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She snorts a laugh. “Uh, no.”
“I doubt my family would be too happy if one of the maids found a pregnancy test in my trashcan. And seeing as I can’t go anywhere alone these days, I don’t know how I’m going to pick one up.”
Katie falls silent, her expression settling into a thoughtful look. “How about this? You tell your killjoy bodyguard that we intend to pull an all-nighter. I’ll run down to the twenty-four-hour store on the corner and pick up some energy drinks and snacks for cover while I grab a pregnancy test. You’ll just have to stay here so he doesn’t follow.”
“You would do that for me?” I ask, my intense anxiety easing slightly as my friend has my back in an instant.
“Of course. I’ve gotcha, girl.”
Pulling Katie in for another grateful hug, I squeeze her tightly. “Thank you.”
She laughs. “Just remember, next time I need someone to cover my ass, you owe me big.”
I giggle, rising from the couch with her to head to the front door.
“Where are your books?” Vlad asks, eyeing me suspiciously as I open the door.
“Sorry, but it looks like Katie and I are going to need to pull an all-nighter. Big test tomorrow, and we haven’t finished going through our study materials,” I say, shrugging. “Katie’s just going to the store to pick up some supplies to help us stay awake.”
“Yeah, you want something?” Katie offers casually, helping the ruse seem that much more believable.
Vlad scowls, clearly displeased with my announcement, and he stands silently for several seconds—probably contemplating whether he can convince me to go home. He seems to come to the conclusion that persuasion would be pointless. “A black coffee. Hot,” he says, his expression competing with Mishka’s for hostile and intimidating.
“Sure thing!” Katie says, skipping down the steps and out of sight.
“Thanks, Vlad,” I say, flashing him a smile.
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles, turning his eyes back to the hallway as he crosses his arms over his broad chest.
I close the door, my heart pounding with the success of our first part of the plan. Hopefully, the coffee will be enough to keep him preoccupied when Katie gets back.
Heading back into the living room, I settle on the couch and eye my anatomy books. I should get some more studying done, as long as I’m waiting, but my stomach is in knots. I’m too anxious to focus.
Instead, I turn my attention to Boris, who still seems to be grumpy with me for leaving him behind again.
“Poor love,” I croon, sitting on the floor in front of him and running my fingers through the soft white fur on his chest.
His eyes droop in an expression of contentment, and after a few minutes of consolation, he seems to forgive me. Coming to a stand, he steps forward to lick my face with enthusiasm, making me giggle and turn my face away.
“Study snacks!” Katie calls, interrupting my late-night wrestling match with my favorite dog some fifteen minutes later.
A wave of relief washes through me as I hop up and rush to meet her in the entry. “All good?” I ask.
“Worked like a charm. Man, your new bodyguard needs to lighten up. He’s almost as grumpy as that one your brother brought along for your birthday. I don’t think this guy would be any more likely to dance than the last guy your family hired for protection.” Katie jabs her thumb over her shoulder, her face showing clear bafflement, and I bite my lip as heat trickles, unwanted, into my cheeks.
“Well, he was just trying to do his job,” I defend Mishka, knowing I’m going to get into a world of trouble if I let her stay on this topic too long.
Already, Katie’s eyebrow quirks, her expression shifting to suspicious.
“Do you have it?” I rush on, trying to change the subject, and I step forward to dig in the plastic bag hanging from her arm.
“I’ve got it, I’ve got it,” she says, swatting my hands away and taking the bag into the kitchen to set it on the counter. She pulls out several Monster energy drinks and a few bags of chips. At the very bottom, she stashed the box containing two pregnancy tests, and she hands it to me with an empathetic look. “You ready?” she asks as I accept it with shaking fingers.
No. But I nod anyway and walk in a dreamlike state toward her guest bathroom.
“I’ll give you some privacy,” she assures me, stopping at the door. “But I’m right here if you need me. Okay?”
“Thanks, Katie,” I breathe, and reluctantly, I close the door.
