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I vowed to protect this child with all I had, doing all I could to keep it out of harm’s way.
My mind plagued me.
How was I going to tell him?
Whether or not Vik would be a part of the process was not for me to decide. He hadn’t signed up for this. The apprehension of having that conversation was enough to make me hyperventilate. I couldn’t keep it a secret forever. If my calculations were correct, and I was pretty sure they were, I was close to six weeks pregnant. And due to the fact that I had no idea what I was doing, I decided to call Pox.
Pox was one of those people who came along with men like my brothers. He was an extremely intelligent man, one who kept to himself but also worked with a lot of questionable people. Because of this, he let a lot slide. After all, when you dealt with crooks, you became crooked yourself, and as long as the price was right, there wasn’t a job he wouldn’t do.
I didn’t know his real name. I doubted most anyone did apart from his family and a select few. What I did know of Pox was that he was once a doctor who was a part of something that led to him losing his license. I didn’t know what he did to get his license revoked, but I guess it didn’t matter. He no longer practiced medicine in a traditional manner, lending his skills to firm, syndicates, outfits, and gangs all over the state.
He was trusted enough to have his number saved in the phones of some of the most dangerous men in the country. His nickname stemmed from the pock-marked skin on his cheeks, and although I didn’t always feel comfortable calling him Pox, he never seemed to mind it.
This was one of those moments Sasha had referred to. And as I scrolled to find his number, I counted myself lucky to have a man as discreet as Pox at my beck and call.
A quick phone call to the man and I had an appointment booked in to see his sister, an OB/GYN, that afternoon. It was all moving so quickly. I didn’t have time to think too deeply about anything. I didn’t want to think too deeply about anything. Not until I saw the doctor.
I thought to be inconspicuous, but when I made my way over to Lev and Mina’s to find a full house, I found it hard to act right. Letting myself in, I called out, “Hello?” but got no response. It was easy enough to figure out why when I heard conversation coming from the kitchen.
My stomach flip-flopped when I saw him.
The father of my child, the one true love of my life, sitting there without a clue as to how our lives were about to change.
“Hey, there she is.” Vik straightened in his seat. I spared him a small smile, my fingers glancing his shoulder as I passed, gratitude in my touch.
A murmur of greetings followed. Vik and Anika sat at the table with Lev and Mina while Sasha stood off to the side, standing close to where Alessio sat on a stool at the counter, holding our chubby little Lidi, who looked about ready to fall asleep with her head on his shoulder. Not surprisingly, Cora sat on the stool beside him, looking over him with love shining brightly in her eyes.
Alessio caught her stare and frowned down at her. “You need something?”
“No.” She grinned widely. “I’m good.” Then she rested her head on his free shoulder like it was her God-given right.
It didn’t pass me over that although he seemed annoyed by the attention, Alessio let her.
When I approached, I gave him a light peck on the cheek, and he showed his appreciation by uttering, “Heard you barfed everywhere the other night.”
Jerk.
“I didn’t barf everywhere, thank you very much. I barfed once, and I made it to the toilet in time,” I muttered, taking Lidi’s curly pigtail and twirling it around my finger. “And I’m feeling much better, thanks for asking.”
Vik’s mouth pulled down. “You’re not working tonight, are you?” Before I could respond, he looked to Sasha and prompted, “Don’t you think she should take the night off?”
Sasha crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s up to Nastasia.”
Cora wrapped her fingers around Alessio’s upper arm and snuggled into his free shoulder. “She looks okay to me.”
“She has regained color.” Anika leaned in, observing me closely.
Mina looked me up and down, as if trying to spot if I was dying or not. “Maybe we should call Pox.”
Lev, as always, said the right thing at the right time. “Did you eat a banana?”
God. Why did I even come here?
I put my hands up in surrender. “Firstly, I’m good. Really. Secondly, no, I won’t be working tonight. And thirdly, I’ve already called Pox and have an appointment with him this afternoon.” My bored stare landed on a worried-looking Mina. “Just in case.”
