Page 36 of Dancing With Desire

I guide her out to the car, lifting her in.

The ride to the hospital is unnerving. Nobody wants to speak, and the atmosphere is thick with trepidation.

We sit in a hospital room,waiting for the doctor to come and speak with us. Victoria clings to my hand tightly. She hasn’t murmured a word since we left the apartment, not even when they took her through for the scan. She’s pale and a shadow of who she was just mere hours ago.

I rub circles on the back of her hand with my thumb, trying to reassure her, but I have no words either. And I can’t help but think this is down to my fucking father. The sooner I end the bastard, the better.

The door swings open and both our heads whip round. The doctor smiles, and it’s reassuring, but I don’t trust smiles. I need words.

“Victoria Harding?” he asks, and she nods. He turns to me.

“Mr. Volkov,” I offer.

“Is it okay to speak in Mr. Volkov’s presence?” he asks, and she nods again. I let out a breath, relieved that she isn’t shutting me out. “Let me start by reassuring you that everything is absolutely fine.” We both release a relieved breath. “Many women experience some bleeding in pregnancy. Have you been pushing yourself too much or causing yourself unnecessary stress?” he asks, and she looks away, staring down to where our hands are entwined.

“Yes, doctor, she has,” I grit out, and she looks at me with a frown.

“No, I haven’t,” she snaps, pulling her hand free.

“Yes, Victoria, you have. You’ve been chasing my father and Vivian just to prove a point,” I snap as I reach for her hand again. She snatches it away instantly. “You have nothing to prove. You are the strongest woman I know, and I love you with my everything. If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to live without you. You need to let me handle them. It’s no good for you or the baby.”

“He’s right, Miss Harding. Being pregnant can be very stressful without you adding extra pressure on yourself. I’ll need you to take it easy, rest up for a few days, and the bleeding should subside. If it continues or gets heavier, please don’t hesitate to return, okay?” the doctor instructs, and she nods. “And I mean rest,” he adds, heading for the door. “Complete rest and no stress.”

“Okay,” she utters, and he leaves.

“Victoria,” I say sternly, but she ignores me. “Tori,” I whisper, knowing that using her preferred name always softens her a little. She turns to face me, and I reach across to grab her hand again. This time, she lets me. “I’m sorry, but you mean the world to me. I couldn’t stop what happened before, but I’ll be damned if I let them continue to break you. They will end?—”

She puts her hand up to stop me in my tracks, and my stomach drops a little, wondering if this is where she tells me there’s no chance for us and her walls go back up.

“I promise not to poke them, not to create more issues, under one condition.”

“Anything, mykrasota.” Relief floods me that she hasn’t closed down and put a stop to what has been an amazing few days.

“When you end them . . . I want to be there.”

My heart slams heavy in my chest. “Is that such a bright idea, mykrasota?” I ask gently, not wanting to annoy her. The thought fills me with complete dread, and even though I wanther to know she’s my queen, there are some things she should never have to see again, and a dead body is one of those things.

“I need to know this is over, that there’s no returning. I need to know our relationship can be built on trust. What better way to trust one another than sharing such a huge thing?”

“We’re not Bonnie and Clyde,” I mutter. “This isn’t a game.”

“Don’t you think I know that, Dmitry? I feel fucking traumatised by them, and whenever I’m out and not with you, I’m looking over my shoulder. I need to know they’re gone.”

“And my word is not enough?” I ask, unable to hide the hurt lacing my words.

“Dmitry,” she whispers, looking down at her hands as they twist in her lap.

“Fine,” I mutter, and she glances up, looking surprised. “I’ll give you it all, mykrasota,” I say as I stand, planting a tender kiss on her head. If she asked me to burn the world right now, I would.

TORI

It’s been a long day, and the second Marshall starts the engine, I feel myself drifting off. Dmitry slides closer, and I rest my head on his shoulder. “Sleep, mykrasota,” he whispers, placing a gentle kiss on my head.

It feels like seconds before he’s lifting me from the car. I snuggle into his chest and allow him to carry me, because right now, I want to be as close to him as possible. The thought of losing our baby terrifies me. I didn’t realise how much I wanted it until tonight, and Dmitry is right—I have to rest and take care of our unborn child.

“Sir,” I hear, and I open one eye. It’s unusual for our maître d’ at the apartment to greet us—he’s the silent but deadly type.

Dmitry must feel me tense because he immediately nuzzles his mouth to my ear. “Relax, mykrasota.”

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