Page 149 of The Lazarov Bratva

“It’s a leather cuff and chain.” Setting the tray down on her bedside table, I sit on the bed next to her and she shakes the chain in my face.

“I know what it is,” she remarks sharply. “I mean, what the hell is it doing on my wrist? I’m not too happy about being tied to the bed if there’s no sex involved.”

“Oh, there will definitely be sex involved.” I chuckle, catching her flailing hand and lightly threading our fingers together. “You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Is this to stop me from escaping?” Alena’s eyes dart about my face and her lips pull into a pout. “Haven’t I proven to you beyond a doubt that I’m not going anywhere?”

Her open irritation is understandable, but she’s wrong, at least in terms of reasoning. I cup her soft face and caress her cheek, skimming my thumb over her skin, then I lean in and capture her lips in a sweet kiss.

“You have, but this is different. This is to keep you contained and safe, exactly where I need you to be.” Kissing her again, she doesn’t kiss me back with much enthusiasm. “Plus, after everything you have been through this past week, bed rest is good for you and the baby. And needed until I can get you checked over by a doctor.”

Alena rolls her eyes and slumps back against the pillows, pulling her hand from my grip and crossing her arms across her chest. Her pout is so adorable.

“Fine,” she mutters. “I’ll humor you, but only until I see a doctor. Exercise is good for pregnant women too, y’know.”

“Excellent.”

Confidence bleeds into my words, but deep down, a part of me is scared. Scared that she will run and I will lose both her and my child. Scared that something will happen that will overrule her desire to be here with me and she will flee to protect the baby.

I can’t lose them. I wouldn’t survive, not after everything else that has been taken from me.

Pregnancy is scary, and the world we live in makes it even scarier. It’s reasonable, I think, to avoid risking something making her not want to have her baby here with me.

For both our sakes.

“What if I need to pee?” Alena pipes up, eyeing me and then the tray of breakfast I brought her. It’s filled with fruits and bread, some eggs and meat for protein.

“Andrev won’t be leaving your side, and he has the key, so anything you need, he will provide if I’m not here. And in the very unlikely case of an emergency, he will be here to protect you.”

Even theorizing something happening is enough to churn bile in my gut. My gaze falls away from her to the tray.

“Please make sure you eat something.”

“I will.” Alena leans up onto her knees and presses into my side. Cupping the side of my neck, she leans in and kisses me softly. “Are you okay, Kristof?”

“Of course. Why?”

“I don’t know. You just seem…” She trails off, her eyes searching mine, and for a moment, I’m certain she’ll find them, every hidden secret that’s too painful to talk about. Her brow curls, then she settles back and sighs. “You can talk to me. You know that, right?”

“I know. Now, eat.”

On cue, knocking at the door reveals Andrev, who steps inside with a small smile.

“There’s a call for you, Boss.”

I stroke Alena’s hair and kiss her temple. “I won’t be long.”

“Hurry back.” Alena turns her attention to breakfast, and I slip from the room with a glance at Andrev that tells him I expect the tray to be empty by the time I’m back.

I take the call in the study, and as soon as I answer, my heart lifts slightly.

“Hello!” August’s thick, warm tones boom down the line. “I wanted to check in and see how things are? Everyone safe and well? I trust my men are treating you right.”

August Nikolaev. So far, his loyalty has been unwavering, and he is the only man I consider leaning on. And trusting.

“Everything is fine,” I reply, pacing through the study to the bay windows. The mountain beyond is wrapped in an early morning fog that blankets the world, cutting trees in half and making the hedges glisten. “Actually, I have some news.”

“Aleksander is dead?” August snorts with a laugh.

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