Chapter Ten

“I have the DNA results,” Dimitri said, holding up a sealed envelope.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yes. I think it’s fair.” Max looked at his brother and nodded.

“Do you think we should get Kyle?” Max asked.

“No. So whoever isn’t the father can surprise her when he’s ready with the proposal.”

“We promise not to get mad and to love both of them no matter what.”

“Agreed. Now open the damn thing, Dimitri.”

***

Kyle decided to spend the day at the park with Varina and Violet while Evie slept in the stroller.

“I am so glad she has calmed down at night,” Varina said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love her and all—I mean, she is my cousin and hopefully my niece—but I hated her screaming.”

“Same here, and I’m her mother.” Kyle laughed.

“I thought I was a horrible person for being angry at the noise.” Violet let out a sigh of relief.

“Do you not like children?” Kyle was curious; she didn’t know if Anatoli would want kids either.

“I’m not sure. I didn’t have the best upbringing, and I’m not sure I’m fit to raise a child.”

“Have you and Anatoli talked about this?”

Violet shook her head no.

“It’s okay; there’s plenty of time. He loves you, you know that.”

“I know, and I love him too. He’s sweet, and he wants to take care of me. I’m not used to it. I’ve been used and hurt by guys, but he’s showing me the good in men.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Kyle smiled at Violet and continued to look around. “It’s pretty here.”

“It is, but I’m happier in the States.”

“So, being back here didn’t make you homesick?”

“No. Besides, Ryan won’t live here, and I want to be where he is.”

“You have straightened out my brother. He always did the best he could, but he never made the right decisions.”

Out of the corner of her eye, a man caught Kyle’s attention, distracting her from the conversation.

She tried not to bring attention to the fact that she saw him, but she noticed he was taking pictures of them.

“We have to go—don’t make a scene.”

This was the first time Max and Dimitri trusted her to go out without Ellis because they thought they were safe.

Once they got into the car, Kyle sent Max and Dimitri a text letting them know what was happening.

***

“Here are the photos my guy sent. She is for sure in Russia, and she has already had the baby.”

“Boy or girl?”

“I don’t know; he didn’t get close enough.”

Cannin was getting annoyed, and he wanted Kyle and the baby. He couldn’t believe she already had him.

Logically thinking, he knew the timeline was a little off, but the thought of having an heir was too alluring for him. He wanted to believe the child was his.

“What’s the plan?”

“We can’t make a move until they’re back, so let them feel unsafe in Russia—that may drive them back here.

“Taking them and traveling back is too risky. Let them do the work of traveling back. Don’t fuck this up; you know what will happen.”

***

“Tell me everything that happened,” Max demanded as he took Evie.

“Nothing really took place. I noticed the man taking pictures and didn’t wait around to find out anything else. I wasn’t taking that risk with Evie.”

Evie started fussing in Max’s arms. “She’s probably hungry—she slept the entire time she was home.”

“I’ll give her a bottle; I want to spend some time with her. Why don’t you relax? Dimitri and I will take care of her, and we’ll talk about what we should later.”

Kyle kissed Evie on the head and then gave Max and Dimitri a kiss before heading upstairs.

Dimitri waited until Kyle was out of the room before speaking to Max.

“We have to fix this problem now. We can’t put it off, and we need to make sure they are safe.”

“I know. Don’t act like I don’t care because I do. I’m angry at all of this. If we had the resources, I would blow up everything that is linked to Cannin.”

“Maybe we should hit them first, take them by surprise.”

“Maybe, but we can’t half-ass this. We will continue this later. Can you get a bottle?”

Dimitri nodded at his brother and left to get the bottle, leaving Max and Evie alone.

“You have nothing to worry about. Daddy will make sure nothing happens to you,” he whispered as he kissed her head.