AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The thought of Aleksey’s uncle attempting to do something to me was so horrible that it left me nauseous. My stomach roiled and suddenly I was out of the bed. I barely made it to the toilet, retching.
I felt Aleksey’s hand on the back of my neck, quickly replaced by a cold washcloth. “Go on, let it all out.”
I wiped the tears from my cheeks as I sat back on my heels, flushing the toilet. “I feel like I’ve thrown up a few organs as well.”
He sat on the edge of the bathtub and gave me a sympathetic smile. “Do I have anything to worry about?”
Removing the washcloth from my neck, I used it to wash my face and hands. “I don’t think so.”
I looked down at my naked form. Were my breasts bigger than I remembered? Or had they always been like this? Was my hair always this full? And the bathroom. It smelleddifferent. But nothing changed here. I was sure of it.
Dawning realization hit me. Maybe it had happened weeks ago already…
“Aleksey…” I forced out, breathless. “I think it’s happened.”
He seemed suddenly nervous. Aleksey was never nervous. Blowing out a breath, he pushed off the bathtub. “There’s only one way to find out.”
I listened to him walk out of the bathroom, feeling as if I was living in someone else’s body. Could I really be pregnant? Hadn’t we just had that conversation yesterday? If I was, then I would be carrying Aleksey’s child, his heir, the key to his own future.
And the key to securing my own safety.
Body shaking, I forced myself to stand. Aleksey was right. There was only one way we could find out.
I found him in the bedroom, already pulling on a T-shirt. “I’m going to get dressed,” I told Aleksey as I walked over to the wardrobe. I had never gone to buy a pregnancy test before, but surely it wasn’t that hard to do.
“No.” Aleksey looked back. “Stay here,” he stated, pointing toward the warm bed we had just left.
“I’m not sick,” I argued as he pulled on his boots. “I’m pregnant.”
Aleksey’s eyes met mine, and I saw a swirl of emotions in those dark depths. “All the more reason for you to stay here, Elia. Until we know for sure.”
“Fine.” I felt shaky. “Can you get some ginger ale and crackers while you are out? Because those are the only things that I think I can stomach right now.”
He stepped toward me and I closed the gap between us. “I’ve already sent Boris a message,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. “Why don’t you rest until he gets back?”
A startled laugh left me. “You sentBoristo buy a pregnancy test?”
His lips brushed my temple. “And ginger ale and crackers. I think you need me here.”
My heart melted. “Thank you.”
He released me and led me over to the bed, patting my side. “Get in.”
I thought about arguing with him that if I was pregnant, then it was going to be a long nine months, but instead climbed up on the bed and he tucked the comforter around me.
“So let’s say I’m pregnant,” I started softly, watching Aleksey pull out his cell phone. “What next?”
Aleksey looked up, his expression tightening. “We keep you safe, Elia.”
I fiddled with the comforter, suddenly feeling small and scared about what we might be facing.
“This is what we discussed last night,” Aleksey said. “Things have changed, and we need to plan our next moves before my uncle catches wind of this. I can swear Boris to secrecy, but there will come a time when you will no longer be able to hide.”
“I know what you mean,” I admitted, the nervousness causing my voice to shake.
“I will protect you,” he finished, reaching over to grasp one of my hands. “I swear it, Elia.”
I squeezed his hand. Conflicting emotions swirled inside of me. I might be pregnant with Aleksey’s child. A part of me was beaming with happiness. But another part of me—the part that shamed me each time after I opened myself to him—was sorely disappointed.
