The Jersey Vignettes (5 page)

Chapter Thirteen

The sound of running water woke Ana. Blinking away the sleepiness in her vision, she glanced around the dark bedroom. A light filtered out from under the door connecting the bedroom to the master bath. Adrik barely stirred next to his mother as Ana pushed the blanket away and stood from the bed.

Apparently Ana had been more tired than she thought if she had fallen asleep waiting for Koldan. Pregnancy could do that. Plucking up Adrik from the bed, she smiled as the toddler snored against his mother’s shoulder. She walked him to his bedroom and put him in his small bed, covering him up snug under his Thomas the Train blankets.

Making her way back to the master bedroom, Ana wondered why Koldan hadn’t woken her up himself after he got home. Ana knocked on the bathroom door, hearing Koldan’s quiet cuss on the other side.

“Go to bed, Ana,” Koldan said loud enough for her to hear.

Something in the lilt of his tone brokered no room for argument. That told Ana she couldn’t let it go. Well, she wasn’t going to now.

“Open up, Koldan.”

“Ana—”

As far as privacy went, Ana respected her husband’s need for it. He never stepped over her personal lines, and she tried to never step over his. Turning the handle on the bathroom door, she could tell it wasn’t locked. Ana pushed the door open to find Koldan standing against the marble sink with his hands under running water.

His back was tense and even the muscles in his arms looked tight and taut, like he was holding something back. Anger flashed in his gaze as he turned to look at Ana, but it disappeared just as fast. He still wore his clothes from earlier, though his suit jacket was resting over the side of the counter.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Ana asked.

“Please get out.”

“No.”

Koldan sighed, shaking his head. “You’re too stubborn for your own good sometimes,
krasivyy
.”

“You married me.”

“I did, but that doesn’t mean you don’t frustrate me sometimes, Ana. I love you, but God knows your stubbornness could test the patience of even a Saint.”

Ana shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. “Makes for a good marriage.”

“Actually, it makes for a good woman,” Koldan muttered.

He hissed as he pulled his hands out from the running water and covered them with a towel. He turned just enough to give Ana a good look at the splatters of red dotting over the front of his silk shirt and down his stomach. Some of the red dots had skipped under his jaw and over his chin.

Ana stared at her husband, confused. “Is that blood?”

Koldan’s jaw tensed. “Yes.”

“Oh, Koldan.”

“I told you to go back to bed.”

Maybe she should have.

“Do we have any antibiotics?” her husband asked. “Or a cream, maybe.”

Ana’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

“Just because.”

“Because
why
, Koldan?”

“I split my knuckles all over that idiot’s teeth and I don’t know what kind of diseases he might have had in his dirty mouth. Do we or don’t we?”

Ana let out a slow breath, massaging her temples with her fingers. “We do.”

Of course, they did. They had a toddler son that always managed to get at least one scraped knee or elbow a week.

“Where?”

Stepping away from the door, Ana walked across and opened up the cabinet beneath the sink. She pulled out a first aid kit and searched for the antibiotic cream she knew was in there. Once she had it, she set it on the counter and waved at Koldan.

“Take the damn towel off and let me see them,” Ana ordered.

Koldan shook his head. “I’ll do it, babe. It’s fine.”

“Koldan, please don’t make me say it again. I’m tired and pregnant and not in the mood. Let me clean your knuckles so I can go to bed, and you can apologize to me in the morning.”

With a disgruntled grunt, Koldan flung the towel covering his hands to the counter. Ana’s chest ached at the sight of his knuckles. They were red, cut on every single one, and swollen. They looked terribly sore. Ana ghosted her fingers around the injuries, noting how his hands stayed steady at the same time.

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

“Barely,” Koldan muttered. “Felt especially good while I doled out the punishment, though.”

Quietly, Ana went about cleaning Koldan’s hands and applying the antibiotic cream. All the while, her husband watched her through his dark lashes, saying nothing.

“You don’t have to break the face of every man who hurts me, Koldan,” Ana said.

“Yes, I absolutely do.”

Ana wished he wouldn’t, though. “But—”

“I do, Ana,” Koldan interrupted before she could get out another word. “Because you’re mine—every single person needs to know it. And nobody gets to hurt what’s mine, not unless they want to bleed for it, too.”

Chapter Fourteen

Daniil Koldan was nothing like his older brother. He was fussy at night, demanding to sleep between his mother and father. From the very start, he was a momma’s boy through and through. He liked all the attention he could get, and Ana didn’t mind giving her little prince exactly what he deserved.

“Look at him,” Koldan whispered.

Ana watched her husband trace the sleeping baby’s features. Gently, he touched Daniil’s little nose and lips. Daniil looked so much like his father, it was unreal. Even the set of his tiny cheekbones and the shape of his eyes were similar. Two-year-old Adrik shared both his mother and father’s features, but Daniil took after Koldan entirely.

“He’s so much quieter when he sleeps,” Koldan said.

Ana laughed softly. “I know.”

Leaning over, Koldan caught Ana’s chin between his forefinger and thumb, bringing her closer for a kiss that seared her from the inside out. “I’m sorry,
krasivyy
.”

Ana blinked, surprised. “For what?”

“I’ve been gone a lot, I know. I’m sorry for that. I’ll try to be home more often.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “If I was having trouble, I’d tell you.”

Koldan grinned. “But I miss you, babe.”

Ana kissed him again, letting her tongue war with his. Pulling away, she murmured, “I’ve missed you, too.”

Koldan had a lot going on. Work in the Bratva never ended and now that he had officially dropped the brigadier title to stand at Adrik’s side, more and more eyes were watching them both. Ana had a whole new level of respect for her mother. Being the Bratva wife was not easy. It was difficult to appear unaffected and cold at every turn. It was hard to keep your weak spots hidden. Ana had always been treated like royalty in her father’s Bratva family, but this felt different in a way. Like she was being tested and gaged by the men under Koldan. Like they were wondering if she was a worthy partner for a man of his status.

Ana wasn’t accustomed to that.

Koldan’s attention went right back to their son. “I told you he was going to be a boy. No girls for me, Ana. Good thing. I don’t know if I could handle boyfriends and dates.”

“Periods, too,” Ana added.

“Jesus. Boys only.” 

Ana smacked his arm lightly. “Well, I think I’m done giving you babies, anyway. So, you have your boys, Koldan.”

“Our boys,” he replied.

“Ours.”

“And this little one is such a momma’s boy,” Koldan said, chuckling.

“I like him that way,” Ana replied.

“One more?” he asked.

“One more what?”

“Baby.”

Ana scoffed. “Not anytime soon, Koldan.”

Koldan winked at her but didn’t press her on the topic. Without a word, her husband plucked the sleeping child off the bed and cradled him in his arms.

“What are you doing?” Ana asked.

“Taking him to his bed,” Koldan said.

“But he doesn’t sleep in there.”

Koldan looked down at Daniil. “He’s sleeping now, Ana.”

“He’ll wake up.”

A shrug answered her back. “Maybe, but I’ll go in and rock him back to sleep.”

Ana’s heart melted a little more. Her husband was a great father. Hands on with their kids and he never shied away from parenting. “I don’t mind him sleeping in here, Koldan.”

“I do. Tonight, anyway.”

“What, why?”

Koldan had never said anything of the sort before.

“You had your twelve week check-up the other day, didn’t you?” her husband asked, grinning slyly.

Ana’s body heated at his vaguely suggestive words. “I did.”

“And?”

“All is good.”

Koldan flashed his white teeth in a wickedly sinful smile. “Good. Go get in the bath, Ana. Relax for a little while or something.”

Ana heard the telltale sounds of Daniil’s cries the moment Koldan took him out of their bedroom. With a roll of her eyes, Ana pushed out of the bed and padded through to the master bath. If her husband wanted to play daddy for the night and rock their son to sleep a half of a dozen times, more power to him.

Ana didn’t mind the break.

With a bath drawn and bubbles giving off the sweetest scent of vanilla and sugar, Ana undressed and climbed into the tub. The hot water instantly loosened the knots tightening her muscles. She hadn’t realized how much stress her body was under until the water soothed it away. Forgetting where she was for a moment, Ana nearly dozed off in the hot, comforting bath.

A gentle graze of something warm and soft against her neck broke her from the daze. Confused, she blinked up at her husband’s sensual smile.

“Fell asleep, hmm?” Koldan asked.

Had she?

“The water is still warm,” Ana said, laughing lowly. “Must not have been for long.”

“Took me twenty minutes to get him back to sleep. How hot was the water, Ana?”

“Hot enough.” Ana flicked her wet wrist in Koldan’s direction, splattering water and bubbles at him. “Get in with me.”

“Oh, I can’t deny you anything, Ana. Not when you look like that.”

Ana grinned, thoroughly enjoying the show as Koldan undressed down to nothing but his skin and slipped into the large bathtub beside his wife. It was one of the things she loved the most about their home. Their Jacuzzi style tub provided more than enough room to fit two or three people side by side comfortably.

Resting her head on Koldan’s shoulder, Ana felt what lingering tension she might have had fade away. “How was work?”

“Busy. How was the baby today?” he asked back.

Ana laughed. “Busy.”

“I bet. My little monsters.”

“I miss my studio and the clients, though,” Ana added. “But I think I’d miss the kids more.”

Koldan’s hand found the spot under Ana’s chin. He tilted her face up so he could look down at her. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“I went to school for a long time to do what I do, and I enjoy designing homes.”

“So?”

“So, maybe I have two kids and I don’t want them raised by nannies or daycares, Koldan.”

“Oh,” her husband murmured. “This is entirely up to you, Ana. I won’t mind either way.”

“Promise?”

Koldan chuckled deeply, the sound rocking straight through Ana’s chest. “Babe, I’m not going to lie here. I prefer you home with the kids, here when I need you, and up with me in the morning. But I also like it when you’re doing what you want to do. I’d never take that away or ask you to give it up.”

“I know.”

It was one of the things she loved the very most about her husband.

“So, I’m just going to support you with whatever, Ana,” Koldan said. “If that’s giving up the studio office and the clients to stay at home with the boys, then so be it. If that’s continuing on with your career, that’s what it is.”

Ana smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,
krasivyy
.” Koldan’s gaze raked down Ana’s chest, making her shiver under the intensity. “And you’re so beautiful.”

“Am I?”

“Absolutely.”

Ana didn’t think she needed to question him on that. Koldan wasn’t the kind of man who lied. Being naturally athletic allowed Ana to keep up her figure even through the pregnancies and the postpartum periods afterward. She took pride in her body, but she wasn’t vain about it.

Nonetheless, it was always nice to hear her husband say it.

“Still get me harder than steel just by being close, Ana,” Koldan murmured.

“Oh?”

Just to test if his words were indeed fact, Ana sought his cock out under the bubbly water. She found his member hard and thick in her palm as she stroked his length slowly. Koldan licked his lips and bent down to kiss Ana as she continued jerking him off. The gentle kiss quickly deepened when Ana parted her lips to allow her husband in. Koldan’s tongue struck hard against hers as his hand slipped between her thighs.

“Oh, God,” Ana whispered.

With just the touch of his hand to her sex, she was already burning up. He worked her sex with one finger as she stroked his dick harder, faster. Then, he added a second finger to Ana’s pussy, stretching her open. No pain answered the hard drives of his fingers, just bliss and need. Sparks of her orgasm were already twisting inside her womb, promising release.

“Missed touching you,” Koldan mumbled against her lips. “Feeling you, tasting you. Fuck, Ana, you’re going to make me come … slow down.”

Ana refused to relent. Koldan didn’t give her a choice. His hand left her sex, so he could grab her around the waist and pull her into his lap. His cock pressed to her stomach as he kissed her hard and deep, his teeth scraping to her lips and making her gasp. Ana sighed when Koldan’s fingers drove into her hair and pulled gently enough to make her feel the sting. His lips traveled down over her chin and neck to her chest. He took one of her nipples in his mouth. His tongue flatten to the rose bud before his teeth tightened around the nipple.

“Fuck,” Ana hissed.

“That’s the plan, georgous girl. I want you coming on my cock in the next two minutes and then I want you on the bed, ass up, and begging like I know you can. How does that sound?”

Good God.

“Perfect,” Ana mumbled as Koldan situated his cock between her thighs. “So perfect.”

Koldan chuckled but it melted into a groan as his cock pressed into her entrance. He filled her entirely, slowly. Ana’s body took a second to adjust to her husband’s girth and length but once she was, there was nothing but pleasure licking around her senses.

“Fuck me,” Ana demanded.

Koldan grinned, sexy and lazy. “Whatever you want, princess.”

His hands grabbed her waist tight. Lifting her off his cock, he dropped her back down just as fast. A full body shudder worked its way over Ana. Koldan grunted a sexy sound, driving her body into his again.

“Love your body,” Koldan said, his teeth gritted and his eyes darkening.

Water sloshed out of the tub as she rode him faster, needing more. Koldan let her take the lead and grabbed her backside roughly, pulling her into him harder with their rhythm. It didn’t take Ana long to remember their old tune. Making love with her husband, had always been like music to her. A song she couldn’t forget. The very best melody ringing through her veins.

“Oh,” Ana breathed, not feeling her orgasm until it was rushing through. “
Koldan
.”

“Fuck,” her husband mumbled, squeezing her tighter.

Ana felt his cock pulse deep inside her flexing pussy, releasing his come. She fell into his wet chest, letting him hold her as they fell quiet.

“Missed this,” Ana whispered as Koldan’s hands found her hips.

Koldan kissed her chin softly. “Me, too.”

“
Mmm
.” Ana hummed and wiggled in his lap, feeling his still semi-hard cock twitch inside her. “You wanted something else, didn’t you?”

Koldan laughed dark and sexy, making Ana shiver. “To the bed.”

“Ass up,” she said, grinning.