Page 15 of Bratva Knight

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, pretending like I could understand what he was saying, pretending like I was listening.

I knew I should have come in sooner. All day, I’d felt like something wasn’t right, that it was weird that I hadn’t felt him move. But I’d done nothing.

I’d. Done. Nothing.

I was his mother. It was my job to protect him. He was supposed to be safe with me. How could I let him down that way?

“I’ll give you the medication that starts dilation, then the pitocin, and your body will know what to do from there.”

I looked up into Dr Spendel’s eyes. “I’m sorry? Pitocin?” My voice was hoarse. I felt numb. None of it seemed real. Was it real? Was I dreaming?

Oh, god, please let me be dreaming. Let me wake up in my bed with Nikolai, with our son kicking like crazy in my belly.

Please, God. Don’t do this to me. Don’t take him from me.

He frowned slightly. “To induce labour.”

I repeated his words in a trance. “Induce labour?” More tears fell, the pain overwhelming. “You’re saying I have to give birth to him, even though he’s-he’s…” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.

Compassion flashed across Dr Spendell’s face. “Is there someone I can call for you?” he asked. “I know this is a lot. I want to make sure you’ve got the support you need.”

Nikolai. I need Nikolai.

With shaky hands, I tried to call him again. But he didn’t answer.

Chapter Six

Nikolai Volkov

“Myoffice.Now.”Aleksandrstepped to the left and pointed up the stairs, looking every bit like a pissed off parent who’d just caught their kid trying to sneak out of the house at 2 a.m.

I rubbed my temple, sighing heavily. “Zander—”

“Don’t even try it, Nikolai. I’ve let you avoid my questions foryears. I’m done. You’re going to march your ass up those stairs and talk to me, or so help me God, I will drag you up there myself and beat them out of you. The choice is yours. But there’s absolutely no way you are getting out of this conversation.”

My older brother, ladies and gentlemen.

“You know, when someone says they don’t want to talk about something, most people respect their wishes and let it go.”

He stared at me blankly. “I’m not most people. Walk.”

I rolled my eyes, doing as he so “kindly” asked. I could try and fight him on it, but honestly, what would be the point? Aleksandr would make good on his threat. I wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there, what exactly he’d overheard. What I did know was that it was enough for him to get the general idea about what had happened. The cat was out of the bag.

Aleksandr stepped into line behind me as I ascended the stairs, his feet thumping like a warning that he was there, in case I decided to make a run for it.

Like that big oaf could catch me.

The door to Aleksandr’s office was open, so I walked straight through and stopped in the centre of the room.

“Sit,” Aleksandr demanded, shutting the door.

I was far too mentally exhausted to tell him off for trying to order me around. Everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours had zapped every ounce of strength out of me. The attack. My father’s kidnapping. Tatiana. Her words hurt more than any physical pain I’d ever endured before.

My trust in you, in your ability to be there for me when I need you, is gone.

I had nothing left in me to fight against my brother. I sat down.

Aleksandr went to his desk and pulled out two glasses from the drawer, placing one in front of me and the other in front of his empty chair. He moved to the drink cart in the corner of the room next, grabbing a bottle of vodka. After he’d filled my glass and his own, he took a seat, leaning back.

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