Red Reaper - Soldiers of Fortune [book one]

Chapter SIXTY EIGHT

Lucky Ivanov

... a few weeks later ...

"Honey Bear, I'm back!" With my cheeks pink from the blistering cold outside, I push back into the apartment with a stack of folded boxes and a fresh roll of packing tape bundled beneath my arm..

With only a few days before our big move North to Roan County, there is still so much to be done.. Including the packing of Konstantin's apartment..

Before I can struggle out of my fuzzy jacket and knee high boots I'm met with a beautiful squeal of excitement..

"ANTIEEE LUCKIEEEEE!!" Axle rushes me at the door and I drop the moving supplies as he grabs a hold of my legs..

Surprised by his presence, I lean down to hug him close.. "Hiya baby-boy, It's so good to see you.. What have you got there?"

Axle proudly waves a vintage wooden dolly with patinated paint in the air at me.. "Uncky Konnie-stan give'd me a baby-oosh-ka!" Axle giggles and I look up to see Konstantin emerge from the kitchen with baby Lyra sleeping in his burly arms.. The sight is enough to stop my heart and send my ovaries into overdrive..

Holy heaven.. He looks so comfortable.. So natural..

"A baby-oosh-ka, huh?" I grin and Axle nods wildly..

"That's wut Unky Konnie-stan calls it! Baby-oosh-ka!" Axle sings..

"Oh, is that what Konnie-stan calls it?" I smirk up at The Bear and groan under Axles weight as I lift him to my hip.. "He says all kinds of silly things, huh?"

"Yeah! He's soooo funny!" Axle giggles as he pulls the wooden doll apart to reveal a smaller doll inside..

"He sure is!" I exclaim in excitement before turning back to The Bear, balancing the toddler on my hip.. "What's going on? Where's KP?"

"Your sister had to go to court, she sayz Stacey iz sick.. I could not say no to babysit- She scares me.." Konstantin jokes as joins me, leaning down to kiss the top of my head..

"Oh so we're babysitting because you're a big baby?" I laugh, ruffling Axle's hair with my free hand.. "You're mommy is a sneaky shark, huh, buddy!"

"Mommy is a shark!" Axle chomps his teeth back at me and Konstantin chuckles fondly..

As I set Axle back down on the ground he begins to yawn, pushing his dolly into my hands.. "Sleepy time for baby-oosh-ka! Baby-oosh-ka go nite nite!"

"Aw, you and Babushka are tired little buddy, how about a nap? You can sleep in Konie-stan's big boy bed until mommy gets back, how's that sound?!"

"I'm a big boy!" Axle nods..

"Oh I know, you're the biggest boy in this whole house!" I throw Konstantin a teasing smile before, taking Axle up the hall and into the half packed bedroom.. I lay down with the boy in the middle of the huge bed, making a wall of pillows around him to keep him from rolling around and he snuggles against me as I pet his hair..

"Antiee Luckiee, I lub youh.." Axle knows just how to butter me up as he blinks up at me with big blue dreamy dozy eyes..

"I love you too, little Axe-man.." I hum softly..

He wriggles onto his side to make himself more comfortable before asking.. "Does Uncky Konnie-stan lub me?"

I chuckle.. "Yeah, of course he does buddy.."

"Does Uncky Konnie-stan lub youh?"

I open my mouth to answer but I'm beaten to the punch..

"Da.." A deep growl rumbles from the doorway and I sit up to watch as Konstantin slips into the dim room.. "I love her vury much, malen'kiy mal'chik.."

"Oh, Kostya.." My heart aches..

I watch as Konstantin argues, one armed to open and set up the small portable cot that Stacey had left him with for the baby before he lays a sleeping Lyra down inside it.. She whines a little when the pacifier slips from her mouth but he quickly replaces it before she can wake up and soon she settles again..

"Uncky! Come do cuddles wif me and Antiee! It's sleepy time.." Axle sweetly pets the bed beside him and Konstantin looks to me for approval..

I smile invitingly.. "Yeah, come do cuddles, Uncky Konnie-stan.."

"Vury well.." Konstantin ambles around the side of the bed to where I lay before he sits beside me..

I shuffle across to make room and when he puts a hand over mine I peer over at him with curiosity.. "Where on earth did you get a Babushka Doll from anyways?"

As I turn my attention on the Russian Bear he shrugs.. "I keep, iz from old country.."

I glance down to see Axle is already halfway off to sleep, so I lower my voice.. "Are you sure you want Axle to have it- he might break it.."

He smirks.. "It iz children's toy- he iz child.."

"But if it's all you have- I wouldn't want it to get damaged, it looks old-" I worry with a frown of concern..

Konstantin wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me in to place a comforting kiss on my forehead. "Shh- I have otherz.."

"You do?" I narrow my disbelieving gaze on him.. "But I thought you said you didn't keep anything from Russia? Actually, I believe you said that you didn't need anything sentimental.."

He rubs at the back of his neck with a gruff confession.. "Ah, In truth I did keep many of Ivar's thingz.. But I could not bare to see them before.. So I did store them.."

"And now?" I take his hand in mine, hoping for just a little more of his rare vunerablity.. I am so used to his usual stoic shrugs and grunts, and I love him for his strength.. But when he shows me those raw feelings and glimpses of his soft side, I can't help but fall deeper in love with him..

"Now I have evurything I wish for, Malishka.." Konstantin brushes the hair back from my cheek with a twinkle of admiration in his eye.. "There iz nothing else I need.."

I shift around to face him.. "Well.. Hopefully there is something.."

He smiles knowingly.. "Ah, you tell me what else do I wish for, Kiska?"

My cheeks heat as I push playfully against his broad chest.. "You know.."

"Hm.." He grins a teasing smirk.. "You v'want make baby with me.."

I giggle.. "Don't you want to?"

He pulls me closer to plant a devoted kiss on my lips.. "Da.. You know I do want thiz, Luchenskaya.. I want thiz vury much.."