Kodiak and Logan stood in front of Glazov’s desk as Logan adjusted Romina on her hip. For her part, Logan was looking at her father-in-law with far more confidence than she was feeling.
She didn’t know why she was so nervous about Romina meeting her adoptive grandfather for the first time. Watching her bond with Kathleen earlier that evening had been one of the sweetest moments of Logan’s life, as she had known it would be.
Toward the end of the Christmas Eve festivities, Logan and Kodiak had stolen Kathleen away to their bedroom where Romina had been sleeping under Ludmila’s watchful eye. She had joined the household a few weeks earlier to help with the twins. The older woman had seemed rather forbidding at first, but after Logan explained how Romina had come to them, the change in her had been profound. Romina’s troubled past seemed to have touched a soft spot deep inside the imposing woman’s heart. When they had returned to the room after greeting their family downstairs, Ludmila had been serenely rocking the little one like she had been doing it for years.
Kodiak and Logan chose not to mention Romina to anyone during the family’s Christmas Eve festivities. Instead, they planned on sharing their happy news on Christmas day after Romina had gotten some rest.
Romina had awakened when they came into the room, and Ludmila had left them to their privacy. Romina’s introduction to her grandmother had been a lovefest right from the start. She was fascinated by Kathleen’s red hair and Kathleen was utterly charmed. Kathleen had led the way to Glazov’s office, happily chatting about baby shower plans while Romina took in the scenery from her father’s embrace.
So there was no reason to worry, and yet Logan couldn’t get her heart rate to settle down. As Kathleen perched happily on the corner of Glazov’s desk, he took in the sight of Kodiak and his family, his gaze eventually setting on Romina. The little one seemed to pick up on Logan’s anxiety and started to fuss.
“Shhh, now,” Kodiak whispered as he smoothed her hair.
Glazov pushed away from his desk and leaned back in his ornate chair. He contemplated the three of them, marveling yet again at the good fortune that had been so hard fought. “So, you going to tell me what happened?” he asked with a dip of his chin and slight wave of his hand to indicate Kodiak’s shiner and split lip.
“Da’s boo boo?”
“Yeah, baby,” Kodiak said and cleared his throat at his father’s raised eyebrow. “It’s no big deal. Somebody wasn’t keeping his eyes to himself, that’s all.”
“Ah, is that so? I’m sure he learned his lesson.”
“Last time I saw him, both his eyes were swollen shut, so, yeah.”
Glazov surprised them with a smile as he rose to his feet. “Excellent. Well, now…let me see my granddaughter.”
“Good luck with that, looks like she’s fucking glued to her mama,” Novak smirked from his usual seat. Logan shot him a dirty look that quickly became a grin at the ‘mama’ reference.
Glazov, however, was not amused in the slightest. “Watch your language,” he said sharply, then turned amused eyes to Kodiak as Novak scrambled with both hands to keep from dropping the coin.
At Glazov’s sharp tone, Romina tucked her face into Logan’s neck, only turning just enough to suck her thumb as she peeked out at the man with the stern, booming voice.
Logan began to speak haltingly, “You know, it might take a little time. It’s just, well, you’re just so big and I don’t know if she’ll…”
Before Logan could finish, Glazov was walking toward them, seemingly unconcerned about how he would be received.
“Yeah, let’s see how the baby whisperer does,” Novak laughed. Glazov had learned to ignore his smartass cousin a long time ago. Besides, he had far more important things on his mind at the moment, like winning the heart of a certain little girl.
Kodiak looked on, slack-jawed as his imposing father approached, smiling as if he and the child already shared a secret joke. Glazov’s fierce, beautiful features softened and his eyes twinkled as he caught Romina’s eye. With a slight tilt of his head, he held out his arms invitingly and said gently, “Come to me, printsessa. Come to your dedushka.”
Romina straightened and peered solemnly up at Glazov. Then, with a quick glance at her mother for reassurance, she leaned forward and reached for him. With the little girl snug in his arms Glazov strolled over to the window, talking quietly to her about all the interesting things to see and do on the grounds. When Logan heard him whisper the word ‘pony’, she turned to Kodiak with wide eyes and was greeted with an amused shrug.
Sometime later, Glazov stepped away from the window, smiling indulgently as he listened intently to Romina’s chatty observations about the world outside the big window. He shook his head slightly at Logan’s outstretched arms as he rounded his desk. He sank into his oversized chair with Romina perched happily on his lap. The Pakhan was the picture of serenity as his granddaughter played with his silk tie.
Glazov’s gaze roamed the little face, slowly moving from one delicate feature to the next. Eventually, he simply gazed into her dark eyes and she returned his look with an easy smile.
“My girl is very observant. Notices everything,” he announced, sounding altogether pleased. “And she’s strong. Fierce. Don’t make the mistake of ever thinking she’s forgotten the hardships she has endured. They are forever imprinted upon her nature. But she is a survivor…like her father,” he said softly with a nod to Kodiak. Kodiak nodded in return, even as he squared his jaw in response to a surge of emotion deep in his chest. Glazov continued, “And from this day on, she is Born Bratva, aren’t you, little one...”
“Still quite the lady’s man,” Novak said quietly.
Glazov looked indulgently down into the biggest chocolate brown eyes he’d ever seen. “You are absolutely beautiful,” he said as he tapped the tip of her nose, sending her into a fit of giggles. Then, with a sharp look at Logan, he declared, “Don’t cut her hair.” Logan nodded, taken aback at the intensity lighting Glazov’s blue eyes.
“Little Romina,” Glazov murmured. “You certainly took your time getting to us, hmm?” He was rewarded with a sticky hand patting his cheek.
Logan shook her head in disbelief. “This is amazing. She seems to like you.” At Kathleen’s whoop of delight and his raised eyebrow, she blanched and clarified, “No, no, it’s just that usually Romina’s glued to me, like Novak said.”
“Of course, she likes me. I’m her grandfather.”
“Fuckin’ baby whisperer,” Novak muttered.
“Hey, watch the language!” This time it was Kodiak staring him down.
“If she’s going to grow up in this family, she’s going to see and hear a whole lot worse than that,” Novak said in his own defense.
“Sadly, that is true,” Glazov said. “But let’s protect her innocence as long as we can.”
Novak exhaled heavily. “Good luck with that shit, is all I have to say.”
Glazov stood, cast an ‘I’ll deal with you later’ look at his wife, and approached Logan and Kodiak. When Romina reached out for her mother, Logan smiled up at Glazov and he nodded as he placed the girl back in her arms. “I’m proud of you both. You’ve made adoption a fine family tradition. You didn’t have to get involved, but I’m glad you did.”
“No way could we leave her there,” Logan said, lowering her voice, “surrounded by people who would hurt her, with a junkie for a mother.”
“Speaking of whom, she won’t be bothering you,” Glazov said, keeping his explanation vague. “It seems there was an accident while someone was…cooking, I believe. There’s nothing left.”
“Yeah, some accident,” Novak scoffed.
“I hate to say it but I’m relieved,” Logan said. “I was concerned about her trying to make trouble later on or try to take her.”
“You know me…I never start a job I don’t finish. Fortunately, the Ramirez brothers felt the same way.” He stroked Romina’s cheek as she yawned. “Our printsessa isn’t going anywhere, except to bed. After all, it’s Christmas Eve. Little girls need their sleep.”
It was official: Romina had succeeded in winning the Pakhan’s heart.
Back in their master bedroom, Logan sat on the edge of the bed with a drowsy Romina in her lap. “Good girl,” Logan whispered, kissing Romina’s curls. She was nestled up against her mother sucking her thumb, as usual, and that was fine with Logan.
“Best Christmas ever,” Kodiak said softly.
“I feel like I’m on the moon. I’ve never seen your father’s soft side before.”
“I’m not surprised, really, not after the way he took me in without hesitating, when I needed him the most. And she’s pretty irresistible.”
“She’s a little ham,” Logan laughed happily.
“So you wrapped the Pakhan around your little finger with those big brown eyes, huh?” Kodiak said as he picked Romina up and sat back against the headboard. Logan curled up next to him. Romina was soon fast asleep on his chest.
“She’s tired. It’s been a big day for her,” Logan observed, yawning softly.
He kissed the top of her head. “Big girls need their sleep too. Tomorrow will be a big day, too, when she meets everyone. Can you believe it? We really did make it home in time for Christmas. I’m glad we could put her down for a nap before we made our grand entrance,” he said, remembering the stir they had caused.
“Good luck explaining that black eye to everyone,” Logan teased.
“What do you mean? You’re a beautiful woman. I won’t have to explain a thing. Hey, what time is it anyway?”
“A little after midnight,” Logan said with a yawn.
“Really? Well, Merry Christmas, baby.”
“Merry Christmas,” she said, cupping his jaw and kissing him nice and slow. “I’ll remember this night forever. When your father walked up to Romina and she reached out for him, the man melted. It was magical.”
“That’s our little princess. Pure magic.”
“Even Novak looked like the whole thing got to him and nothing ever gets to that man.”
The certain knowledge that no one could take their daughter away from them lifted the weight of the world off their shoulders. For her part, Romina sighed deeply and shifted onto her back against Kodiak’s chest, her arms and legs outstretched in a posture of supreme safety and comfort.
That night, Kodiak and Logan slept better than they had in weeks, only waking a time or two to check that all was well and watch Romina sleep. Such were the joys of parenthood.