Page 120 of Hidden Empire

My eyes bulge open. “No way.”

Ivan chuckles. “You can’t pee in front of him? He’s already seen everythin?—”

“Not me peeing, he hasn’t,” I cut him off firmly.

Getting out of bed, I hesitantly take the package from Dmitri.

“You’re sure?”

“I’ll come out with it,” I tell him, in case he’s asking because he wants to see the test when it turns or something. The test has a cap to go over the part you pee on, so it’ll be clean enough. I think.

Things sort of blur when I go into the bathroom on my own. I double-check the test instructions and then awkwardly do my business on the right side. I double wash my hands and put the cap on before being brave enough to go back into the room.

“Ivan left?” I ask, finding Dmitri alone.

“He wanted to give us the chance to do this alone, baby.”

Sweet of him.

“I haven’t looked,” I say, nodding down to the plastic test in my hand. “I think it takes a few minutes.”

“It does,” he agrees, gesturing for me to sit back down in bed.

I keep the little stick facing down as I take my seat.

“Have you ever had to do this before?”

His answer might devastate or relieve me, but I ask it anyway.

“I’ve never not used a condom before,” he admits, and I’m happy to hear it. “I’ve never even considered going without one, not until you.”

“That’s sweet,” I whisper.

“I should have asked you?—”

“Neither of us asked,” I cut in.

“No, but I’m older than you, and I have the experience. I shouldn’t have touched you without discussing it.”

“You’re barely older than me,” I defend, unwilling for him to take the full blame. We’re both adults, and we both should have talked about it. But I’m not going to pin this on him when I’m sure I’m equally responsible.

He laughs lightly. “I’m glad you don’t see it that way.”

I’m already too in love with him to care, even if I did think four years was a lot.

Looking down at the pregnancy test, I assume the small amount of time needed for it to be ready has passed.

“I can’t look,” I admit, biting my lip. “Can you?”

He doesn’t even hesitate, picking up the little stick and looking right where the result should be. His face gives away nothing as he peers at it.

I can’t help but ask, “What’s it say?”

When he doesn’t immediately say that it's one line, I know.

There’s a flutter in the deepest pit of my stomach, and I swallow back emotion clawing up my throat. “Two lines?”

“Two lines,” Dmitri softly confirms. Discarding the test, his large hands frame my face, and his thumbs stroke the apples of my cheeks.

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