He laughs softly. "I hadn't planned on doing it tonight. I wanted something a little more romantic than a hostage situation." He tilts his head, considering. "Although, I think this fits my family's way of doing things a little more than a normal proposal."

"Because Baba kidnapped your mother?" I give a watery smile at the story he told me.

"Exactly." Petr laughs again and hugs me.

I close my eyes and snuggle against the heat of his skin making its way through his shirt. "Thank you a million times over."

"Thank you for trusting me."

We hold one another for several minutes before he withdraws. "We have all night to cuddle. Your brother was having a meltdown."

"Oh, sweet Todd," I murmur and straighten. I put on my seatbelt and take his hand again.

We drive in silence the short distance to his house. The front door cracks open when his truck shuts off, and I hastily exit the truck. Petr takes my hand, and we trot to the door. No sooner do I set foot in the door than Todd tackles me.

"Claudia!" he exclaims. Petr braces me from behind as Todd barrels me over. He's close to hyperventilating. "Are you okay? What happened? Where is The Monster? Did Petr kill him? What happened, Claudia?"

I shush him and lean back against Petr, whose arms circle my shoulders. His strong body is steady behind me, my source of strength since mine is about to give out.

"He won't bother us again," I whisper to Todd.

"But you're hurt." My brother gazes into my face. The strain of tonight is on his features. He's pale, his eyes rimmed with red from crying. "He hurt you."

"I'm okay, kiddo." I ruffle his hair.

He looks uncertainly at Petr behind me.

"I promise," Petr says in a low, quiet voice. "He'll never bother you again."

"We don't have to leave?" Todd asks me. "We can stay with Petr?"

"Yep. We can stay with Petr," I respond.

Todd nods slowly, a flicker of light in his shadowed gaze, fully trusting the man who managed to capture my heart.

I twist in Petr's grip and wrap an arm around him and another around Todd. The three of us stand in the doorway and hold each other. Petr's strong embrace engulfs both of us.

This time, I know for certain it's over. I contain the part of me that wants to weep out of appreciation and joy. My brother is already upset; I don't want him breaking down.

"Your sister needs to rest, Todd," Petr whispers gently. "Do you want to hang out with Sawyer and watch movies?"

Todd hesitates. He looks at my features again before nodding. "You need to rest, Claudia," he says with some authority.

I manage to smile. As if sensing how weak I am, Petr keeps an arm around my midsection and walks with me towards the stairs and up to the second floor. We go to his room, and I hug him again.

"C'mere. Let me have a look," he says and moves us towards the couch. We sink down together. He lifts my chin to observe the damage and then peels up my sweater sleeve. A flicker of something dark and angry crosses his gaze.

"I'm okay," I assure him. "Just a little shaken."

"Claudia ..." He drifts off and meets my gaze, one of his hands cupping my neck while the other is clutched between my two hands. "I swear to you. I'll never let anything happen to you again." The sincerity and gravity of his expression is humbling.

"I know," I say and squeeze his hand. "Petr, thank you. I can't ... can't begin to tell you how you've changed my whole world. And Todd's. You gave us hope and ... and happiness and ... as if those weren't incredible enough ... you confronted The Monster." The tears are starting again. This time, I don't try to stop them. "I never thought ... or hoped ... or dreamed ..." I can't talk anymore. The emotions choking me are too intense. I make an attempt to swallow them.

"It's over, Claudia," he whispers fiercely. Petr is watching me with warmth in his gorgeous eyes. Light and shadows from the lit hearth dance across his features. I've never met anyone so beautiful in body or spirit. I spread kisses over his face, no longer able to tell him what I need to say. Petr wraps his arms around me and hauls me against his muscular frame.

"I love you, Petr."

"Enough to bring me hot coffee next time I visit you at the diner?"

I give a half laugh, half sob that hurts my throat. "Yes!"

"Then we definitely have something good going on here." He lifts me and carries me to the bed. Petr climbs in with me and cuddles close, my chest pressed to his and his arms holding me tightly. "Get some rest, Claudia," he murmurs. "We've got our own story to tell Baba in the morning."

His embrace, scent and body calm me. My crying subsides quickly, and exhaustion sweeps through me, replacing the adrenaline. "About how you proposed during a hostage situation?" I ask and close my eyes.

"Yep. It's called upholding the family tradition." He laughs once more.

I'm not sure whether or not he's joking, but I really hope he's not. I may not know what I want to be when I grow up, but I know I want to be with him.

Nightmare. Fairytale. Nightmare. Fairytale.

This time, the fairytale never has to end.

Epilogue.

"Hey, gorgeous."

I meet Petr's intent gaze, warmth bubbling, before glancing down to refill his mug. The past month has been a whirlwind of emotion and change. Todd and I made the big decision to move in with Petr. While I'm not ready to give up my day job, I've been debating accepting a part-time position doing graphics for his father's multiple foundations. I could work for him half the day and then return to school, too.

I pour him more coffee and then sit down across from him. He still visits me every day at the diner. Petr takes my hands in his, the tenderness of his gaze rendering me speechless, giddy and borderline tearful, every time he looks at me like this.

I'm living a dream. Todd is as ecstatic as I am.

"I gave it some thought," I say somewhat breathlessly. "Christmas Eve."

"Baba will love that." Petr chuckles.

"Do you?"

"Absolutely. Gives us time to plan." His eyes glow. "Honeymoon?"

"You choose. I've never really been anywhere."

"Somewhere warm, I take it. Your mom says Florida."

"No, not Florida." I laugh. I've laughed and smiled more the past month than I did the first twenty-five years of my life, and it's all because of the man before me. While he hasn't yet met my mom, he's talked to her a few times already. I call her daily now that I can.

"Baba showed me his secret project." Petr's voice grows hushed.

"He wasn't supposed to show you yet." I squeeze his hands. Upon learning the intent behind the project Anton gave me, I've spent the past few weeks perfecting it, despite the fact Baba loved the first version just fine. The collages of the three siblings together are being printed and framed for Petr and Katya on the two-year anniversary of their brother's death, which is next month.

"You're amazing," he murmurs and kisses the back of my hands. "It's perfect."

His words make my heart sing.

"I've got a surprise for you, too." His eyes twinkle with mischief and desire.

"What?"

"You'll see tonight."

"Petr!" I look at the time. It's barely ten in the morning. "That's forever away."

"Want a hint?"

I nod.

"The ring's in from resizing."

I hold my breath. Picking a wedding date is one thing. It seems so ... intangible.

But the ring ... once I learned its history, I stressed that Petr might change his mind or I might not be good enough for it and his family.

"Are you ... ah ..." Yeah, there's no right way to ask a man if he's going to propose, especially when I know how much this means not only to him, but his family and mine.

Too flustered to think, I simply stare at him.

"Claudia!" Eileen calls from the counter.

I blink, recalling where I am, and glance at her. She nods towards Henry with her head. His cup is empty.

Petr smiles. "Go on."

"Ugh!" I mutter. The only thing worse than being away from him is knowing he's in the room with me and I can't touch him or snuggle. "You aren't going to tell me if you have ... plans tonight?"

He winks and sips his coffee.

"You are in so much trouble!" I hiss and then move to take care of Henry. I refill the older man's coffee with haste.

Setting the coffee on its burner, I start to turn to confront Petr again when I feel his strong, warm body behind me. He wraps an arm around me and pulls me into him, nuzzling my neck.

Touching him is bliss. I sigh and rest my head against his shoulder. I melt the moment I feel his strength.

"We have plans tonight," he whispers. "Probably a good thing tomorrow's your day off, too. I plan on locking the door and staying in bed with you all day."

A delicious little shiver slides through me. "And ... Monday's a holiday, too," I whisper in return.

"Perfect. You sure you're ready for the next step?"

"Yes, Petr."

"Good. Baba's going to ask about the job again today."

I smile. With my nerves fluttering, I take a deep breath. "And I'll tell him yes," I murmur. "I already told the boss I'll be leaving in February."

He turns me to face him, searching my gaze. "I don't ever want you to feel pressured into anything."

"I don't. This is my decision. I want to help your family ... my family and be like you. We've both been given second chances to make a difference, Petr, and I want us to make the world a better place together."

He smiles, the tenderness back in his gaze, and cups my cheeks in his hands. "I love you, Claudia."

"I love you, too."

He kisses me lightly. "Pick you up at six."

He leaves, his scent on my skin and the fever he causes warming my blood. I want to scream out of happiness and instead, watch him pull out of the parking lot.

"Told you so," Eileen say from behind me. "No one comes here for the coffee and pie."

I laugh loudly, exhilarated at the prospect of my long weekend holed up with an incredible man like Petr.

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