“How long, Amy?” I asked again, my voice even more strained.
“I don’t know anything for certain. The doctor was just going over some of my test results,” she said finally. “Again.”
“But you must have known or at least suspected?” I looked around at the others. “Leave,” I ordered. “I would like to speak with my wife alone.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Petrovov, but I still have some questions and tests to run.”
Whirling, I took a threatening step towards him, drawing my body to its full height. “You’re a cardiologist. Is there something wrong with my wife’s heart?”
“Well, no.”
“Then you aren’t needed here. If Amy is pregnant, I will arrange her care with the best doctors in the city. You may leave.”
“She is pregnant. There is no doubt about it,” he muttered as he shuffled out. “And she needs rest, not this stress.”
At my side, my hands balled into fists. I didn’t know who he thought he was, but usually men who spoke to me that way ended up in the ground. Not that I had time to dispose of Alessia’s doctor just because he called me out on my treatment of my wife
After all, he had a point.
Glaring at him, I waited until he moved out. The woman next to Any shuffled out after him, but threw glances at my wife like she was reluctant to leave her with me. I ignored them both.
Waiting until the door clicked shut, I turned my attention back to her. “When were you going to tell me?” I looked away
“I didn’t know. I didn’t even begin to suspect until Nikolai—”
My head whipped back around. “You were with my grandfather?”
“Yes, Alexei. He had the staff call me and ask if I could visit.” She said it like she was explaining to a child. “So I went. I didn’t mean to get sick there and cause such a fuss.”
“You didn’t get sick. You got pregnant.”
This time, when she met my eyes, hers were full of anger. “I didn’t get pregnant by myself, or are you saying I cheated on you?”
The thought didn’t even enter my mind. “No, I didn’t think thatfor a second, Amy. But Jesus.” Again I tugged at my hair. “How did this happen?”
She looked at me like I was stupid.
“I know how it happened, but why weren’t you careful?”
“Me? You weren’t careful either. We didn’t even discuss it, Alexei. Believe me, this is as much a shock to me as it is to you.”
“I doubt that. I thought.” I trailed off as she glared at me coldly. “This is all coming out wrong. I just assumed you were on some kind of birth control,” I finished lamely.
“You presumed,” she corrected me, “that I was on birth control. But remember, Alexei, I was virgin until you took me to your bed. I had no need for birth control.”
Of course, not. I knew that. “Its just a shock.” Lowering my voice, I perched on the edge of her bed and scrambled around for her hand. My mind going a million miles an hour. Amy was pregnant with my baby, and it changed everything. I just didn’t know in what way yet.
“I’m here for you, Amy,” I said softly. My thumb swiping over the back of her hand. “Whatever you decide you want to do.”
She snatched her hand back. “I’m keeping this baby, Alexei.”
I’d never heard her sound so determined before.
“You don’t have to be involved.”
“I am the father. I will be involved, Amy,” I said firmly. And I meant every word. I hadn’t known my rapist of a father, and I’d lost my mother as a very young child. There was no way I was going to let my child grow up without me being in his life.
Or her life, I mentally corrected myself. My child would have both parents in its life. It would be loved and cared for. And the start of that would be looking after my wife as she grew and nurtured the precious cargo in her belly.
