Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Leah
The screen was in a weird sort of orange-red, and I couldn’t make out a single thing on it.
Frowning, I squinted at the screen as the doctor did another pass of the wand across the stomach.
The gel was cold against my skin and felt gross.
I wanted to wipe it away, but I knew we needed it to help see the baby.
Next to me, my hand grasped in his, Viktor let out a rattling breath and said something in excited rapid-fire Russian. Lifting my eyes to him, I found him looking at the screen with actual tears forming in his eyes.
I had seen Viktor look upset before, I had seen him angry, I had even seen him happy, but I had never seen that look on his face before. He looked, hell, I didn’t know how he looked.
It wasn’t quite happy. It was astounded. He said something again that I didn’t understand, and his eyes flicked down to me.
“What?” I whispered.
“Our baby,” he said again in English.
I looked back at the screen, but I couldn’t see it. Tears rushed up in my eyes, and a lump formed in my throat. Why couldn’t I see what they could?
What was wrong with me?
What kind of mother would I be if I couldn’t make out my baby’s form on the screen?
“What’s wrong?”
A sob ripped its way out of my throat so loud and wretched sounding that I could barely get my words out. “I can’t see it. I can’t see my baby.”
Viktor’s arms wrapped around my shoulders. The tip of his chin came to rest on my hair and pointed. He showed me with his fingers where my baby was.
Next to the machine, the doctor stood and watched. A half smile on her face.
She must think I was pathetic.
“I’m sorry.” I hiccuped as I tried to concentrate on what Viktor was saying.
She smiled indulgently. “It’s ok, my dear, your hormones will be all over the place right now. We all understand and your husband,” her eyes raked over Viktor’s tall frame before she schooled her features back into professionalism, “Is very—” she smiled, and I couldn’t help it, I smiled as well.
Yes, he was being perfect.
I gave him my full attention again, frowning at the screen as he pointed out the head and legs.
“Can you see it now, Printsessa?”
I nodded because I did think I could see it.
Leaning forward, I nodded. “Yeah, I think I do.” I moved another inch forward, and it all suddenly made sense.
I could see our baby, and it was beautiful.
More tears sprang up into my eyes.
“Printsessa.” Wrapping me in his arms, Viktor peppered kisses all over my face. “Why are you crying? If you can’t see it, then I’ll show you again. ”
I cut him off. “It is beautiful.” I hiccuped and was rewarded by a flash of white teeth as his face split open in a wide smile.
“Yes, it are. Beautiful and precious like you. God, I lo—”
“Do you want to know what you are having?” The doctor interjected, and Viktor scowled at her.
“No,” he snapped and then caught himself when I squeezed his arm. “I mean, no thank you, doctor. We would like to wait,” he added quickly.
“Old-fashioned! I like that. Well there are a few blood tests to do, but everything is looking great. You should be welcoming your new bundle of joy in the summer. But we will keep an eye on Leah through out. Now, why don’t you two make yourselves comfortable?
I’ll be right back with the other tests. ”
She left, closing the door behind her softly, and the moment she did, Viktor was kissing my lips. Softly but passionately.
“We are having a baby,” he whispered against my mouth. But he didn’t give me a chance to answer him before his tongue was back in my mouth, and I couldn’t think of anything but the feel of his body pressing against mine.
“Yep.” Finally, I pulled free, but I kept my arms around his neck. “Yep, it looks like we are.” I glanced at where the screen was frozen with a close-up image of the baby.
My baby.
Our baby.
“Excited?”
“If that door were locked, I would show you just how excited I am. Just how much I owe you for this.”
“You don’t owe me, Viktor.” I frowned. That was a weird thing to say, like we were back to having a contract, but now the baby was part of it.
The last two weeks had been great, but he hadn’t said once how he felt. I hadn’t mentioned my feelings again either. It was kind of like we were in limbo.
“I owe you everything,” he nipped at my bottom lip. “But I know you won’t take any lavish gifts from me,” he winked. “So, how do you feel about going baby shopping this afternoon? You will let me take you baby shopping, won’t you?”
Hand in hand, we wandered around the shop.
Every now and then I paused to touch something so totally adorable that it brought tears into my eyes, but I didn’t pick anything up because it was all so expensive.
How could tiny clothes cost so much? I didn’t understand it, and honestly, I didn’t want to.
“You don’t like any of these ?” Viktor eyed a cute set with a cream teddy bear on the front.
It was, of course, adorable and perfect because we didn’t know if we were having a girl or a boy, but I was shocked he thought so.
“They are lovely. I just thought—” trailing off I let my eyes wander over the deep blue suit and tan overcoat he was wearing. He was perfectly put together, like he always was, even when we were alone in the house.
The only time I had seen him in what I called normal casual was Christmas Day, and neither one of us had gotten dressed that day.
Viktor wore his expensive suits like armor.
He lifted a dark eyebrow. Almost mocking me with it. “What, you thought I’d want our child in a suit and tie?”
I couldn’t help it. I laughed because in a way, that was exactly what I was thinking.
“You’re adorable, Leah.” Hooking his arm around my shoulders, he bent to kiss me. “Our child, our sweet baby, will just be like any normal child.”
“Apart from having you as a dad and a literal army to guard him or her,” I added, lifting my face, I waited for him to find my lips with his. He kissed me instantly, gently at first, and then harder until he was bending me backwards and devouring my mouth like a man possessed.
From the cash register, the salesgirl giggled, and it was enough to make us straighten. I blushed scarlet. Viktor didn’t look embarrassed at all. He looked like he wanted to eat me alive.
I blushed even harder.
“I think we might need to wrap things up here.” Viktor winked at me. “Because I’m not sure if I can wait any longer to get you alone and kiss you all over.”
He didn’t even try to say it quieter, and a sigh sounded from the saleslady again.
I glanced in their direction and found them staring at me. A lost, dreamy look on their faces.
“Sssh, Viktor.” I swatted at his arm. “Everyone is watching us. They can hear everything you are saying.”
His dark eyes flicked in their direction before settling back on me. “Let them watch, Printsessa. Let them hear how much I want my wife,” his voice rose.
Not in a shout but in something that was almost playful.
This was a new side of Viktor. Happy and funny. Like something had unlocked a new aspect of his personality.
“How beautiful and amazing I think she is, how I want to worship at her feet for making me a father.”
“Viktor, stop it.” Shaking my head, I stepped away. “What’s gotten into you?”
Throwing back his head, he laughed. “Can’t a man be happy? You’ve given me an heir. It’s everything I ever wanted.”
I couldn’t help it. My face fell. He had said the sweetest things, that I was beautiful and amazing, but he hadn’t said I was the thing he wanted most in the world, and it hurt.
Viktor was happy because I was going to give him a child and an heir to his criminal empire.
“Go and pick up all the things that I saw you touch earlier.” He didn’t notice my look at all.
“All of them, Leah, I don’t care about the price, and meet me by the cash register.
” Lifting his arm, he shook back the sleeve of his coat and glanced at the platinum watch on his wrist. “You have five minutes before I come looking for you, and if I come looking for you, then it won’t matter if we are right here or at home, I am going to strip you naked and bury myself between those thighs. Is that understood?”
I nodded, grinning because even though he was being doting, he just couldn’t help being himself as well .
I wandered off, happily picking up tiny clothes and stacking them over my arm. Not too many, I didn’t know anything about babies, but I knew they grew quickly. I’d just reached the back of the shop when someone stepped behind me.
“Viktor, I have—” freezing, I sucked in a breath. My arms shook, and one of the tiny cream outfits fell from my arms to land on the floor.
Instinctively, I bent to pick it up, and the knife jabbed into my back. “Don’t move, otherwise, I’ll cut that brat out of your body right now,” a female voice spoke behind me.
Straightening, I sent a desperate glance towards the front of the shop. I could see Viktor’s back. But he wasn’t looking at me.
“Don’t scream. If you do, I’ll kill you. Do you know who I am?”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat as quietly as I could. “Yeah, Manda.”
“Then you know I’m not joking. Head towards the fire escape and get into the waiting car.”
She nudged me forward with the knife, forcing me to move.
My mind whirled. This was bad. I might not be from their world, but I knew being taken from one place to another by a kidnapper was never going to end well.
So what could I do? Call out. Viktor wouldn’t hesitate to shoot her, but where were the others? His men were meant to be outside.
The door in front of me swung open so suddenly that I shot backwards and almost stabbed myself in the back. I had a split second to look at the body of Stephen lying by the door, bleeding from a gunshot in his chest, and not moving, before a fist came out and landed a punch in my temple.
Arms grabbed me before I hit the floor, and the door slammed behind us all.