Page 128 of Immaculate Corruption (Romanoff Bratva)

“Holy hell,” Gennady winces, holding up a hand to shield Vera’s nether regions from view. “That’s horrific. I’m scarred on female genitalia for life.”

“I’m sure the world’s women will rejoice.”

He scowls. “Not funny.”

“Trust me, you’ll be fine. I—”

Vera’s scream cuts me off. And a new scream: the scream of a newborn.

Lauren holds the baby up to the light. I can’t help but be reminded of the first time I saw Lukas. And the way I saw Arya looking at him. Vera has the same look of wonder on her face.

That’s when it hits me—a tidal wave of guilt like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life.

Maybe it’s because of how full circle this moment feels. I delivered my son from Arya with my own two hands and held him up to the light just like that. Did I look at him like Arya did? Like Vera is doing now?

What have I done? What am I doing? I’ve come so fucking far down the rabbit hole that I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to the surface.

But if I don’t, I’m going to burn in hell forever.

Because with all the things I’ve done, I’m no better than the people I did them to. Vera took my child—am I about to take hers?

Jorik Bogdanovich Jorik separated a mother from her newborn and sold Arya into slavery. Which, regardless of my reasons, is exactly what I’m planning to do with Vera. Am I like him?

I’m Ilyasov. I’m Jorik. I’m Giorgio.

Worst of all… I’m my father. I’ve become the one man I swore I’d never become.

Everything I ever wanted is right at my fingertips. But the price for having it is my soul.

A few minutes later, a second cry echoes through the warehouse. Both babies are both out.

Gennady sags with relief. “Thank God that’s over.”

Lauren and Sacha tend to Vera for a while, cleaning her up and checking her over, and then Lauren steps away, wipes a forearm across her sweaty forehead, and sits down on the concrete floor next to where I’m standing. Her arms drape across her knees as she watches the new mother nurse her babies.

“Now, is anyone going to tell me why in the hell I just delivered babies in an abandoned warehouse?”

I sit down next to her and shake my head. “It’s better if I don’t.”

“Arya has said that about a lot of things. It makes me think you’re not as nice of a guy as you seem, Dima Romanoff.”

She’s not wrong. But I don’t say that. I don’t say anything, actually.

Lauren groans and lays back, taking a deep breath. “You know, I originally wanted to be an OB. But it was too high stress. For all of the joy, there’s a lot of heartache, too. I hated the idea of telling a woman they’ve lost the pregnancy or there’s something wrong with their baby. That would be the worst. I love babies, but bringing them into the world is a big responsibility. So I switched to taking care of them once they’re born. I am now confident I made the right choice.”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Lauren takes another deep breath. “Speaking of who’s here, where is Arya right now? Does she know this is going on?”

“She’s… not with me.”

Lauren sits up and stares at me. “What does that mean?”

“We went our separate ways.”

“Oh. Shit.” Lauren frowns. “You two were so happy just a few days ago. What in the hell happened?”

“More than I could ever explain.”

---