Page 102 of Revenge

“What time is it?” She sits up, almost in a panic.

“It’s early.”

She gets out of bed, looking for her clothes. “How early?”

“Eight.”

“Jesus, I need to feed my babies. Why did you let me sleep in?” There’s a slight panic in her voice which I find adorable. I chuckle.

“This isn’t funny,” she snaps.

“The nannies fed them. I made sure they were both fine. You needed to rest. They’re here to help you.”

“It’s not the same. Where are my clothes?”

“Why don’t I run you a bath?”

“I need to see my babies.”

I grab the tablet on my nightstand. I pull up the app to show all the camera feeds and hand it to her.

“See, fast asleep.”

“Wait, you mean to tell me there are cameras around the house?”

“Of course. I need to know what’s happening at all times.”

“Is there a camera in my bedroom?”

I don’t answer. I walk to the bathroom, turn on the water to fill the tub and add lavender oil.

“Viktor?” she yells.

“Come take a bath.”

“I’m not doing anything unless you answer me.” She stands at the door.

I pull her to me.

“What difference does it make?”

“You—”

I don’t let her finish. I kiss her, swallowing every single word. She tries to fight it at first, but desire wins.

Watching Ava get into the bathtub centers me. Everything is returning to normal. Claiming her is what I needed, and confessing how I feel has brought us closer. We’re better together than apart. I know she will also see that once she lets her guard down. Our relationship hasn’t been simple, but that doesn’t matter. She’s my queen, and I’ll fight for her with everything I have in my arsenal. I’ll show her that we’re worth fighting for. This war I’m facing is temporary. Once everything is over, we can start living the life she and our kids deserve.

Chapter Forty-Six

Ava

Afew weeks of bliss and I’ve allowed myself to be his once again. There’s no point in fighting a battle I’ve clearly lost, so I’m letting things be. I’ve slept in his bed every night since he confessed his love for me. It’s not that he hadn’t said it before. It’s more about recognizing that something has changed. He isn’t the same man. Maybe it’s because he’s a father now. All I know is that he let me see how vulnerable he can be. Something about his confession felt different, like the final piece of the puzzle fell into place.

Viktor has been trying to convince me to move my things to his bedroom, but I’m not ready. We still have so much to figure out. We have to rebuild the trust that is broken. It isn’t going to happen overnight, but it’s hard to resist him, especially when he claims me like he did last night.

His lips feel just like the first time. As his hands explore all my curves it’s like he doesn’t care about the stretch marks that our son has left behind. There’s a trace of heat where his lips have touched. Finally, he stops at my breast taking his time without taking his eyes off mine. We’ve never been as intimate as we are in this moment.

“Viktor,” I moan.

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