He had so many questions that he didn’t know where to start. Questions he never thought he would get an answer to. It wasn’t as if Niklaus could answer them, and if Mikhail had known what Catja had done years ago, he would have never said a word—even if he were still alive to do so.
“Come in, come in. And bring your brigadier.”
Mishca turned back just in time to see Luka smile brightly, though he was still shirtless, wearing only jeans and dirty boots. “I’ll have you know, I’m a captain now.”
Even if he didn’t look like one.
But Malvina merely smiled at him and ushered them inside.
Mishca didn’t know what to expect as he entered the small bungalow, though the moment he got his first look around, he couldn’t ignore the way seeing Niklaus’s baby pictures made him feel.
“If Niklaus doesn’t know that you’re here …” Malvina said, trailing off, her brows scrunching together as she looked from Mishca to Luka and back again.
“There’s a lot that I can’t explain.” Not only because it wasn’t his place, but because he didn’t know the reason Niklaus never went home. “But I know he’s missed you every day since he’s been gone. I know he would be thrilled if you came to New York.”
“But I don’t—”
“There’s a brownstone with your name on it,” Mishca said quickly. He hadn’t thought twice about price or anything else when he’d had one of his lawyers complete the sale. “That is, of course, if you want it.”
Malvina glanced around her bungalow, seeming lost in her thoughts for a long while before she gave a nod of her head. “When do we leave?”
Mishca smiled now. “As soon as you’re ready.”
Because for Niklaus, for once, he had all the time in the world.
Chapter 6
Christmas Day
The excited pitter-patter of tiny feet roused Mishca from his slumber a moment before an excited near two-year-old was diving onto the bed, quickly scurrying up his legs as Sacha came directly for Mishca with all the exuberance of a child experiencing the holiday he knew meant gifts and toys.
“Presents!” Sacha proclaimed in all of his childlike joy, his eyes bright with mirth as he looked from Mishca back to where his presents waited under the tree.
Lauren was still fast asleep beside him, a testament to how tired she really was, and he was glad that she was still resting now that the tension had eased from her. His wife worked too hard, pushing herself nearly to the breaking point. Sometimes, he had to remind her to slow down and maybe take some time for herself, but she was determined to finish what she started.
He loved that about her.
She was selfless, thinking more about others than she did herself. She wanted to be a good wife and mother, but she also wanted to be a good doctor, and that meant dedicating every free moment outside of their home to her studies.
Mishca was damn proud, but he also knew that Cameron would have been more proud, and he made sure to remind her of that every chance he got.
Sometimes, he thought of who they’d once been—before he was pakhan, and before she became a pakhan’s wife and all that entailed. It was much easier finding time when he wasn’t the boss and didn’t have as many responsibilities as a captain. Now, he spent less time with his family than he preferred.
But it did help that positions were being filled by people he trusted, and very soon, he would finally be able to take a step back and not have to micromanage.
He was determined not to miss out on all of Sacha's accomplishments—like the fact he hadn’t been there the day, or the next, when his son first learned to crawl.
He wanted to share those moments, not hear about them after.
Soon …
It was all a process, and he just had to trust it.
“We’re making Mommy breakfast, yes?” he asked with a smile as he scooped Sacha up, carrying him, albeit quietly, from the room.
Sacha nodded, screwing his face up in concentration as he pushed out of Mishca’s arms, then took off for the kitchen to start grabbing what they needed—which ultimately turned out to be chocolate cake for himself.
And with all the sincerity in the world, he placed it on the counter, then went to grab one of his Captain America plates and a tiny fork, then went to his table and sat.
“I’m guessing you’re not going to be of any help,” Mishca muttered dryly even as he laughed.
Though he was sure Sacha would have much preferred the cake, Mishca compromised by giving him a breakfast pastry, knowing Lauren would kill him if Sacha went running in there with chocolate icing all over his face so early in the morning.
After he had him settled, Mishca went about making breakfast, scrambling eggs, frying sausage, and flipping pancakes.
He’d nearly finished when Sacha’s squeal of happiness had him turning around.
Lauren was still rubbing her eyes as she came out of their bedroom, her hair wild and curling over her shoulders, wearing the Christmas pajamas she insisted they get now.
She was as beautiful as the day he met her, but even more so because he knew how to make her smile and how to keep her happy.
She barely had her eyes open before Sacha slammed into her legs, looking up at her with his arms held high and a big smile.
“Ty byl khoroshim mal'chikom dlya papa—Have you been a good boy for Daddy?” she asked in flawless Russian. They were making it a point to speak to him in both English and Russian so he would know both.
“Of course,” Sacha replied, though it sounded more like ‘oh curse.’
“What’s all over your face?” she asked with an amused smile, looking from him, to the plate he abandoned, then to Mishca as she brushed her fingers over the crumbs.
Mishca shrugged. “Better than cake, no?”
With a shake of her head, she carried Sacha over to the breakfast bar, getting comfortable on a barstool with Sacha in her lap.
Once she was comfortable, Mishca finished fixing her a plate, then set it in front of her with a glass of orange juice.
As he watched her eat, alternating between herself and Sacha—who now seemed to be in the mood for real food—he smiled at the sight of them and was glad that, for the moment, there was only blissful happiness in her face.
She’d barely finished before Sacha was climbing off her lap and dashing over to the Christmas tree, eagerly awaiting what he knew was next. Climbing down herself, Lauren stuck her plate in the sink and wrapped her arms around Mishca’s middle as she kissed the underside of his jaw.
“I think it’s time for presents. Hold on, Sacha,” she called as he was ready to rip into one. His face fell in an adorable pout, but he did as he was told. “I’m making hot chocolate.”
“No coffee?”
Her smile was secretive as she shrugged. “Probably better if I didn’t have caffeine.”
Odd, but he didn’t question it.
Going over to sit in his favorite chair, he only had to wait a few more minutes before Lauren joined him. She barely had her butt on the cushion before Sacha was distributing presents one at a time—the first one to himself.
He brought it over to Lauren to read for him.
“Uncle Luka and Auntie Alex,” she supplied, helping as he tore at the paper, unveiling the plastic toy wrapped inside.
Cutting his eyes to Lauren who was already shaking with laughter, Mishca reminded himself that Luka meant well.
But swords? Really?
The next came from Niklaus and Reagan, containing an assortment of toy cars with one that was bigger than the others and looked like a miniature version of Niklaus’s car.
Another came from Amber and Kyrnon, and by the time he was opening the assortment from “Santa”—because Lauren wanted him to still believe in him—Sacha was smiling ear to ear, more than pleased with everything he had gotten.
“Which one should we open now?” Mishca asked Sacha as he reclined back in his chair.
He happily tripped over himself as he went
back to the assortment of presents, tapping his fingers against his chin as he decided. Going to the one that was bigger than him, he stepped behind it and pushed it over, ready to help rip the paper off—one of his favorite parts.
“From Mommy,” Sacha said when Lauren whispered it to him.
Mishca kept his expression neutral as he examined the box, trying to guess what was inside. He could usually wager what Lauren would get him—she was hopeless at keeping secrets—but this was one she had stayed tight-lipped about, refusing to give even the slightest of hints ever since she had placed it under the tree a little over a week ago.
Even now, Lauren only wore that same secretive smile as she lifted her mug of hot chocolate to her lips.
Tugging the ends of the white ribbon, he pulled it free, then pulled at the tape until the two sides of the top of the box were loose enough that he could move them aside.
All at once, a swarm of pink confetti and balloons popped out with It’s a girl! stamped across the front of them, startling both Mishca and Sacha, but all too soon, as his thoughts caught up to what he was seeing, it felt like a punch to the stomach, but as quickly as the surprise came, elation burned a hole in his heart.
“Vy beremenny?—You’re pregnant?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Her smile lit up her face as she nodded.
Glancing from the balloons to her, he was out of his chair in seconds, crossing the floor to her as he pulled her from the seat, his hands cradling her face.
“I’m four months along,” she said the moment he was close. “Amber has been going with me to my appointments.”
“How …?”
He wanted to know how she had managed to keep it a secret from him. How he hadn’t noticed …
But now as he thought back, he had assumed her fatigue was because of how hard she was working, and her peculiar eating habits were because of a new diet or something.
A baby?
Words couldn’t describe how fucking elated he was about this.
“Ya lyublyu tebya, Lauren.”
Her smile was soft. “I love you too, Mish.”
Sacha squeezed his little body between them, holding onto each of them as they hugged. He didn’t know what was going on, but he wanted to be a part of it.
“You’re going to have a little sister,” Mishca explained to him.
His face screwed up in concentration. “We play minions?”
Lauren got a little teary-eyed as she nodded. “Yes, you’ll be able to play minions.”
“My present pales compared to this,” Mishca said, rubbing a hand over her lower back.
Lauren waved her hand. “I’m sure whatever it is, I’m going to love it.”
“Then get dressed. We’ll need to get there and back before everyone gets here.”
While Lauren disappeared into their room, Mishca took Sacha into his, finding the outfit Lauren had set aside for him to wear today.
“D’you remember our surprise?” he asked his son as he sat him on the bed, tying his laces.
“Yes, Papa.”
“And you remember what you’re going to do once we get there, no?”
Sacha smiled brightly and threw his hands in the air. “Surprise!”
Mishca chuckled, rubbing a hand over his hair. “Good boy. Let’s go.”
It took all of a few minutes to ride the elevator downstairs to the lobby, then out the front door where three men of varying heights and weights snapped to attention, their coats concealing a number of weapons.
It didn’t matter that it was practically freezing outside or that it was a holiday. They wanted their place in the bratva, and for that reason, they would do whatever was necessary to earn that spot.
Vimdici—one of the newer recruits from the old country who was nearing his late forties—opened the passenger door for Lauren first, helping both her and Sacha into the car with a smile that was genuine, though it still looked a bit cold on his hard, weathered face.
Once they were safely inside, he looked at Mishca for instruction.
“One in front,” he said as he circled around to the driver’s side. “One behind.”
“928?” Vimdici asked, referring to the address where they were headed.
Mishca nodded. “We shouldn’t be gone long. After, why don’t you get home and take the day off?”
“Sure thing, Pakhan.”
But he wouldn’t, Mishca knew.
There was no such thing as taking a day off for him.
Lauren was on the phone as Mishca climbed into the car, ending the call once they started down the road.
“That was the caterer,” she explained. “She said the food should be delivered in the next two hours.”
“Ruji will take care of it if we’re not back by then.”
“Where are we going?”
Mishca smiled, reaching over to wrap his hand around her thigh. “You’ll see.”
Sacha sang along with the radio as they rode, making up words when he didn’t know the right ones, but as they neared the gated community that had Lauren’s face screwing up in confusion, his singing died down.
They were barely through the gate and had only passed the first house before his voice resonated around the truck.
“Surprise!” Sacha exclaimed from the back seat, his little fists raised in the air as they cruised down the picturesque street that looked straight out of a movie.
It didn’t matter that they were still a few minutes from the actual Christmas surprise, Sacha just knew one was coming.
Lauren looked back with a doting smile. “Is it a good surprise?”
Sacha gave an excited nod, trying to sit forward to see out the windows, though he was too short to properly see.
Driving through the gated community, Mishca watched the subtle changes in Lauren’s face, the way her eyes seemed to light up with each house they passed.
Never mind the security—he had his own—Mishca had picked this specific neighborhood with her in mind. While the city had its enjoyments, he knew she liked the quiet and wanted someplace more subdued to raise their family.
Soon to be a family of four.
There was no more of a gratifying feeling than being a father for him.
“Surprise!” Sacha exclaimed once more as they passed yet another house.
“Almost,” Mishca corrected.
When he’d first looked into purchasing the home they were driving toward, he’d brought Sacha along to help him pick, but he hadn’t realized at Sacha’s age, all of them would look the same.
Toward the end of the street, Mishca turned up the driveway, following the winding curves to the top where another state-of-the-art gate awaited them.
Keying in the four-digit code, he waited for it to roll open before driving through.
“Now, Papa?”
He smiled. “Yes, now.”
“Surprise, Mommy!”
His words were punctuated by their stop in front of the massive estate that sat on a hill above the surrounding homes—close enough that they were still a part of the community, but far enough that Mishca had some peace of mind.
Lauren peered through the windshield in wonder, her delight clear. “Oh, it’s beautiful, Sacha. Did you get this for me?”
Sacha nodded with a wide smile, making Mishca shake his head with a silent laugh.
Mishca snapped off his seat belt, going around to open the door for Lauren first, then for Sacha. The moment his feet were on the ground, Sacha took off toward the house, giggling all the way as Lauren tried to catch him before he got too far.
These were the moments, Mishca thought, that made him glad he defied his father’s orders. He wouldn’t change a thing about how they came to meet, their relationship together, or Sacha.
Especially not Sacha.
Pulling the keys from his pocket, he opened the doors wide, unveiling the walls of windows on the far side of the room as well as the kitchen with white marble countertops, white cabinetry, and stainless
steel appliances.
The mansion was completely empty—he had only recently closed on it—but he could already see the potential of what it could be once they moved in.
He didn’t stop there, showing her the basement that he planned to use for himself, then the second floor where three more bedrooms and as many bathrooms were located.
“It’s yours to do as you please,” Mishca said once they were back on the main floor.
While she was smiling, he could also see a hint of anxiety in her gaze. “Trying to decorate an entire house with school coming up and the—”
He’d already considered that. “I also have a number for an interior designer.”
Lauren laughed. “Yeah, that works too.”
“Then let’s leave this for another day. We still need to get your dinner set up.”
Mishca’s phone chimed to life, and Niklaus’s name flashed across the screen. Withholding an eye roll, he could only hope that this call had nothing to do with a fight between him and Luka.
Sighing, Mishca answered the call and put the phone to his ear. “What has he done this time?”
Chapter 7
It always took her breath away, seeing the way Mishca’s gaze grew so rapt on the screen once the ultrasound technician got the image up.
It was as if everything else in the world had been forgotten except for that grainy little image.
Before they had arrived at her doctor’s office, he had been busy on his phone, speaking in rapid Russian to whoever was speaking on the other end, massaging his forehead as he tended to do when he was frustrated.
She hadn’t known what was bothering him, only that it was a problem Luka had brought to his attention months ago, but as sure as she had been that he would be distracted once they arrived, she was wrong.
So very wrong.
Once they walked through the door into the private room where they’d waited, his hand resting on the curve of her stomach, the outside world faded away, and it was just the two of them.
She loved that the most.
It wasn’t as if they had come here for a surprise. She’d done that already at Christmas with the pink balloons and confetti, but Mishca had wanted to attend one of her appointments himself.
Down the Line (Volkov Bratva Book 6) Page 5