27. Vadim
27
VADIM
Dr. Chen greets us with that same warm smile she had when we first met her, but I keep my eyes focused on her hands as she sets up the ultrasound. One look at Lacey's bandaged hands and my jaw clenches reflexively.
I came so close to losing both her and our child.
"I want to apologize again," Dr. Chen says, her voice soft and sincere. "What I almost did..." She trails off, unable to finish.
"You were protecting your daughter," Lacey responds. "I understand."
Dr. Chen's eyes well with tears. "A doctor should do no harm." She takes a deep breath before continuing. "How are your hands feeling, Lacey?"
"Better." Lacey flexes her fingers carefully. "The cuts weren't deep."
I help Lacey onto the examination table, keeping my body between her and Dr. Chen even though I know the threat has passed. Old habits. When Dr. Chen reaches for the gel, I watch her movements carefully.
"It will be a little cold," Dr. Chen warns before lifting Lacey's shirt. My wife's fingers find mine and squeeze. Despite everything that's happened, I can feel her excitement thrumming through her grip.
"Are you ready to see your baby?" Dr. Chen asks us both, her familiar warmth returning fully now. The way she says it— your baby —makes something tighten in my chest.
Lacey nods, and I find myself nodding too, throat suddenly too tight for words.
The screen remains dark and blurry as Dr. Chen moves the wand across Lacey's belly. My heart pounds against my ribs, anticipation building with each passing second. Lacey's fingers tighten around mine.
"Just give me a moment to find the right angle," Dr. Chen murmurs, focused intently on her task.
Then suddenly, the grainy image shifts and we see it.
The tiny form appears on screen, no bigger than a lime, but unmistakably human.
Our baby.
Lacey lets out a soft gasp beside me, and I feel the breath leave my body all at once.
"There's your little one," Dr. Chen says softly. "Eleven weeks along now."
I stare transfixed at the screen, at the clear outline of a head, the curve of a spine, tiny arms and legs. My throat tightens as I watch our child move slightly, shifting position. A life we created together, growing safe inside my zvyozdochka .
"Vadim," Lacey whispers, her voice wavering with emotion. "Look at those tiny hands."
I can barely speak, overwhelmed by the sight before me. This is real. This is happening. I'm going to be a father.
Dr. Chen adjusts the wand slightly, giving us an even clearer view. "Would you like to hear the heartbeat?"
"Yes," we both say in unison.
Dr. Chen adjusts something on the machine, and suddenly the room fills with a rapid swooshing sound. My breath catches in my throat at the strong, steady rhythm— thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.
Our baby's heartbeat.
Lacey's fingers tighten around mine, and I squeeze back instinctively. The sound fills every corner of the room, drowning out everything else. It's fast, so much faster than I expected, but Dr. Chen assures us it's perfectly normal.
"One hundred and fifty beats per minute," she says. "Strong and healthy."
I can't take my eyes off the screen, watching that tiny form move while its heart beats strong and clear. My vision blurs, and I don't realize what's going on until Lacey reaches up with her free hand to wipe at the corner of my eyes.
"You're crying," she whispers, her own eyes glistening.
I try to speak but can't find my voice. All I can focus on is that incredible sound—our child's heartbeat echoing through the room. Proof of life. Proof that despite everything—despite Sayanaa's threats, despite Dr. Chen's forced betrayal, despite all the darkness surrounding us—this precious new life continues to grow.
Lacey's hand leaves my face to rest over her belly, just below where Dr. Chen holds the wand. Her other hand remains firmly clasped in mine as we listen together to that miraculous sound.
"Starting this week, the morning sickness should start easing," Dr. Chen explains. "But you'll need to keep up with prenatal vitamins and folic acid supplements. I'll write you a new prescription."
Lacey nods, and I make mental notes of everything. No alcohol, limited caffeine. Regular light exercise but nothing too strenuous. Plenty of rest.
"Your appetite will increase," Dr. Chen continues. "Make sure to eat regular, balanced meals. Lots of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables." She pauses. "And please, try to avoid any more incidents that might put stress on your body. I know the two of you have a lot on your mind even without the baby. But it never hurts to remind you both."
I feel Lacey tense slightly beside me. Dr. Chen quickly moves on.
"The next few weeks are crucial for development. The baby's organs are forming, bones starting to harden." She hands Lacey some tissues to clean off the ultrasound gel. "Do you have any questions?"
We both shake our heads, still processing everything we've just seen and heard.
"I'll leave you two alone for a moment," Dr. Chen says softly. She closes her notebook and heads for the door. "Take all the time you need."
The door clicks shut behind her. I turn to Lacey, who's still staring at the now-dark ultrasound screen, her hand resting protectively over her belly.
" Zvyozdochka ," I whisper, pulling her close. "We're going to be parents."
She lets out a shaky breath against my chest. "Parents," she echoes, and I hear the wonder in her voice that matches exactly what I'm feeling.
I help Lacey down from the examination table, steadying her when she sways slightly. My hand lingers protectively over her belly, still amazed at the life growing within.
"We should prepare a nursery," I tell her softly. "A proper room for our child."
Her eyes light up at the suggestion. " Our child," she echoes, testing the words. "Where would you put it?"
"I have an idea." I take her hand, leading her through Pankration's winding corridors. The morning sun streams through tall windows, casting long shadows across marble floors that have seen too much darkness.
We pass several closed doors before reaching the southern wing. Here, sunlight floods the hallway through floor-to-ceiling windows. I push open a set of double doors, revealing a spacious room bathed in natural light.
"This one gets sun all day," I explain, watching Lacey's expression as she takes in the space. "The windows face south, and there's more than enough room to fit everything a baby needs."
Lacey walks to the center of the room, turning slowly. Dust motes dance in the golden beams around her. Her hand rests unconsciously on her belly as she moves to the windows, looking out over the grounds below.
"It's perfect," she breathes. "The light is beautiful in here."
I join her at the windows, wrapping my arms around her from behind. "We can paint it any color you want. Add a crib, changing table, rocking chair..."
"A rocking chair by this window would be nice," she says, leaning back against my chest. "For late night feedings."
I press a kiss to her temple, imagining her here with our child. The thought of new life filling these halls, of a baby's laughter echoing where there was once only pain, makes my heart swell.
"We could put a bookshelf here," Lacey says, gesturing to one wall. "Fill it with children's stories."
I nod, already picturing shelves lined with colorful spines. "And a soft rug for playing."
"Maybe some stuffed animals?" Her eyes sparkle with excitement. "Oh, and we'll need curtains. Something light and airy."
"Speaking of things we need," I say, pulling her closer. "We haven't discussed the most important piece yet."
She turns in my arms. "What's that?"
"A crib." I run my fingers through her hair, considering. "I want to build it myself."
"You know how to build furniture?"
"I can learn." The idea has been forming in my mind since we first discovered the pregnancy. "I want to create something with these hands for once, instead of just destroying."
Lacey catches my hand and brings it to rest on her belly. "But you already have created something." Her eyes meet mine, full of love and understanding. "Right here."
The simple gesture steals my breath. She's right—we've already created the most precious thing of all. I spread my fingers wider across her stomach, imagining our child growing beneath my palm.
I capture Lacey's lips in a gentle kiss, still overwhelmed by the enormity of what we've just seen. The warmth of her body against mine, knowing our child grows within her, stirs something primal inside me. My hand drifts lower, caressing the gentle curve of her hip.
She responds eagerly, pressing closer as her fingers trail down my chest. The soft sigh that escapes her lips sends heat coursing through my veins. Her hand finds me through my pants, and I can't help the groan that escapes me.
"Should we be doing this here?" I murmur against her lips, even as my body responds to her touch. The sunlit nursery seems too pure for what I want to do to her right now.
"Why? Are you embarrassed?" she teases, nipping at my lower lip. Her eyes sparkle with mischief as she looks up at me. "Daddy?"
The word sends a jolt of electricity through my body. My cock hardens instantly at the implications, at the way she says it— half innocent, and half wicked temptress. My hand on her hip tightens possessively.
I guide Lacey backward until she's pressed against the wall beside the windows, sunlight streaming across her face. My hand traces the curve of her hip as I look down at her with hungry eyes.
"Say it again," I growl softly.
Her lips curve into a teasing smile. "Don't you want to properly christen our baby's room?" she purrs. " Daddy? "
My hand slides lower, finding the inviting warmth between her thighs through her clothes. She gasps, head falling back against the wall as I stroke her.
"You're playing a dangerous game, zvyozdochka ," I warn, though I can't resist pressing closer, trapping her between my body and the wall.
"I think we both know that I like these games," she whispers, her breath hitching as my fingers continue their exploration.
When my finger enters her, she lets out a soft gasp that goes straight to my cock. Her eyes flutter closed, head falling back against the wall as I explore her warmth.
"More," she pleads softly. "Please, Daddy."
That word again. It awakens something primal in me, this mixture of pure and profane. Only my Lacey can do this—be both the innocent mother of my child and the temptress who knows exactly how to ignite my darkest desires.
"Look at me," I command gently. When her eyes meet mine, I see that perfect duality reflected there.
Trust and mischief, submission and power.
She knows exactly what she does to me.
My finger curls inside her and she whimpers, her hands clutching at my shoulders. Here in this sunlit room, she offers herself to me completely. No walls, no pretense. Just Lacey, my wife, my love, baring not just her body but her soul.
"Is this what you want?" I ask, adding a second finger. Her breath hitches beautifully.
"Yes," she moans. "God, yes."
I've killed men with these hands. Ended lives, destroyed futures. But with Lacey, they bring only pleasure. She sees past the monster to the man beneath—the man I never thought I could be until she came into my life.
Her hips rock against my hand as soft pants escape her parted lips. My beautiful wife, carrying our child, trusting me completely with her pleasure. The sunlight catches in her hair like a halo, even as she begs me for more in that deliciously wicked voice.
No one else has ever reached this deeply into my soul. No one else has ever made me feel both powerful and powerless at once. Only her.
I capture her mouth again in a deep kiss, swallowing her moans as my fingers continue their rhythmic motion. Her body trembles against mine, her hands clutching desperately at my shoulders.
Her breath comes in short pants when my fingers find the spot that makes her gasp. My palm presses against her pulsing clit. Her muscles tighten around my fingers.
"Vadim…" Her nails dig into my shoulders through my shirt as I kiss her deeply again, drinking in her desperate sounds.
Then, she finally shatters. My hand holds her steady as she rides out the waves of pleasure.
When she finally stills, I withdraw my hand and press a soft kiss to her forehead.
Her eyes flutter open, dark with desire despite her recent release.
"My turn, Daddy," she purrs, reaching for my belt, as she lowers herself to her knees.