Page 70 of Velvet Chains
Sergei bows and takes his leave, melting back into the house like a well-trained shadow.
I dig into the breakfast feast with gusto, my stomach rejoicing at finally being fed. The pastries are buttery and flaky, the bacon perfectly crisp, the eggs light and fluffy. It’s like something out of a gourmet cookbook.
“Slow down there, Lu,” Ser laughs. “No one’s gonna take it away from you.”
“Can’t help it,” I mumble around a mouthful of croissant. “Starving.”
She just shakes her head, sipping her drink. But there’s a speculative gleam in her eye that makes me pause mid-chew.
“What?”
She purses her lips, studying me over the rim of her glass. “Nothing. Just… you’re hungrier than usual, that’s all.”
I swallow my bite, washing it down with a swig of orange juice. “So? I worked up an appetite last night.”
Ser’s expression doesn’t change. “Uh-huh. Right. That’s totally the reason.”
Something about her tone makes my stomach flutter. And not in the good, pastry-induced way.
“What are you getting at, Ser?”
She sets down her glass, leaning forward. “I’m just saying, it’s a little weird, don’t you think? The fatigue, the puking, the sudden increase in appetite…”
My heart skips a beat. “What? No. No way.”
But even as I say it, my mind is racing. Doing the mental math. Counting back days and weeks and—
Shit.
Ser’s watching me, her eyes knowing. “Lu? You okay?”
I open my mouth. Close it. My palms are suddenly clammy, my pulse racing.
“I’m fine,” I say, but it comes out hoarse. Strained. “I’m not… I can’t be…”
“Can’t be what?” James asks, oblivious. He’s got Lucas on his lap, making funny faces to entertain him.
I shake my head. “Nothing. Never mind.”
But Ser’s not letting it go. She leans in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Lu. Babe. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
I press my lips together, my stomach churning. Because yeah, I am. And the thought is enough to make me break out in a cold sweat.
No way. There’s just no fucking way. I took pills, too many pills.
There’s no way I’m pregnant. I mean, I followed the rules, didn’t I? This is just my body playing tricks on me. It has to be. Pregnancy is not on my list, not with Victor Morozov.
Ser’s still watching me, her gaze heavy with meaning. I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry.
“I think,” I say slowly, “that I need to find a drugstore. Like, now.”
Chapter 29
Victor
I STARE into Dave’s face, his features etched with a fear I’ve seen before.
It’s the same gutless, sniveling expression he wore when we caught him with his hand in the cookie jar, pissing away Bratva money like it was his own. The same look he had when he offered up his wife as collateral, like she was just another chip to bargain with.
