Chapter 163

Chapter 163
Lucky – 5 years later

I look around at what I have achieved and I am proud of myself. So proud. If anyone had of told me five years ago that I would be marrying the man I hated and having his children, I would have laughed in their faces.

To think the anger and hatred I felt towards Nico, and towards my father for allowing an arranged marriage. Yet, it has transpired to be the best thing that ever happened to me.

My hotel and casino in Arizona are a mega hit with the higher echelons of society and celebrities. We even have senators who frequent it and that is an honor. We rub shoulders with important people now and Nico is even talking about going into politics. Not bad eh, for a man who fought on the streets and killed. Some things get brushed under the carpet when money is involved.

The hotel and casino are in my daughter’s name and she will always be protected by her inheritance. Whether she chooses to run it or not is a different matter. She can do whatever she wants when she is older. Nico and I have already discussed that we will not impose our businesses on the children and for this we have people in the stands who will run the businesses and take care of all legal aspects.

“Mommy, I want to go out,” Valentina says. My heart literally stutters every time she speaks. I would do anything for my little girl. She has the same luxurious dark hair as Nico and myself; it is worn to her shoulders and curls like something out of an old-fashioned movie. Where she gets the curls from is anyone’s guess. Adorable with her striking blue eyes just like her daddy and that smile, boy oh boy, is she going to break some hearts later in life.

“Just a second, darling. I need to wait for Alex to come and take over for Mommy then we can go out.” I stroke my baby bump with our second child. We have had it sexed this time and it is a boy. Nico is beside himself and tells me everyday how proud of me he is.

Things at his end are and always will, I guess, be tense. Petrov to-date has not come after him. Naturally, we are always cautious since a man like him you just never know. And finally, my husband has confessed that Yelena is still alive and kept in a safe house with guards around her on a permanent basis.

He had to fess up since he kept travelling and I became suspicious thinking he was having an affair. The shock sent me reeling for days and I still can’t get my head round why he won’t simply finish her. It makes my gut clench to think that woman could walk free one day and my children could be at risk.

Nico is currently back in New York. I am in Arizona with Alex, Tony, Dario and Valentina. The business never stops, it runs twenty-four-seven and as always, I like to be in control of what is going on. We did have some asshole try to break in not that long ago. Only, our security surveillance is second to none and we have constant eyes in the sky. Everyone who enters is monitored. We must have more cctv than The Whitehouse. Nico has spared no costs and Tony has ensured that Arizona is a safe haven.

Anyone who enters is frisked and checked that they do not carry weapons. Only in today’s climate we have more to worry about like chemical warfare. Not long ago one of the guys in Philadelphia was sprayed with some nasty chemical from a woman’s lipstick case. It makes me shudder about the world we live in today.

And talking of Philadelphia, my husband seems to think he wants to rule there too. He is relentless in his quest and I have every confidence he will burn the world for me.

Alex comes rushing in, today wearing wide, cream palazzo pants and a black, sleeveless turtleneck top. Her pearls that I gave her for her birthday recently are around her neck. I swear she’s hardly taken them off. “Sorry I’m a bit late; I got sidetracked.”

I raise an eyebrow as she places her orange Hermes bag on her desk in front of mine. “Alex, Alex, pick me up,” Valentina says in her childish voice with her arms stretched high in the air.

“Come here, baby girl,” Alex says as she picks my child up. She sees Alex as an aunty. Everyone absolutely dotes on Valentina especially her uncles. They spoil her rotten. God help us all as she grows older. But for now, we are all wrapping ourselves up in her wonderful girlish ways.

“We will be going out to the Mall and then I’ll take Valentina to the park before she has her schooling this afternoon by her private tutor,” I tell Alex as I gather my mobile and keys together and place my Dior sunglasses on my head.

“Sure, no problem. I’ll run the meeting with Tony to review security and finances and report everything back to you. And Lucky, take your time. It’s good to see you taking more time for yourself these days.”

I do take more time, spending it with my beautiful little girl means everything to me. I do not want to be one of those mothers who is working all the time. Nico when he is with me, takes over. That doesn’t mean that when Valentina is sleeping, I am not pouring over reports until one or two in the morning. I get up at five and have learned to rely on just three to four hours sleep.

“Not long until that little boy is born,” Alex says cheerfully as she puts Valentina back on the floor.

“Two months and counting. We’re so excited.”

“Me excited too, Mommy. Very excited,” my little girl says as she claps her chubby hands together. Oh, my heart and then some.

We hear the most horrific sound, like an explosion. I quicky grab my daughter and throw ourselves to the ground. “Get down, Alex,” I shout at her as another explosion goes off.