Page 118 of Hidden Empire
Nervously, I sit by my window and pick at my nails, waiting until my brothers walk by below, heading to the cafeteria. I’m not sure if Dmitri will still be in his room, but I have to try and find him regardless.
It’s drizzling when I get downstairs, but luckily the air isn’t warm enough to be humid or cold enough to have my teeth chattering. The damp forest floor squishes under my boots, but I still rush, only slipping and almost falling three different times. I ignore every single person that I pass, keeping my head down and speeding up to the building that the Morozovs stay in.
I’ve caught myself wishing that our rooms were in the same building more than once before, but at least the trip between the two isn’t long or uphill.
I try my best to shake off the rain from my sweater as I climb up the stairs, wiping the dampness from my cheeks as well. It’s risky coming here during broad daylight, but apparently, I’ve lost all ability to be responsible. Hence why I bolted here in the first place.
Hands trembling, I knock heavily on Dmitri’s door, sending a little prayer that he’ll answer. If he doesn’t I’ll probably freak out even more and do something insane like demand one of his men go fetch him for me.
Before I can contemplate the idea further, his door swings open.
“Jade?” he asks, surprised to see me here.
Biting my lip, I skirt around him, entering without invitation. “Can we talk?”
“Is everything okay?” Dmitri asks, immediately concerned.
He shuts the door behind us, and I shrug off my sweater, feeling slightly suffocated by its weight. I kick off my shoes and make myself at home, climbing into his bed and crossing my legs into a bow. Stealing the blanket at the end of the bed, I wrap it around myself and let out a breath.
“Jade, you’re worrying me,” Dmitri says, approaching the bed to sit down next to me. “Are you okay? Tell me that much, at least.”
“I’m okay,” I wheeze, squeezing my hands together.
“What do you want to talk about, Jade? You can tell me anything.”
He better mean that.
I don’t know what I’ll do if he freaks out even more than me. Probably run crying to Matteo and make the situation even worse for us.
I expel a breath. “Dmitri… if I needed something not on campus, would you be able to get it for me?”
His worried expression becomes serious, and his shoulders straighten. “Of course. Is there something you need?”
I bite my lip and nod, trying to find the courage to ask.
“What is it? Your cheeks are red, Krasotka.”
“I think I need a pregnancy test,” I confess, letting out a squeaked breath.
“You do?” he asks, looking at me in a way I can’t decipher.
“I’m late,” I explain quietly. “Almost a month late.”
“Are you not,” Dmitri starts, his voice soft. “Do you not take birth control?”
I shake my head, refusing to cry from mortification. “I didn’t think about it, I swear, I’m so sorry. We should have talked about it, and I didn’t bring it up?—”
“Hey, hey,” he urges, interrupting my guilty babble. “I didn’t bring it up either, Jade. I’m not upset with you, not even a little bit.”
“You don’t think I did this on purpose, right?” I ask helplessly. “You’re not going to be mad if I’m pregnant and think I tried to trap you, right? I swear, I just didn’t think about it. I was so caught up in falling for you that I?—”
“Krasotka, look at me,” he coaxes, nudging my chin up. “I would never think that of you. And if I’m being entirely honest, if you baby-trapped me to keep me, I’d probably find it pretty fucking cute and amusing.”
Cute and amusing?
My jaw drops, and I gape at him
“You would?”