Page 105 of Viparious

Acid burns the back of my throat at the thought of not being able to roll over and see her sleeping in the same room as me. She’s a baby and more independent than I am because I’ll end up being a blubbering mess in a few months when she can sleep in her own room.

He pulls me closer so our noses brush and bites out against my lips in a hissed whisper, “You are my wife. The only way we split nights is whenyoustay asleep while I do her feeds.”

His fingers thread through my hair, gripping the strands at the root as he pulls me back and becomes himself again.

“If you’re confused about where you will be sleeping, it’s the same thing I told you before you became my wife.” My head is roughly turned to the side to stare at the bed, and he repeats the words he once said to me with an amendment. “See this rectangle thing? It’s called a bed, you lay on it and close your eyes. It is ours.”

I attempt to add levity to the emotionally charged night as he pulls my head to rest on his chest.

“So, you’ll stop laying on the floor? You’re old and you’ll end up pulling your back.”

His laugh brushes the top of my head and I look up, wanting more of it.

“I’d have to roll you down the stairs. If you go down, lapachka, there’s no way I’m lifting your huge ass off the ground.”

Vlad pulls me up to his body, lightly slaps his hands off my ass, and presses a soft kiss to my lips with his favorite two words murmured against my lips, “Shut up.”

TWENTY-EIGHT

Inessa

Roses are covering every surface as I step into the closet to get ready for Verena’s appointment. I can’t even see my clothes or the floor and I’m frozen, staring at each arrangement. They vary in color and size, filling the space and it takes me a moment to see what’s at the center of the room. The plaster cast of my bump is arranged dead center in the middle of the florist that’s taken over the room.

There’s less care than there should be as I trample the blooms. I’ve never cared for flowers; they die and smell like this shit when the petals begin to rot. But I miss my bump and being able to touch it. The delicate petals are crushed under my feet until I reach it and drop down to my knees. Dani has become my favorite person. I didn’t know what she was going to do with the plaster cast. All the rough edges have been smoothed over before a beautiful starry night has been painted over it.

There are different depths to the black paint and it’s shiny, making the stars sparkle like diamonds. My brows come together at one huge pink one. Turning my head to study it, a laugh escapes me. It’s not lacquer making it reflective, the cast has been coated in an inch-thick resin and the stars are sparkling due to literal fucking diamonds being embedded into the material. It’s heavy so I don’t attempt to lift it in case I drop it or ruin it. The cast isn’t just my belly, it shows the swell of my tits and it’s propped up to grow from beneath the roses.

I trace the curve and it’s strange to have good memories when it all ended so horribly.

“Don’t kneel.”

My heart jumps out of my chest, and I fall backwards at Vlad’s ridiculous order. Pressing my knuckles over the organ so it stays inside, I turn, glaring up at him.

“I’m going to put a fucking bell on you.”

He’s in another impeccable suit as always, but there are fewer demons in his eyes as he stalks towards me, making sure to step on the petals I’ve already crushed. His big, inked hand is held out to help me stand and he dips down as I raise to my full height to pick me up by the back of my thighs. I’m only in one of his t-shirts which have become my uniform because they allow breathing room against my chest to stop me feeling sore all day.

It’s like he knows as he cups my ass with both hands and leans back, so there’s no extra pressure against me. I do the normal thing and lay my head on his shoulder. He’s being strangely warm. There have been no quips or stupid comments and I miss them. He kneads my ass and kisses my cheek as he turns, walking back into the bedroom.

“Are you tired, meelaya?”

I shake my head and take in a lungful of cardamom and sandalwood. As soon as we step into the room, I look towards the crib where Verena should still be sleeping, but she isn’t there.

I don’t panic though and ask, “Val?”

He’s a baby thief and I’m eighty percent certain that it’s his fault she looks grumpy all the time. Or Dima because whenever he holds her they have matching expressions as though gravity is pulling the corners of their mouth down. Vlad shakes his head and blocks my sight as he presses his lips behind my ear.

“She’s watching Vitali while he eats his snacks.”

I can’t focus on the role reversal when he gently places me on the bed. He didn’t throw me for once which is both boring and exciting. I like the way he’s rough with me. But it gets better as I sit up with my elbows propping me up to watch him remove his suit jacket. He folds it and lays it on the bed beside me before doing the same with his tie, then cufflinks. Time slows down, the corner of my bottom lip getting trapped between my teeth as I visually eat up every inch of skin that’s revealed. The kot on his chest is staring at me until the Madonna comes into view. His ranking is next as he shrugs out of the crisp shirt, and I’ve never found the eight-point stars on his shoulders more attractive than I do in this moment.

A whimpered moan leaves me as he softly instructs, “Lean back, meely moy.”

I shake my head and stare at his belt, waiting for the rest of the show that’s clearly being put on for my entertainment.

“Inessa.”

The bark is missing from his tone, and I hum as I look at his beautiful face. The smirk is downright sinful, and I refuse to play coy only because I’ve clearly been caught.

---