Page 54 of Defiant Devotion

The doctors came in and out, checking me alongside the technicians, and soon enough, I lost track of who was who and which one specialized in what.

When they asked me for my obstetrics contact, I admitted I didn’t have one as I’d only recently learned that I was pregnant. My baby bump was still small, and with how slender I’d always been, it wasn’t overly noticeable that I was carrying a baby at all.

I couldn’t tell if they believed my lie about not realizing I was pregnant until a couple of weeks ago, but they didn’t comment otherwise. That spared me from having to explain why I didn’t already have a doctor for my pregnancy.

“You rest, and we’ll get more results in on those labs,” the doctor said.

I dared to close my eyes, so exhausted from the stress of the day. I couldn’t actually sleep, not with my mind running a mile a minute with questions about Uncle Oleg. I couldn’t relax fully with the awe of being able to see him again, even if he had been unconscious. Not to mention my heart, still so full and healing with this concept of letting love in, of letting Ben in and trusting that it wouldn’t be a mistake.

Before I could get closer to dozing off, he returned. I had no clue how long he might have been standing there at the door, watching me, but the soft and tender smile on his face soothed my soul.

“Were you watching me sleep?” I teased.

“Were you sleeping?” he teased back.

I shrugged, yawning. “I was close to it.”

“Do you want me to go and?—”

“No!” I patted the bed and urged him to sit with me.

He joined me, shifting until he could drape his arm around my shoulders. I didn’t know how we could fit together so well. It was like he had been made just for me, snug and secure against each other like this.

“How is it going upstairs?”

“Lev and Vik are there, and…” He lifted his face from gazing at me and brushing my hair back from my face. As the doctor returned, he got a more serious expression instead.

“Baby Warner is completely healthy,” she announced with an easy smile. “So is Mom.”

I sighed, letting all the relief seep through me.

“Spotting can always be scary at first, but it’s not always a bad sign.”

For the next several minutes, she went over all the information. All the bloodwork results, the ultrasound, everything. With a loose and general instruction to rest and listen to my body during the pregnancy, she gave me—us—a good bill of health.

“Now if you do spot again or have concerns, don’t hesitate to check with your doctor.” She held out a flyer. “You can find many options for obstetric physicians here.”

“Thank you,” I told her. Ben thanked her as well, but he waited until she walked out of the room to frame my face and kiss me hard.

“Thank fuck you’re okay,” he whispered as he stared into my eyes.

I drowned in the affectionate gaze. “And the baby.”

“Of course.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You didn’t look to see whether it was a boy or a girl, did you?”

He chuckled. “Tempted, but no.”

“Would you rather have a boy over a girl?”

“I would rather have a healthy baby. That’s it.”

I licked my lips, realizing we were doing this. We were talking about the fact that we’d have a baby now. It would no longer be an elephant in the room.

“Have you thought about fathering a child?” I asked, hating how nervous I felt to say that. “I can’t imagine many independent contract killers who hunt down Mafia men are wild about being tied down with a baby.”

“I am. Or I am now.” He let out a long but contented exhale, watching my face as he smiled softly. “I’ll be forty this year, and I can’t deny it’s been making me think about settling down. I wouldn’t be tied down like it’s a burden. I’ve been gradually wondering how and when I could slow down and start a family. And now…” He picked up my hand and held it as he lowered his gaze to it.

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