Page 23 of Deadly Devotion

“Yes, I’m fine,” I lie. A bead of sweat trickles down my forehead. Taking a sip of water, I wipe the sweat away inconspicuously. “What else do you do with your uncle?” I ask the children in my lame attempt to get Olga’s attention off me.

“I like to go fishing with him,” Maxim says. “He taught me how to bait the hook so the worm doesn’t fall off. And I like his boat.”

“I like it when Uncle takes me to the park to ride the carousel,” Sasha proclaims. “My favorite is the white horse with the rainbow-colored tail.” She takes a bite of meat and then tries to hide the peas underneath the potatoes.

I hide my amusement and stare at the food on my plate. I know I have to eat something to keep Olga’s suspicions at bay, but I can’t bring myself to take a bite. I casually move the food around on the plate with my fork and try to keep theconversation going. “Spending so much time with your uncle must be nice.”

“He’s the best,” Maxim says, glancing at me with a small smile. He took care of us after Mama died, and now he’s letting us live here.”

My heart warmed at the mention of their late mother. It had only been two years since she passed away, causing Mikhail’s spiral into depression, leaving Aleksandr to shoulder the responsibility of raising these children.

“The children are very fortunate,” Olga states. “Mr. Avilov loves them very much.”

“Did you like riding the carousel when you were a kid?” Sasha asks innocently.

Memories of my childhood flood my mind. Some bad and others worse. The only good memories I have are with Sandy. “I never rode a carousel,” I reply hesitantly.

“Never? Never ever?” Sasha’s eyes are round in disbelief. A carrot hangs off the end of her fork, hovering in front of her mouth.

“No, never. I didn’t get to do many fun things as a kid.” Three pairs of eyes are glued to me, making me highly self-conscious. Turning my eyes to my plate, I contemplate taking a bite of food. Against my better judgement, I stab a piece of meat and place it in my mouth. This would be the best dinner I’ve ever eaten if I wasn’t having such horrible morning sickness.

“Less talking, more eating,” Olga says. “And don’t think I don’t see you hiding your peas.” She points to Sasha’s plate, trying to be strict but hiding the amused gleam in her eyes.

A wave of nausea washed over me, suddenly overwhelming the rich aromas of the food. Slowly placing the fork on my plate, I made an excuse of being full from the sandwich I had eaten earlier and stood to leave the table.

“Talia, are you sure you’re feeling alright?” She studied me with a keen gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“I’m fine, Olga, really,” I assured her forcing a smile. “Just not very hungry.”

She wasn’t convinced. Olga was more perceptive than most, and I feared she’d find out I was pregnant.

“Your face is awfully pale. Perhaps you should see a doctor, just to be safe,” Olga remarked.

“No!” I half screamed in panic. “No…I’ll be fine. I’m just going to lie down for a bit,” I say, lowering my voice.

The mention of a doctor sent ripples of panic through my core. The last thing I need is for anyone to find out about the baby, especially Aleksandr. But Olga’s concern was genuine, and I couldn’t dismiss it entirely.

“I promise, Olga, it’s nothing serious,” I insist, trying to sound convincing.

She nods slowly, although her expression is still wary. Olga knows more than she lets on, and I can’t afford to let her suspicions grow.

Excusing myself from the table, Nikolai escorts me to my room. Sitting alone on the bed, the weight of my predicament settles heavily upon me. My mind raced with worry, questions swirling around like a whirlpool. Would Aleksandr ever want more than this life of danger and secrecy? Would he everwant me in his life? Could he embrace being a father to the baby I carry? My mind could only think of one answer: no to everything.

As exhaustion crept in, I curled up on the plush bed, resting my hand protectively over my stomach. Sleep eluded me as my thoughts continued to race about a man whose very presence both terrified and fascinated me.

Chapter 16

Aleksandr

The mansion was draped in shadows when I finally returned home. As I drove my SUV through the security gate, I could feel the weight of the day’s events hanging heavily on my shoulders. Stepping through the door, I shed my coat and removed my tie with a sigh of relief. The usual buzz of activity in the mansion had quieted down for the evening, giving my thoughts free rein to echo through the still air.

My mind replayed the scenes from the club and the art gallery in an unending loop. There’s no way I’ll be able to sleep. My stomach rumbled, having skipped dinner tonight. Instead of waking up Abram, I crept into the kitchen to cook something to eat. Mama taught me how to cook her favorite meals when Iwas young. Our special time together was when Dimitri was out chasing girls, and Mikhail was playing cards with Otets.

The kitchen was dimly lit, the soft glow of the stove casting a warm light across the room. Filling up a pot with broth, I stirred it slowly, adding spices and chicken. Lost in my thoughts, a light noise pulled me back to the moment. Talia emerged from the hallway, startled by my presence at the stove. She looked weary, and the color washed out of her face.

“Oh, hi,” she whispers. “I didn’t know you were here.” Her eyes meet mine briefly before flickering away. “I just needed a snack,” she says softly, moving to the cabinet and reaching for a box of crackers.

“Mmm, that smells wonderful,” she murmurs, passing by the stove to sit at the counter. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

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