Page 31 of Defiant Devotion

Because if I intended to see Sonya again and keep her in my life for more than intermittent quickies when we crossed paths, I’d need to know.

“She didn’t run away,” Rurik argued. “She was kidnapped. You know this.”

Eva crossed her arms. “That’s what we were led to believe.”

“But your mother disappeared with her,” Lev reminded her.

“Yes. My mother wanted out of the Mafia life too.” Eva stood, apparently too upset to sit still. “My mother was sick of my father being unloyal to her. She left after he knocked up Igor’s wife and had that boy. My mother wanted out, and she took Sonya with her. Leavingmestuck here.”

“Stuck?” Lev asked gently with a small smile. “You feel stuck in a horrible life here?”

She sighed, sitting on his lap again. “Well, not anymore. Now that I’ve got you…”

“But that’s not all,” Kelly said, interrupting the lovey-dovey couple. “ItwasSonya. She called Eva her sister, ergo, she had to be Sonya. And she was pregnant.”

I froze.

I couldn’t move with that news.

Pregnant?

I furrowed my brow and zoned out, staring at the floor.

She’s pregnant?

I would’ve known. I’d fucked her. I’d touched her. We’d been together for too short of a time in that little room, but dammit, I would’ve noticedthat. As I thought back to that hot, brief tryst, I realized how I might not have been aware.

It had been dimly lit. She’d kept herself turned away from me. I’d taken her from behind.

Oh, shit…

My pulse raced as I connected another thought to this bombshell.

“It wasn’t that obvious,” Kelly said, her voice almost sounding like it was far away with the rush of blood roaring in my ears, “but I saw her bump. She’s pregnant.”

Stunned, I tried to talk myself out of the assumption that rocked my world.

If Sonya was pregnant, it could be my baby. I could’ve knocked her up that one night upstate.

“Goddammit.” Lev’s voice sounded too close. As I registered his growl, he smacked the broom out of my hands. So shocked and distracted by what Kelly had shared with them, I ceased moving, just standing there. Lev was sharp enough to notice. I had to have looked like I was listening, not working, and I hated that I’d dropped my guard like that.

“Fucking Warner.” He scowled. “Sneaking in to spy on us again? What the fuck?”

I shrugged, shuttering the shock on my face. “Like I told you before, you’re a hard man to get ahold of.”

He scowled, raking his gaze over my janitor uniform. “If you intend to speak with me, sneaking in and spying to get close isn’t a smart way to do it.”

I smiled. “What can I say? I’m good at what I do.”

“Don’t get smug about it.” He crossed his arms. “I’m not fond of anyone who tries to sneak close and listen to private conversations.”

“It’s not that private. You’ve already explained that you’d like to hire me to find Sonya?—”

“Afterthe hit on O’Malley,” Lev reminded me. “Seriously. You try to spy on us again, I’ll kill you myself.”

“Then be more forthcoming with information so that I don’t have to feel like you’re leaving me in the dark.”

He scrunched his face, madder yet. “Are you kidding me? What the…” He huffed and shook his head, exasperated. “You’re an independent contractor, Warner. You’re not privileged to have more information that’s intended only for family.”

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