“It was in the spare bedroom. When did we move all of the Christmas stuff in there?” Viktor answered as he walked back into the living room.
“Oh, that’s right. Amara came over a couple of days ago to wrap Duncan’s present. My memory is really going.” She laughed it off.
Viktor placed the wrapping supplies in close reach of her. He was just about to sit down in front of the tree to help her when there was a knock at the door. “I hope it isn’t Tia or Amara. I want to see their surprise when they open presents, not when they are sitting in a pile with the price tag still on them.”
“Viktor, love, you do realize our girls are adults. They won’t be tearing into presents like six year olds.”
Viktor smiled at her. “Watch and see, Nica. Tia used to sneak down to the tree in the middle of the night to peek at her presents. The last two Christmases we celebrated, Elena and I ended up wrapping two sets of presents. One set were empty boxes, which we put under the tree, and then the real presents we hid all over the house.”
“But wasn’t she around six at that time?” Nicoleta laughed as he went to answer the door.
Viktor signed for the package, tipped the private delivery person and closed the door shutting out the brisk wind blowing snow all around. “It’s getting colder.”
“I noticed that on our way back. What’s that?”
“I’m not sure. There is a letter that says open first attached to it.”
Viktor opened the letter. It was a single sheet of white paper. It simply said ‘Merry Christmas or congratulations on the upcoming nuptials.’ There was no signature.
“Strange.” Viktor handed the letter and envelope over to Nicoleta before sitting down on the couch with his pocket knife and opening the box.
“I should say it is strange, unless they are talking about Amara’s wedding, but that isn’t until next spring.”
Viktor smiled. He had the ring in his dresser drawer, stuffed under socks and underwear. He had moved in with Nicoleta the day after her rescue. It had been a bit of a mess around the cottage until everything found a place, but they’d managed to do it in record time. During the move, he’d managed to pick up two more clients, while Nicoleta sold an entire series of paintings Tia hadn’t been able to move in six months.
They had taken Cole, Tia, Duncan, and Amara out to celebrate that night. It had gone a long way in smoothing relations between him and his soon to be sons-in-law. Cole and Tia had finally set a wedding date for the following June. Viktor was going to get to walk her down the aisle after all. He was thrilled.
Nicoleta was as well when Tia asked her to please take the role of mother of the bride, and asked Amara to stand up with Kylie as her attendants. It was going to be a small wedding party, just Cole and Tia, the bride and groom. Devin was the best man and Kylie was to be her matron-of-honor. Duncan was the only groomsman and Amara would be the bridesmaid.
Viktor opened the box lid and then promptly closed it. What the hell had he been sent? “Nica, don’t open that box. I’m calling Duncan.” He’d made a promise to Nicoleta, and the rest of them, that he would not keep any more secrets. He was done with the lies and betrayal.
“What is it?” She stood, fear evident on her face.
“I’m not sure, but we want someone official here before we go any further.”
“Viktor, Duncan isn’t off of suspension until after the first of the year.”
“He’s official enough for this.”
An hour later, they all stood around Joshua Culverton’s desk. The box sat in the middle of it, while he talked to Marshal Thompson in Helena.
“I understand…Yes. I’ll let them know. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.” Josh hung up the phone. “Amara, Nicoleta, I really wish the two of you would sit.’
“Just tell us, Josh.” Duncan demanded. He had his hands on Amara’s shoulders ready to catch her if she fell.
When he arrived at the cottage, Viktor had taken him into the kitchen, leaving Amara and Nicoleta in the living room. Everything seemed to be okay upon entering the cottage. Well, okay except for the huge pile of stuff under several blankets. He’d warned Amara her mother would go overboard with presents this year after having been kept from her for a decade. Amara now believed him.
Once they arrived in the kitchen, Viktor showed him the box and allowed him to open it on his own. Inside was a rough-hewed homemade knife with a bloody blade, beside it was a human index finger and ear. Duncan closed the lid and glared at Viktor.
“Don’t look at me that way. As soon as I opened the box and saw the bloody knife, I called you.”
“And you don’t think this has anything to do with the ECO?”
“It might, but I didn’t order a hit. I don’t see why you’re so pissed off at me. I was Christmas shopping today and was just sitting down to wrap presents.” Viktor paced. “I didn’t have anything to do with this, Duncan.’
Duncan sighed. He knew Viktor didn’t order the hit. “Who do you think it is?”
“Isn’t it obvious? It has to be Baxton.”
“Yeah, I think so too.” That was when Duncan decided they needed to take the box to Josh Culverton, the Sheriff of Sapphire Springs.
“Thompson just confirmed ex-Senator Craig Baxton was killed in federal holding. It appears there are several pieces of his body missing.”
“That would be due to them being sent to his enemies. Letting them know the job is done.” Viktor supplied for those who might not know how these things went.
“Viktor, you swear you didn’t have anything to do with this?” Josh asked for the fifth time.
“My word of honor. You can read the letter again. Whoever did this thought they were giving me, us a gift.”
“Sick gift.” Josh muttered under his breath.
“Craig is really dead?”
Josh looked up from the box to see Nicoleta twisting her fingers and Amara was snapping an elastic band at her wrist. They were both freaked out. “How much do you want to know?”
“All of it.” Nicoleta state honestly.
“None of it. He’s dead. That’s all I need to know. If you find out who did the deed, please give me their name.”
“Amara?” Duncan queried.
“I’ll bake them a cake, throw them a ticker tape parade, name our first child after them. I’m done. I don’t need to know anything more.” She turned back to the Sheriff. “May we go?”
“Yes, you are free to go.”
“Thank you.” She turned toward the door. “I’ll wait for you in the truck.” She spoke to Duncan.
“Angel, it’s freezing out there.”
“It’s outside. That’s all I need.”
After Amara left, Nicoleta finally took the seat she had been offered three times since she arrived. She took Viktor’s hand in hers, holding tightly, when he sat beside her.
“Craig was cornered in the bathroom. They stabbed him multiple times. We don’t have the exact count at the moment. We don’t have an autopsy yet, but unofficially they believe his kidney and lung were punctured. There might even have been a nick to his heart. His throat was slashed, his tongue removed…”
Nicoleta gasped. Her stomach roiled. She was going to be sick. Shaking her head, she rose from her seat. “I don’t want to hear any more.” She turned to Viktor. “I’ll wait in the truck with Amara. I know you want to hear this. Take your time.”
Viktor helped her on with her coat, making sure it was buttoned snuggly and she had her gloves and scarf. “We won’t be long. I don’t need to hear all of it.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “Be sure to turn the heater on. It is freezing out there.”
When the door closed behind Nicoleta, Viktor turned to Josh. “I don’t need to know anything more, other than what was cut off. I need to know what pieces were sent off.”
“All ten fingers, both ears, his tongue and his penis and balls.”
“Jesus, Goddess, and Buddha. What the hell?” Duncan gasped.
Viktor
chuckled. “Jesus, the goddess and Budha? Hedging our bets are we, son?”
“Something like that. Why would they take so much of him?”
“I’m more concerned where his dick and balls went. If Nica and I only received an ear and finger, who was sent that part of him?”
“Damn, I hadn’t thought of that.”
“Whoever is the recipient, the Heads of the ECO felt that person had been hurt worse than Nicoleta.” He looked at Duncan. “I can only think of one person that bastard hurt more than her.”
“We didn’t get anything.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t.”
“I’ll make sure I sign for any packages.”
“And I’ll let Grigory know….”
“No, you won’t. I’ll call Uri and he can tell Grigory to stop.”
Viktor nodded his agreement. He had made a promise not to contact Grigory again unless someone he loved was in danger from something the ECO was involved in. “I’m going to take Nica and Amara home. Are you coming?”
“Yes. I sort of have too, since we came here in my truck.” Duncan huffed. “You going to deal with that?” He asked Josh.
“Yeah. I guess I’ll have a courier take it back to Helena. They can bury him with his pieces. Damn that is a shitty way to go. No dignity at all.”
“That’s the point, son. They were sending a message. Not only to anyone still associated with Baxton, but also to those he had done wrong.”
“And what message is that?” Josh asked.
“Don’t touch Nicoleta, and Amara if we receive a package.”
“And Baxton’s reign of terror is officially over.” Viktor added.
Chapter 15
“Breathe, Baby. Just breathe.”
“I am breathing, Devin.” Kylie gritted through her Lamaze panting. She clutched the door handle of the truck as another pain rippled across her swollen abdomen. She couldn’t remember Jamie’s birth being this painful. However, it had been over ten years since she had her son. She’d been younger, a teenager and with everything going on in her life at the time it could be she was just blocking out this part.
Kylie held on through another contraction as Devin cut the wheel sharply into the emergency entrance of the hospital. She was so thankful he had been trained in high-speed chase maneuvers. Otherwise, they would have landed in a ditch somewhere along the way.
Glancing over to her husband, she began laughing. She definitely didn’t remember him being this freaked out when she delivered Jamie. “Maybe I should be telling you to breathe. Are you okay, honey?” Reaching over, she patted his leg.
Devin was having a helluva time keeping it together. This day came faster than he’d expected. He was nervous, frightened, elated and exhilarated all at once.
He threw the truck into park a second before he jumped from the cab. “We need some help.” He bellowed as he rushed around the truck to his laboring wife. Tires squealing as a dozen vehicles pulling in to stop, but it didn’t faze him. His total attention was on Kylie gritting through another attraction.
“I need to push, Devin.”
“No!” Devin along with several others screamed at her.
Kylie let Devin help her from the truck into a waiting wheelchair. “Is this completely necessary? I can walk.”
“NO!” the chorus sounded again.
Kylie snickered at all the male voices surrounding her. It would seem the entire extended family was here for the birth of their babies. “Calm down, boys. I’m not the first woman to give birth. Heck, it’s not even the first time I’ve given birth. It will be okay.”
She rotated her head to see all of them. Her gaze landed on Devin first and then hit all of his brothers, his father, his best friend and ended on their son, Jamie, who looked a little ill from the ride to the hospital as well as the fact his mother woke him with her screams. “Gee, I have a football team in attendance.” Her laughter trailed off into a wail of pain.
“Don’t worry, boys. She was giddy like this with Jamie, too.”
“I was?” She didn’t remember that.
“What are the odds, you two would have a baby on Christmas day?” Dominick teased.
“I love you, Pop, but for now, shut up about it being a miracle we are even together.”
“Just sayin’. I can’t believe it took a son of mine ten years to close the damn deal.”
“Enough, Pop.” Grayson admonished their father. “It might have taken him a decade to come to his senses and marry Kylie, but apparently it didn’t take him long to knock her up.”
Dominick preened as if he was responsible for the deed. “You have a point there, son.”
“Devin, if you don’t wheel me inside, I’m going to kick your father in the shin.”
Devin laughed as he spun the wheelchair around to face the automatic doors of the hospital emergency entrance. “Someone needs to move these vehicles and clear the loading area of the ER.” Devin stopped listening the moment he heard his father start issuing orders.
As he wheeled his wife through the doors he bent over her to whisper in her ear. “Are you ready to tell them yet?”
Kylie shook her head no as another contraction took over her abdomen. “No. Wait.” She panted. “Let’s surprise them.”
“Sometimes Mrs. Blackthorn, you have an evil streak.”
Kylie grimaced. She’d meant to smile but another hard contraction hit her. She was going to have these babies sitting in a damn wheelchair. “Aaarrrrggghaaaaa.”
“Oh, shit.” Devin looked around in a panic. “Doctor! Where the hell is the DOCTOR!”
Viktor held baby Emily in the crook of his arm while Tia went to check on the progress of Kylie’s delivery. The baby split her time in her grandfather’s arms between cooing up at him and sleeping. She was such a sweet baby.
“How do you do it?”
“Hmm?”
Cole sat beside him. “How do you keep her so calm? All she does at home is crap and cry.”
Viktor chuckled. “She feels your anxiety and reciprocates.”
Nicoleta sat across from him next to Amara. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of Viktor and the baby. He seemed so natural with her in his arms, as if he’d been made to be a father. That thought had her swallowing hard. Things had progressed between them faster than anyone could have predicted.
“How are you doing, Amara? Did Duncan take care of the box you received?”
“Yes. He had Josh send it back to the prison. I don’t want to talk about it. How are you, Mama?”
“I’m fine, love.”
“You’re staring at the baby. Have you ever thought about having more children?”
“I’m too old, Amara. My time passed sitting in that gilded prison.”
“You’re so full of it. You aren’t even fifty yet. You could still have a baby.”
Nicoleta sneaked a look at her daughter, “How would you feel if I did get pregnant?”
“I think it would be great. I always wanted a baby sister or brother.”
Nicoleta shook her head. “I don’t know why we are talking about this.”
Amara started to answer her, but at that moment a haggard, but happy looking Devin walked into the waiting room.
“It’s a boy.” Everyone started talking at once, slapping Devin on the back and congratulating him. He managed to get them to quiet down enough to continue. “And, a girl. Ryan James and Rylie Ann Blackthorn. Mama and babies are doing great.”
“How’s daddy doing?” Cole asked as he came up to give Devin a brotherly hug. “You just had to outdo me, didn’t you?”
“Technically, we were pregnant first.”
“Yeah, but it’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish it.” Cole laughed.
“Walk with me?” Viktor asked behind Nicoleta.
Accepting his hand, she went with him. He took her down several halls, turning corners and heading somewhere. When they reached an outside door it opened into a lovely garden area. She followed Viktor over t
o a bench beneath a leafless tree. Snow was falling softly.
“We only have a few minutes left of Christmas. I wanted to give you your present on the day rather than waiting.” He brushed off the bench making certain it was dry before seating her.
“What are you up to, Viktor?”
“Life is too short, Nica. When you find someone who touches your heart, your body, and your mind you want to spend as much time with them as possible. I’ve told you how I feel about you, now I’d like to turn those words into action.”
Nicoleta’s brow rose in question. “You want to make love out here? In the snow?”
Viktor smiled deviously. “If we wouldn’t get caught, I’d make love to you anywhere, woman. But, I’m talking about something more in-depth than physically tying us together.”
He kissed her softly.
“I never thought I’d want to marry after losing Elena. Now I know it was because I hadn’t met you yet.” He pulled the ring box out of his pocket and sat down beside her. “I’m too old to get down on one knee, Nica, but know my heart is in the right place.”
He opened the box, “Marry me.”
Nicoleta watched as he opened the small box. I lovely square cut diamond set in a platinum band sparkled at her in the moonlight. Covering his hands she placed hers over his and closed the box. “There is something I need to say before I answer you.”
Viktor nodded. His heart beating wildly in his chest. He thought he’d known the answer to his question. Would she turn him down?
“I’ve watched you all day with Emily Grace. I know you are happy with being a grandfather, but would you want more children of your own?”
“Through the years, I’ve thought about it. I wanted more children, but at our age….”
Flawed Perfection: A Collection of Winter Wishes Page 36