Page 98 of The Bratva's Captive

“Oh?”

“He can’t hate you when he’s been so fucking miserable staying away from you.”

I laughed bitterly. “If he doesn’t hate me for keeping that secret, then why would he be staying away at all?”

He leaned in closer. “Because he’s never been in love before.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, right.”

“That’s the only reason that you’re nervous? This lover’s spat between you two?”

I frowned. “I’d hardly call it a lover’s spat. I kept a big secret from him. I’m not ashamed that I did. It was the only way I could try to protect this baby from being taken from me, and I still don’t know if he’ll do that.”

He shook his head. “No. That’s not happening.” Holding up his hands, he seemed truce-like. “Look, it’s none of my business how you both got together. I understand that he, well…”

“Kidnapped me,” I said, deadpan. There was no other way to put it.

“Okay. But when you conceived the baby, he hadn’t.”

“Semantics.”

“What I’m saying is maybe the beginning was rocky. But I’ve seen the way you guys are together. You… fit. It makes sense. And even though it started not-so-stellar for whatever reasons you both had, it’s turning out all right.”

“It’s turning out all right?” I laughed once again. “He won’t face me or speak with me.”

The doors slid open to the garage level, and there he was.

Hands in his pockets, face blank but suggesting a flicker of hope. Maxim was waiting between the elevator and the car. Theintensity of his brown eyes on me made my stomach flip with a stupid flare of excitement that I wanted to curse.

“What was that?” Nik said, his tone so mocking and joking.

That was sneaky.He had to have known Maxim would be here.

I stared at my kidnapper and hated how much I still yearned for him.

“Coming?” he asked, holding out one hand.

I looked at him and tried to find the right words, but none came to me. I wanted to be mad. I wanted to stay firm. But he really did call all the shots. I still had no control, and I couldn’t change the fact that he didn’t want me or loveme.

“That’s all you got?” Nik asked, scoffing. “At least say you’re fucking sorry or something first.”

He narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Tell her that I’m sorry that she didn’t tell me about our child sooner?”

I leaned back against the wall and reached out to close the elevator. Fuck this.

Nik blocked my hand. “Okay, let’s start over. Sloane, can you tell him that you’re sorry for keeping that secret?”

I tipped my chin up. “I’m not sorry.”

Maxim smiled slowly. “So goddamn stubborn.”

I refused to let his grin be infectious. “And I won’t ever stop. Not when it comes to protecting my child. I won’t give up my baby and never see him or her again.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Maxim muttered, reaching in to grab my hand and pull me out of the elevator. “That’s not going to happen.”

I hurried to keep up with him on the way to the car. “Hey!”

“I’m not taking your child and kicking you out of the house as soon as you deliver,” Maxim said as he opened the door for me.

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