn’t want to wake you.”
He shakes his head. “Never sneak away from me again.” He rubs his nose against mine. A short silence falls between us, palpable with tension. “What’s bothering you?”
I pull back and glance up at him. “What makes you think there is something wrong?”
Lyov grabs my hand and leads me toward a bench on the edge of the lake. “Sit.”
I take a seat, worried this is going in the direction I didn’t want it to.
The idea of telling Lyov I’m pregnant makes me queasy.
“Milana, I’m not blind. I know you are hiding something from me.” He cups my chin in his hands. “Tell me what is wrong.”
I know I can’t keep it a secret forever. Three weeks of hiding this from Lyov has been long enough. “The truth is that three weeks ago, I went to visit the doctors.”
“Are you okay?” he asks.
I nod my head. “Yes, but… I’m pregnant.”
Lyov drops my chin for a moment, eyes widening. “Pregnant?”
My stomach sinks at the shock in his voice. “Yes… I don’t know-”
He kisses me, silencing the words on the tip of my tongue. “That is amazing news.” He cups my face in his hands. “We may not have planned for it, but I can’t wait to start a family with you.”
A lump forms in my throat, and emotion rises in my chest to hear him so happy. The biggest fear was that he’d be angry. Angry that I hadn’t taken precautions to stop this from happening. Tears flood my eyes as I realize the anxiety was rooted in whether he would want this or not.
He wipes away the tears that roll down my cheeks. “Why are you crying, Mila?”
I shake my head. “I was scared what you would think… We haven’t discussed starting a family.”
Lyov smiles, kissing my lips softly. “No, we haven’t discussed it, but it’s everything I want.” He shrugs. “Sure, our lives our dangerous, but I know we’d protect our children with everything we’ve got.”
I laugh. “Of course.”
We fall into a comfortable silence, holding hands and staring out over the lake. “Isn’t this place beautiful?” I ask, staring at the snow-capped peaks in the distance.
Although I love beach holidays and hot weather, I love nature too. I always have since I was a kid. My dad thought it was weak to enjoy nature. He preferred Dima’s approach, which was killing any animals or any nature he came across. I’m glad I’ll never see either of them again, even if they were the only family I knew. Lyov is my family now.
“It’s beautiful, but not half as beautiful as you, Mila.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to face him, biting his bottom lip.
I tilt my head to the side. “What is it?”
He slips his hand into his inside jacket pocket. “This seems like a perfect lead up to a question I have to ask you.” He pulls out a small, black box and falls to one knee.
I know exactly what is coming before he even opens it. My heart races as he opens the box to reveal a stunning solitaire engagement ring.
“I love you, Milana. Ever since I saw you on that dance floor, a part of me knew we were supposed to be together.” I never believed in soul mates until I met Lyov. “Will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?”
I can hardly speak from the pain coating my throat. I’ve never felt so much emotion before in my life. A flood of tears stream down my cheeks.
“Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.”
He breathes a sigh of relief, pushing the ring onto my finger. “For a moment, I thought you were going to say no.” He stands and grabs my hand, pulling me to my feet.
“Never,” I say as he picks me up and spins me around.
He sets me back down on my feet, grabbing my hand. “Come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
He smirks and leads me toward a passageway between mountains. “You’ll see.”
We walk for a while between the jagged rocks jutting out on either side until we come to an opening and a small, steaming pool nestled between the stone. I glance up and notice only a small amount of sky is visible. It’s a private oasis.
“How did you know about this place?”
Lyov shrugs. “I paid the right worker at the hotel. I wanted somewhere romantic to take you.” He winks.
I feel the ache ignite deep inside of me and know what he means. Somewhere he could fuck me without anyone seeing us. He pulls me against his chest forcefully, pushing the tips of his fingers hard into my hips. “It’s about time I fucked my fiance,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to mine softly.
I try to step back, but he holds me close. “I didn’t bring my swimsuit.”
He shakes his head. “You most certainly won’t be needing it. Strip.” He let’s go of me, and I take a step backward.
I stare into the icy blue eyes of my future husband, wondering how I got so lucky to find a man like him.
“What are you waiting for?” he asks.
I shiver at the prospect of getting undressed right now. “It’s too cold.”
He steps toward me and tugs at my coat, forcing it off my shoulders. “I’ll warm you up. I promise.” I let it drop to the floor, as he begins to unbutton my pants. “Not to mention, the pool is a balmy ninety-eight degrees.”
He lets me continue stripping, pulling his coat and shirt off. I watch as he unbuttons his pants, pulling them down, so he’s only in his boxers.
I shiver as the cold air teases over my skin. Lyov pulls me close. “Do you trust me?”
I nod my head without a moment’s hesitation. “Of course.”