He pauses, a gleam shining deep in his eyes. “You do?”
“Yeah, I think I’ve been falling in love with you since the first time I saw you.”
“I’ve been obsessed with you for just as long. I didn’t realize the nature of these feelings growing inside me at first, but I do now. They’re stronger than love, beautiful, they’re even more powerful than anything I’ve ever experienced and I’d be a fool to ignore them. You taught me to not ignore the ugly parts of myself. Hell, you even liked them and made me the better version of myself.”
“You made me the best version of myself, too. You helped me find my own strength and I can’t imagine my life without you.”
“You’ve always been strong. Just because it was simmering under the surface doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.”
“And just because you had a traumatic past, doesn’t mean you can’t rise above it.” I stroke his face. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
“You sure as fuck will.”
“You’ll really have me?”
“The real question should be, will you have me, beautiful?”
“For the rest of my life, Knox.”
“Good, because I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.” He opens his arms and I dive right in.
I dive into the place that makes me feel wanted, safe, and alive.
The place I’ll never leave.
EPILOGUE - KNOX
TWO YEARS LATER
“I’m telling you, Ana, we used to beat his arse,” Ron says with his usual overdramatization and T shakes her head.
My wife, who’s snuggled in my lap, laughs. She just loves it whenever Ron or Dan tell stories about the past, which is why she gets along with them very well and demands we visit the UK any chance we get.
And yes, she’s my wife now. Anastasia Van Doren. I married her a few months after Sergei gave me the green light. I would’ve done it sooner, before he changed his mind, but there were a lot of things happening in the Bratva, so we had to wait.
Even though my beautiful wife keeps in touch with her great-cousin and the grumpy arsehole, Vladimir, we’re actually isolated from their internal and external wars.
Sergei made sure to keep her away from everything, as per her wishes, but she still visits him all the time, checking up on his health.
Anastasia doesn’t know this, but she’s a mafia princess through and through. Whenever the chance arises, she still helps the leaders when they need any hacking done and cares about whether or not they’re in danger.
Just because she was out of the house doesn’t mean she forgot where she came from, and I love that about her.
I love how she’s loyal to a fault and stands up for her friends, namely Gwen, Sandra, and my sister.
Yes, the usually closed off T doesn’t spend a day without asking about Anastasia. When she doesn’t pick up the phone, Teal calls me and tells me to pass it to Ana—without asking about me. The traitor.
Needless to say, I usually hang up, because my wife is a busy woman and I’m not prepared to share her free time with anyone else. She started her own IT company that works closely with several corporations, including V Corp. She’s an absolute genius, so I had no doubt that she’d do well, even if the beginning was a little hard.
It took some time to settle into the new routine, especially with my demanding job and the number of cases I was getting. At some point, I had to limit the number and forward many to Lauren.
She’s an excellent lawyer and a dedicated activist, so I know any sexual or domestic abuse victim will be in good hands with her—if Sandra Bell is any indication.
The scared young woman with the haunted eyes is also a successful businesswoman and an activist now. She got together with Lauren a few months after the trial and they’ve been in a happy relationship ever since.
Anastasia and I still meet with them whenever possible. They’re close friends and Sandra’s company was my wife’s first client when she was getting started.
It took her some time to get on her feet. But I was there for her every step of the way like she was there for me when I needed her. But she didn’t need my help much, because she’s brilliant that way.
Even though I’m not a fan of the idea of sharing her, I can’t help stroking her stomach every chance I get. Even now.
Anastasia is four months pregnant and I’ve never seen her as ecstatic as when she announced the news to me. It was about a year after her babushka died peacefully in her sleep right after we visited her together.
Anastasia said this baby was a gift since she’s always wanted to be a mother like her own and her surrogate grandmother.
Teal and Elsa flew over to New York the day they heard the news, accompanied by their husbands and children that time. It was wild and annoying since they stole all her attention and wouldn’t bloody shut up.
Aiden, Ronan, and I might have sulked while the women were doing their own thing, to which Aiden told me, “This is all your fault, fucker. You just had to knock her up and announce it.”
“As you did to Elsa, you mean.”
“I didn’t let anyone visit, did I?”
He had a point.
Now is another one of those times, but we’re only with Ronan and T at their house. Aiden left his son with Dad and Agnus, then took Elsa somewhere none of us can reach.
“Are you going to shut up, Ron?” I ask when he continues his monologue.
“What?” He leans back on the sofa and takes a sip of his beer. “Afraid she’ll find out how much of a loser you are?”
“The only loser around is someone who sent very clingy texts to my sister and got ignored.”
“Really?” Remi asks, his eyes bugging out.
Ronan lifts him and sits him on his lap. “Now, champ, we don’t believe everything your uncle Knox says, mkay?”
“It’s true, though,” Teal says with a poker face.
“Ma belle! You’re supposed to take my side.”
“Not when you’re wrong, hon.” She smiles this time and I can see the exact moment his expression softens, and he pulls her to his side, hugging both her and Remi.
I do the same, my hold tightening around Anastasia’s middle until she squirms.
“Did I hurt you?” I whisper, immediately loosening my hold.
“No.” She smiles in that bright way that stabs me straight in the gut.
No clue if it’s the hormones or what, but she’s gained an irresistible type of beauty ever since she became pregnant. Her blue eyes are brighter, her icy hair is shinier, and she has this glow I can’t get enough of.
“Then what is it?” I frown when she continues squirming.
Her lips meet the shell of my ear and I become rock-fucking-hard due to her movements alone. “I need you.”
Well, fuck.
I love it when she says things like that. Anastasia might have been shy in the beginning, but now, she doesn’t hesitate to tell me what she wants from me, and it’s the best fucking turn-on.
“Need me how?” I tease.
“Knox!”
“What, beautiful?”
“Fuck me,” she murmurs, then gulps, casting a glance at T and Ron, who are busy playing with their son.
“Oh, I’ll do more than fuck you.” I grab a handful of her arse and she stifles a moan.
Then I’m lifting her in my arms and carrying her away from everyone else.
It’s time I claim my wife again and again.
She’s mine and I’m hers, till death do us part.
THE END
Next up is a standalone book that features Daniel Sterling, titled Empire of Hate.
*
Curious about Knox’s family and friends who were mentioned in this book? You can read their stories in Royal Elite Series.
*
For more stories about Anastasia’s Russian mafia family, you can read Rai and her husband’s story in Throne of Power & Adrian Volkov’s story in Vow of Deception.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Thank you so much for reading Empire of Sin! If you liked it, please leave a review.
Your support means the world to me.
If you’re thirsty for more discussions with other readers of the series, you can join the Facebook group, Rina Kent’s Spoilers Room.