Page 51 of Tattooed Heart

He leads me into the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind us.

“Petrov talked,” he begins, his voice low. “He gave us everything. The false recordings. The bribes. Russo's involvement. The plan to keep me locked away.”

I cross my arms, unsure if I’m supposed to feel relief or renewed fury. Probably both. “And now?” I probe.

Dimitri looks me straight in the eyes. There is no softening in his expression, only raw truth.

“Now Morozov wants the revenge he came here for,” he seethes. “But he doesn't just want me dead. He wants to hurt you and take our baby.”

The words should buckle my knees. Instead, I stand taller.

“He plans to do something that will make you lose the baby. Then, after that, he wants to kill you.”

Silence fills the room like a rising tide. I let it settle as the storm builds inside me. I expected fear, maybe tears, but what I feel is unbridled rage.

“That sickbastard,” I hiss through gritted teeth. “He thinks he can take our child? He thinks I'lllethim?”

Dimitri steps closer, his hand reaching for mine. “I didn't want to tell you like this, but you have to know.”

“No,” I interrupt, pulling my hand away. “I'm not some delicate flower that needs to be protected from the truth. And there’s no way he’s getting his hands on my baby.”

His expression softens, but I can see the tension lining his face and the muscle twitching in his jaw. “I know you're strong. But this changes things. We need to tighten security here. No one comes in or out unless I personally approve it. You don't go outside without someone with you.”

I step away and walk to the window. The garden is quiet and peaceful, and for a moment, I wish I could climb through the glass and escape into that stillness. But I can’t. Not now.

“I'm not afraid of him,” I insist. “Because he won't win. You won't let him. Aleksandr won't let him. And I sure ashellwon't let him.”

He comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his hands low on my belly. “I will kill anyone who tries to hurt you,” he vows. “I swear that to you. On everything I am.”

I lean back into him, closing my eyes and letting myself feel the thrum of his heartbeat against my spine.

“He already made one mistake,” I murmur. “He underestimated me.”

Dimitri's lips brush my temple. “He won't live long enough to make another.”

I turn in his arms and look up at him. “Then go finish this.”

“I will,” he promises. “But I needed you to know.”

I touch his face, feeling the stubble beneath my fingertips. “Come back to me.”

“Always,” he nods.

When he leaves the room, I stay by the window. There is a storm coming. But I’m no longer afraid of storms.

After Dimitri left, the mansion felt unusually quiet. I place my hand on my stomach and cradle my baby.Our child. The thought of anyone threatening this tiny life fills me with white-hot fury.

I pace the room, my mind racing through every possibility of Morozov's plan and angle.

The door opens, and I turn quickly, my body tense and ready. Talia's long dark hair is pulled into a casual bun, and her eyes find mine immediately.

“Sis,” she calls out, her voice soft but urgent. “Aleksandr told me what happened. Are you okay?”

I let out a deep breath. “Physically, yes. Emotionally...I'm not sure what I am.”

Talia crosses the room and takes my hands in hers. “Being afraid is normal,” she says, leading me to the plush sofa by the window. “When I first learned what this life truly meant, I spent nights unable to sleep, jumping at every sound.”

“I'm not afraid,” I insist, my voice steadier than expected. “Not for myself, anyway.”

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