Page 46 of Crowned

“I didn’t bring it up, she did. She kept insisting I apologize.”

We’re practically shouting and we’re drawing stares from the medical staff. We’re probably a hairsbreadth from being thrown out, and worse, we’re adding to Lilia’s stress during a time when she absolutely doesn’t need any more.

“You should have said sorry,” I seethe, lowering my voice. “The pageant, the diamonds, they do not matter anymore. Why can you not see past the end of your proud fucking nose?”

“You think I am not worried about Lilia when it is my child she is carrying?”

His child? I could fucking punch him.

I turn away from him and stalk over to Lilia, the fury melting from my face as I reach out and gently take her hand. “Solnyshko. How are you feeling? Did they tell you the baby is just fine?”

“Yes. But, Elyah—”

I place a gentle hand on her stomach. A moment later, it’s joined by Konstantin’s, and then Kirill’s. I wonder if I should push their hands away and snarl that this baby is mine, but I haven’t got the heart. Something about all our hands on her belly makes my temper cool, and I don’t think I want to.

“This is insane,” Lilia whispers, staring at our hands. She lifts her gaze to mine, and then to Konstantin and Kirill. “What are we going to do?”

I stroke her hair back from her brow. There are threads of dried blood among the gold strands. “We will figure it out. Do not worry about it right now.”

“A moment ago, you were all fighting. You’re going to keep fighting over this child, and we will be caught in the middle of you. I can’t—”

Kirill takes her chin in his hand and draws her face up to his, his expression fierce. “Detka. Stop. We three fight sometimes. We are hotheaded idiots. It is nothing.” He raises his eyebrows, waiting for her response.

Slowly, she nods.

“Him,” he says, nodding at Konstantin. “He will do whatever you want. You just tell us if he won’t, Elyah and I will punch his stupid fucking face until he does.”

Lilia’s mouth twitches.

He pats her cheek. “You see? Simple, not hard.”

Kirill glares at me and Konstantin, waiting for us to agree. I nod, but Konstantin doesn’t say anything. I flash him a look to tell myPakhanthat if he upsets Lilia again, we really will punch his stupid fucking face.

“Who is your obstetrician?” I ask Lilia. “I will call them in the morning and make an appointment for you.”

Lilia shakes her head. “I don’t have one.”

“Then which doctor have you been seeing?” Kirill asks.

She purses her lips and doesn’t answer.

He stares at her in astonishment. “No one? No one has done a checkup on you and the baby? Your blood pressure? Nothing?”

She glares up at him. “You think it’s that easy? You think I could have walked into a doctor’s office while I’m in hiding from the three of you and working illegally in this country?”

I want to tell her that she above all people should know how important it is that she gets proper medical attention when she’s pregnant, but I swallow it down. Under normal circumstances, Lilia would be lavishing everything on this baby that she could. It’s our fault that she’s not. “Of course. We are sorry.”

Lilia shoots a ferocious glare at Konstantin. “At least one of you can say it.”

He glares back at her.

I scoop Lilia against my chest and hold her, pressing a kiss against the top of her head. “Do not worry. We will find you doctor in Prague, and you will have all the scans and tests you need. Nothing is going to happen to you and the baby, I swear it.”

For a moment I feel her melt against me. This is all I want. To comfort my woman when she needs me. To know she relies on me to protect her and the vulnerable child inside her.

Her fingers trail down my chest as she draws away from me and my arms feel empty without her. She turns to Konstantin and regards him coolly.

“If you’re going to lose your temper, I suppose the best place is here where there are security guards. I have something to tell you.”

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