Nikolai 2 (Her Russian Protector #6) (54 page)

Nikolai took another drink. "So Holly…?"

"It's a long story, and it's not one I'm ready to tell you. When it's time, you'll learn all you need to know. Until then? Keep an eye on her. Lorenzo isn't the only one who would try to hurt her to get to me."

"I'll watch her." He didn't mention that Kostya would probably have more than his eyes on Holly.

"Have you chosen a name? For my grandson?"

The question surprised Nikolai. He set aside his cup and nodded. "We have a shortlist. Vivian is fond of Lev."

"Lev?" Maksim tried out the name. "Lion? I like that one very much. It's a strong name for a boy. He's going to need a strong name when he inherits all of this."

Over my dead fucking body
, Nikolai crossly thought. "We'll see."

Maksim laughed. "There's no escaping our destiny, Kolya."

Nikolai didn't comment on that. He knocked back the last of the tequila and enjoyed the burn that rushed down his throat and into his chest. "I have a long drive ahead of me."

"My plane is waiting." Maksim finished his drink and gathered their two cups. He carried them to the sink where he washed and dried them before returning them to the right cabinet. No one would ever know that two men had enjoyed a drink together while Lorenzo sat dead in a bathroom down the hall.

"You won't see me again until after the baby is born," Maksim said as they walked outside. "I won't miss the chance to see my grandson."

Nikolai could already see future conflicts arising with Maksim about his son. "We'll make sure a guest room is ready."

"Guest room? No. I think I'll stay at the Four Seasons, like your other Houston visitors."

Nikolai met Maksim's glare with an unwavering stare. "I won't apologize for saving Tatiana."

"Why did you save her?"

"Because she deserved a second chance," he answered matter-of-factly. "She's a good woman. She's brilliant. She's useful."

"She's a loose end, and I don't like loose ends."

"She's my loose end, and I'll tie her up if it comes to that."

Maksim grunted but didn't push the issue. He gestured to the left. "I'm headed this way."

"I'm going that way." Nikolai pointed in front of them.

"Good luck, Kolya." Maksim lumbered away but stopped and turned back toward him. "Congratulations on the baby."

"Thank you."

Bewildered by the strange meeting with his father, Nikolai walked through the Mexican countryside alone in the dark. He found his car waiting exactly where Kostya promised it would be and slid behind the wheel. Rubbing his face between tired hands, he blew out a noisy breath.

Nikolai started the car and fastened his seatbelt. He pulled onto the road and began to retrace his route. It was a long drive home, but the thought of seeing Vivian energized him.

Everything had changed tonight, and nothing would ever be the same again in Houston. For some reason, that idea made him smile. A little change suited him just fine.

Epilogue

April

Nikolai weaved through the raucous throng of revelers at Yuri and Lena's outrageously ostentatious wedding reception. This was the first time in his life where he had attended a party where truly no expense had been spared. He shuddered to think what Yuri had spent to give Lena the perfect wedding day.

Gorgeous and elegant in her second couture gown of the day, Lena held court at a table surrounded by her friends. He spotted Vivian seated next to her. His wife looked so beautiful in her bridesmaid's dress. She had paired the dress with the sunburst jewelry he had given her to celebrate the London art show. Later tonight, he intended to have her naked on their bed. He wanted wearing only his gold and diamonds.

Of course, those plans all depended on the whims of their son. Nearly four months old now, Lev bounced on Vivian's lap. With his dark hair and sky blue eyes, Lev favored Vivian in his looks, but Nikolai fear his son had inherited his temperament. Only time would tell.

He wore a tiny little tuxedo but had lost his socks sometime after the cake had been cut. A curious baby, he tugged on Vivian's hair and gazed out at the dancing, partying crowd. He liked to study the world surrounding him. Nikolai had a feeling his son would be frighteningly smart and ambitious. With two grandfathers and a father who ruled the underworld, it was in his blood to be a leader, to be a king. Nikolai could only hope that Vivian's good influence would teach their boy to be kind and patient.

On the other side of Vivian, Benny held Sofia who was nearly a year old. She stared at Lev with intense interest and reached out to touch him. Nikolai smiled when his son grabbed Sofia's chubby hand and dragged it straight to his mouth. Sofia squealed with laughter as Lev gummed her fingers. His son's toothless grin lit up his cherubic face.

Yuri swooped in and plucked Lev right out of Vivian's arms. He held his godson high in the air and attacked his belly. Lev giggled and kicked his short, stocky legs. Tucking Lev into the crook of his arm, Yuri took Sofia from Benny and ordered the women to go enjoy themselves. With two babies in hand, Yuri headed for the table where the men had congregated. Nikolai trailed him and took his seat.

"Are you practicing for the future?" Dimitri laughed and took Sofia from Yuri. She had her arms out and practically jumped into her daddy's lap. "Because they don't usually come two at once."

"Tell that to Sergei," Yuri replied as he settled into his chair with Lev.

Across the table, Sergei fed Bella a bottle while Ivan made silly faces at Sasha. Sergei cradled Bella's small body in his massive hands and gazed down at her with such love. "After bringing home twins from the hospital and surviving that first week? Bianca and I are pros. If I have my way, we'll do this four or five more times."

Nikolai snorted. "Two more times, and she'll have you sleeping on the couch permanently."

Sergei just smiled at that and lifted Bella up to his shoulder where he had a strategically placed burp cloth.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nikolai noticed Lev grabbing for the Patek Phillipe watch encircling Yuri's wrist. He started to chew on the band and slobber on the watch face. Nikolai leaned forward to stop his son from ruining the watch that had probably set his friend back an obscene amount of money, but Yuri waved him away with a laugh. "When he inherits this on his twenty-first birthday, we'll tell him why it doesn't work."

Nikolai had to laugh at that. When Lev didn't get what he wanted from the watch, he started to cry.

"I think someone wants his papa," Yuri said while handing over a fussing Lev.

Holding his son close, Nikolai breathed in his sweet scent and patted his bottom in the rhythmic way that he liked. Lev latched onto Nikolai's thumb and gnawed on it. Eventually, he made a mewling, kittenish sound and then started to relax and drift off to sleep.

When Sasha started to fuss, Ivan put the baby against his shoulder and patted his little back. The baby quieted down quickly. It was clear that he had been picking up pointers from all the fathers at the table.

"Look at us," Dimitri remarked with a jovial laugh as he let Sofia squish cake and frosting between her fingers. "Did you ever think we would be sitting at Yuri's wedding with all of these babies?"

"And wives," Ivan interjected with a wry grin. "We can't forget those."

"To wives and babies," Yuri said, lifting his shot glass.

"To wives and babies," Nikolai echoed and picked up his beer. The rest of their friends lifted their drinks and saluted their families too.

As he rocked Lev, Nikolai noticed Vivian approaching with Lena and Erin. She walked around the table and stopped behind his chair. Bending down, she embraced them both and kissed his cheek and then the top of Lev's head. Smiling at their son, she whispered, "I think we may have to take him home early."

Nikolai glanced up at her with a feverish, hungry gaze. "I like that plan."

She giggled and traced his ear. "I'm sure you do."

With the promise of a long, sensual night of lovemaking ahead of him, Nikolai leaned into Vivian's embrace. Surrounded by their friends, holding his son and nuzzling his wife's neck, Nikolai grinned. Life was pretty damned good.

Vivian stared at him, her eyes glittering inquisitively. "What's made you so happy?"

"My son." He kissed Lev's cheek and then captured her mouth in a searing kiss that promised a night of wicked pleasure. "And my sun."

The End.

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Her Russian Protector
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Author's Note

Thank you so much for reading the continuation of Vivian and Nikolai's story! This book took quite a meandering journey on the way to its release date. I was so incredibly touched by every single reader who contacted me with messages of support while I dealt with a series of back-to-back family emergencies.

Y'all are just amazing and wonderful, and I can't say thank you enough for giving my Russians (or the Connolly brothers or those dangerously sexy Albanians) a try.

The
Her Russian Protector
series will continue new books for KOSTYA, ALEXEI, DANILA, and TEN.

The series began with the FREE novella IVAN (Her Russian Protector #1) and continues with full-length novels—Dimitri (Her Russian Protector #2), Yuri (Her Russian Protector #3), Nikolai (Her Russian Protector #4), Sergei (Her Russian Protector #5), Sergei II (Her Russian Protector #5.5), and Nikolai II (Her Russian Protector #6.)

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About the Author

I am a
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author. When I’m not chasing after my wild preschooler, I like to write super sexy romances and scorching hot erotica. I live in Texas with a husband who could easily snag a job as an extra on the History Channel’s new Viking series and a sweet, rowdy and always entertaining special needs daughter.

I also have another dirty-book writing alter ego,
Lolita Lopez
, who writes deliciously steamy scifi and paranormal erotic romance tales for Ellora’s Cave, Forever Yours/Grand Central, Mischief/Harper Collins UK, Siren Publishing and Cleis Press. Lo was named of
LATINA
magazines Eight Erotic Authors to Watch in 2013.

You can find me online at
www.roxierivera.com
.

Roxie's Backlist

Her Russian Protector Series

Ivan (Her Russian Protector #1)

Dimitri (Her Russian Protector #2)

Yuri (Her Russian Protector #3)

A Very Russian Christmas (Her Russian Protector #3.5)

Nikolai (Her Russian Protector #4)

Sergei (Her Russian Protector #5)

Sergei, Volume 2 (Her Russian Protector #5.5)

Nikolai, Volume 2 (Her Russian Protector #6)

Kostya (Her Russian Protector #7)—Coming Soon

Alexei (Her Russian Protector #8)—Coming Soon

Danila (Her Russian Protector #9)—Coming Soon

The Fighting Connollys Series

In Kelly's Corner (Fighting Connollys #1)

In Jack's Arms (Fighting Connollys #2)

In Finn's Heart (Fighting Connollys #3)

Debt Collection

Collateral (Debt Collection #1)

Collateral 2 (Debt Collection #2)

Past Due (Debt Collection #3)—Coming Soon

Paid in Full (Debt Collection #4)—Coming Soon

Her SEAL Protector

Close Quarters

Seduced By…

Seduced by the Loan Shark

Seduced by the Loan Shark 2—Coming Soon!

Seduced by the Congressman

Seduced by the Congressman 2

Erotica

Chance's Bad, Bad Girl

Halftime With Craig

Tease

Eddie's Cuffs 1

Eddie's Cuffs 2

Eddie's Cuffs 3

Disturbing the Peace

Quid Pro Quo

Search and Seizure

Copyright
© 2014 Roxie Rivera/Night Works Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.