“Only you, man.” Ivan nudged my knee as he leaned forward in his seat. “Only you would have to fight a war to keep your woman alive.”
I frowned. “That’s not true.” He went through hell to keep Raisa—after being apart from her for eight years. “Have you already forgotten about the shit Konstantin put you through with Raisa?”
He nodded, slightly sober and serious again. “Sure. But that was just the old Petrov family. Not a United Nations attempt ofallour enemies being after one of us.”
“And Luka had to fight with the Riveras and Vipers when he took Gabriella,” Alexsei said.
“Yeah,” Ivan replied, “but that’s not the same degree of danger as what Sadie brought to our attention.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I guess it’s true. You just have to go through life doing everything with that much more octane.” Ivan laughed as Alexsei nodded.
“It’s true.”
I sighed, letting them have their laughs while they could.
“Only you would fall for the fucking enemy,” Ivan said, “and then enticemoreenemies to be an issue at the same time.”
Alexsei grinned. “Yep. Only you would kidnap an agent who wanted to stalk you, then win her over.”
As they chuckled, getting it out of their systems, I sat there proud of the unconventional way Sadie and I had gotten together. It hardly mattered if everyone’s stories would be the same. I knew they wouldn’t be. We all took different paths through life. I just cared that Sadie and I were fated to wind up together.
I refused to be distracted by their teasing me. They meant no harm, and they’d helped me retrieve Sadie when she was taken. If they wanted to relax a little and joke around, the more power to them. I wouldn’t be distracted by anything. The mission awaiting me was too important.
Their laughter died down as my father came out to join us. He was busy all day, mostly worried about Gabriella telling him that the discomfort that had her wincing wasnota sign of contractions or labor. Dr. Hannan was in the mansion as well, ready to help Gabriella deliver if she wanted to do it here, at home, with private nurses on hand. She refused to go through the memories of how she’d delivered Andre, on the floor in the middle of a shootout.
He was here now, though, strolling out to sit with us. We talked some more about the plans to end the Obsidian Eye meeting, but eventually, Ivan and Alexsei went back inside, leaving me with my father.
It was getting harder to get him alone. Rare. With Andre such an attention hog and Gabby about to give him his second new son or daughter, he had to balance family life and work. I was his son, too, but since I wasn’t a child anymore, he could treat me more like a friend and employee at times than as his firstborn son.
“I wanted to talk to you before you go,” he said, calm and to the point, like he always was.
“All right.” I arched one brow. “What about?”
“I’ve been meaning to find the right moment to stress to you how proud I am of you.”
Huh.I wasn’t expecting that. I knew he was proud of me. He didn’t need to go out of his way and declare it like it was a new, shiny award, another level checked off in this game of life.
“It hasn’t been a smooth transition, getting Sadie back and integrating her into our lives.” He sighed and sat back to gaze up at the darkening sky. “I’ll admit that I was angry when I heard that you were fooling around with an agent. Of all the women in the world, you had to find a federal agent.”
I smiled at his tired expression.
“I was furious about the risks of intel being sold or shared. And I was worried that she was conning you as one more part of her role as a spy.”
“Nope.”
“I see that now. Just like I’ve witnessed how deeply you care about her. How invested you are in starting a new life with her and your child.” He chuckled. “I still can’t believe you’re settling down to have a child of your own.”
“Well, I was never going to be a bachelor forever,” I replied.
“No. I knew that, but with Sadie, you’ve shown how true and close your love is for each other.”
I smiled wider, comforted in the fact that others could witness the love Sadie and I shared. We had yet to confess those words, but I would as soon as I returned from this mission. I didn’t want that elation to distract me while I was gone. It could linger in the back of my mind, this novelty that Sadie and I really cared for each other. I would use that as additional motivation to come home to her, safe and in one piece, to confess my love for her.
“I know you had to have been in a tight spot, assuming that I wouldn’t approve of her. But not once did I worry that you would betray me or the family. Not once was I nervous that I couldn’t trust you.” He patted my knee.
“Thanks, Father.”
