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Tears prick my eyes. I’m not fine, not at all, but I’m glad I don’t have to face the reality of a lost pregnancy. I close my eyes tostop myself from crying, but I can’t. Sometimes you don’t know how much something means to you until you almost lose it. I’m not super good at stopping myself crying when I’m overcome with emotion, and the feel of Mikhail’s strong arms around me only makes matters worse.
I want to sob it all out to him.
I couldn’t bear the thought of losing our baby.
I hate that you bought me.
I hate myself for going behind your back and not addressing it head-on.
Is your mom okay?
Did your brothers all survive?
I was the one that brought this on all of you.
Instead, I swipe at my eyes and swallow the lump in my throat for the umpteenth time.
The doctor turns and pats Mikhail’s shoulder before she hands me a white towel to clean the goopy mess up with. Who knew that ultrasounds are a messy business?
“Looks like you two can resume business as usual. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date to return to,” she says with a wink before she leaves. My cheeks burn when I suddenly remember the conversation she had with Mikhail.
“Mikhail, you pulled her away from a date!” I say as the door shuts behind her.
“And?”
“There are plenty of other people who could’ve met us at the ER.”
“Or I could give her fifty thousand dollars to drop what she’s doing because she’s the only doctor I trust.”
I balk. “You gave herfifty thousand dollars?”
He’s still scowling, even as he gently helps me off the table. “I did, and I’d do it again. She works for me, Aria.”
And I know by now that Mikhail Romanov is very good to those who belong to him in any capacity at all.
Like…me.
Unless, of course…they betray him. My heart sinks.
We hear a knock at the door.
“What?” Mikhail snaps. He’s stressed as hell since half his family’s been brought here tonight. I don’t blame him. This whole ordeal has pulled the edges of my nerves so taut I feel ready to snap at any second.
Polina enters, a bandage across her forehead, looking even paler than usual. She looks wordlessly from me to Mikhail. I hand her the little printout the doctor gave me and point to the tiny bean. “The baby’s fine,” I say in a whisper since I don’t trust my voice tonight after everything that’s gone down. “I’m fine.”
To my surprise, Polina bursts into tears. In seconds, she’s gone from pale and holding her shit together to full-on sobbing. I sit up and reach for her but before I can get to her, Mikhail takes one step toward her, wraps his enormous arms around her, and holds her. Tears prick the corners of my eyes again. She lays her head on his chest and sobs.
“I was so afraid I failed to protect Aria and the baby,” she weeps. “And Mom, when she was passed out, I thought she was gone. I was so worried, Mikhail, and I was so afraid we’d fall apart.”
Her wracking sobs shake her thin shoulders, and I find my own cheeks damp with sympathy tears. Or maybe I’m crying because I’m seeing a side of Mikhail I’ve never seen before. My scary monster of a husband is a giant teddy bear when he comforts his sister. He strokes her back as he soothes her.
“Shh,milaya devushka. Shh. You did so well. I am so proud. You’ve made us all proud, Polina. Aria is safe.”
Milaya devushka.
Sweet girl.
After a few minutes, her sobs quiet and she nods. “Okay,” she says, still teary, her voice wobbling. She gives a loud sniff. “If you say so.”
