Page 47 of The Bratva's Knocked-Up Bride

“Nope! I mean, I had my moments of panic, but it could have been worse.”

I can’t help but laugh at her nonchalance. “You’re one tough cookie, you know that?”

“Thanks! It runs in the family,” she quips, and I feel a sense of warmth at the thought of Roman and his protective nature. A small silence fills the air between us, and I notice how her eyes gloss over.

“I’m sorry,” Riley says. “For running away, for—”

“Stop,” I cut her off before she even had the chance to finish her sentence, resting a hand on her thigh and meeting her gaze with a stern one. “Don’t you dare.”

“I shouldn’t have run off—” Riley tries again, but I quickly cut her off the second time.

“Riley,” I warn, “don’t be silly. How the hell could either of us prepare to cope in a situation like that? I don’t blame you for running off. Hell, if Roman hadn’t grabbed me, I probably would have run off too.”

Riley’s lips part as if to protest, but the firm look I shoot her stops her in her tracks. She lets out a sigh, then shakesher head. “Enough about me. You have to spill everything,” She insists, her eyes now sparkling with mischief. “How have you been? Where have you been, I mean… what the hell did you do to end up living in this place?” Her eyes sparkle as she looks around the glorious interior of the penthouse.

I chuckle. “It hasn’t quite settled in for me yet,” I reply. I wasn’t kidding, either. This opulent yet dangerous lifestyle… I may have been introduced to it abruptly and unexpectedly, but some mornings, I wake up, and it still doesn’t feel real. “I… If I’m being honest, it’s a bit of a long story,” I go on as I meet her eyes once more. “Roman told me that if we shared his last name, it would give us more of a leverage in getting you back.”

Realization quickly sinks in, and Riley’s expressions drop. “You…” She stops herself, and I notice her voice breaking before she takes a breath. “You did this… for me?”

I feel sheepish now as I nod, but I can’t seem to find the words.

Riley’s eyes were well, and tears spilled in an instant. She crashed into me in a big hug. “Oh, Gwen,” She begins to cry, and I hold her tight, cradling her in my arms. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. God, how did I get so lucky to have a best friend like you?” She pulls away and wipes her tears. “I hope it hasn’t been rough for you.”

Immediately, I shake my head. “No, no, not at all. Actually… living here has been kind of… nice.” But nice was a painful understatement. Living in this penthouse, getting to know Roman more every day, spending time with him, sleeping with him… it felt like a dream I was dreading to wake up from.

Riley squints at me, seemingly reading her thoughts. “Are you two…?” She trails off, raising her brows at me.

I let out a sheepish laugh. “It’s… complicated.”

“Oh my god,” Riley laughs. “You’ve totally fallen for him!” I roll my eyes while hers suddenly widen. “Have you guys… you know…” She makes a circle with one hand and points a finger in and out of it with the other.

My cheeks heat at the sudden turn in conversation, and I snort. “God, Riley, don’t be so gross,” I say, but she stands her ground, looking at me expectedly. I let out a sigh. “Okay… yes, we… we had sex.”

Riley laughed victoriously, so loud that Maria looked over at us from the kitchen with concern. “How did it feel? I mean, you know… losing your virginity to him.”

My cheeks grow redder, and I ignore the heat daring to ignite in my lower regions as images of all our nights together flash in the front of my mind. “Um, it was… amazing.”

Her eyes widen. “Amazing? Oh my God, tell me more!”

I take a deep breath, unsure how much to share, but confiding in someone who understands feels good. “He’s just… he makes me feel alive like nothing else matters when we’re together.”

Riley nods, clearly invested. “That’s what it should be like! I can’t believe you finally took that leap. I mean, it's not like you had much of a choice, but God, I’m so happy it all worked out for you like this!”

As we talk, the gravity of our conversation begins to settle in a different way. I can’t help but think about how things have changed between Roman and me since that night. My heart flutters, but then another thought strikes me—a realization that makes my stomach drop.

My period is late.

Panic rises within me as I mentally calculate the days. Could it be possible? A million thoughts race through my mind—what if I’m pregnant? I’m not ready for that; we’re not ready for that.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Riley asks, her brow furrowed in concern. I realize only then that I drifted off mid-conversation, and I clear my throat in an attempt to shrug it off.

“Uh, yeah! Just… something I need to figure out,” I stammer, my heart racing as I try to mask my fear.

“Gwen, you look pale. Are you sure?”

“I’m fine!” I insist, forcing a smile. “Just a little tired, I guess.”

But my mind is racing, and I can’t ignore the worry gnawing at me. I need to confirm what I’m feeling, but how?

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