“What are you doing here? Yan is right outside.”

“I can shoot him if he comes in.”

“No!”

“I see you’re forming attachments. That’s the worst thing to do, Lia. He’s Adrian’s guard, not yours. He’s keeping an eye on you on his boss’s behalf, and won’t hesitate to hurt you if he’s ordered to.”

I know that, but I still don’t want him dead. Yan doesn’t deserve such a fate, even if his boss is a major asshole.

“He won’t come in here unless I take longer than needed,” I bargain.

Luca releases an exasperated breath. “Do you have any idea how fucking hard it is to get you alone? I’ve been trying for fucking months. First, you were hidden away in his black castle, then he put you in a shelter associated with the Bratva, and his men follow you everywhere. This is the first time that tool guard didn’t check every corner of the bathroom first.”

Releasing a long sigh, I murmur, “This is my life now.”

“I’m sorry, by the way.” His brow creases as he makes a vague gesture toward my leg. Luca doesn’t offer sympathy. He’s more hardened than me and lacks many emotions, so I know not to take it for granted.

“I’m still alive.” My voice is clogged as I fight the tears.

“Sometimes staying alive is the worst of it.” His features tighten before they relax. “Tell me you have something on Adrian.”

I shake my head. “He doesn’t talk about his business.”

“But you’re his wife now. Surely he takes you to those inner Bratva banquets.”

“No.” Since that day, he’s never dragged me to his organization and I’m somewhat thankful for that.

“Fuck, Duchess. I thought we agreed you’d bring me things on him.”

“He’s guarded.”

“Then make him unguarded.”

“You think that’s easy?”

“You can do it. Being his wife makes you the closest person to him.”

No, it doesn’t. If anything, we feel further apart than when he used to come to my apartment at night. At least back then, it was about me. Now, everything is about the baby and my despicable role of producing an heir.

While I love my child, I hate how Adrian is using him.

“Tell me what you know,” Luca says.

I mention details that I know, about Sergei and Igor and his daughter, Kristina. I also tell him about Adrian calling someone Don and having conversations with him. I don’t mention Adrian’s family history that he willingly divulged. Luca doesn’t need to know that, and it feels too intimate to let someone else be privy to it.

“All of that is old news.” Luca checks his watch. “I need more.”

“More, like what?”

“His system. What he’s working on.”

“He would never allow me to get close to that.”

“Then force your way in, Lia.”

“Do you even know Adrian? Besides, I’m pregnant, Luca.” I point at the bump in my belly. “I will not put my child’s life in danger.”

The more he grows, the smaller that black hole in my chest shrinks. And now, I look forward to staring at my reflection in the mirror every morning, to listening to music and even reading some books so I can form any sort of connection with him.

Luca’s lips twist. “Congratulations are in order, I guess.”

“Instead of congratulating me, help me leave Adrian.”

“No. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I need eyes on him. You can’t leave him yet.”

“Luca…” My voice breaks. “How could you say that?”

“You’ll thank me for it later when you know the truth.” He opens the stall door and gives me a quizzical stare over his shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Duchess. No one else is going to do it for you. Not me and definitely not the unfeeling psycho, Adrian.”

And with that, he climbs through the window and jumps down.

His words float behind him long after he’s gone, settling a weight at the bottom of my stomach.

“Mrs. Volkov?” Yan calls, and when I don’t reply, he follows with an urgent, “I’m coming in.”

I straighten, stepping out of the stall as Yan nearly yanks the door from its hinges. He steps inside, and his critical eyes study me mechanically. “Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I hide my tremors with a smile.

“I thought I heard voices.”

“It…must be from outside.” I motion at the window Luca left open.

Yan heads to it with purposeful strides, inspects it, then narrows his eyes before he slams it shut.

When he turns around to face me, all of his nonchalance and playful behavior are gone. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I want your honesty, Lia. Was someone here?”

“No,” I say with a conviction I don’t feel, hoping he believes me.

He gives a curt nod and precedes me toward the door.

I don’t release a breath. Not then, not after we get home, and certainly not when Adrian keeps watching me all night as if I’m his custom-made pet, trapped under his thumb.

Luca was right.

I have to look out for myself, and that includes surviving Adrian until I can escape him.

If that means I need to provide Luca with any scraps of information on my husband, so be it.

30

Adrian

Six months later

The sound of crying fills the air as the midwife fusses around Lia and a few nurses wipe the sweat off her forehead.

“It’s a beautiful boy,” the midwife announces with a soft smile that vanishes upon meeting my gaze, then reappears when she directs her attention to Lia.

My wife releases the iron grip that she kept on my hand during the entire birthing process. Her nails broke my skin from the force of her pain and screams. There’s nothing I wanted to do more than take that pain for myself and relieve her of it. Having her scratch and claw at my skin is nothing compared to what she’s been through.

She was glowing through the months of her pregnancy, counting days and crossing them off her calendar until the day she’d meet her son.