Champagne Wrath (Orlov Bratva, #2)

by Nicole Fox

I heard a giggle in the background. “For God’s sake, are you with Cyrille?” “No, nuh-uh. definitely not her. Just some loose-moraled floozie I picked up off the side of the road.” I heard Cyrille mutter an almost inaudible “asshole.” Maksim cried out, feigning pain. “Ouch, that hurt. The wife didn’t like that joke.” “The wife needs to learn to share. I haven’t seen you in weeks.” “Aw, do you miss me, little brother?”

“Thanks for sharing all that with me, Konstantin. And thanks for helping me out. I know I kind of forced you into it.” He shrugs. “It’s no big deal. You’re family.”

Paige walks out of the closet, and suddenly, I’m no longer breathing. She twirls, her gown shimmering in the light. “Well?” She holds out her arms. “What do you think?” I struggle for words. “You look like… like… Fucking hell, kiska, you look incredible.” She blushes adorably. “I wanted to make an impression.” “You’ll do that and more. The men will be drooling and their women will be green with envy.” “I hope not.” She frowns. “I want them to like me.”

Isidora studies me for a moment and then nods, some realization washing over her. “I’m sure it’s also a good way to keep an eye on your man. Especially a man like Misha. They do tend to wander if you aren’t careful, don’t they?” I give her a cold smile. “My husband is a handsome man, but I don’t work at Orion to police him. I happen to trust him.” Both women laugh until they realize that I’m not laughing with them. I give them both a curt smile. “I trust Misha, but I also trust that I am more than enough woman for my man. He doesn’t need anyone else.”

Paige squeezes my hand. I smile down at her and then back at the assembled guests. “My beautiful wife and I are delighted to announce that we’re expecting.”

I look over and realize Mother has been watching us this entire time. She’s smiling fondly.

“What?” I ask her. She shrugs. “I was just thinking how nice this is.”

“All thanks to Paige,” Niki says. “She’s like the wizard who gave ole’ Tin Man his heart.” I want to shoot back a snarky retort, but how can I? She isn’t wrong.

“That is fucking unacceptable. She doesn’t want—” “Misha!” It’s the only voice that has the power to stop me in my tracks. I turn to my wife, and she waves me over. The moment I’m close enough, she takes my hand and kisses it. “Misha,” she says again, “I know the Bratva is your life. But right now I don’t need you to be the don. I need you to be my husband.”

I take a deep breath and lean down to kiss her forehead. “I’m here with you, kiska.” She closes her eyes and breathes through another contraction. “Tell me something nice. Something you’ve never told me before.”

Then it occurs to me. I lean down and whisper in my wife’s ear, “Maksim would have loved you.” It’s the highest compliment I can give.

“Ava Orlov,” I murmur. “I like saying it.” “Ava and Anton. My children. Our children.” Misha grins. This grin is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen from him. It’s warm and soft and contemplative. Most of all, it’s at ease. His grief has melted away.

“He’s got your eyes,” I say with a smile. “I was hoping for that. He’s going to look just like you.” “And Ava is going to look just like you,” Misha says, bending over to press his lips to mine. “Lucky girl.”

“Mama!” Ava cries, though she makes no attempt to reach for Paige. Her brother, on the other hand, practically jumps from Ilya’s arms into Paige’s. He’s a mama’s boy to the core. She laughs and kisses his brown hair. It’s lighter than mine, but our eyes are almost identical. It’s uncanny. “Are you ready for cake, Ant?” He nods excitedly and licks his plump lips. I’m doing the same, albeit for very different reasons. My wife is wearing a simple white dress that hugs her curves. Her body has changed after having children—but in all of the right ways. She sees stretch marks and scars—I see reminders of what she’s done to bring our family into the world.