Page 71 of His Defiant Witness

"Maybe." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Someday… If you wanted it too."

"Well." I smile and reach up to trace the line of his jaw with my fingers. "We are partners in everything now. If you want to add tiny humans to our partnership agreement, I'm certainly open to negotiating those terms."

"Negotiating?" His eyes light up with amusement. "What kind of terms are we talking about?"

"Oh, you know." I pretend to consider it seriously. "Standard partnership provisions. Equal decision-making authority.Shared responsibilities for feeding, diaper changing, and dealing with tantrums. A binding commitment to actually be present instead of disappearing for days at a time on mysterious business."

"That last one might be difficult." He's grinning now. "My business is very mysterious."

"Then I guess you'll have to become less mysterious." I kiss him lightly. "At least when it comes to your family."

"Our family," he corrects me. "And yes, I think I can manage that."

The band starts playing something more upbeat, and people begin moving toward the small dance floor that's been set up. Dimitri leads me into the crowd and pulls me into his arms, swaying with me to the music while conversations and laughter continue around us.

This is my life now. Running hospitality for a casino owned by the Russian Mafia, living with a man who's equal parts dangerous and devoted, surrounded by a family that accepted me like one of their own and protected me just as fiercely. It's not the life I imagined for myself when my mother first moved us to St. Petersburg looking for steady work and a fresh start.

It's better.

"I love you," Dimitri says against my hair as we dance. "In case I haven't mentioned that recently."

"You mentioned it this morning." I smile against his chest. "And last night. And the night before that."

"Well, it bears repeating." He uses my own words against me.

"You're going to drive me nuts with that for months, aren't you?" My hands lazily play with the hairs at the back of his neck.

"Not long enough." He pulls me closer. "I plan to keep you forever."

"Forever sounds good to me." I rest my head against his shoulder and let him guide me through the dance. "As long as it includes more nights like this."

"It will," he promises. "All the nights you want and more."