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“Hold on to these for me,” she handed me her rings. “I am not risking them getting stolen.”

It took all my self-control not to pull her back into the car for a fourth time. This time, I let her kiss me and leave. As soon as she closed the car door, I felt uneasy, too much distance between us.

It only got worse as I watched her walk up the stairs.

Turning her rings in my hand. Eight days. We had done longer.

I hadn’t eaten. I couldn’t sleep.

One more day. I had to survive one more day until she was back.

Every day was painfully fucking slow, since I found that pregnancy test in the bin. Fucking positive.

“So, what the fuck was more important, Nikolai?” I stopped at the traffic lights. “Nothing is worth missing your doctor’s appointment, and you know it!”

“Maybe I should take it up with the medical reception for breaking my privacy? They had no right to call you.”

“I don’t pay them extra every week, not to call me when you miss appointments.” This habit he had of causing me undue stress. “I have enough on my plate without you having a third heart attack.”

Glaring at the red traffic light. Fucking positive. A positive fucking pregnancy test.

“I’ve booked back in. It’s not a big deal.”

“I know, we’re going tomorrow,”

“Unfucking believable. I have a casino to run, drugs to distribute. When is Maddy back so you can stop annoying me?”

The lights went green.

“She’s back tomorrow night. Your appointment is at nine in the morning. I’ll pick you up.”

One second, I’m listening to Nikolai's empty threats, the next I’m blinded by bright lights of a truck. Coming at me so fast, I didn’t have time to put my foot down.

CHAPTER 44

Nikolai

I stared at the hospital carpet. The room was eerily quiet. The only sound was the girls crying. Who were both sitting at opposite ends of the waiting room.

“It’s Damius,” Rome handed me his phone. I’d purposely fucking ignored mine. The old bastard had cost me enough time with my brother. He wasn’t taking the final hours.

But Rome wasn’t to know. I took the phone from him. “What?”

“My strongest Crow taken out by a truck. Is this true?”

He wouldn’t be calling if he didn’t know the answer.

“The Adams have claimed credit, retaliation for their heir, whose fault was that man’s death again, Nikolai?”

I kept my breathing calm, locked on the carpet. “I’ll handle it.”

“Laced drugs. Actions are always unaccounted for. Perhaps it is time to reconsider Villains leadership.”

Not even hours and he is already threatening to take what Vince, and I earned. Everything we sacrificed to control this fucking city.

“I said I will handle it. Anything else?”

“You are still my crow Nikolai. You and Vincent might have decided not to hold those so-called boys accountable. But I promise you. If my crow dies, because you two didn’t train yours, I’m holding them accountable.”