“Hey, Boris,” I say, giving him a quick hug.
“Hey, kiddo, everything going okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s going great.”
He smiles and then claps Volodya on the back, switching to Russian and telling him something that makes them both laugh. My mom and I have been trying to learn the language, but we’re nowhere near close to being able to understand their speed talk. She shoots me a look and starts to laugh.
“I swear they talk that fast on purpose. We’re going to need to up our game so we can figure out what they’re always laughing about.”
“Agreed,” I tell her, lifting a brow at Volodya.
“It’s nothing, baby,” he tells me. “Just work stuff.”
My mom knows about the family business. I’m pretty sure she’s always known, but there was no keeping it from her after she got married and found out that as the wife of someone who’s a member of the Bratva, she also needed to get a tattoo. She handled it remarkably well, laughing and telling Nikolai that she was going to look like one badass grandma with that thing on her arm.
After piling in the SUV, Volodya drives us over to Vasily’s. Everyone else is already there. My mom and Katya quickly start talking and grabbing babies. Svetlana’s and Andrei’s little girl starts squealing when she sees Misha.
“Hi, Alina,” I coo at her, laughing when she gives me a big smile and then turns her blue eyes up to her daddy, who beams every time he looks at her.
“Okay, let me see my littlest nephew,” Valeri says, walking over and grabbing Misha from Volodya’s arms. He tucks him against his chest like a pro, kissing the top of his head. He’s fully healed from his gunshot wound, but I’ve noticed that lately he’s been spending less time partying and more time hanging out with his nephews.
I bend down when Dmitri comes running over and throws his little arms around my neck. I hug him and reach out to pet Ruslan’s head, because he’s never far behind Dmitri. The big dog licks my hand and then sits behind Dmitri, waiting and watching. Dmitri’s got my name down, but he still struggles to say Volodya’s. When he yells, “Volya,” I laugh and hand him over. Volodya wraps him in a big hug, talking to him in Russian.
While everyone laughs and visits, I help Nina set out all the food, and then we spend the next couple of hours eating until we can’t move. I look around the table at my family, still amazed that I went from just having my mom to having so many people that I love and care about. Volodya’s hand is resting on my thigh while his other arm cradles our sleeping son against his chest. He gives me a squeeze and then winks when I meet his eyes. God, the man never fails to take my breath away. I grab his hand and smile before leaning my head against his shoulder.
We visit until Misha begins to get fussy and then start to say our goodbyes and pack up everything.
“Next time it’s at our place,” I tell Vasily, giving him a hug goodbye.
“Sounds good,” he says, grabbing a laughing Dmitri when he runs by and then wrapping his other arm around Nina.
Valeri holds Misha while we get everything situated, giving him one last kiss and telling him in Russian that he loves him before handing him over and hugging me goodbye. Once we’re all piled in, Volodya drives us back, heading to the cabin first to drop off my mom and Boris, and then finally back to our house.
The dogs swarm us when we get inside, whimpering and wagging their tails, not settling down until they’ve sniffed everything and convinced themselves that we’re all here and safe. Misha smiles at them and squeals when Pulya gives him a lick. They’re all super gentle with him, and one of them is always on guard duty. I swear they have some sort of schedule that they rotate so they can watch the property and the littlest Medvedev.
I’m still breastfeeding, so I sit down with Misha while Volodya puts everything away and then gets his bath ready. He may have been hesitant around Dmitri at first, but ever since he first held Misha, he’s been a natural.
While I’m patting Misha’s back, he comes up behind me and whispers in my ear, “There’s something insanely sexy about watching you feed our son, baby.”
I laugh and turn my head, giving him a kiss. “I feel like a lot of things, but sexy isn’t one of them.” It’s only been four months since I gave birth, and it’s going to take a while before my body gets back to normal.
“I’m not doing my job right if you’re still clueless about how crazy you drive me.” He mutters something in Russian and grabs Misha. “I’m going to need to do better.”
I see the determined look on his face and my breath picks up at the sight of it. I know that look. It’s the same one he gets before he buries his head between my legs, not letting up until I’m muttering incoherently like a crazy woman.
“I’ll get him cleaned up, baby. Go ahead and rest.” He gives me a wicked grin. “You’re going to need it.”
I smile and take him up on the offer, stretching out on the couch until I force myself up before I fall asleep. Walking to the nursery, I stop in the doorway and watch Volodya rocking our son to sleep with a lump in my throat. Every time I see Misha in his daddy’s powerful arms, I get all weepy. Well, not just weepy. My hormones are still all over the place, so I get weepy and horny as hell.
Sensing me, my husband looks at me over the top of our son’s head and whispers, “Get in here, baby.”
As soon as I’m within reach, he palms my ass, giving me a squeeze as he pulls me closer. I lean down and kiss our son’s soft, dark hair.
“You’ve given me so much,kiska,” he whispers. “Far more than a man like me deserves.”
I rest my chin on his shoulder, watching our son sleep and kiss his stubbled cheek. “You deserve all of this and then some, Volodya, and I’m so glad that I get to be the woman to give it to you.”
His eyes soften at my words as he cups our son tighter and stands up so he can lay him down in his crib. We watch him sleep for a few minutes before whispering in his little ears that we love him and kissing him one last time. The dogs are already sprawled on the floor around his crib, snoring softly, and as we leave the room, I know our son is as safe as he can possibly get.
