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“Nikolai,” Jude breathed

I drank in the sight of Jude as he stood just a handful of steps from me

He was really here

I felt caught up in a vortex of emotion as my eyes held Jude’s

My Jude’s

I saw every piece of hie, fear, joy… everything that made Jude who he was clearly showed in his expression

“Uncle Nikolai, Jude got me and Maks ice cream,” Nattie announced as she held up her ice creae that I could only assume was a treat for Maks

“I asked the nurse if it would be okay for Maks to have it before we left his room,” Jude blurted “She said it would”

I began descending the steps one by one, never taking my eyes off of Jude

“Is Maks going to be okay, Uncle Nikolai?” Nattie asked

“Yeah, honey, he is,” I said to my niece as I shot her a quick smile When I returned my attention to Jude, I could see how relieved he was I didn’t think it possible, but I fell even more in love with him in that moment

“Thank God,” Jude whispered as he bent at the waist a bit like he’d been holding his breath It was only when his eyes shifted back to me and he noticed my slow descent that I saw that little bit of uncertainty creep back in his eyes

“I tried to call,” he said

“My phone died How did you find me?”

My stomach was in knots What if Jude had only come here to make sure Maks was okay? Obviously, I loved hiain?

“I went to your house first The bakery was closed and no one answered,” he said nervously “So I went to your office I knew you wouldn’t be there since Mike fired you and Cliff pulled his contract, but I thought if I told Mike the truth about what happened between us then he’d change his mind Mike wasn’t there but Dannie told me about Maks”

“Mike didn’t fire me,” I said “And Hayes didn’t pull his contract”

“What?” Jude asked, truly dumbfounded