Chapter 3

Belle's POV

I woke up the next morning beside a wooden crate marked Eastwoods Animal Sanctuary. I can actually hear some scratching going on inside the crate. There's a baby feeding bottle filled with milk and a small note on top of the crate which says:

~~~

To my sunshine,

Forgive me, but I do not regret kissing you.

Yuri

~~~

It's from Yuri. We haven't really talked about what he did when he decided to defy the Mafia and went on to kiss me and confessed his love for me. To now, I'm still convinced that he is just confused and perhaps just lonely. Nikolai and Alexei believe otherwise. Regardless, the man still deserves to be taken care of because he is family.

Not being able to marry nor enter into relationships whilst around Nikolai and Alexei is cruel and against human instincts. Everyone deserves to fall in love and be loved back. It's a basic human right. Not to mention that it's the most beautiful thing that can happen to a person.

I am just somehow relieved that Nikolai and Alexei did not banish him from the Mafia or worse-- I can't even say it. It's unthinkable.

While stepping towards the crate, I hear some animal noise from inside. I then extended my legs to slowly open the crate with my toes. When I was able to push the cover away I slowly peeked to see what's inside.

There's a little black puffy animal growling so adorably inside my chest fluttered with joy in an instant. Oh my gosh! It's a tiny little bear! I slowly carried it in my arms and fed it with the milk from the baby bottle. Aww it's hungry, that's why. You poor little thing.

And then I remember the little incident in Russia when we broke into a bear sanctuary. I was admittedly a little bitchy on that day and the person on the receiving end was Yuri.

Where's your momma? Did they take you away from your momma? Look at you so hungry. Come on. Let's go find the man who brought you here.

I found Yuri in the huge kitchen having his breakfast with Dimitri and the rest of Alexei's men.

"Look what I found in my room." I said as I approach Yuri. The maids and the boys instantly greeted me as soon as they saw me enter the kitchen.

"It's the cutest thing ever, thank you Yuri." I slightly bent over to kiss him on his cheek. The man lets out a coy smile in response.

"Yo, baby Madame, don't get too attached though. That predator is just up for loan for a few hours. We need to return that thing before we leave for Colombia."

"Colombia?" I asked with wrinkled eyebrows as I have no single clue what the man is talking about.

"The big bosses did not tell you yet?" He retorted.

Yuri cleared his throat while darting a serious look at Dimitri. "The Boss, Alexei and Matushka are in a meeting with our people at the warehouse as we speak. The Boss left us with you so you can practice shooting before we leave for Colombia this evening for the Conglomerate Meeting."

Upon further inquiry, Yuri said that it's a yearly event where the different criminal organizations and crime families gather. It is when the Bosses of these organizations meet to discuss business, territory, etc. Apparently, the quick conglomerate meet up that I personally witnessed before was just a prelude to the grand conglomerate meeting.

"Oh so, we are leaving tonight? I need to pack then." I said.

"No need, it has been taken care of baby Madame. We need to teach you how to shoot before the Boss arrives or else I'm fucked." Dimitri answered.

"Uhmm. No. I don't want to practice shooting. Bye." I retorted.

I exited the kitchen, walking as fast as I can. I'm not particularly comfortable holding a gun. Papa and my cousin Devon once tried to teach me how to shoot but it ended tragically. I accidentally shot one of our gardeners who was pruning a tree not far from us. He just fell to the ground like a bird. We actually did not know that he was there in the first place. Luckily, his gunshot wound wasn't that fatal. From then on, Papa never attempted to teach me again. Instead, my cousin Devon took charge of my security. I cringe just by recalling that moment.

Even Matushka's gun has been collecting dust in one of the drawers at our home at the Brownstone. I found no use for them since I am surrounded by four bodyguards on a regular basis. It's kinda heavy and although small in size, still requires a good amount of skill to carry.

~

20 minutes later

~

"Yuri! Put me down at once! I'm telling you, I don't want to practice shoot!"

I'm trying my very best to wiggle off from him but his arms are tightly holding my legs together while my bum is flying in the air. "I'm pregnant! Why am I being manhandled? You can't force me against my will! Nikolai will know of this!"

"Goddamit Madame! Why are you so stubborn?! Just let us do our job." Said Dimitri who is following us from behind.

"The Boss gave us the permission to do whatever necessary to get you to shoot. This is for your own good." Answered Yuri who grunts as he slowly puts me down. He then brushes the strands of my hair that are covering my face. I begrudgingly swat his hands off of my face but the man is quite persistent. I just rolled my eyes at him in defeat.

There's a table next to us with a box full of guns and bullets and the small gun that was gifted to me by Matushka. There's also a target paper many yards away from us in the makeshift open firing range situated in the open field next to the garden.

"Hand me your phone please? I want to talk to Nikolai." I asked Yuri. He handed it to me, and in just a few rings, Nikolai answered.

"Speak."

"Nikolai. It's me. Where are you?"

"I'm in a meeting. We'll finish in a short while. What's the matter?"

"They are forcing me to practice shoot. I don't--"

"Babe, it's for your own good. I want you to learn how to shoot before we go to Colombia tonight. This is for additional precaution. What did I tell you about being in the Mafia? Always what?"

I know he's waiting for me to say always protect yourself but I don't want to give in yet, "Always---love your wife and not force her to hold a gun against her will?" I retorted.

I hear him softly chuckle."Baby, always?" He asked once again waiting for me to continue the statement.

"Always--- look away from temptation because your wife is going to chop your penis off if he catches you cheating on her?"

"Hmm..brutal, but necessary. Okay. How about you think of this as your training for when you need to shoot me or Alexei?" He said so gently.

This time, I'm the one who let out a chuckle. "Hmm-- that is actually a great motivation."

"See, that's my girl."

I eventually gave in after threats of not being able to go with them to Colombia was placed as an option. There is no way in hell that I will be left here in New York. When I called Amy that we were leaving for Colombia tonight for the conglomerate meeting, she squealed in joy because she was going as well. Only this time, she's with the Albanian Mob with her brother. Rumor has it, she told me, that there are a lot of things happening aside from the meeting, like sex parties and otherworldly stuff I did not even dare ask in detail.

I trust Nikolai and Alexei with all my heart but I will follow my intuition this time. I will never trust the women who, as I expect, will just throw themselves at the two. Heck, I can't even trust myself when I'm around them, what more the women who think that these two are still available?

I need to show the women of the underground criminal world that Nikolai Vyacheslav Volkov and Alexei Viktor Volkov are no more available in the market. This is me asserting myself as the wife of Volkov. The very pregnant Mrs. Volkov.

Oh wow. Hormones are giving me some serious Matushka Irene vibe, I friggin love it.

"Come home now please Nikolai."

"Okay. Be there in a few. Do you need anything?"

"I already have everything I need. Although, can you get me some pringles on your way home? The twins want to eat."

He snorts,"The twins have grown quite an appetite."

"Yup. Pringles for three. End of." I replied with sass.

"Okay. I fold. I believe Alexei bought you a month's supply of pringles. It's in the pantry."

"Really? Yum! Can I talk to him?"

Alexei answered, "Hey, how's the shooting going?"

"Come home Alexei. I want you to teach me not Dimitri."

He chuckled, "What's wrong with the bastard?"

"Well, for one, I caught him staring at my breasts several times since this morning."

"Hey! Not true Boss! Just a couple of times." The crazy man butts in.

"The motherfuck---" Alexei inhales deep as if trying to calm himself. "Okay. I'll teach you myself. We'll be home in just a short while. Love you."

"Love you, Alexei. I miss daddy so much." I said, teasingly.

"Dammit princess, this is not a good time."

I giggled.