22
KOSTYA
All it took was an investigation, a little money, and three months. When he looked back at the time and effort invested into the cause, Kostya didn’t regret a thing. He’d stayed behind in London while Viktor, Alexandra, Roman, and Elena had headed back to Boston, and he’d made it his mission to make sure that whatever Maya wanted, she received.
For a woman like Maya, that meant professional fulfilment, and Kostya saw no better way to help her than to use his particular set of skills to convince the council that they’d made a mistake.
He hadn’t hurt anyone—Maya wouldn’t have stood for that—and he’d only resorted to intimidation once, when he’d discovered that the council member who’d shut Maya’s paperwork down on a technicality had been paid off by the Popov family to do so. It looked like Anatoly wasn’t only out to hurt the Sokolovs—he’d been shutting down his own daughter’s dreams like it was his personal mission to do so. Kostya didn’t know what to think of that, and he didn’t let it get to him. All he cared about was the delight on Maya’s face when she heard the news that her newly submitted proposal had been approved.
And now, with the warehouse cleaned up and renovated, Maya’s dream was finally coming true.
It was noon on a Saturday. The sun had decided to cooperate despite the forecast, and its heat warmed their shoulders and soaked into their hair. Kostya stood only a few paces behind Maya as she beamed from ear to ear, facing the yet-to-be-opened shelter which her hard work had made operational. All that was left was to cut the ribbon.
A small crowd had gathered, some attracted by the sight of something out of the ordinary going on, and others directly connected with the shelter. Over the last few months, Kostya had come to know their faces. Nervous about backlash from some of the Popovs’ loyalest men, Kostya had been glued to Maya’s side and keeping a careful eye on her. So far, he hadn’t needed to come to her aid, but he’d rather be overly cautious than risk letting harm come to her.
A speech had already been given, and all that was left to do was cut the ribbon and announce the shelter’s opening. One of Maya’s coworkers from New Beginnings handed her a novelty-sized pair of scissors, the blades elegant and stylized. Maya looked over her shoulder at Kostya, beamed anew, and then stepped forward to where the ribbon had been tied.
“It is with tremendous pleasure and gratitude to the city council,” Maya began, her voice gaining in excitement the longer her sentence went on, “that I hereby declare New Horizons Shelter open!”
With a flourish, she sliced the ribbon. There was polite applause from the audience, followed soon after by conversation. Those who had gathered had started to chat. Kostya left them to their dialogue and went to join his lover on the stoop of the new building.
“You did it,” he said, laying a hand on the small of her back. “After everything, you still had the composure to put together new paperwork, resubmit the proposal, and have the building tidied up and renovated. Do you have any idea how impressive that is?”
Maya’s smile grew. “It’s not like I didn’t have help.”
“The money the Sokolovs donated to the project only helped matters move more smoothly. It was your hard work that put this all together. Without you, this never would have happened.”
“On a normal day, I’d fight you and say that it was a team effort, but… thank you.” Maya leaned back against him. “Today, I’m going to accept the praise. It was a lot of hard work. And I’m beyond grateful for your help. I know you’ll tell me that you barely did anything until you’re blue in the face, but I really do appreciate what you’ve done. This wouldn’t have been possible without you.”
Kostya kissed the back of her head, hiding his smile. Since he’d met Maya, he’d been smiling much more regularly. He couldn’t help it. Not even the Mad Dog was impervious to love.
“There’s still work to do, though.” Maya snapped back into action, one goal conquered and, now, another set. “New Horizons is a large space, and we haven’t maximized its potential just yet. Right now, we have fifty beds, but I can double, maybe triple that with some planning and a little more money. I’m going to have my hands full getting everything in order.”
“Triple the beds?” Kostya asked. “One hundred and fifty?”
“I don’t think it’s impossible, do you?” Maya turned to face him, her eyes bright with potential. “We’ve got the space for it. I’ve got the eye for detail. With the right know-how, I’m sure that I can see this shelter expanded further. I can make a real difference with this place—it’s why I fought so hard for it. Now that it’s been repurposed, where I can take it is only up to the limits of my funding. Given time, this shelter is going to be the best London has to offer. I’m sure of it.”
The enthusiasm and inspiration in her voice spoke to a part of Kostya that often went unacknowledged. With a few simple words and some big dreams, Maya had pulled on his heartstrings to create a symphony. No matter where he went, and no matter what he did, his mood was always lifted if Maya was there with him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so happy.
And today, at what should have been a routine opening ceremony, he’d found happiness in Maya’s smile, in her laugh, and in the hope she carried in her heart without fail. Kostya hadn’t been planning for anything more than a routine day out, but seeing Maya like this, and noticing how much of an impact she had on his life, brought him to make a quick decision.
He closed his arms around her and pulled her in tight. His lips brushed against her earlobe, and she shuddered for him like a flower caught in a strong wind. “Fifty beds is a fine start, I agree, but I promise, if you change your name to Sokolov, I’ll secure the funding for the extra hundred, as well as whatever else your heart craves. I’m in love with you, Maya. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
“Kostya?” Maya asked in a startled whisper. She pushed back from him, her eyes wide. “You’re… you’re joking, right?”
Kostya narrowed his eyes. “Do I joke?”
Maya covered her mouth with her hand to hide a snicker. “I mean, did you really think you had to bribe me to marry you? Since the day we met, I’ve been smitten. So, yes. Yes, forever and for always. And you don’t have to fund those beds to win my love. All you have to do is be yourself.”
The words touched him. He hadn’t realized how much her unwavering support had meant until this point. All his life, he’d been treated as a weapon or a commodity, but to Maya, he was worth so much more.
“We’ll make it two hundred beds,” Kostya whispered. He closed the distance between them again and kissed her fiercely, stealing the breath from her lungs and plucking a squeak from her throat.
Kostya had come to London on a hunt for the enemy, but he’d come away with a love that would last a lifetime—a love that had changed his perception of himself, and others, in fundamental ways. He would never let this love go. On the day Maya wore his ring, he would be hers forever. His heart would never wander, and his mind would never question, “what if?”
Far from the family he knew, he’d found his home, and it didn’t matter where life took him from here. As long as he made the journey with Maya, he would be happy anywhere. His Mad Dog days were over. He’d found where he belonged.
Epilogue
MAYA
The bottom hem of her simple mermaid dress swept the floor and hid her kitten heels. Maya twisted in front of the mirror, examining how the minuscule rhinestones sewn into the fabric sparkled in the light. The detailing wasn’t excessive or exaggerated—there was only enough bling to draw the eye.
She’d never seen herself look so beautiful before.
“Are you sure you don’t want more rhinestones?” Elena asked. She stood at Maya’s side, examining her reflection in the mirror just as Maya did. “There’s still a chance if you want to up your bling levels. I can have a seamstress come in last-minute and add them in for you.”
“No.” Maya shook her head. She traced her hands
down her flat stomach and over the smooth white fabric that seemed to be molded to her body. “This is perfect.”
A delicate crown of flowers rested atop her head, its blooms tiny and understated. Maya wore no jewelry, and her makeup was minimal. She hadn’t wanted a big wedding, and with Kostya in agreement, they’d settled for a simple courthouse commitment. It wasn’t typical for either of their families, but she was of the opinion that neither of them were typical, either. What mattered was that it felt right. And seeing herself in her wedding dress, glowing in anticipation of the day to come, Maya knew she hadn’t made a mistake. This was what she wanted. It would be one of the happiest days of her life.
“Then you’re ready to go?” Elena asked. “I can’t believe Roman is driving you. You should have let me hire you a limo. You’re supposed to feel special today!”
All Maya could do was smile. Elena would never understand, and that was okay. How could she know that, just by knowing that Kostya loved her, she already felt special beyond belief?
They left for the courthouse together.
* * *
Kostya looked charming in his suit and tie, a far cry from the broken man Maya had rescued from the alley on the night they’d met. He stood beside Viktor and Roman, who looked nearly as handsome in their own formal wear. Alexandra, Elena’s best friend and Viktor’s wife, stood with them, looking beautiful in her cocktail dress. Today wasn’t the time for long, sweeping gowns or extravagance. Maya almost felt overdressed, but she loved the way the fabric hugged her curves and gave her fantastic hips, and she knew that when Kostya saw her, he wouldn’t be able to look away. Today, his attention was all that mattered.
Kostya, Viktor, Roman, and Alexandra stood outside the courthouse, likely discussing the events of the day. Roman had only just made it over—Maya had elected to stay in the backseat of his car for a moment longer while Elena fussed with her dress and muttered under her breath about the lack of rhinestones. Despite how unpalatable her sister’s behavior could be, Maya had been doing her best to welcome Elena back into her life… especially now that she’d found out that their mother was alive and slowly recovering while under the care of the Sokolovs. It offered Maya a fresh chance to connect with her family in healthy ways, and she was glad for the opportunity. They were closer now than they’d ever been before, and as the years went on, she hoped they would all continue to bond. She was about to become a Sokolov, after all—there would be plenty of opportunity to see her family, both blood relations and in-laws, on the frequent trips to Boston she planned to take with Kostya.
“All right,” Elena declared. “I think you’re set. You look lovely.”
“Thank you,” Maya said with a smile. She turned to look at her sister. The fact that she was at Maya’s wedding spoke tomes about the magnitude of what had happened. Maya had been convinced she’d never see her again. “Are you ready?”
“Me?” Elena laughed. “I’m always ready. Now, let’s get going. You wouldn’t want to be late for your big day, would you?”
“No, but we’re already here.” Maya quirked a smile. “I don’t think I’m going to be missing anything.”
Elena shushed her, then waved her out of the car. With a laugh, Maya opened the door and stepped out. All eyes had turned in her direction, but there was only one pair she was interested in, and the total, smitten adoration expressed in them lit her up from the inside.
With Elena to her left, trailing along a few steps behind her, Maya crossed the sidewalk and came to stand with the rest of the group by the courthouse stairs. She smiled at Kostya, and Kostya awarded her with a glowing smile in return. “You look more beautiful than usual today, zolotse,” he told her.
Maya blushed. “And I think you look ridiculously handsome.”
Viktor clapped Kostya on the back. His smile said everything, but he spoke regardless. “You’ve found yourself a beautiful fiancée, brother. I think it’s time you made her your wife.”
“Maya?” Kostya offered her his hand, and Maya’s blush grew until it heated her cheeks and left her flustered. She’d spent every day of the past six months living with Kostya, rarely parted from his side, but even so, she couldn’t get over the weightless feeling in her stomach and the brimming love in her heart. They’d fallen for each other fast, and as time wore on, she’d learned they were only going to keep falling for each other more.
There would be no end to the way she loved him, and the look in his eyes and the way he smiled for her and never any other told her the same was true of his feelings for her.
As a group, they traveled up the stairs and entered the courthouse, Kostya and Maya in the lead. Elena and Roman chatted—mostly Elena, with occasional commentary from her lover—while Alexandra and Viktor offered their support silently. They passed through security checkpoints and on to the waiting area, and when at last their number was called, they headed to the teller to sign the paperwork.
Maya didn’t regret the simplicity of her big day. She’d rather spend it with her small family than work herself to the bone preparing a celebration for hundreds of people, many of whom she didn’t know. And as she initialed where required and signed her name on the bottom line, the same thrill ran through her that she thought she would have had if standing before an altar, pledging herself to Kostya in front of a sea of faces.
She’d picked the pen up as a single woman, and set it down as Kostya’s wife.
With a radiant smile, Kostya cupped the back of her head and guided her to his chest for a gentle kiss. Maya grinned into the kiss, feeling like she might start to laugh at any moment. Her wedding had been a simple affair, but that didn’t stop it from being the most wonderful day of her life.
All that she needed to be happy was Kostya.
“Congratulations,” Alexandra said warmly. “Welcome to the family.”
“Thank you.” Maya blinked away sudden tears, beaming. Alexandra was now her sister-in-law, a fact she was still struggling to wrap her head around. She’d gone from having no family to speak of to being at the center of a tightly knit group of people who genuinely cared for her, and it was a shock she knew she’d need to adjust to. “All of this is so… so perfect.”
“Like you?” Kostya kissed the side of her head, then threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed. Maya squeezed back. “I love you, Maya, my beautiful bride. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.”
“I see an extravagant wedding in your future,” Elena predicted. “Crystal chandeliers, a gorgeous reception hall, lots of dancing…”
Maya furrowed her brow. “I’m sorry… what are you talking about? Kostya and I don’t have any of that planned.”
With a laugh, Elena held up her left hand. There was a beautiful diamond ring on her ringer, the center stone flanked by many radiant smaller ones. “Next year, Roman and I are going to be hosting the party of the century. You’re going to be there, right?”
Maya cupped her mouth and laughed, the brimming love in her heart spilling over at last. “Elena! Of course!”
In their own ways, each of them had found their perfect life, unexpected in so many ways. For years, Maya had cut contact with her family and forged her own path, but in the end, her happiness had come in stitching together the connections that she’d severed. Time had changed everything—both for the good, and for the bad. But here, with people she cared for, and beside the love of her life, she had a feeling that weathering the bad was about to become much easier.
“Shall we go, zolotse?” Kostya whispered in her ear. “I believe Elena has a busy afternoon prepared for us.”
“I do!” Elena chirped up.
All Maya could do was laugh. She looked up at Kostya and found his gaze ever as adoring as it had been when she’d stepped out of the car for the first time. His heart was hers, and hers was his. No matter where they went, or what they did, she’d love it, as long as they saw it through together. “Let’s go.”
They left the courthouse together, three couples with th
e world at their feet, and with love like no other in their hearts.
End of Saving the Russian Enforcer
Married to the Russian Kingpin, 11th October 2018
Falling for the Mob Soldier, 18th October 2018
Saving the Russian Enforcer, 25th October 2018
PS: Do you love Russian bad-boys? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from Her Russian Fixer.
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About Leslie
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
The line between right and wrong blurs when a ruthless Russian becomes her dark protector.
Saving the Russian Enforcer: Sokolov Brothers Book Three Page 10