Ultimate Vengeance (Wanted Men Book 4)(99)

TWENTY-THREE




Sacha had just set aside two dozen portions of boiled veggies to cool when she heard the distinct sound of a baby girl talking to her papa.

Wiping her hands on the towel she’d tossed over her shoulder, she came around the large granite-topped island, her belly once more fluttering with nerves. Alekzander appeared with a pinched expression on his face.

“Did everything go okay?” she asked hesitantly. Ever since the group had gone upstairs, she’d had half an eye on the monitor above the refrigerator which regularly flashed all areas of the house and grounds from the security cameras scattered everywhere.

“V shit his pants over how we planned on protecting her; Gabriel shit his when she did the same in hers.”

She burst out laughing as he dropped supplies she hadn’t noticed he was carrying.

“I’m ashamed to say I can’t go here yet,” he added as he handed Lekzi over and snapped the towel off Sacha’s shoulder in the process. He laid it out and pointed to it. “Demonstrate.”

She wondered if she was crazy for loving that commanding tone, not to mention his endearing cluelessness. And because she just couldn’t ignore the urge, she stood on her toes and pressed a lingering kiss to his firm mouth before laying the baby on her back.

“Did you scare the big bad men?” she teased as she opened Lekzi’s clothes up. Changing her took some effort because Lekzi was well rested and in a happy mood. It was difficult but enjoyable trying to control two legs bouncing and stiffening while happy squeals rang out every few seconds, but she eventually finished by pulling tiny jeans up over a clean diaper.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Alekzander murmured as he took the baby so Sacha could wash up.

She’d just torn a sheet of paper towel off the role to dry her hands when her mood went in the toilet, which was fitting considering the task she’d just performed.

“Nope. I’m telling you; I heard her.”

“I don’t think so. Why don’t we find the guys first and let Alek bring them to us?”

“Did you tell them we were coming, Dad? See? She’s expecting us, Nika. And what woman wouldn’t want to show off her baby? Seriously, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were scared or something. Don’t worry, you can’t get pregnant by touching one. They’re not like germs or something.”

“Shut up, Humpty.”

“Girls,” a quiet male voice interceded—Vasily’s. “Remember, make sure you don’t overwhelm her. She hasn’t had a chance to settle in yet. We don’t want to spook her.”

Two feminine gasps sounded. “We’re not going to attack a baby,” one of them said.

“I wasn’t talking about the baby.”

Sacha sidled up next to a grinning Alekzander and followed his gaze to the back hallway. The first woman to appear was the spitting image of her father, so Sacha knew it was Ava…? No, Eva. Too, she was pregnant. The other she assumed was Vincente’s.

“Oh, God.” Sacha couldn’t swallow her groan as every insecurity she’d ever had came crashing down on her. She suddenly felt fat, short, and frumpy.

Alekzander looked down at her. “What?”

She spoke out the side of her mouth “You should have told me to expect two more supermodels; I would have put on some makeup.”

He gave her an incredulous look before the trio reached them and Vasily made introductions.

Eva took Sacha’s hand and smiled warmly, her gaze darting to the baby. “It’s so great to finally meet you. I wanted to introduce myself last night, but we had to leave early. Sorry for that.”

“Do not be sorry. Things were…” She glanced up at Alekzander. He returned her look but offered no help. She was as diplomatic as she could be before moving on. “Er, unsettled. Congratulations to you and Gabriel on your marriage and the coming baby.”

“Thank you. And yours…” Sapphire eyes so similar to her father’s brightened, and as if she’d been given permission, she shifted her attention. “Oh, my God, you guys.” She went in and kissed Alekzander’s cheek then smiled at Lekzi. “She’s so gorgeous. I can’t tell you how happy I am for all of you. Can I hold her?” There was a catch in her voice that Sacha remembered well. When she was pregnant, she’d cried for no reason at all.

After Alekzander had passed the baby over—something they both seemed to be doing all the time—he accepted an affectionate hug from Nika. She said something too quiet for Sacha to hear, which caused a sickening feeling to take up residence in her stomach. She tried not to resent the familiarity between him and the women but couldn’t help it. The last beautiful female she’d seen so close to him had faked some very convincing sex.