by Lylah James
“I’ll just wait for the boys to finish with their admiring so I can see the princess,” she said with a sigh.
“You’ll be waiting for hours. I don’t see them moving anytime soon,” Maddie laughed.
I laughed because Maddie was absolutely right.
“Well, never mind then. My turn to hold the princess.” Evaline winked before walking to the crib. She pushed her way between the men and bent down.
Holding my baby girl in the crook of her arms, she smiled. “Look at the little cutie. She is so adorable and so small.”
“You’re supposed to hold her neck,” Alessio said urgently. He moved and tried to hold Princess with his hand.
“Emm…I know how to hold a baby, Alessio. And I am holding her neck.”
“Make sure the blanket is wrapped tightly around her. Ivy said it keeps her warm. Like she’s still in her mother’s womb. Don’t move her too much. She’s sleeping…”
Oh well.
I leaned back and watched the drama unfold.
Chapter 35
When the car came to a stop, I stepped out. Alessio helped Princess out of her infant car seat. Placing her in my arms, he gave me a quick kiss.
My heart fluttered like it always did whenever Alessio was close or touching me. His arm went around my waist as we walked into the house with the guys, Maddie, and Evaline following closely behind.
As soon as I was inside, my baby was no longer in my arms.
Nope. One second she was there and then Lena stole her from me. I didn’t have a chance to blink, either.
Everyone was gathered, trying to take a peek at the little princess.
“Awww, just look at her. Such an innocent and adorable face. It’s hard to believe she’s Alessio’s daughter. But it’s definitely obvious she is Ayla’s,” Lena joked, her eyes practically twinkling with happiness.
“Oh, just wait until she opens her eyes. She is Alessio’s all right,” I replied.
Alessio had his hands on either side of my hips, and I leaned back against him, my back to his front as I laid my head on his chest.
“Oh yes. Maddie said she has Alessio’s eyes.”
“Maria’s eyes,” Lyov added. He went to stand beside Lena, looking down at the small bundle of joy.
At the mention of Alessio’s mother, my heart ached for Lyov. But I knew he was going to be okay. He had smiled more than I could count in the last twenty-four hours than I had ever seen him.
Isaak said he was the happiest he’d been since Maria’s death.
We didn’t have to go far to see how much Lyov admired his granddaughter. His gaze was filled with tenderness and warmth, not something I was used to seeing on Lyov.
But there he was, completely wrapped around her little finger.
With Lena still holding the baby, we walked into the living room. Alessio made me sat down on the couch as Lena settled beside me. Alessio stayed standing as Maddie sat on my other side.
Lena softly moved her fingertips on Princess’s lip. And then her cute button nose. She made a small adorable quacking sound and moved impatiently in her tight blanket.
For a newborn, she moved a lot. No wonder she was always playing practice in my belly.
“What’s her name?” Lena asked.
I looked up at Alessio, and his smile widened. The indent in his cheek made my stomach squeeze. I could feel my own smile.
“Maila Lena Ivanshov.”
The name slipped past my lips effortlessly. It felt so right. Alessio had instantly agreed on the name when I asked him about it a few months ago.
I still remember clearly how affected he looked when I explained the meaning behind the name. He had kissed me soundly, hard and bruising. And then he had proceeded to make love to me for the whole night.
“It’s for all three mothers,” Alessio explained, his voice warm and deep.
“Maila is after mine and Alessio’s mother. Maria and Leila. We put both names together to get Maila. And it’s sounds really beautiful too. Lena…well, Lena is for our second mother,” I continued.
My gaze found Lena’s, and she was silently crying. “She is also named after you. For being our mother and for giving us the love that our mothers never had a chance to give us.”
“Maila Lena Ivanshov,” Lyov said slowly. He looked down at Maila, our little princess.
Lyov smiled and took her in his arms. He held her out, a palm under her neck while her tiny feet rested against his chest. “Such a beautiful name. A strong name too. After three strong women. Fit for a true warrior princess.”
“It’s beautiful,” Isaak agreed. His voice sounded a little weird too, like he was trying not to cry.
“Your mothers would be proud of both of you,” Lena said. “Look at you both. After everything, you have come out stronger.”
I didn’t say anything, only because I didn’t know what to say. My throat felt tight with emotions, and Alessio looked like he was having the same problem.
“Okay…gift time!” Maddie announced when everyone fell silent.
I smiled. I guessed it was gift time.
Everyone presented their gifts, and my heart leaped with happiness. My family. Finally, it was the boys’ turn.
“Her gift is upstairs,” Nikolay announced. “In the piano room.”
Oh. Feeling giddy at the thought, I got off the couch.
I finally noticed that Alessio had disappeared. Looking around me, I stopped and searched for him.
“He’s upstairs, waiting for you,” Maddie said gently. With a push, I made my way to the piano room…with everyone following behind.
I got inside to find Alessio standing in the middle. He winked and smiled before opening his arms for me. My feet took me right into his open arms.
Curling into his embrace, I sighed in utter contentment.
“Ready for their gift?” he muttered in my ear. I nodded against his chest before pulling away.
He stepped back and moved away from me. That was when my eyes noticed something new next to the piano. It was covered with a blanket, so I couldn’t see it.
“What is this?” I asked, already making my way to it.
“It’s for Princess. Our gift to her,” Viktor said, his time his voice serious.
I pulled the blanket away, and a small gasp escaped past my lips.
Oh, how beautiful.
“This is…I’m speechless…” I said, running my hand over the soft silk material.
It was a cute baby bassinet. Small but so beautiful.
To my surprise, it was a rocking bassinet. The bedding was soft and a pale pink color. The curtains were made of lace, and it fell on either side of the bassinet.
The rest of it was made of wood, but everything was practically covered with the curtains and silk sheet.
I rubbed my hand over the wood and smiled. Now Maila had a beautiful place to lay in when I was playing the piano.
It was simply perfect.
I moved to its front, and my smile widened. On top from where the curtains came together and were attached, there was a small piece of wood.
On it, PRINCESS was written in cursive letters.
I felt Alessio at my back, and I leaned into his warm body.
“This is so beautiful and thoughtful. I will keep the bassinet in here, so that Maila can listen to me play while resting,” I said softly.
“That’s the plan,” Phoenix replied. I could hear the cheeky smile in his voice.
“They spent two months building it,” Alessio muttered against my temple.
My mouth fell open. “You guys built it?” I asked in shock.
Swiveling around, I faced all three of them. They looked suddenly shy.
“It took us some time and many tries. But we got it right in the end. Maila deserves a gift made from our own hands,” Nikolay said.
I blinked back unshed tears. My nose was prickling, and my eyes were burning. Happy tears. I remembered Alessio promising me only happy tears. He kept his vow.
L
ena handed me Princess, and I placed a kiss on her tiny forehead. Alessio did the same. A sweet soft kiss.
Her lips pursed in a cute pout, and I smiled. Completely and utterly happy. I was finally whole.
I gently placed her in the bassinet. Alessio wrapped his arm around my hips, his head buried in my neck.
This was what I needed. What I had dreamed of since I was a child.
While every day I was living a nightmare, I had dreamed of this. Hoped for this.
And now it was my reality.
Love, happiness, and peace.
I had all of it.
And my daughter had all of it too.
Thank God Alessio parked his car there on that fateful day.
It was meant to be from the very beginning.
We were meant to be.
Chapter 36
Alessio
5 weeks later
A quiet but sudden cry woke me up. I groaned sleepily and pulled Ayla closer into my body. My face was buried in her neck, my arm wrapped tightly around her waist. I heard her moan, and she shifted around.
The cries continued.
Opening my eyes, darkness welcomed me. Except for the tiny lamp shining behind my back.
Princess continued to cry softly. She seemed annoyed and agitated. Definitely not hungry. Ayla just fed her a few hours ago.
Ayla sighed, her naked body moving against mine. “It’s my turn. I’ll get her,” she whispered sleepily.
She started to sit up, but I pushed her back on the bed. “Go back to sleep. I got her.”
Ayla stared at me sleepily, a small smile curving her lips. So fucking beautiful.
She mumbled a quick thank you as I got up. She curled around my pillow, her eyes closing with a sigh. I knew she was asleep within seconds.
Giving her a final glance, I walked over to the crib. Ayla and I decided to keep Maila with us until she was a few months old. We weren’t ready for Princess to sleep on her own.
Though with her sleeping in the same room, it was harder for us to make out. But we found our ways. Creativity at its best.
Stopping next to the crib, I saw Maila moving around agitatedly, her legs kicking out in anger, her tiny fists moving in frustration. It appeared I took too long to get to her. Demanding little Princess.
I smiled at the thought. Maila might love the attention, but she was good baby. Barely cried and slept most of the nights. Ayla and I were both thankful for that.
Princess noticed me standing there, and her movements stopped. She lay there, making small mewling sounds. She was the cutest little thing ever.
I bent at the waist and picked up the Princess. My arms went around her safely, and I brought her closer to my chest. She instantly stopped crying.
Her tiny fist rested against my chest as she blinked up at me. Her blue eyes were blurry with tears, making my heart ache a little.
I hated the tears in her eyes. It did things to my heart, watching my baby cry.
My daughter would never experience pain. Not like her mother has. Not like I had. She would be loved and fiercely protected.
The thought of someone hurting my princess made me want to rage. I would kill anyone who would hurt a single hair on her. Anyone who made her cry a single painful tear. They would die. Plain and simple.
I swiped her tears away and let my thumb linger over her soft cheeks. “Settle down now, little one,” I crooned next to her ear.
She hiccupped back a small cry, and her lips pursed in a pout. A dry chuckle was heard from me. Maila had us all wrapped around her finger.
Turning my head to the side, I looked at Ayla. She was sleeping soundly. With a smile, I gave her a final glance before walking out of the room.
The door to Maila’s nursery was partially open, so I pushed my way inside. Princess continued to stare at me, blinking sleepily. I knew she would be asleep in no time too.
Her legs kicked out, and she made another hiccup sound. “Yeah. Yeah. I know. You need a diaper change.”
I could feel how full her diaper was. Most probably, that was why she woke up. Shaking my head, I placed her on changing table. She cooed, and her lips twitched in the smallest smile.
Damn it, she was the cutest.
And she had fucked with my mind too. Just like her mother had done so many months ago.
If a year ago you had asked me if I would be cooing and changing the diapers of a baby, I would have laughed and kicked you in the guts for asking the stupidest question.
But now, I couldn’t imagine my world without Maila.
She had wrapped herself around my heart and was there to stay. Just like my Angel.
They both belonged to me, making my heart whole again.
It was a laughable thought…hard to imagine. Everything felt surreal. Like a dream.
But then I would wake up beside Ayla, her body wrapped around mine like a vise. She would open her eyes, regarding me with such a loving look. From a distance, Maila would either be crying or cooing.
And I would remember that none of this was a dream.
I found my Angel…and she gave me a princess.
I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt Maila’s leg kicking impatiently against my chest. She was lying down, moving agitatedly.
“You are an impatient one,” I said as I removed her onesie.
I reached over the changing table and grabbed a diaper. Taking a deep breath, I set to do the impossible task.
“Okay. Let’s do this, Princess.”
With that, I quickly removed the diaper and cleaned Maila. While counting the seconds in my head, I slapped a clean diaper on her and fixed it properly.
Thirty seconds!
And she didn’t pee on me. Fuck yeah.
Last time, Viktor wasn’t so lucky.
But seriously, who the fuck plays with a naked baby?
I laughed silently to myself. His horrified screams still rang through my ears.
Moral of that day? Never play with naked baby. Or better yet, never take too long to change their diapers. You would get peed on.
After dressing Maila up again, I had her cradled in the crook of my arm. She settled against my chest, and I thought she sighed.
Her eyes closed instinctively, causing me to smile. I had Ayla’s love, but a few weeks ago I realized that I also had my daughter’s love.
I settled on the rocking chair and watched my princess sleeping. Her small body went limp in my arms as I rocked us back and forth.
My eyes grew heavier as sleep started to take over. I rested my neck against the back of the chair, closing my eyes in the process.
My last thought was how lucky I was. I remembered my days before Ayla…and then after meeting her. How much I have changed, but also how much I was still the same.
My Angel might have made me more human, but she also accepted the monster’s side. She loved me despite of everything.
She gave me a family, a princess I could love and dote upon. Ayla has completed this broken family. She made me a better man. For her and our princess.
My lips twitched in a smile as I brought Maila closer to my chest.
With my daughter sleeping safely in my arms, I also fell asleep.
***
Ayla
I woke up to an empty bed. Surprised, I sat up quickly. My eyes adjusted to the morning light with great effort as I blinked away the sleepiness.
Getting off the bed, I made my way to the crib to find it empty too. I remembered Alessio waking up to take care of Maila. Did they not come back to bed?
I shrugged my robe on while walking into the bathroom. I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face. After tying my hair in a fast messy bun, I made my way to Maila’s nursery, the room next door.
The door was already open. When I peeked inside, the first thing I saw was Alessio’s back.
He was bent over the changing table and murmuring soft words to our daughter. I smiled at the sight. He really was a doting father.
Leaning against the door, I
admired my husband as he showered our baby with love. Alessio picked her up, and I saw her head over his shoulders. She had a small pink flowered headband on.
Alessio turned, and I noticed that Maila was wearing a pinkish dress. It appeared that her father already had her dressed this morning.
“Good morning,” I said, walking into the nursery.
Alessio shifted around, facing me as he bounced Princess in his arms.
“Morning,” he replied, his voice deep. “I thought I’d dress her up before you woke up.”
Smiling, I walked forward. “I can see that.”
When I placed my arms out, Alessio gave Maila to me. I brought her closer to my chest and bent my head down, smelling her sweet baby scent.
“I should feed her before bringing her downstairs,” I said, turning my head to Alessio. I moved closer to him and hooked an arm around his neck.
Our daughter was cradled between our bodies as I placed a sweet kiss on his lips. He smirked before taking my lips in a more demanding kiss, obviously not caring that Maila was plastered between us.
When she cooed, I pulled away, feeling breathless as I stared at Alessio. He winked before placing a kiss on my forehead and pulling us to the rocking chair.
I settled on his lap, holding Maila to my chest. After Alessio had untied my robe, I brought Princess closer to my breast. She latched on immediately and took her fill. My head rested on Alessio’s shoulder as Maila fed.
“Maddie and I will be discussing the wedding today. We have put it off for too long. The wedding is in three weeks, and I still haven’t made any preparations,” I said quietly.
“You haven’t, but Maddie has. I’m sure she has everything prepared,” Alessio replied, his arms tightening around my waist.
Smiling at the thought, I shook my head. “I’m not surprised. Do you want to be there when we discuss the decorations? It’s not just my wedding. It’s ours. Shouldn’t you have a say in it?”
Alessio’s chest vibrated with a quiet chuckle as he placed a kiss on my forehead. “Do whatever you want, Angel. It doesn’t matter to me. All I care about is that I will be waiting for you at the end of the aisle. As long as the day ends with us saying our vows and with me making love to you, I’m all good.”
That earned another smile from me. He really had a way with words. “Hmm…making love to me? I like the sound of that,” I replied before shifting Maila to my other breast.
