Page 100 of Caught By the Bratva Boss

“What?” I whispered.

“What do you mean, the next one?” Daniil’s voice shook.

Cocking her head to the side, the midwife looked just as confused as I felt. But I didn’t have a chance to ask what she meant as the pain came rushing back. More intense than ever.

“Here they come,” she said in her singsong voice from between my trembling thighs. “Push, Lily. Push.”

“What?”

“Baby number two is coming, Mr. Popov.”

“Number two?” we whispered in unison.

“You didn’t know?”

I watched Daniil shake his head silently, but the second before I tucked my chin into my chest and pushed, I was sure I saw him smile.

Epilogue 2

Daniil

My daughter Valentina Popov was born at twenty past eight in the morning, weighing 5lb. 6oz.

My son Alexander Popov was born exactly fifteen minutes later, weighing two lbs. less.

I stared down at my wife in shock. She was flushed, her face and hair sweaty, but the look on her face was breathtaking.

I was in awe of her for her beauty, but most of all for her strength. She had been through so much, and every single time she had come through it more stunning and stronger than ever.

“Lily.” I whispered her name like a prayer because to me, she was a goddess. “I—” my voice cracked.

“Are you ok, Mr Popov?”

Mutely, I nodded. No, I wasn’t ok. I was better than ok. I was ecstatically happy. I just didn’t know how to put that into words. All I could do was keep whispering her name. Over and over again. I swayed with the rush of emotions. My hands caught me before I fell down. I would not faint. Popovs didn’t lose control and faint.

From her place on the bed, Lily tore her eyes from our sleeping children and looked at me. Worry furrowed her eyebrows together. “Maybe you should sit down.”

Maybe I should, but I wasn’t going to because that would mean leaving her side, and I was never doing that.

“I’m fine.”

Her eyes drifted back to the sleeping infants in her arms. “I can’t believe I had twins.”

Me neither, I said silently.

“I can’t believe you didn’t know,” the midwife laughed. “It was clear as day on your records. Am I right in thinking this is a happy surprise?”

Not surprisingly, her eyes drifted to me. It was already clear that Lily was in love with her children. It was just my reaction that was worrying people. But how did a man like me put into words how happy he was? Happy but terrified.

“I’m happy.”

She frowned.

Jumping towards her, I gathered the older woman in my arms and spun her around. “Oh, I’m more than happy. I am complete. Thank you.”

She pushed me away with a laugh. “Thank your wife. She did all the hard work.”

Turning back to Lily, I grinned. “I told you so,” I said with a wicked grin.