Page 105 of Claimed By Desire

“Your father can’t know. If he catches wind of what’s going to happen, things will get ugly.”

“Lev’s going to kill him, isn’t he?”

“Yes, baby, Lev’s going to kill your father.”

I let out one ugly sob then I bite back against the tears. No, I’m not going to cry. I don’t want Valentin to think I’m upset over the death of my shit bag Dad.

I’m not crying for that old man—I’m crying because this should have happened sooner.

Alex pulls me into a hug. I feel silly having this emotional breakdown on the sidewalk but I can’t help myself. Rationally, I know what’s going to happen, and this could seriously rip our family to pieces.

Everything’s going to change.

But emotionally, I’m so fucking happy.

“Lev’s going to make a really good head of the family,” I whisper into Alex’s shoulder.

“I think so too, baby, but we haven’t gotten there yet.”

“I know it’s going to be hard, and I know Lev’s going to go through some stuff, but am I messed up if I’m happy right now?”

“Not at all. You can never, ever be messed up to me.” He tils me back and kisses me softly. “We’re going to get through this, no matter what happens. Me, you, and our baby.”

“Our family,” I say and wipe my face. “Alright, no more crying. I want to go home, soak in the pool, and then take a nap.”

“You can soak, but you’re not napping.” His expression sharpens and he gets that deeply obsessed look in his eye. “I’m going to go run some errands, and when I get back, I want to watch you do some horribly filthy things to yourself in front of the living room camera.”

“Why, Alexander, that’s very shocking.”

“You haven’t seen shocking yet, my sweet wife.” He bends down and kisses me again. “But you will.”

Chapter 41

Alexander

Six Months Later

“I’m having second thoughts.”Natalya stands in the doorway to the nursery, an enormous frown on her face. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

“Tell me why you think that.”

She’s wearing a black dress that drapes down her body. When she turns sideways and pushes the fabric against her, it emphasizes her pregnant belly. She frames it with her hands, glaring at me. “Because you did this to me and I’m somehow expected to sit in front of the piano for forty minutes!”

I laugh and push myself to my feet. A parenting book topples onto the floor.

Despite how hard I try to let myself be myself, I’m still a fucking perfectionist, and I can’t handle going into something without being fully armed and fully prepared.

Which is why I’ve read maybe fifty of these god damn parenting manuals, even though they all give variations on the same advice.

“You look beautiful,” I say, approaching.

She waves her hands in the air at me. “Don’t start with that.”

“Start with what?”

“You have that look. We’re not having sex right now. People are going to be here soon.”

“We can have sex very quickly. I promise, you’ll enjoy it.”

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