Cassie woke him with tears in her eyes. These were the kind that shook her breath, clung to her lashes, made her lips tremble like she was standing on the edge of something enormous and irreversible. "Nikolai," she whispered first, her hand clutching his sleeve, fingers tight, almost desperate. He stirred, half-asleep, instinctively rolling toward her, his arm already reaching out before his mind fully woke up. Even in sleep, he knew her. Even in sleep, his body searched for hers. "What..." he murmured, blinking, his voice rough. "Little soldier... are you okay?" She swallowed hard, another tear spilling free, her other hand pressed protectively against her belly. "It's time." The words landed like thunder, making him freeze. Not because he didn't understand them, but because he understood them too well. That word carried nine months of fear, hope, laughter, arguments over baby names, midnight cravings, soft kisses pressed to her stomach, whispered promises spoken into the
Last Updated : 2026-01-29 Read more