Page 34 of Forced Innocent Bratva Bride

Cramps.

Shit.

My eyes widened in shock at the realization that I'd lost track of my cycle. My period was supposed to have started days ago. This had never happened before, and now, my heart sank into my belly, my mind thinking the worst.

Was I…? No. I couldn't be. Right? No.

“What's the matter?” Ravyn asked, eating her pan-seared salmon.

“My period is overdue,” I replied. My breath hitched in my throat, my body tensing subtly.

A sudden heat overwhelmed me, and the dryness in my throat made it difficult to swallow.

“Okay, uh….” She scratched the back of her head. “Did you guys use protection?”

I shook my head, my chest rising and falling with a slow, almost undetectable motion.

Ravyn's eyes widened in amusement, and she let out a low whistle. “Whoa, you guys went all in, huh?” She wiggled her brows, a sly grin playing on her lips. “Skin to skin, no barriers…just pure, unadulterated sex,” she teased, dropping into her chair. “Which is not bad at all, considering you two are husbandand wife.” She looked deep into my eyes and added with a broad smile, “Two shall become one.”

“Okay, that's enough.” I massaged my forehead, quickly changing the subject.

She giggled, grabbing the bottle of water on her side of the table.

“Ravyn,” I called softly, my heart pounding in my chest as I edged closer to whisper. “What if I'm…you know…?”

She arched her brows, her eyes locked on mine. “Pregnant?”

I nodded, feeling a jolt of anticipation rushing through me.

She leaned forward, mirroring my position, and her brows narrowed in confusion. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

“Yes!” The word fell out of my mouth. “I mean, no—maybe!” I slapped my forehead and slumped back into my chair, confused.

“Lori, you're married. It's to be expected…. It was only a matter of time,” Ravyn said, her voice soft and tender. She kept her eyes fixed on me.

“I know, okay!” I groaned, cupping my face in my palms. My voice rose in exasperation. “Just wasn't expecting it this soon.” I let out a frustrated groan.

“Hey, don't freak out just yet,” Ravyn said, her tone reassuring as she reached out to hold my hands. “You know how unpredictable our bodies can be.” She shrugged her shoulders, eyes pinned on me. “Maybe your cycle just shifted. It's not uncommon for our periods to get a little wonky.”

I let out a deep breath. Thanks to her words of encouragement, I felt lighter, even though I couldn't completely shake off the feeling that something was off.

“Chill, Lori.” Her lips curled into a smile as she gently squeezed against my fingers. “Your body might just be playing tricks on you.”

She was right about that. It was possible that my period was running behind schedule. In some women, it happened due to a number of reasons, one of which was stress, and I'd been stressing a lot these days.

I just hoped that this was the case…. I could only hope and pray that I wasn't pregnant. Not that I didn't like kids; I was simply afraid because I wasn't ready to be a mother. That was way too big a responsibility that I wasn't sure I was strong enough to carry.

Ravyn managed to keep me engaged with other stuff happening in her life and in the dorm as we ate. I tried my best to pay attention and not drift back to the scary thought lingering on the fringes of my mind.

My eyes caught the giant clock on the wall, and my heart stopped for a moment. It was getting late, and my husband wasn't aware I'd left the house. At the time I snuck out, he’d yet to return from work, and he was most likely on his way home by now.

I cleared my throat conspicuously. “I think it's time I went home, Ravyn.”

She turned around to look at the clock behind her. It was almost 6:00 P.M. “Oh. Okay.” She faced me. “I'll drive you home?”

That was a great idea because if, for some reason, my husband was home before me, his anger would lessen a little if he knew I’d been out with my best friend.

“Thanks, Ravie,” I said, my lips curling into a smile.

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