Prologue
First,I want to thank my readers because they made this book happen. I never anticipated how much readers would fall in love with Aleksander. (I certainly did.) I’m a sucker for a tatted bad boy with a soft heart, and I somersaulted head over heels for Aleksander and the way he loved Syn quietly and from a distance since they were kids.
Readers begged me for more Aleksander, and because I love my readers, I decided to writeBeautiful Forever. To be honest, I never planned for Aleksander to become part of the group. I had intended for him to become Syn’s good friend. But that’s what happens when your characters mutiny and decide to take over the story, throwing your plot into chaos. The good kind, of course.
After doing a poll in my Facebook reader group about what they wanted from Aleksander’s story, I got an overwhelming response. Readers wanted to see the story from Aleksander’s point of view, delve into his backstory, see how Syn fell in love with him, and how he and Tristan buried their rivalry and became true brothers. A tall order for an author, but one I was determined to write, even if it meant cramming fourbooks’ worth of material into one book—which meant my plans for a novella went right out the window, andBeautiful Foreverturned into a full-length novel.
To explore the enigmatic, broody Aleksander, I wrote this book in piecemeal fashion, kind of like a journal (a nod to the journal Syn kept), crafting each chapter at certain points in time using Aleksander’s, Syn’s, and Tristan’s points of view to tell the story.
This book is also like a love letter between Aleksander and Syn. A slow-burn romance that chronicles how Aleksander was able to dig himself a place in Syn’s heart, and how Syn finally comes to terms with her feelings for a man who used to be her enemy.
So, find your comfy spot, curl up, and get ready to fall in love with Aleksander Stepanoff all over again.
Happy reading, Jennilynn
Part One
HOW IT BEGAN
A BOY NAMED ALEKSANDER
One
The Present
Holy shit.
A huge smile spreads across my face as I look at the rectangular digital display on the white plastic stick sitting on the bathroom vanity, its bold, black letters spelling out the most amazing word: PREGNANT. I knew there was a reason I started craving pickles dipped in peanut butter again, but even though I was expecting the pee stick to show what I already knew in my heart to be true, I’m still surprised to be knocked up so soon after having the twins.
Splaying my hand over my stomach, I stare at my reflection in the mirror, amazed that a new life is growing inside me. What if it’s twins again?Oh, boy.Guess we’ll find out soon enough.
“Hey, little one…or ones. It’s your mama. I can’t wait to meet you.”
I wake up every morning amazed at the life and the family we’ve built together. And grateful. So fucking grateful for the men I get to share this wonderful journey with.
Bursting to tell someone the happy news, I avoid the temptation to snap a pic and send it to Alana, Raquelle, and Andie. The guys get to find out first before anyone else, so I hide the pregnancy test inside my tampon box in the cabinet under the sink until I can figure out how I want to announce it.
With a skip in my step and a happy hum, I bounce out of the bathroom, only to stop short when I find Aleksander sitting on the Alaskan King bed, his long legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles, a book in his lap, and wearing those black-rimmed reading glasses I find sexy as fuck. His gaze flicks up as he turns the page, and I get lost in the soft, silver-gray of his moonlight eyes as they look at me like I’m the only thing that exists in his universe.
“How was your day, my love?” he asks, setting the book to the side.
My insides melt at his endearment, just like they do when he calls me his songbird.
“Better now that I get to see your handsome face.” Kneeling on the mattress at the foot of the bed, I undo the laces of his black leather dress shoes and slip them off his feet, then remove his socks and drop everything onto the floor.
He works too hard, juggling a million responsibilities—us and our family, the Society, the family business he inherited from Nikolai, the stuff he does for the Petrovs. We’ve been like ships passing in the night, and I’ve barely seen him this week, so the guys took the kids and will make themselves scarce for the next few hours, so I can spend some alone time with Aleksander.
Crawling up the length of his body, I cage him between my legs and curl my hands loosely around his neck. “The twins discovered the joys of playing in the mud at the park today. We had to spray them down with a hose when we got home.”
Sweeping my ponytail over a shoulder, he tenderly tucks a loose curl behind my ear. “I saw some of the evidence when Iwalked in. There’s a trail of tiny brown footprints going across the foyer tile.”
I lean in and brush my nose against his. “Fair warning. The back seat of the Range Rover is a mess. Hendrix is going to take it in for a full-detail service in the morning.”
“Speaking of, where is everyone?”
“Out. Just you and me and three whole uninterrupted hours.”
He smiles. “I really like the sound of that. I’ve missed you.”
