Stay Close Read online

  I nod, comfortable in the knowledge that I am that man. I was placed on this earth to do exactly what Paige is asking me—to keep her safe and protect her purity of heart.

  “Will you ever let her go?”

  “Never,” I answer sharply.

  “I wanted better for my daughters. I made sure they had a better childhood, a better life, everything better than what I had. But I never envisioned a love better than the one I have with Captain. Because there’s nothing more than what I have with him. What we share, what we’ve made is the only thing I’ve ever wanted for my girls.”

  “You’re right,” I say, sitting up. “I see the two of you, and there is no doubt that what you have with your husband is rare. It’s soul mates living side by side. And it’s what I have with Penelope.”

  Paige looks at me and nods.

  “I love her, and I will love her until the end of this life and the thousands that follow.” I stand up and walk over to Paige. “I would like your blessing and Ryan’s to marry Penelope. It would honor us and our love.”

  “Let me talk to him. He’s not going to take it well.” She laughs and closes her eyes, shaking her head. “But you have my blessing, Ivan. I knew she was a goner for you from the beginning. And I can’t say she didn’t get that from me.”

  Paige shrugs and looks back at the family photo. “Just do me a favor, okay?”

  “Anything,” I say, standing at attention.

  “Promise me you won’t take her away from us.”

  There is a pain in my heart at her words. “The reason I love Penelope is because she’s afternoon sunshine and the first blossom of spring. She smells like warm cookies and laughs like an angel. I would never do anything to stop that. I don’t want to put her in a box and seal her away. Her family is important to her, and so it’s important to me.”

  Paige nods, and I can see a little relief in her eyes.

  “I will never take her from any of you. I wish only to become a part of what you have built.”

  Paige reaches out and squeezes my shoulder, and if I’m not mistaken there are small tears in her eyes.

  “I know that feeling all too well.”

  A few hours later, when I get back to the guest house and slip back into bed, my krasotu is still sleeping. I lie there watching the sunlight spread across her shoulder. The sheets are tucked around her waist, and her pale skin glows. Hours pass, and I never take my eyes off her. I could spend the rest of eternity just like this and die a happy man.

  When she opens her eyes and smiles at me, the light catches the diamond on her finger, sending prisms of rainbows dancing across the room.

  I bought it after I talked with Paige. The five-carat princess-cut pink diamond is surrounded by small white ones on a platinum band. My krasotu deserves a ring as beautiful as she is, and she will forever be my darling love.

  “Ivan,” she says, looking at it in shock.

  “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes!” she screams, throwing herself at me. She giggles with excitement and climbs up my body, wrapping her legs and arms around me as tightly as possible.

  I laugh with her and rub my hands down her back. We stay like that for a long time, but we can’t remain in our bubble forever.

  “Pandora,” she says, looking into my eyes.

  I nod in understanding. She needs to talk to her twin.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Penelope

  I slip into my room to see Pandora still asleep in my bed. On the weekends she could sleep forever if we let her. Normally her growling stomach is the only thing that motivates her to get up. Crawling onto the bed, I lie next to her and run my finger down her nose. Her face scrunches and she slaps at my hand, making me giggle.

  I knew Pandora was the first person I wanted to tell. I know I’ll have to face my mom and dad soon enough. Pandora and I share everything, and I hope that she’ll be happy for me. I want her to be excited with me. I run my finger down her nose again.

  “You better have food,” she grumbles, smacking at my hand again. Her eyes fly open when her hand makes contact with my ring. She grabs my hand, looking at the gigantic rock Ivan put on me.

  “Never one to waste time are you, Penny?” I hear the laughter in her voice. The little bit of tension I wasn’t even aware I was carrying melts away. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” I tell her, feeling a little choked up now. “I know some might say it’s fast.”

  “Fast is putting it lightly,” she laughs. “Seems to be the way this family works, though.”

  We both smile at that. Dad always talks about how he fell in love with Mom after just one look. Knew from the moment he saw her she would be his life. Then he did anything and everything to make her his.

  “I knew the day would come when we’d have to detach ourselves from each other. But I thought we still had more time.”

  I stare at her, thinking about not having her crawl into my bed every night. I don’t know why I didn’t think about it before. Things will change between us.

  “Ahh, Penny, don’t cry. All I’m saying is I’m going to miss you. But it’s time for a new Chapter in our lives. I’m just glad you have someone with you in your new chapter.”

  “What about you? Do you want someone?” I ask.

  Something flashes across her face before it’s gone. “Just because you’re lovestruck doesn’t mean you need to push it on me. I think I’ll go along with Henry and do the no-dating thing.”

  I roll my eyes at the mention of our cousin. Henry refuses to date. He said he didn’t want to end up all crazy in love like his own parents. Both of our dads seem to have stalker tendencies when it comes to their wives. Henry is terrified he’s going to catch it.

  “Will you tell Mom and Dad with me?”

  The ball of tension in my stomach has suddenly returned. She runs her hands over her face and now I can see she’s worried, too. I always get sick when I think about my parents being mad at me. Pandora had always been quick to take the brunt of whatever we got ourselves into as kids. But this time, it’s on me. And I need her support.

  “How about I tell them I’m knocked up. When they start to freak, we’ll just say that we’re kidding and Penny’s marrying the guy who looks like he murders people for breakfast.” I smack her arm, and then she sobers. “Wait, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

  I roll my eyes at her because she’s being crazy—how could I possibly be pregnant already?—but then hers narrow on me.

  “All right. Let’s go pull this Band-Aid off before you make yourself sick worrying about it. Then you can make me breakfast.” She adds the last part as we get out of bed.

  Pandora grabs my hand. “If that man is broken, no one will be able to heal him like you.”

  Her words take me by surprise, and I squeeze her hand. “Thank you.”

  When we enter the kitchen, Pandora and I both freeze. My dad is staring at Ivan, and my mom is standing in between them. Ivan doesn’t move. The look on his face is unreadable, but I know without a doubt my parents are now aware of our relationship. I can feel the tension in the room.

  Eventually, Ivan’s eyes come to mine, and I watch his whole face soften.

  Mom looks over to Pandora and me, and Dad follows her line of sight. His attention goes straight to my finger. I make no move to cover the ring.

  “Penelope,” my dad says, and I stand at attention.

  “Watch your tone,” Ivan says.

  “Oh shit,” Pandora mumbles next to me. No one corrects Dad. Well, no one except Mom.

  Dad’s attention snaps back to Ivan, who’s still staring at me like he didn’t just poke a giant bear. It’s then I notice that both of them are about the same height. It would be an almost even match, size wise.

  “Are you hungry, kr
asotu?” Ivan asks me, as if the room isn’t about to explode with tension.

  “You’ve got food?” Pandora asks, and I smack her arm. Then I hear my mom snort.

  “You don’t tell me how to talk to my daughter,” my dad says, ignoring everyone but Ivan.

  “Krasotu is precious. No one will talk to her in a way that is not polite.”

  “All right, I see why you fell for him so fast. He gets food and says shit like that.”

  I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling at Pandora’s words.

  My dad takes a deep breath as if to get himself under control. “I know she’s precious.” My dad looks at me as my mom moves next to him. I’m a little shocked at how calm and okay she seems with all of this. But she might have already known. She knows everything.

  My dad instinctively wraps an arm around her. “Is this what you want?” he asks me.

  “I love him,” I admit.

  “Of course you do.” He lets out a deep breath. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” Pandora and I say in unison.

  “Penny.” Dad says my name a lot softer this time. “It’s just hard to take all this in. You’re my little girl. You love with your whole heart, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “I would never hurt Penelope.” Ivan walks over to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, and Dad’s eyes narrow for a moment.

  “That might be so, Ivan, but we’re still going to have a talk about this.”

  I smile up at Ivan. Dad just gave his approval in a roundabout way. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my chest. I don’t even know why I was so worried. I know at the end of the day my family would never stand in the way of my happiness. Maybe it’s more that I want them to like him. I want Ivan to be a part of this family. I want him to get a taste of how wonderful having a family really is.

  “Da, after krasotu eats.”

  “I’ll make breakfast,” I announce.

  “Thank God,” Pandora says, walking over to the breakfast bar and sitting down.

  Ivan leans down and kisses me on the top of my head before letting me go. I walk over to my mom and dad. “You want something, too?”

  My dad ignores my question, pulling me into them as they both wrap their arms around me in a tight hug.

  “I love you,” my dad says.

  “Let me see the ring,” Mom demands. “Looks like someone wants to make sure everyone within a mile knows you’re taken.”

  I feel myself blush a little as she smiles at me

  “I’m going to starve to death,” Pandora whines, and I roll my eyes.

  Ivan takes a seat at the breakfast bar as I start to cook. He watches me the whole time.

  I take a coffee over to him and set it down in front of him. He holds my hand and runs his thumb across my knuckle. “I love you, krasotu,” he says, bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing it.

  “I love you, too,” I reply, watching a smile pull at his lips. His whole face changes so much when he smiles.

  “Let’s talk about this wedding,” I hear my mom say. I look over at her and she’s smiling. My dad is glaring at Ivan’s hand holding mine.

  Pandora lets out a sound like she’s dying, and her head drops to the countertop. “Oh my God, she’s going to make me wear a dress!”

  “Oh my God, I get to plan a wedding!” I squeal with excitement.

  “This is going to be hell,” Pandora grumbles, but when she lifts her head to look at me she’s smiling.

  Then I look around the room and I notice everyone is smiling.

  I feel myself start to tear up from the amount of happiness flowing through me. It’s overwhelming to have this much love in one room, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I know that from this day forward, my family is growing. Not only by adding Ivan, but in our hearts.

  And now the next Chapter begins.

  Epilogue

  Penelope

  A few months later...

  “Krasotu,” Ivan moans into my neck as we both come. His warm release fills me, and I hold on to him tighter, wanting to stay lost in the moment. Lost in him.

  “I’m sorry, krasotu. My control is not strong after last night.”

  My eyes open lazily at his words. His dark ones meet mine. He leans in, taking my mouth in a soft kiss. When he pulls back I smile because I got lipstick on him. I should probably tell him, but I like the idea that I left a mark on him.

  “I missed you, too, and never be sorry,” I tell him.

  Pandora and Mom made me have a sleepover last night, saying the bride isn’t supposed to be with the groom the night before the wedding. Ivan and I reluctantly agreed, but I was glad I did. Spending my last unmarried night with my sister and mom was a memory I will always cherish.

  I don’t think Ivan did, though, and I have a feeling he’d been waiting for a moment to pounce on me. This has been the only moment I’ve been alone in the last twenty-four hours. He popped out of nowhere to push up my dress and pin me to the nearest wall. I knew he’d been watching and waiting. It made me smile even more.

  “What the hell?” I hear Pandora yelp as she tries to open my bedroom door. “Ivan better not be in there!” she yells. I have to fight a giggle, and even Ivan smiles.

  He’s grown closer and closer to my family each day. He’s been giving me more of himself and telling me pieces about his life in Russia. I love that he’s just as much a part of this family as the rest of us, and I know he likes it, too. Pandora is always poking at him and making jokes. At first I used to get all pissy about it, thinking she was being a little mean to him. But then I realized she does the same thing with Henry, and I know that’s her way of accepting him as one of us. I even caught Ivan laughing with her when she does it. He can give pretty good, too.

  “My krasotu is here, so of course I am here,” he yells through the door. He’s poking at her, and I roll my eyes.

  “Put me down,” I whisper to him. He lets out a deep sigh, clearly not liking the idea. “The sooner I’m ready, the sooner I belong to you forever,” I remind him.

  “You already belong to me. And me to you,” he adds, making me smile at him.

  “And the sooner we can be off on our honeymoon, where it’s just you and me for three whole weeks.”

  “Open this door,” Pandora growls, jerking the handle.

  Ivan pulls back, his cock slipping free and making me moan. His eyes darken, and I know he wants to take me again. I feel his release start to run down my thighs as he places me on my feet. The sight catches his eye, and he reaches for me. I have to jump away from him before I’m pinned to the wall again. My dress falls down and covers me up again.

  Ivan rights his clothes as I unlock the door. Pandora comes barreling in, her red hair a wild mess. She glares at Ivan for a moment before she looks at me. ”You messed up your makeup.”

  “She looks perfect,” Ivan tries to correct her.

  “Since when do you care about makeup?” I ask. It’s funny how much Pandora has been into this wedding. She’s been running around barking orders at people, making sure everything is getting done. In her defense, I’m not as good at snapping at people as she is.

  I already got upset about the invitations being printed wrong. I tried to say something to the company that made them, but they blew me off. I told Pandora about it because I knew if I told Ivan he’d probably burn their building down. She seemed the safer bet, but after that she kind of took over. She clearly did not like the idea of someone trying to push me around.

  “Since you had to have three dresses for your wedding day?” she throws back at me, not really even answering my question.

  “I needed them!” I snap back. My wedding dress, my after-party dress, then the dress I’ll leave in. This seems completely reasonable to me. “You have an outfit chang
e, too,” I say accusingly.

  “Because I’m not wearing a dress all day.” She glances over at Ivan. She’s probably wondering what he’s still doing here. “Don’t you need to be getting ready?”

  He merely shrugs. He won’t leave until I say something.

  “Okay, okay. We’ll get ready,” I tell her, going back over to Ivan. He leans down, giving me a kiss. “I’ll see you soon, my muzh,” I tell him, calling him “husband” in Russian. Over the last few months I’ve picked up a lot of it.

  He cups my face, kissing the tip of my nose before turning to leave.

  Afterwards I look at Pandora, who has a wistful look on her face. The look catches me off guard, and I wonder if all her talk about not wanting a man is bullshit.

  We both start college soon. It will be the first time we are really apart. She’s moving into the city to go to school, and I’m staying out here and taking some classes online. My aunt Mallory has been pushing me towards accounting, and I’m starting to think that’s what I want to do.

  I think Ivan is making a business out of his tracking devices. He’s always coming up with cool ideas of what to put them into. Maybe I could help on the business side of that. Mom and Dad already have him making stuff for them for work.

  “That man loves you. I feel like an ass that I ever tried to stand in the way of that,” Pandora finally says.

  I walk up to her and grab her hand. “Then promise me something.”

  “Anything,” she responds instantly.

  “That when the day comes and you fall in love, you don’t stand in your own way.”

  She stares at me for a moment like she’s thinking it over.

  “Okay, I promise,” she says after a beat. “Not that I think that day will ever come,” she adds, and I shake my head.

  “Okay, enough about me. We need to get the show on the road so Dad can walk you down the aisle. Mom and I have bets on how long it will take him to let you go when you get to the end.” She leans in close. “I bet ten seconds, so do your sister a solid.”

  I laugh.

  “For real, though, let’s do this thing. I don’t know how much longer Dad can hold Ivan back. The man already gave him the slip once.”