Page 24 of The Bratva King's Pregnant Bride

There’s my logical side. That was a good sign.

My phone rang, pulling me out from my swirling thoughts. I looked at the screen to see Jenna’s cheerful face on the display.

I silently wished it was anyone else; any other call, I wouldn’t have bothered to pick up. Seeing as it was Jenna, I just couldn’t ignore it, considering how much we had gone through together, how she’d been there for me. Even if I was bold enough to ignore her, where could I go to escape her? Jenna knew all the places I frequented, whether to study, eat, or seek quiet and peace of mind.

I answered without much enthusiasm.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” I croaked.

“How are you?”

I noted the concern in her voice and found myself cracking under that care. I tried to compose myself, but I just didn’t know how, so I released the tears I had been holding back.

“I don’t know,” I said shakily. “I really can’t tell. I’m confused. Mostly, I keep wondering how. Like, did I forget to take the pill or something? But I remember taking it—I even remember seeing the packaging in the trash. Yet, somehow, somehow, I’m pregnant, and I just… I don’t know.”

“I keep thinking about it, too. Honestly, it’s making me doubt their effectiveness. You weren’t with anyone before or after Dominik. This… this is some next level shit. For real.”

I knew she was just humoring me; we’d talked it over and over, going in circles. The reality was, no matter how it had happened, it had—and I was going to have to deal with it.

My thoughts wandered to Dominik and the fact that he wanted us to make a life together. Meeting him and this pregnancy—none of it had ever been part of my carefully-calculated plan. I found it shocking that he even wanted to be involved, to be an actual father. It made me wonder where this would lead.

“I guess there’s only one thing to do,” Jenna said quietly.

My breath caught. “What are you suggesting?”

“I really don’t want to say it, but… you know it’s the best course of action.”

I felt my forehead crease. “Huh?”

The line crackled as Jenna cleared her throat. “You really want me to say it?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Get an abortion.”

My hand moved instinctively to my belly. I don’t know why, but it seemed that, even if my mind had been confused all along, it was clear what my body wanted.

“An abortion…?” I swallowed, then shook my head violently, even though she couldn’t see. “No. No. I can’t do it. I won’t do it, Jenna.”

“You won’t be doing anything,” Jenna replied. “The doctor would be the one doing everything. All you have to do is lie back and let them do their job.”

Jenna’s words fell like lead into my stomach. I clutched my torso, protective of the life inside me, even if there was no visible sign of it yet. I imagined I could feel the child’s faint heartbeat inside me—though, from what a nurse had told me, that wouldn’t be possible for at least another month—and the sudden thought of extinguishing it felt somehow evil.

“Think about it,” Jenna urged. “You have a full life before you, and this would only put your dreams on hold—or end them altogether. You know that.”

I shook my head again. “No. I can’t just get rid of this baby like that.”

Putting aside my motherly instincts for a moment, just thinking of Dominik’s order not to even think about aborting the baby sent a shiver of fear down my spine. I knew, deep down, that he was not a man to test—he’d threatened both my mother and Jenna; my friend had no idea that she was advising me to put her in direct danger.

Speaking of Dominik… I glanced to the kitchen, sighing. The big, scary mob boss had developed a habit of sending me groceries: organic fruits and vegetables, vitamins, anything that he thought would be beneficial for an expectant mother.

I rolled my eyes. He didn’t want his ‘little mouse’ out shopping—or leaving the house at all, for that matter. He always told me that he was a call away, in case I ever needed him.

The things he got for me yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that were still in the fridge—I hadn’t touched them.

In fact, the refrigerator I had now was not the same one I’d had a week ago. All it had taken was Dominik walking into my apartment to see what was lacking, and he set out to make my life ‘comfortable.’ No matter how I tried to fight him, no matter how much I claimed I didn’t need anything from him, he didn’t seem to care.

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