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I fall into my thoughts, thinking about the future that was about to come. I’m about to give birth to my daughter, become a wife and a mother, and most importantly, someone’s person. The person you love with everything in you and never want to let go. They’re like your drug. You can never get enough of them, always wanting to be around them to get the boost of Oxycontin they bring. He’s my person. I think I always knew that. From the moment I saw him, the day my mom was killed.

He’s about to become my husband. We’re going to be married. I think back to what he said, filling my womb with more kids. He wants more kids with me. He wants a family with me. I couldn’t be happier with this moment. He has hurt me, yes, but he’s trying. He is trying to fix his mistakes, and I think that’s what really matters.

“I love you,” I blurt out, and he stops walking. His eyes searched mine, flicking between them, looking into each one.

“I love you.” A smile covers his face before he lifts me and cranes his neck down, pulling me into a soft kiss, one full of love and comfort. It’s not lustful, full of desire. It’s full of promise.

We don’t talk the rest of the walk, soaking in the quiet before returning to the bustling Manor.

When we make it off the trail and back to the parking lot, Viktor’s trailer is blocking the view of Dmitri’s car. What is he still doing here? Before I can ask Dmitri, a deafening roar echoes from the rocks, making me flinch, and Dmitri busts out laughing.

He walks around the trailer, and there, behind Dmitri’s car, is my neon pink bike, looking brand new. Viktor is sitting on it, revving the engine louder as we get closer.

Once we’re right next to it, Viktor gets off, and Dmitri sets me down. I go to throw my leg over her when Dmitri grabs my arm and makes me look at him, a warning in his eyes.

I look at every little detail on her, not one piece broken, like my crash never even happened. I look up at Viktor, fresh tears running down my face. “How? It was a mangled mess,” I ask, a sob ripping free.

“I stayed up for days on end rebuilding it. Everything on it is brand new, upgraded, and waiting for you to heal to ride it.” He smiles, pride beaming over his face.

“I can’t walk, but please come hug me,” I sob, and he chuckles before coming and enveloping me in a hug. When he lets go, he places a kiss on the top of my hair, patting it before stepping back. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“Don’t thank me, you deserve it.” I smile at his words. Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that someone cares enough to think I do.

*This book is an advance reader copy and is to not be distributed anywhere. [email protected]*

36

Chapter Thirty-Six

Shut Up and Drive by Rihanna

Penelope

It’s been two weeks since he proposed. Two weeks of bliss. Dmitri has done an infinite amount of groveling to make me happy and right his wrongs. He’s given me at least 4 orgasms a day. But he won’t let me touch him. He’s helped me with my physical therapy every day.

He’s bonded with me, our daughter. He doesn’t leave my side, going as far as standing at the door when I take a piss. I try to get him to go away, but it’s like an invisible glue that sticks him to my hip.

Dmitri has started the construction on our home in Greece after I begged him for hours on end to move there and settle down. He bought a modern home, and the team of men there is working on everything I want added and getting everything ready for us to move in.

I have a grandma there, and I want to find her and make up for lost time. I hope she’s still alive. Dmitri has a team of people trying to track her down, and they’re getting close, just trying to find her address now. They haven’t found any obituaries, so I’m hopeful she’s alive. The house will be ready in three months, just shortly after I give birth to our daughter.

I’m so fucking lucky all my fractures were minor, letting me almost fully return to my life. The week after getting home was rough, and there was a lot of soreness, but it’s all gone now.

I’ve been begging Dmitri for the past three days to let me ride my bike again, and he is very against it. Telling me every time I don’t need to be getting into another accident, especially since I’m pregnant, almost entering my eighth month.

The accident happened because I was crying, and the bike was screaming for mercy from how hard I pushed it. A car cut into my lane, and I flew like a bird.

I know it’s risky to ride with a bump this big, but I’m dying to just do one drive. A small one, at a reasonable speed. Ten minutes down the interstate and back, that’s all I fucking want. I just want the adrenaline.

This morning, I finally convinced him to let me ride my bike after I woke him up by giving him head. His mind was so out of it, he just said yes, regretting it the second he realized I used his pleasure daze to get what I wanted.

“Can we go now?” I whine, pulling on his arm as we walk to the kitchen.

“Viktor is almost here. You will eat and then ride.” Oh yeah, he’s made me super fucking fat. He won’t stop shoving food down my throat, complaining I’m not eating enough. I feel like a damn whale.

When we make it into the kitchen, Anna and Melody are already in here cooking. They look up when they hear us enter, their faces morphing into joy. I haven’t seen them much lately, or the others. They’ve all been super busy as the crime rate spikes in New York, and with the transformation of Viktor taking over the Mafia.

“Penny!” Anna squeals, coming around the counter and pulling me into a bear hug. “Your food is almost done.” She goes back to plating my food, and I look over at Dmitri; a glare settled on his face.