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Extra #3: The Kolosov Princess

February 2017

Slade Kolosov's POV

"Slade?"

I frowned and turned to the another side and was about to doze off when something poked my shoulder. "Slade?"

"What?" I grumbled tiredly and turned to Mel who was peering at me with a sheepish smile on her face.

"Could you get me some strawberries?" She asked with hopeful smile on her face. I frowned and glanced at the clock. "It's fucking three in the morning and you want strawberries?" I asked incredulously.

Mel gave me a nod and a smile on her face and I sighed. "Fine. I'll get it." I got out of bed and went down to the kitchen and peered into the refrigerator and frowned. There wasn't any.

"There isn't any here." I said tiredly and Mel shot me a hopeful and sheepish expression. "I know. That's why I asked you if you could get me some."

She wasn't serious was she? "What? Now? You want me to drive out and get fucking strawberries right now at three in the morning?" I demanded disbelievingly.

"Please?" Mel shot me a hopeful and pleading expression and I caved. "Fine. Let's go." I grumbled.

***

"Are you happy now?" I asked tiredly as I got back into bed with Mel beside me. "Uh huh."

I closed my eyes and got ready to fall back to sleep when Mel called out again. "Slade?"

I groaned annoyed, "What now?" I demanded frustrated. I was fucking tired as hell.

"I love you." Mel called out softly as if I was going to yell at her. Guilt pricked at my conscience and I sighed, "Sorry for yelling. I love you too. Now go to sleep. It's a long day tomorrow." I said softly and gently and turned to face her.

Mel nodded and snuggled closer to me as she lay her head on my chest. "Goodnight Slade." She murmured and her eyes closed shut. A moment later, soft snores emitted from her and I couldn't help but smile a little at that. I wrapped my arms around her and rested them on her pregnant belly where our daughter was growing.

Mel had announced to me that we were going to call her Katerina after my mother when we had gone for a checkup and the gender of the baby was revealed. I was floored when she had told me that. I had never expected that she'll call our daughter after a woman she had never met before.

But once again, Mel had surprised me and Katerina was going to make her appearance in about one to two months and I couldn't wait. I sighed and closed my eyes contentedly, with Mel by my side and our daughter's upcoming arrival, life was perfect.

I remembered that night when Mel had told me she was carrying my child on our first anniversary. I knew I had scared her with that prank of mine and honestly I thought it'll be pretty funny but the joke was on me when she got the upper hand.

I mean hell, the bruise on my forehead had stayed there for almost a month and it felt like my balls would never be the same again.

But the next morning when she told me she was pregnant by handing me a father's day card, my brain couldn't seem to process what she was actually trying to say.

I knew I had probably seemed like an idiot when I kept on asking what she had meant by the card and even when she had spelled it out for me, but I still couldn't get it. The only thing that went through my mind at that period of time was that I was afraid of turning out to be like my father.

That I would be like him and abuse my wife and children. Seeing Mel's hopeful expression on her face fade to hurt and rejection made me feel like a bastard especially when I left the apartment. But I did that because I had to clear my head. And as I walked down the street, all I could think of was if I would even be a good father?

But it seemed like wherever I walked, I would see children and babies and even fucking baby stores. And every time, I walked passed one of those stores, I would backtrack and buy stuff from there. And I guessed, I wasn't entirely too sure with what I was buying considering Mel had questioned me confused as to why all the clothing items and stuff were all for girls.

And at the exact moment she said that, I knew for sure that I wanted a daughter. With Mel's strawberry blonde curls and big brown eyes. But I was still afraid. What if I turned out to be the devil that my father was?

But Mel had assured me that I was nothing like my father and that I was a better man and that I was going to be a good father. And I believed her. I did. Somehow, Mel could make me believe that I was a better man. Someone capable of being good.

A small smile crossed my face as Katerina kicked against my hand holding onto Mel's belly. I stroked the spot gently, wishing time would speed up so that Katerina could make her appearance.

***

Eight months later.

I walked over to my daughter's room and stared down at the little bundle in her crib. It was unbelievable that I was now a father. Slade Kolosov a father. Who would ever imagine that?

She let out a coo and I couldn't help a smile form on my lips as I watched my daughter look up at me with her big eyes. "Hi Kat." I mumbled and gave a finger for her to play with. She was named after my mother. Katerina Kolosov.

Immediately, her tiny fist clamped down onto my finger tightly and I marvelled at it. She was dressed in a purple onesie and her mouth let out a yawn.

"What are you doing?" A pair of slim arms wrapped around my waist and Mel smiled up at me before looking down at our daughter. "Just looking at her." I said absently before pressing a kiss to her head.

Mel leaned against me affectionately before reaching down and carried Kat in her arms. My heart swelled at that sight. I've always thought that running the Russian Mob was my whole life but after meeting Mel and after my tiny daughter made her appearance, I was wrong. They were my whole life now.

Kat let out a soft coo before grabbing onto Mel's hair and yanking it. Mel grimaced before laughing and pulled her hair away from her grasp. Kat was now six months old and I was pretty annoyed that she hadn't inherited Mel's strawberry blonde curls. Instead she had gotten a dark shade of brown with blonde hints in them. Similarly to mine.

However I was mollified that she had gotten Mel's pretty hazel eyes. Mel rocked Kat in her arms for her to go to sleep but instead Kat scrunched her face up and cried. It was only when I offered to take Kat in my arms that she stopped.

I cradled her in my arms gently and she squirmed around before quieting down. Mel laughed quietly, "Looks like someone is a daddy's girl."

I smiled down at my precious daughter who snuggled into my arms, "Looks like it." I looked at Mel who was looking at me with Kat with an adoring expression. "I love you." I murmured and Mel smiled up at me. "I love you too."

***

2021-Four years have passed

"Just hit the keys like this. See." I pressed the ivory keys one at a time and Kat copied me but accidentally hit a wrong key, making the instrument release a note that ruined the tune. Her face scrunched up into a scowl that looked similarly to mine. "This is stupid!"

"Why?" I asked a little annoyed as Kat frowned as she pouted, "I can't play like you!"

I sighed and looked down at her, "You have to be patient and learn. It takes a lot of time to play like me."

"But thats like forever!" She whined and I grimaced, "Well you have to be patient and not be like your mommy who was so impatient to push you out that she almost killed me."

"I heard that!"

I snickered and Kat giggled as Mel came into the room and narrowed her eyes at us. "Slade Kolosov."

Mel warned with a teasing glint in her eyes and I smirked and Kat turned back to the piano and called out excitedly, "Mommy! Look see!" And she pressed the piano keys correctly making the simple tune perfect.

A brilliant smile lit up on Mel's face and she beamed proudly and stroked my back unconsciously. "That was amazing Kat. Did daddy teach you that?" Mel bent towards Kat and kissed her forehead and ran her hands through Kat's tangled curls.

"Uh huh." Kat replied and raised her hands up for Mel to carry her. Mel laughed a little and was about to do so when I narrowed my eyes at her and coughed. Mel turned to me and frowned.

"Sorry darling, mommy can't carry you because I'm already carrying your little sister and brother." Mel said apologetically and my eyes gazed over her slightly rounded belly where my son and daughter were.

Kat scowled at her response and this time turned to me, "Fine. Daddy, carry." Being a pushover dad, I complied and pulled her into my arms.

"Oh right! Slade! You have to bring Kat to the paint stores to get the colour she wants for her room." Mel reminded me as she grabbed her purse and jacket. I frowned, "Aren't you coming too? Where are you going?"

Mel raised an eyebrow, "Don't you remember? I'm meeting my brother. He's in town."

At that I made a face, "Oh I see. Have fun with that." Mel rolled her eyes and kissed Kat's forehead and my lips before leaving. "Bye darling."

I glanced at her retreating figure before looking down at Kat who wrinkled her nose. Even though Alexi and I had called a truce, I still disliked him with a burning passion. Well at least I wasn't trying to kill him anymore.

"Come on Kitty Kat, let's go get get paint for your room." Now that Kat was getting bigger and with the twin's upcoming arrival, Mel and I were converting one of the guest rooms for Kat and her old room for the twins when they arrived.

***

"No, I want that one." Kat pointed to a dark purple shade that was almost black and I looked at my daughter incredulously, "What? Why not this one?"

I pointed to a lilac shade and Kat frowned, "No, that's for babies. I want that purple." She insisted and I raised my eyebrows, "Kitty Kat, I don't think mommy will like that colour."

"But it's my room daddy." Kat pouted and I shrugged, that was pretty darn good logic for a four year old. But I knew Mel would kill me if I got that dark purple for Kat. "Well, think about it, if you get that purple, your covers will match with it." I tried and Kat frowned up at me, "I don't want that!"

"You know you're pretty demanding Kitty Kat." I said shortly and Kat crossed her arms and looked at me challengingly, "Mommy said I got it from you."

Fucking hell. What was I supposed to say to that? For her age, Kat was pretty smart especially when she wanted her way. "Well, you can get that purple when you're older but for now why don't we get this one?" I pointed to a violet shade that was in the middle of the dark purple and the lilac.

Kat scrutinised the colour palette and looked up at me, "Fine but only if I get ice-cream."

My jaw almost dropped and I could see myself sputtering. Where the hell did Kat learn to bargain like this? God, she was smart. "Alright fine." I took the can of paint off the shelf and took Kat's hand and was about to walk off when Kat stopped, "Pinky promise?"

I groaned inwardly, "Yes pinky promise." I gave her my pinky finger and she intertwined it with hers. "Ice-cream!" She cheered and skipped off leaving me totally baffled.

Good god, what kind of daughter had I raised?

***

I opened the door and Kat ran into the house while I followed behind and set the can of paint down. Laughing could be heard and I entered the sitting room to see Mark and Mel conversing.

"Hey boss!" Mark greeted and I sighed. I was hoping that Mel and I would get some alone time but clearly that wasn't going to be happening.

"Hey you're back! Mark's here." Mel announced as she caught sight of Kat and I. "Yeah. Mark." I greeted out and Kat frowned and looked at Mark. "Who is that?"

"Kat, this is Mark." Mel introduced and I stifled a laugh from Kat's expression and Mark studied Kat, "You must be Kat right?"

Kat frowned and turned to Mel, "Why is his hair white?" Mark shot her an annoyed look before groaning. "It's not white! It's just very light blonde!"

Kat sniffled and shot him an insistent glare. "No it's white!" She insisted and Mark bent down to her level. "You're like a bit of your mommy but a whole more like your daddy."

I snorted and barked out a laugh and Kat frowned before giving him a flat look and kicked him in the shin. "Holy f-" He shouted and Mel glared at him and Mark finished "-fish!"

Kat frowned and put her hands on her hips, "Fish aren't holy." I burst out into laughter and Mel sighed before shaking her head.

"Kat! Apologise!" Mel admonished and Kat grudgingly gave in. "I'm sorry."

Mark turned to me, "That is definitely your kid." I smirked, "I know."

***

A/N: Hey guys! There are three more extras before this book ends. Please vote and comment! Thank you! :)