Chapter Twenty-Seven - Emily
I’m not expecting Ryurik to come back for the night. He has a huge weekend at Blindside for a DJ competition, and I’m in no shape to be anywhere near a club. I’m happy enough to settle into the mountain of pillows I’ve created and watch movies all night. It’s been a fun couple of days with Stacy, Kiara, and Laura hosting a baby shower for me. I would have planned it better, but I procrastinated about it as I didn’t know if I wanted one.
I’m glad I went through with it in the end.
Happy enough, I dip my hand into my popcorn wondering if I did the right thing by not turning Ryurik in, but it doesn’t take long for me to snap out of the murky waters I’ve been swimming in. Willy Dee double-dipped. I figured he was too lost in the notoriety of being undercover. Maybe he stayed on the right side of the law for the most part, but when did he get shaken down by the dark side?
There’s the investigative part of me that wants to take a drive out to the address on the paper and dig to see if the body is there. What if Ryurik moved it? Why would he leave such important information out in his private office to be seen? And the door being open seemed even weirder. In all the time we’ve spent together, I’ve never known him to leave the door open like that.
Finding a rom-com, I nestle under the pillows getting comfortable, trying to let the past go. There’s nothing I can do about the murder now. And I can’t tell Jackson about Willy. It’s a secret I’m going to have to take to the grave. The movie starts as I crunch on my popcorn, letting it go. I’m about to give birth and the only thing that matters is me delivering a healthy baby.
About ten minutes into the movie, Olga comes in with snacks and drinks, and I’m surprised I’m not already about to fall asleep. I’ve got a short attention span these days, and if I sit down for more than ten minutes, I’m liable to go into nap mode.
A funny scene in the movie gets me laughing and snorting, but it’s the voice out of the blue that causes me to jump and almost lose the full bowl of my popcorn. “I’ve never heard you snort like that before. Must have been something really funny,” Ryurik says in a light tone, my bowl separating from the popcorn, kernels flying into the air.
“Omigod! Ryurik, what the hell are you doing back here?” I shout, still shocked about him sneaking up on me to the couch. Ryurik laughs loudly, scraping up the popcorn from the floor and moving the tray table to the side. He nestles in the nook beside my feet, tugging at them.
“Sorry, sorry, you look as snug as a bug. I didn’t mean to disturb you. You look really cute wrapped up in there.” He rubs the side of my thigh as my eyes narrow at him.
“You haven’t answered my question. Why are you here?”
“What, don’t you want me here?” Ryurik tugs at my toe playfully.
“No, I didn’t say that. You told me you would be working late and not to expect you unless I called you about my water breaking,” I gently remind him.
“Oh yeah, I did say that, didn’t I?” Ryurik’s wearing a cocky grin, and I’m doing my best to work out why. “But I’m here. With you,” he adds, his voice tuning down an octave as his hand slides up underneath the blanket, sitting on my thigh. Pausing the movie, I wiggle my toes on his leg.
“What are you doing?” I ask him in amusement. There’s news. There has to be, because he’s being too playful and nice. Normally, there’s a silent, but very distant wall he puts up as a shield.
“Wanted to feel you,” he whispers, his eyes softening.
“Can you please answer my question?” I ask in earnest, done with the game he’s playing.
“Hmm. No game. I wanted to come home early to spend time with my lovely wife. We don’t have too much time together before you pop.”
“No. I guess not. That’s nice of you.” There’s a wariness in my tone as I slot the pieces of the puzzle together. I spoke to Jeff a couple of days ago and didn’t turn in the evidence. This has something to do with it. It’s the only thing I can come up with for why he’s acting this way.
He rubs my leg a few more times prompting me to sit up. Ryurik takes the opportunity to snuggle up and close to me, taking off his jacket. “God. Did you just get out of the shower, you smell so good.”
“Yes. No, a little while ago I had one. Ryurik, what’s going on?” I press as he kisses my collarbone wrapping his arms around me.
“Nothing’s going on.”
Jeff. Him not reporting what he saw. If that had been Milton or Brady they would have, but Jeff didn’t. He knew about the forced marriage, and I never said a word about how I met Ryurik or him forcing me to do anything.
“Was Jeff a setup?” I ask quietly, the room swirling.
“What?” He kisses my cheek, his cologne wafting through my nostrils.
“I said, was Jeff a setup?”
Ryurik stifles a yawn, taking his sweet time to answer. “Yes. But the good news is, you passed the test with flying colors.”
Pushing him off me, I glare at him indignantly. “This is why you’re being so nice to me. Why the fuck would you set me up?”
Ryurik sighs, tilting his head, running his fingers through his messy bedhead hair with a smirk. I hate that his green eyes are a turn-on. This is not the time for me to be attracted to him.
“I had to know if you were loyal enough to stay.”
“If I was going to leave, I could have after Laura’s recovery, don’t you think?”
“Sure. You might have, but with the Willy Dee case, it’s different. You would have had the opportunity to nail me to the wall if you wanted to. Not that you would have,” he replies sarcastically.
“No. I wouldn’t have, would I?” Shoving his leg off me, I’m fuming from my head down. “If I told Jeff and gave him the evidence it would have gone nowhere.”
“Smart woman my wife; I likey.”
“Shut up!” I growl, upset that he wouldn’t trust me enough, but it’s not as if I didn’t have my doubts about turning him in. Jeff gave me the creeps with the way he approached me, and he hadn’t helped with Ryurik earlier.
“Come on over here and make me. Don’t be mad. You’re adorable when you are. I don’t want your water to break in anger.” He reaches for me, but I stand up, crossing my arms.
“You’ve ruined the movie. You kidnapped me, taking everything from me, and then you want to play stupid games stonewalling me all the time, not opening up, do you want this marriage to work?” I hiss at him, releasing the other frustrations hanging around at the back of my mind.
Ryurik stands, putting both his hands on my shoulders. “Hey, it’s not that bad.”
“Yes, it is. I should have known. You never keep the door to your private study open.”
Ryurik chuckles, but he’s incensed me with his low-brow tactics. No matter how closed off he’s been, I had high hopes our relationship was headed down the right track.
I put distance between us walking past the kitchen. “Hey, where are you going? Come back. I didn’t mean for it to be a bad thing,” Ryurik pleads, following me as I bring my breathing back to normal. “I spoke to Paul too.”
Suppressing a gasp, I pivot wanting to hear what he has to say. “What did you say to him?”
Ryurik stands in place, his eyes warm as he claps his hands together. “I told him I’m not doing business with him, and that he’s doomed for abandoning you. I’m already taking down his business, and he’s going to be bankrupt by the end of next year.”
The anger breaks apart as I stare at Ryurik daring him to lie or play a new game with me, but he isn’t. Cupping my hands around the belly of our baby, I smile a little. “You said that to him?”
“Yes. I did.” Ryurik moves stealthily towards me, taking his time, a big smile on his devilishly handsome face. “I’ll ruin any man who dares to hurt your feelings.”
A warm sensation spreads through my chest, his words touching me to my core. I let him come closer, Ryurik rubbing my shoulders. “Hey, come on, don’t be mad at me. I didn’t mean for it to break us apart.”
Ryurik’s hair hangs low over his eyes, his strands moving when he blinks. He tosses his hand through it, his eyes bright and clear. “Did you not believe me to be trustworthy?”
Ryurik shields his eyes, dropping them to the floor. “It’s hard for me,” he admits in a low voice, his vulnerability shining through. “I’ve been this way for a long time.”
It’s a good start, but I want more. Ryurik rests his head against my forehead, and I can feel the warmth of love radiating from him.
“Okay, but you’ve never been married either, or we’re in this together having a child. A girl. I want her to grow up in a loving house. I never had that, Ryurik, and I want better for my child,” I confess quietly, letting my fears be known.
“I don’t want that either. That’s why I did it.” He clasps at the back of my neck, kissing my forehead with tenderness. “I’ve always had you on my mind from the day we met. I could never figure out why.”
Smiling, I wrap my arms tight around his waist as he dips his head, his kiss tender. Melting into him, I let the argument go, letting the warmth of his passionate kiss be its replacement. I’m hoping Ryurik will grow into love. I can already feel it coming from him, and it’s too late for me. I’ve already fallen into the deep abyss with him, and I don’t want a way out. “And now?” I whisper, my pregnant stomach bumping against his hard stomach.
Ryurik smiles affectionately, kissing me again. “And now, I have something I want to tell you.”
A sharp stabbing pain courses through my belly as I gasp. The speed of it is what’s hit me the hardest. “Shit!”
“What is it?”
Before I can answer a second stabbing pain shoots through my belly as I double over, moaning as water trickles down my leg. “Ryurik. I’m in labor. Grab my packed bag. It’s in the bottom of the walk-in closet. Phew.” Practicing the breathing techniques I learned, I expect Ryurik to fly into a panic, but he doesn’t. He follows my lead, heading to the bedroom to get my belongings.
I’m about to have my first child.