Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
“Totally lame.”
“Nah, it’s cool.”
Dmitry stared at his children. Sofia was the oldest, obviously, then there was her oldest brother, Dmitry Jr., along with Alexander, Nikolai, Natalia, and Maria. Six children. Nikolai and Natalia were twins. Maria had been their surprise baby.
As for his wife, Alix, she was there with Maria in her arms, laughing as Dmitry kept flicking Sofia’s hair.
At fifteen, Sofia liked to think she was a strong, independent woman, and she attempted to sneak off. Yeah, he didn’t like that.
Dmitry whistled and like all the times before, his children went silent as they turned toward him.
“We’re doing this because every single Christmas your mother likes it,” Dmitry said.
They were outside in the freezing cold, in the sweaters Alix had picked out. His men were also close by, most of them hoping not to get drawn into the debate. The first year Alix had asked for this, it had been him, Sofia, and herself, along with the bump being Dmitry Jr.
The soldiers had thought it was cute. So the next year, not only did Alix choose sweaters for the four of them as Dmitry Jr. was born, she also supplied the soldiers as well as the staff with sweaters as well. He was pretty sure in doing this, making them part of the family, she had helped loyalty.
In a strange way, his wife, the outsider as she was often referred to, had been his strength. She had taught him how to build allies, how to promote loyalty. In the last ten years, no one had turned on him.
He wasn’t going to tell his wife that might have something to do with taking Angeloff and George’s bodies, severing their heads, and making sure his men saw what happened to anyone who betrayed him. Dmitry liked Alix’s … naiveté.
Standing in the middle of his family, an arm around his wife, holding her close, he wished Merry Christmas to the camera and the shot was taken. Even though their kids moaned about the sweaters, not one rushed to take them off. Alix always told him that, and he knew it was because deep down, they all loved the ugly-ass sweaters. He hated his sweater but the smile he saw on his wife’s face was worth it.
Whatever Alix wanted, he gave her. She asked for a family, they had it. She asked for his love, he gave it to her. His time, his very essence, it was all for her, and he finally knew a peace he never thought he would have.
Also, the love of a damn fine woman.
The End