Page 59 of All the Dangerous Things

Be ready for when I return, cara. You’ll be gagging on my cock before I fill you up.

My insides clenched painfully—pleasurably—at his text. It was so crude, so obscene, and all I could do was accept it all because there was no other option for me.

Gio was it, and there was no going back.

24

TATIANA

Ididn’t know how much time had passed since I’d stared down at that pregnancy test and saw how my future would go.

Days, maybe a week. Time just seemed to mesh together, if I was being honest.

I hadn’t seen Gio since then, not because I'd been keeping my distance but because he’d gone back to the West Coast for work. But the texts I got from him were daily, and although raunchy, I sensed a lighter, softer note in each one.

Like when he’d ask how I was and wanted me to elaborate.

Or when he’d send me a random text saying he was thinking about me.

But would he still feel that way when I finally told him about the baby?

I placed a hand on my belly but quickly removed it, as the last thing I needed was for someone to see and jump to conclusions.

I took a deep breath and exhaled, steadying myself, because at this particular moment, I had to focus on the here and now.

And that was because Dmitry had gone and gotten himself married.

Not just married to someone he ran into or even an arranged marriage to another family. No… to Claudia Bianchi.

Dmitry had wed Gio and Amara’s sister.

I guess we really were keeping it in the damn family.

They’d had a low-key ceremony just an hour before, and having everyone close to us gathered for the nuptials made my thoughts clear for the first time in forever.

Seeing Gio after a week felt like an eternity had passed.

God, I had it bad for him.

And pretending to have no feelings for him, acting like he was just my sisters-in-law’s brother, was a hell of a lot harder than anyone could guess.

The door to one of my favorite little French restaurants was held open for us. I stepped inside, behind everyone else except Gio, who was right behind me. I felt his towering frame so close, sensed his body heat seeping into me. I swore I felt his breath tease the tendrils of my hair and heard him inhale deeply.

But I focused on placing one foot in front of the other and stared at the massive, crystal chandelier that hung in the center of the large room. Everyone was dressed in their best, and I smiled as all the patrons stared in awe at the beauty who was my new sister-in-law, Claudia, as she made her way through the establishment in her wedding gown.

Pierre, the owner, came out from the back to greet us. He shook Nikolai and Dmitry’s hands, his grin splitting wide when my brothers accepted the gesture.

We were led to a table, Pierre assuring us it was the best one in his restaurant. Once we were all seated, he snapped his fingers. The waitstaff bustled over and made sure all our crystal glasses were filled with artisan water.

The owner grinned from ear to ear as he doted on my brothers.

A wine glass was set in front ofme, and panic washed over me, as I knew I couldn't drink it. But would abstaining be like a neon sign that I was pregnant?

Liquor was poured for the men, and a childproof cup of chocolate milk was brought out for Luca.

Dmitry reached over and pulled Claudia’s chair close to his. He threw his arm over the back of it, the tips of his fingers lightly stroking the bare skin of her arm. Watching the pure happiness that was on my brothers’ faces was something I didn’t think I’d ever get to witness.

And it made me feel like everything was right in the world.

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