Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
I shake my head. I’m too spent.
But Lev takes my hand and presses it to his lips. His eyes are full of love and affection and pride. “You can do this, my queen.”
I nod and grit my teeth, and with a long, loud roar, I finally bring our baby into this world.
Feliks laughs and holds the baby up. “Welcome to the world, little girl.”
He places her on my chest, and I am immediately in love.
Lev pulls off his shirt and wraps it around his daughter, tenderly caressing her delicate face.
Thankfully, the ambulance arrives only moments later, and the EMTs immediately get to work, checking on our beautiful daughter, and helping me.
As they’re loading me into the ambulance, I turn my attention to Feliks.
“Are things going to be awkward between us?” I ask as my daughter makes adorable noises in my arms. “I mean, you got to see more of me than you probably ever thought you would.”
He grins and gives me a wink. “I’ve already forgotten.”
An hour later, sitting up in my hospital bed holding my daughter, I can still hardly believe I am a mother.
“Are you ready to hold her?” I ask Lev.
He grins and takes her from me and nestles her in his strong arms. He’s still shirtless, but he’s wearing his suit jacket over his naked torso. He refused to go home to get a new shirt because it would take precious time away from his newborn daughter.
“Hello, my angel,” he whispers gently to her, gazing down onto her sweet face with complete affection.
“That’s it, that’s her name!” I say, sitting up straighter.
Since arriving at the hospital, everyone has been asking me her name.
Lev looks over at me. “You want to call her Angel?”
It seems crazy that we’ve never discussed names before now. Although, at the time we were caught in the middle of a mafia war. So I suppose there’s that.
“It seems pretty perfect to me, don’t you think?”
Lev’s gaze drops to his daughter, who stirs in his arms and then settles. “Angel.” He smiles, and I can see the love he already has for her in his eyes. “It’s perfect.”
I can’t help but smile. “Angel Zarkov. It has a good ring to it.”
“Angel Ivy Zarkov,” Lev adds.
I feel a wash of emotion come over me. “You want to give her my mother’s name?”
He nods, and I have to fight back tears.
If my mom and dad were still alive, they would play a huge role in Angel’s life, and in the moment, I feel the ache of their absence right down to my core. But then I am reminded that Angel will be surrounded by a big circle of uncles and aunts, not born of blood, but still family. Uncle Feliks just helped bring her into this world, and I can’t imagine that bond ever breaking. Plus, Igor and Enya, not to mention Henry and Elsa, and Samantha and Chloe. This kid is going to be spoiled with love.
I swipe away the tears. “Thank you,” I whisper.
He looks from me to his daughter, and the look on his face makes me fall in love with him all over again.
I have never felt so content. So happy.
I look at them together. My perfect little family.
And I know I couldn’t want for anything more.
Bonus Scene
Igor and Enya get married, and Brooke has some surprising news for Lev.
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