Finally sated, he huffs out a breath and gently runs his fingers along my spine.
“Christ,” he murmurs, barely lifting his head enough to press a soft kiss against my cheek. “I think I’ll remember that one for a long time…”
Even through the haze of my pleasure, I manage a grin and a hum of amusement. “So will I.”
“You’re incredible,” Sergey says as he reaches up to cup my cheek, brushing his thumb along my skin while he presses more kisses around my face. “I’m the luckiest man alive because of you.”
The sound of our bliss and amusement fills the bedroom while we remain like that for a long while, savoring every second we have with one another.
We’re together. Safe. And that’s all that matters.
Epilogue - Sergey
The warm, late Vegas sun glints off the restaurant windows along the patio where my family has taken over half the tables. Where laughter cuts through the air like usual—the kind that always erupts when all of us are gathered in one place.
We draw a few irritated glances from nearby patrons, but we don't care, and we never have.
I lean back in my chair with an arm draped loosely over the back of Kat’s seat. Her hand rests casually on my thigh as her fingers just brush the fabric of my jeans in a grounding touch. She chuckles at something Mikhail says. It’s something obscene, likely, if the groan that follows from Elena is any indication.
Roman sits across from me in quiet contemplation with a glass of bourbon in front of him. Our eyes meet briefly, and he nods the smallest of acknowledgments, but it’s enough for me to feel the weight behind it. The sincerity in his features.
"You did well," he says finally, tone clipped but sincere, while the others busy themselves eating or chatting.
I don’t admit it, but those words hit me hard. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear them.
Mikhail cocks a brow. “The world must be ending…Sergey is getting praised? Who would’ve guessed?”
I shoot him a look, but I can't stop the grin that spreads across my face anyway. He’s lucky I’m in a good mood.
“I think him not dying in a hand-to-hand brawl is more of an indication of the end times,” Nikolai murmurs over the rim of his glass.
"Thank you for your complete faith in me,” I mutter sardonically.
Kat grins, giving me a vaguely teasing look. “It was impressive, even if you looked like hell after."
The warm light in her eyes makes something warm pulse in my chest. I glance sideways at her while the wind lightly tousles those light strands over her shoulders. She looks amused and relaxed, like she belongs here, and maybe for the first time, she truly does. Not because she was forced into this life, but because she chose to stay. With me.
The others chuckle, but after a moment, Roman clears his throat. “I was wrong to not take you seriously sooner. Your decision to meet Yuri one-on-one was risky, but it paid off. He’s contained now, at least. You held your ground and didn’t just run into the fire. You brought back a win."
Coming from him, that's the highest praise, and it makes me feel more level than I have in a long while.
"That being said," Roman adds, his expression tightening just a little while he points to me. “Don’t make a habit of solo heroics. The next time might not go so well.”
"Yes, sir," I return, lifting my beer bottle in mock salute with a grin on my face.
Ivan chuckles to himself. "I still think Kat should’ve knocked Yuri out herself. Now that would’ve been something to remember.”
Kat chuckles and shakes her head while she picks at her food. "Trust me, I wanted to. But I couldn’t usurp Sergey’s moment.”
"See?" I muse, fully draping my arm around her shoulders. “That’s a considerate wife."
The others laugh, sharing the mutual amusement.
I sit back and soak it all in, committing to memory the sounds, the faces, the rare ease around us. These moments are rare in our world, and maybe that's what makes them feel sacred. Despite all the hell I’ve caused everyone, they’re still here, and thankfully, I’ve reestablished my place among them.
Later, when our meal wraps up, after the sun has dipped lower and everyone starts to peel away in small groups, Kat and I head toward the bikes parked at the edge of the lot.
“I’m surprised you wanted to leave so soon. To think, Roman was just leading into his best jokes,” she teases, brushing her arm against mine.
