Preg-Not

34

"I would push that woman out of a window if I could. I will not let her breathe in the direction of my boys. They will not relive the fate of their uncle. I won't allow it."

She walked around to hug his front. "I could've never imagined."

"You have to understand. I can't let my mother or Viktor near the babies."

She felt torn about Viktor, because although he was arrogant, he helped her get close to Maksim.

"I understand."

Maksim's hand cupped the back of her head, and he tucked her face in the crook of his neck. "Without you, there's only vodka and insomnia."

"We can get help together, Mak. I still get irrational thoughts, still have triggers, still cling onto my father's ghost, but I'm better."

"I don't get episodes like you do."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't talk to someone."

He paused, and she looked up to make sure he wasn't angry.

"I bought you a TV."

She frowned at the random change of subject. "Why? You already have like ten in here."

"No. I meant the day you left. I finally earned enough to afford a TV, so I brought one home for you."

Her chest shrunk. "I always told you that we were fine without one."

"I know, and there's nothing I looked forward to more than coming home to hear you talk for hours about office gossip. I wanted you to have nice things, though. I wanted to be a man for you."

"You were."

"Not just in the sheets, Raelynn."

She lowered her eyes, and her thighs felt a phantom beard burn from when Maksim was last between them.

"I destroyed the TV, wrecked the apartment, and blacked out for a few days. There was just alcohol and insomnia for months. Anger. So, so much anger. I felt small; a little boy in a man's body. You crushed my pride."

"I–"

"I know. You were running from your past. I don't blame you for it, because I have done the same. You're the only person I want hearing this."

"Thank you."

If they had these conversations months ago, so much pain, fear, and humiliation would've been avoided. So much of her pregnancy wouldn't have been missed.

"... um, is your face okay? I hit you really hard."

She rubbed his cheek and accidentally skimmed her thumb over his lip when he smiled.

"I hope you hit Dante just as hard."

"That bastard. What happened to him?"

Maksim shrugged and released her. He bent to pick up the fallen tomatoes. "He's keeping a low profile. I've been conducting... business with his associates."

"What will you do to him?"

"An eye for an eye," Maksim replied. "I'm going to hit home, just like he did to me. Sometime, someday, I'll rip his woman from him to even the score."

Even the score.

She thought of Tiffany, and a wave of stress made her lean against the counter.

"Forget about Dante. Something has to be done about Tiffany. She sold me out. Sold the boys out." She gripped the counter. "I just don't know what. I don't want to..."