“Is he going to be okay?” Violet asks, her hand finding its way into mine.
“Of course, Kitten. He’ll come around.” I finish my whiskey and put some money down on the table. Violet gets up, pushing from the table, and I take the moment to wrap an arm around her middle and pull her into my chest.
A tiny gasp slips past her pink parted lips. “We’ve come such a long way, Kitten. Making you mine and putting a baby inside you is the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. Thank you for saving me.”
The smile she gives me is breathtaking, and my heart starts to pound deep inside my chest.
“Thank you for guarding me, watching over me, and keeping your promise.”
“You were mine the moment I laid eyes on you.”
“Yes, and you were mine.” She pushes up onto her tiptoes and kisses me, and I know she’s right. We belonged to each other that night, our hearts tethered to one another's.
Epilogue
Violet
Nervous anxiety coats my insides, and I wipe my hands down the front of my jeans to rid them of the sweat forming against them. I’ve talked to Ella almost every day now, and I’ve even seen her when we video chatted, but none of those things compare to seeing someone in the flesh. In a few moments, she will walk through that door, and I will be able to see her right in front of me. I’ll be able to throw my arms around her and hug her until my muscles give out.
“You okay, Kitten?” Ivan takes my hand under the table and squeezes it lightly. We are in some fancy restaurant. Xander rented out a whole room, and we have been patiently waiting for ten minutes for them to get here. Although it feels more like ten hours to me.
When I see the hostess come around the corner, my heart skips a beat. Right behind her is Xander, who appears with my sister on his arm. As soon as she sees me, she breaks from Xander’s hold and basically pushes the hostess out of the way to get to me. I jump up and meet Ella halfway.
We crash into each other, and I wrap my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. To many it might not be much, but to me, after assuming she was dead, it means the world to see her in the flesh, to feel her arms wrap around me.
We hold each other for a long time, not caring how crazy the hostess thinks we are. Neither Ivan nor Xander interrupts our little bubble of joy, most likely because they’re afraid of what would happen to them if they tried.
When we finally break free from our everlasting hug, I pull away to look at her face. She is crying, of course, just as I am, but they are all happy tears. Besides her puffy and red eyes, she looks good, great even. She looks happy and I wonder if she sees the same in my face. Can she tell how happy I am?
“You know, you guys can sit down, too,” Ivan calls from the table. I look over and see Xander has already taken a seat beside Ivan, and I take Ella’s hand into mine, walking us to the table. Months ago, I never would’ve thought this moment could exist. A moment where we would all be sitting together as one big happy family.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Ella,” Ivan greets her but doesn’t extend his hand to her. Xander’s just as protective of Ella as Ivan is of me, and even though we’re all on good terms, neither of them approves of the other touching their woman.
“Thank you for arranging this.” Ella nibbles on her bottom lip, looking between Xander and Ivan, who both smile at her.
“I told you I’d give you whatever you wanted, Mouse.” Xander’s nickname for her makes me smile. Mouse? Does she know that Ivan calls me Kitten?
“I know but I just never thought this would happen.”
“For what it’s worth, neither did I.” Ella gives me a half smile, as she takes her seat. I sit in the seat beside her and take a sip of water. I hadn’t told her about being pregnant yet as I wanted to tell her in person. She looks nervous as well and I wonder if she, too, has something she wants to tell me.
We order lunch and the entire time, I’m jittery, wanting to spill the beans. Ivan keeps smiling at me, making me even more nervous.
“What’s going on?” Ella finally leans over and whispers in my ear. Nothing has changed, not really. She can still tell when I’m nervous or if something is wrong.
“I’m….” The words sit on the tip of my tongue, and I look to Ivan across the table for permission. When he gives me the nod, I burst at the seams. “I’m pregnant.”
Ella blinks, her eyes going wide, then as the shock wears off, she smiles, looking to Xander. He doesn’t nod, all he does is smile.
“Me, too,” she says with a joyous smile on her lips.
“Wait, you guys are having a baby, too?” I question.
“We sure are, and I cannot wait for the moment when her belly gets nice and big.” Xander’s eyes twinkle with love, with pure joy.
“Oh, my god, I can’t believe it. We are pregnant together,” I laugh. “Don’t you remember we used to talk about that when we were kids? How we said we’d have babies at the same time.”
Ella smiles. “I know. We said we would do everything together, including having babies.”
Who would have thought that our dreams would one day come true? We might have planned getting pregnant together, but we definitely didn’t plan on finding the men we love the way we did.
Our original plan included living next door to each other. Both houses with large connecting backyards and white picket fences. I don’t know if I see that in our futures now. Maybe two mansions with high-voltage security fences is more likely. That’s if Ivan and Xander can manage to live that closely to each other.
Either way, I’ll take it. I’ll take all of this. We might have not planned to end up with two mob bosses, but I am sure as hell not complaining now. I’ve never been loved or cared for more in my life. Ivan might kill with his hands, he might destroy, but when he touches me, it’s with nothing but kindness, with a gentleness. Seeing him as that man when no one else gets to is something I’d never give up.
“Ivan and I are open to letting you both plan each other’s baby showers if that’s something you would like to do, Violet? Of course, it cannot be the typical baby shower, being we will need security, and such but it will be just as good, I assure you.”
I look away from my sister and to Xander. “I would love that. I’m hoping soon that we can make a visit to your house? Maybe stay for a short while?” I look over at Ivan; he knows I’m not asking. I will make this happen. That’s the one thing about me that will never change. Determination for the things I want and the people I love will be something that I never let go of.
Ella’s eyes light up. “Yes, that would be so fun. Xander and I are considering putting a pool in so maybe after we get that done?”
“Now, now, don’t be getting ahead of yourselves, we need to plan accordingly,” Ivan warns, and I merely roll my eyes at him. Such an overprotective bear. I can’t help but love him. I lift my gaze to Xander. I don’t know all that him and Ella endured to get their happily ever after, but I’m sure it was just as much as Ivan and I had endured.
“Thank you for keeping her safe, for finding her…” I trail off, feeling tears sting my eyes. Xander’s face is devoid of emotion so I have no idea what he’s thinking but it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care, not really. All that matters is that I said what I wanted to say.