Page 75 of The Russian Pakhan's Forced Bride
Immediately, the others come to life with their objections, already talking over each other.
Elena sighs and flicks at Mikhail’s cheek, who chuckles to himself knowingly, accepting the light scolding. “Look what you’ve started, idiot…”
“I’m only laying down the law while everyone’s here...gotta make sure we’re on the same page.”
Despite how their noise would usually be somewhat grating to me, I find myself chuckling, glad to see they’re taking the news well.
Through the chaos, Elena laughs and waves her arm in the direction of the others to shut them up. “Listen, all that matters is that the baby is happy and healthy…and knows who their auntie is.”
At this, another roar of laughter and enthusiastic chatter rises while the guys argue among themselves, proposing all the reasons they’ll be the favorite despite the competition being nonexistent in the first place.
As the food comes and goes, leading to dessert, I try to keep tabs on Victoria throughout, noticing the way she begins to open up more before carefully retreating again when the topic becomes somewhat touchy.
I can tell she wants to feel the excitement and to involve herself much like the others, but there’s still something she’s hung up on.
She obviously can’t get past the dangers involved…the risks that may follow us forever. But I just want her to see I’ll do everything in my power to protect her and the baby. To protect what we have.
With some sort of melty brownie dish between them, Elena ropes Victoria into a quieter conversation, letting our brothers do their thing on the other end of the table.
My attention slides to her often, watching how she smiles easily with my sister, not afraid to laugh or chime in.
She looks especially beautiful when she’s not scared, and something in me hates that I’m the cause of it.
The subtle prick of envy I feel at knowing she feels safer with Elena than with me isn’t one I’m used to, but I do my best to push it down. I’m grateful she does, at least.
“God help that child if it’s a boy,” Ivan says while I pass out the celebratory cigars. Despite his tone, there’s a slight pull to his lips. “He’ll have a lot to learn.”
“Might be fun, at least…having a mini-Roman around,” Mikhail suggests, lighting his.
“None of you are corrupting my child, regardless of what it is,” I warn them, pointing in their direction.
They chuckle, and despite the apparent threat in my words, they maintain their good humor.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be good. Mostly…” Sergey adds, knowing that he intends to be the opposite.
“That means nothing coming from you.”
While their ribbing normally grows old after a while, the fact that it has to do with the baby makes it feel different.
Being able to talk about it brings me even more excitement than I knew I was capable of. Regardless of how my brothers, especially, can get on my nerves, it means a lot to feel and see how they’re looking forward to it, too.
With a slightly serious note, Nikolai puffs on his cigar before letting go of a breath. “At the very least, you’ll have more than enough backup on this one.”
The sentiment brings me a sense of peace, and I nod, well aware that it’s true.
My siblings have always been the foundation of everything I’ve ever done, and to have them on board with the next stage of my life means the world to me.
Glancing over at Victoria, watching how she still seems somewhat reserved while talking to Elena, I hope she feels the support, too.
It will be an entirely new kind of responsibility for both of us to shoulder, but with my family in our corner, I know we can handle it.
Our child will want for nothing so long as I have any say in it, and they’ll know nothing but pure love and safety, as we both want for them.
But even if it’s new and daunting, I’ve never been one to shy away from that kind of responsibility, and I’ve certainly had more than enough practice with my younger siblings.
Still…I just hope that fact can bring her some comfort and reassurance.
Even if she might think it right now, she isn’t alone, and I don’t intend to make her feel that way.
