Page 42 of Forced By the Bratva Beast

He looks tired, but when he sees me, his face brightens, sending butterflies flitting around in my stomach. “Hi, how was your day?”

Every now and then I have to pinch myself, his large stature, broad chest, and powerful physique take my breath away. His hair’s longer now, and as he rakes a hand through it, all I want to do is jump up to kiss and welcome him home. He dips as I sit up at the kitchen bench, dropping a juicy kiss on my lips. “It’s better now I’ve seen you,” he replies, dripping in charm.

Giggling, my mood lifts. “That’s good. Working on anything good?”

His eyes narrow as he heads to the fridge, picking out an apple for a snack. “Nothing I think you want to know about,” he replies flatly, coming around to hug me from behind. Sinking into his touch, I wonder how I survived without it.

“Alright. Then I won’t ask.”

He smothers me with kisses into my hair. “That’s surprising because your research questions told me otherwise,” he teases.

“Andrei,” I drone, rolling my eyes.

“Joking, joking….”

But a couple of days later, the past returns to be revisited. Finishing my yoga class, I head home, barely getting in the front door before my screen lights up inside my purse.

Digging it out, I read the text message on it from Dr. Perri.

DR. PERRI:Hi, Sophia. I wonder if you would pop by my house to discuss and tie up loose ends on the research project together. I have some questions for you.

ME:Sure. When did you want to meet?

I might as well bite the bullet, and Ava is right, I should tell Dr. Perri.

DR. PERRI:Can you meet later today? I know it’s late notice, but there’s some discrepancies I’m urgently wanting to clear up.

Andrei’s not going to be home until late. He already told me, and I’ve already been to my clinic checkup. Plagued by indecision, my fingers hover over the text message button for a second.

Go. Do it.

ME:Sure. Did you want to meet at your office?

DR. PERRI:No. We can meet in a more relaxed setting. Please join me at my home. 551 Ryon Avenue, Mount Greenwood around four. Thanks, Sophia.

ME:No problem. I want to talk to you too.

DR. PERRI:Then I look forward to our meeting.

Anxiously, I place my phone on the countertop, wondering if I’ve made the right decision, but there’s no changing my decision. Quickly jumping in the shower, I freshen up, pottering around the large estate killing time and puzzled at what possible information was left out of the research project.

If it’s about Andrei, it’s going to be tough to deal with. If she asks me about the conduct of her brother in New York, it’s going to be tough. All around the conversation isn’t going to be fun.

I didn’t finish the interview. She understood. To a certain point. Does she know I’m still carrying his baby?I ask myself over cleaning the kitchen countertop, even though the staff have done it already. The only two people I spoke to about the pregnancy was the college dean to suspend my studies and Dr. Perri.

Time ticks on and quicker than I want, it’s time to go. Mount Greenwood is one of the affluent neighborhoods of Chicago, but it makes sense she would live there. Dr. Perri has won so many research awards and has worked in law enforcement for over a decade. Of course she lives in a nice place. Along the drive a funny feeling comes over me, but I ignore it, thinking everything’s going to be okay when I see her.

Parking nearby, I take the short walk to her brick building, admiring the neatly cut green grass. Knocking on the door, a smiling Dr. Perri answers the door, my fears vanish.

Okay. Good. She doesn’t hate me.

She gives me a warm hug, and I relax. Maybe, just maybe she’ll believe me if I tell her about her brother. “Sophia. Nice to see you, come on in. Welcome!”

“Thanks for inviting me.” Her house is inviting and warm with family portraits and a fireplace intact. It’s an old home, but large.

“Don’t mention it. How about we head into my study. It’s quieter there and we can talk.” When I look around, I can’t see anybody in her house, so I don’t know why she would want it to be any quieter than it already is, but I follow anyway, suddenly thinking I probably should have mentioned to Andrei I was here, more so as a personal check-in.

“Okay.” We reach the study where there’s a pitcher of iced tea and shortbread.

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