Page 72 of The Bratva's Secret Twins

Vivian shook her head, drying her tears with the back of her hand. “Unfortunately, I am not. They are your kids, Daniil.”

I laughed sarcastically.

“There’s no way that I could’ve knocked you up in the one week we spent together,” I defended.

“But you did, Daniil,” she insisted. “You did. You got me pregnant.” Her voice was a mix of pain and anger, rising as she grew more frustrated.

It was now that I realized I had lowered my gun. I shot a glance at Andrei, and although he didn’t say a word, I knew he bought what she was saying.

“Then why did you run?” I asked her, calmer but still raging in silence. “If you knew you were pregnant, why did you run?”

“I didn’t know at the time,” she said. “I only realized that when I escaped to Spain. But can you blame you? We didn’t exactly have the healthiest dynamic.”

I scoffed at how ridiculously convenient her story was becoming.

“The woman over the phone said, ‘the kids….’” I brought this fact to her notice. “Which means there are more than one. Now, are you trying to say that I have—”

“Twins?” she asked, interrupting me.

I was quiet as the temptation to believe her was sneaking into my brain.

“Yes,” she added, her shoulders drooping. “I have twins with you.”

I thought for a moment at the possibility of her claims because the conviction in her eyes was palpable. But I needed more evidence than mere words in order for me to believe her.

It would be great to have a successor, an heir to the empire I had spent my life building. But I wasn’t certain yet.

She was the reason for my lack of trust in her. I’d trusted her once, and look what it cost me. I’d been fooled by her false pretenses before, and I was being extra careful not to fall victim again. As much as I wanted this to be true, I couldn’t let my guard down. She couldn’t be trusted. This could be yet another game she was playing. But she was smart enough to know not to play such a game with me.

I shook my head. “I’m not buying this.” I added, “Unless I see for myself.”

She paled as I spoke, her eyes widening. She seemed worried—afraid, maybe.

Now, my disbelief was strengthened further.

“What’s the matter?” I walked over to her, my gaze unwavering. “You said they’re mine, right?”

Her body was tense, and her breathing was heavy.

“Since the kids are mine, then let me see them,” I said with a commanding tone.

Vivian’s tears returned, and she dropped to her knees, her eyes red from crying and her lips trembling as she begged.

“Please, leave them out of this…. Don’t hurt them—they’re just kids.”

“You say they’re mine, right?” I asked, shrugging off the thoughts of what I would do should she be lying.

She nodded, wiping her tears.

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” I replied. “But listen carefully, Vivian Kennedy,” I added menacingly, “if it turns out that you’re lying, then whatever comes next will be on you.”

I watched the effect of my words play in the form of fear on her face, and I smirked. Even with her palpable terror, I couldn’t deny that the thought of hurting her made me sick to my stomach.

I’d cross that bridge when I came to it, if need be.

__________

The drive to her place was a silent one. I had dismissed Andrei and taken Vivian in my car since hers had crashed into that street lamp. We didn’t say a word to each other until I saw her texting someone on her phone.

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