Page 33 of Deadly Devotion
“Yes,” I said, choosing my next words carefully. “She mentioned that you’re pregnant.” I watched her closely, waiting to see her reaction. “Did you know?”
She stared down at her lap and nodded.
“When did you find out?” My tone was a mix of accusation and frustration.
“When…when I was still in San Franciso.” She refused to look at me and continued to stare at her lap.
I leaned forward slightly, my voice low and intense. “Who is the father?”
Talia hesitated, biting her lip nervously before meeting my gaze. “You’re the father.”
The revelation hit me like a truck. “Is that why you came to New York? To trap me? To force me into a relationship with you?”
“No!” she protested, her voice cracking.
“You’ve known all along you were pregnant. And you said nothing?” I spit through gritted teeth.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
“Why are you here? Tell me!” I demand, my fists clenched.
Fear shadowed her features, but she met my eyes defiantly. “I’m here because I had to get away from Danny. He’s dangerous, and I feared what he might do.”
“Or maybe you’re running from him becausehe’sthe father of this baby?“ I scoff, unable to hide the bitterness in my tone.
“That’s not true! I ran from him because he was stalking me! He confronted me at the hotel and then trashed my apartment!” A single tear ran down her cheek as she choked back a sob. “You’rethe father, Aleksandr.”
Emotions I couldn’t name surged within me, mingling with fear and fierce protectiveness. If this is true, she is carrying my heir. “What do you want from me?!” I exploded, my control slipping.
Talia’s eyes flashed with hurt. “I don’t want anything from you. I came here to start over, to get away from Danny. Sandyand I don’t need anything from you or anyone else.” She turned away from me, focusing on a nonexistent spot on the wall.
“But you’ll get it,” I retorted, my temper flaring. “You say you’re carrying my child. That makes you my responsibility.”
Her resolve hardened. “I will raise this child on my own,” she stated, her chin lifting defiantly.
The mere thought ignited a fierce possessiveness within me. “If this child is mine,” I declared, “you will never leave this mansion. You belong to me now.”
Talia’s shoulders sagged, and her lip trembled. “I want to call Sandy.”
“What you want is none of my concern.”
I stormed out of the room, the weight of my conflicting emotions bearing down on me. Talia’s words echoed in my mind as I paced the hallway, my fists clenched in frustration. I was bound by duty and the responsibilities of my position within the Bratva. Consumed by a tumultuous storm of desire and duty, I struggled with the realization that despite my resolve, I could not let her go. I wouldn’t let her go, not just because she was carrying my heir.
Alone in the room, Talia crumbled. Tears stained her cheeks as she realized the enormity of her predicament. She had sought refuge in New York but was entangled in a new web of complications.
The smoke from Dimitri’s cigarette curled upwards, mingling with the heavy air in my office. I leaned back in my chair, watching him closely as I delivered the news.
“Brat,“ I began, my voice low and controlled, “Talia is pregnant.”
His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before his expression hardened, the gears turning behind his sharp gaze. “Pregnant?” he echoed, his tone laced with surprise and concern.
“Yes,” I affirmed, my mind already examining the implications. “She says I’m the father.”
Dimitri’s brow furrowed as he absorbed this revelation. Talia, the woman I couldn’t shake from my thoughts, now carried my child. The weight of it settled heavily in the room.
“What about Boris?” I continued, shifting the focus to our pressing concerns. “Did he pull the street surveillance footage?”
“Da,“ Dimitri confirmed, leaning forward on his elbows, his demeanor serious. “We’re sifting through it, looking for leads.”