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“Demyan did wrong, and he knows it. But what’s he going to do? Lock up a pregnant woman? Come on. You guys have moved past that. I won’t say anything, but you are going to tell him soon, right?”

“Yes, just when I’m ready.”

“Mama?” Sasha holds up a smashed blueberry to show me and then stuffs it in his mouth.

“Look, I’m not going to say anything. I promise.” Alina reaches over the table to hold my hand. “But… Do you have a doctor?”

“We went in for a checkup after… everything, but my regular doctor’s all the way on the other side of the city.”

“Well, I have an excellent OB-GYN that I can get you in to see. She usually has a waiting list months’ long, but there comes some perks with being a Yegorov. And I’m more than happy to come with you for support, if you’d like.”

“I’d love that. And as for support, are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I’d be honored.”

I squeeze her hand. “Thank you. I’d really love that, Alina.”

We go for a neighborhood walk,and then when Alina mutters something about the antsy guard, we head home, a car suddenly appealing.

The young, good-looking one, Pavel, I think, helps put Sasha in the car and we all head back.

Neither Stefina and Demyan are there, which is both a relief and annoying. Annoying because I hate the idea of them spending time together, and relief that I don’t have to watch it.

Sasha and I take a nap—after he’s cleaned up and later Magda and Olga fuss over him like usual.

It’s late when Demyan returns, and he looks exhausted. I’m curled on the sofa in the upstairs living room, a more casual room with a TV where Sasha does his cartoon watching. I like the setup and it helps limit his exposure to the screen.

He undoes his tie and leans against the doorjamb as I sit up and turn off the TV. There’s a glass of amber liquid—whiskey—in his hand and he needs a shave.

Demyan both makes me tremble with desire and pulls at my heartstrings even as my head warns me to slow down.

“Fuck,Lyubimaya, you look delicious. If I didn’t think you might punch me, I’d go over there and ravish you.”

A small smile pulls at my mouth. “And a part of me wants that. Both to punch you and have you ravish me.” I pause. “You missed Sasha’s bedtime.”

“I know, and I fucking hate that more than you can know.”

“How is the future Mrs. Yegorov?”

He doesn’t miss a beat. “I don’t know, how are you? You look beautiful.”

“I meant?—”

“I know who you meant, Erin.” He sighs and comes into the room. “I spent the morning being bored shitless, trying cake I don’t give a fuck about, and trying to work on my phone as I tuned her out just enough not to bring her father thundering in and starting bullshit.”

I swallow the hard, hot ball of resentment in my throat. “And the rest of the day?”

“Business. Taking care of my empire. Making sure my world is safe enough for the three most important people. You. Sasha. Alina.”

Nodding, I look down at my hands. “I just feel…”

“Like I’m doing shit against you? This is the fallout of me getting you back alive. And I’d do it again. For you.”

I look at him. There’s something else there in those ice-blue eyes, something I can’t quite read, like he’s hiding something from me. Like this isn’t the full extent of the truth.

But I honestly can’t fathom what else there could be. And maybe it’s just the guilt of Stefina.

“I don’t like her.”