I lean in, gently pressing my lips against Sophia’s. She wraps her arms tenderly around my neck, urging me closer, her lips yielding beneath mine as she intensifies our connection. I surrender to her pull. The shadows of my past and the fierce world I’m entangled with fade, overtaken by a love so profound that it leaves me in awe.
For you, I’d conquer empires.
For our child, I’d lay waste to entire cities.
But right now, all that matters is being the man you deserve and the father our child requires.
“See! I told you Beauty and the Beast would be together!” Yulia exclaims, her excitement unmistakable. She claps her hands together with such joy that it’s infectious.
Max, always the loyal companion, chimes in with an enthusiastic bark, his tail wagging in harmony with the mood of the room.
Laughter bubbles up from the small crowd gathered, the lightness of the moment shared by all.
Erik, looking a touch impatient but with a smirk on his face, says, “I think it’s time we head down to celebrate.” He arches an eyebrow, his gaze drifting momentarily towards the lakeside. “My whiskey awaits, after all.”
“I think we’ve had enough of formalities,” I remark, watching as the guests begin to make their way toward the lakeside celebration. The scent of the food drifting up from the lake is inviting.
Wren, with her ever-playful demeanor, chuckles. “You may think so, but there’s still the matter of the bouquet.”
Sophia’s eyes light up with mischief. “Ah! Wait. Almost forgot.” She takes a step back, clutching the bouquet.
Erik smirks. “Just throw it to Wren and save us the theatrics.”
But as Sophia swings her arm back and releases the bouquet, it’s Dimitri – of all people – who unexpectedly catches it, his reflexes as a seasoned fighter coming into play. He stares down at the bouquet, his face a canvas of surprise.
“Fuck,” he mumbles.
Sophia bursts into laughter.
Looking at her, a realization hits.
I can’t think ofhappinesswithout her in it.
Dimitri, trying to play it cool with the bouquet in hand, mutters, “It just…flew my way.”
Wren teases, “Looks like fate’s sending you a message.”
“Then you can have it,” Dimitri retorts, tossing the bouquet in Wren’s direction.
With a swift move, she catches it. “No!” she shouts out.
Yulia tugs at my sleeve, her big eyes wide with innocence, “Does this mean Dimitri and Wren will get married next?”
I chuckle, ruffling her hair. “Maybe,Malyška.”
I wrap an arm around Sophia, pulling her close. This moment, with friends, laughter, and love, is all I’ve ever wanted. The beast in me is at peace, all thanks to the beauty beside me.
Epilogue
Sophia
Two years later
The tropical scent of plumerias surrounds me as I lounge beneath a shady palm, baby Natalya nestled next to me. She coos, her tiny hands playing with a colorful lei draped over her lap. The vibrant flowers contrast beautifully against her white sundress. Her striking blue eyes, the same hue as Luka’s, are filled with wonder as they dart from one fascinating object to the next.
Absentmindedly, I touch my barely visible baby bump, and a tingling sense of excitement mixed with a dash of nervousness surges through me. It’s still early days, but there’s a gut feeling, or maybe it’s a maternal instinct, that it might be a boy this time. Just thinking about how Luka’s eyes shone when he first held Natalya does something to my heart.
“Ma-ma-ma,” she mumbles, reaching out to hand me a plumeria blossom she’s plucked from her lei. Every day, her speech becomes clearer, though Luka had the pleasure of hearing her first clear “dada.” A memory that still has him walking on air, especially since those eyes of hers always search for him – eyes with Luka’s depth and my warmth.
