Page 68 of Sinful Union

He kisses my shoulder, then nudges me to tilt my head so he can press his lips to mine. It’s soft and loving—an odd contrast to the raw intensity we just shared.My chest tightens with affection and relief. We’ve conquered yet another hurdle in our relationship, forging a deeper bond than before.

We lay there, catching our breath, reveling in the quiet. I think of the joy on his face when I told him I was pregnant. My heart stutters with gratitude that he’s not angry, not resentful, just simply happy. Finally, he says, “We should get out before we freeze.”

I grin lazily. “We definitely destroyed the bathroom. We’re going to need a lot of extra towels.”

He chuckles. “Worth it.”

Slowly, we untangle ourselves, standing on shaky legs. He helps me climb out first, then grabs a towel. My cheeks flush as he wraps it around me, his knuckles brushing the side of my breast tenderly.

He steps out, a towel slung around his hips. We look around the bathroom and exchange a wry smile as if to say,what now?

“We’ve got this,” he says simply, pulling me close for another quick kiss. “And I don’t mean just the bathroom. All of it. The Bratva. Piotr. Everything. Especially this baby.”

My throat constricts, tears threatening. I swallow them down, nodding. “Together.”

He nods back. “But next time you keep something from me, Kat, I’ll spank you twice as hard.”

“Promise?” I respond playfully.

He laughs. “You’re trouble.”

“Maybe,” I admit, letting him guide me toward the bedroom, leaving behind a trail of water and scattered bubbles on the floor. “But you wouldn’t have me any other way.”

His hand settles on the small of my back, warm and solid. “Damn right.”

His eyes flick over my face before pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “This Bratva mess, Piotr, the Novikovs…I promise I’ll keep our family safe.”

Our family. Two words I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing.But there’s still one more lie left, one more secret.And it just might be the one that tears us apart for good.

But one I have to reveal to him all the same.

Chapter 30

Pavel

Ilie in bed, staring at the dark ceiling.

Kat’s breathing is slow and even beside me, but my mind refuses to shut down. Every time I close my eyes, I’m bombarded by thoughts of Piotr, the Novikovs, and everything that threatens the sanctity of our home.Even though Kat and Ana are safe under this roof, I can’t shake the feeling that I need to act soon, before everything unravels and becomes too dangerous.

I slip out from under the covers as quietly as I can. Kat murmurs something unintelligible, her brow creasing for an instant before settling again. I brush my fingertips lightly over her hair, fighting the urge to shake her awake just to have her reassure me that everything will be fine.

But she’s been through enough, and she needs sleep to keep herself and the baby healthy. I pull on a T-shirt and lounge pants, then pad down the hallway in bare feet. The place is silent, every shadow lengthened in the moonlight. It shouldn’t be so still; one of the guards is usually posted near the end of the hall. I clench my jaw at the sight of the empty corridor.

I’ll deal with that later.Right now, I just need some space to think.

My office is dim, the curtains drawn. I switch on the desk lamp and cross to the bar cart. I pour a splash of whiskey into a tumbler, just enough to take the edge off. I rest against the desk, glass in hand, letting my mind go to things I don’t want to think about but need to.

Piotr. Novikov. Both are threats I can’t afford to ignore, especially not now, when I have more to lose than ever. Kat is my wife, and now there’s Ana, our daughter, plus the baby on the way. The mere thought of someone trying to harm them makes me want to put my fist through a wall—or through Piotr’s skull.

I sip the whiskey, letting the sharp burn ground me. My best move might be to bypass Piotr altogether and go straight to Viktor Novikov and his right-hand man. If I can force a meeting, I’ll make a show of strength, so they realize going against me is a losing proposition.

Vlad asked for a couple of days to gather intel, to see if he could uncover more proof that Piotr orchestrated these attacks. I told him I’d wait, but every hour that passes feels like a chance for Piotr to dig deeper trenches around us.

Vlad had Ana and Camille’s things sent over, as promised. No doubt Piotr’s going to notice that two rooms in their house are empty, and when he does, he’ll know that something is afoot.

Conflict is coming, but for now, my girls are safe.

I take another sip, the liquid burning my throat. Piotr’s always been ambitious, but now he’s stepped over a line, using Ana as leverage, trying to sow discord. He’ll bring war to our families, if we let this drag on for much longer.I’d rather take the fight to him than wait like a sitting duck for it to come to me. Kat asked me to be patient, and I agreed for her sake—for now.

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