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Safe and secure.

It’s a dreamless sleep, one that slides into something like almost awake. I’m with Demyan, and he’s loving, holding me, and it’s not enough. My body throbs with need and words tumble from me in this waking dream. Then my body comesalive. He’s wet and hot, softly lapping at me. I’m taken from that place with waves of delicious slow pleasure, and I come fully awake, to find Demyan between my thighs, licking and sucking, his fingers buried in me, rocking me into a crashing orgasm.

“Oh my God.”

He laughs and raises his head, coming up from under the covers. “You asked so sweetly, how could I resist?”

“I did?”

“A thick with sleep voice said ‘Demyan, please…’”

I stare at him as he pulls me into his arms. “I did?”

“Yeah.” He brushes a strand of hair from my face. “I fucking love you, Erin.”

Last night I fell asleep before telling him about the baby and as his words of love roll through me, making my heart race, I say, “I love you, too.”

I need to tell him.

“Demyan —”

Someone knocks on the door and he pulls the covers up just as it opens.

Alina pops her head in, and she looks very uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. Demyan, you need to come to the living room. Now.”

Chapter Six

DEMYAN

Irritation spreads through me.It’s early and I know Alina or Olga have mywake at the crack of dawndemon son up and occupied.

“What is it?”

I push out of bed, pausing to take Erin’s hand. “Not Sasha.”

A small smile breaks out. “I know that. She asked for you, not us. Besides, Sasha’s got a pair of lungs on him when he wants to throw a tantrum.”

“This is going to be some idiotic business thing. It happens.” I shrug, kissing her hand. “It’ll be boring.”

“You live for your business.” She says this like my business is regular, and not one soaked in blood and violence.

But hopefully, her acceptance shows this is the safest place for her to be. Here, with me. Not that I’m letting her go anywhere. Her or our son.

“I live for you and Sasha.”

She blushes and rolls her eyes. “I’ll get dressed.”

“Stay up here with Sasha. It’s going to be boring.”

“What if it’s news about Ilya?”

I get up and pick out a suit, dressing quickly. “Maybe it’ll be news on the fucker who shot him. I’ll let you know.”

When I’m dressed and ready, I head out the door, not wanting to leave her, not so soon after getting her back. I’d planned a morning of slow sex, to make up for the hard and fast she’d demanded the night before. Even now as I check in on Sasha, who’s playing happily with Olga, Erin’s sweet words when she’d been mostly asleep this morning, asking for me, come back to tease my senses.

But I shove them away. I do have a meeting later today, an important one, so maybe they decided to push it up.

Or there’s trouble that has popped up.