“Then I’ll stay alive.” I turn my head to kiss her palm. “For you. For our child. For us.”
We stay like that for long minutes. Her crying quietly, me holding her, both of us acknowledging what we’ve been dancing around for months.
Finally, she pulls back and wipes her eyes. “They caught Sergei. Viktor has him secured. He’s waiting for your orders.”
The mention of Sergei brings everything crashing back. The betrayal. The planted operative. Years of deception.
“Tell Viktor to bring him to a secure location. I want him alive long enough to extract information about any other Petrov infiltrators.” I shift despite the pain. “And then I want his death to be public. A message.”
“What message?”
“That Sharov Bratva will never tolerate threats from within. Especially threats aimed at its king or queen.”
Elena’s breath catches. “Queen?”
“That’s what they’re calling you. After the attack.” I watch her face. “You seized command in the middle of chaos. Gave orders to senior men who obeyed without question. They didn’t see Sharov’s protected wife. They saw his equal.”
“I needed to save you. I wasn’t thinking about authority.”
“You acted on instinct, and your instinct was to lead.” I squeeze her hand. “Sergei was wrong. He thought you made me weak. That the pregnancy would destabilize leadership. You don’t weaken me, Elena. You root me. Make me stronger because I have something worth protecting beyond power.”
“I’m scared,” she admits. “Of how much I need you. Of how completely I’ve let you in.”
A nurse enters, sees Elena draped across my bed, and clears her throat. “Mrs. Sharov, you should rest. Doctor’s orders.”
“I’m fine here.”
“The baby needs rest as much as you do.”
“Is fine. I’m fine. I’m not leaving.” She says it with such finality the nurse retreats without arguing.
When we’re alone again, I pull her closer. “Stay with me.”
“Always,” she whispers. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine - Elena
The contractions start at three in the morning.
Not gentle warmth building gradually. Sharp, immediate pain that tears me from sleep with a gasp.
Aleksandr is awake instantly, hand on my arm. “What’s wrong?”
“I think—” Another contraction hits. I curl around my belly, breathing through it. “I think it’s time.”
He’s moving before I finish speaking. Phone out, barking orders. “Lock down the estate. Get Dr. Kuzmin here now. Full medical team. Armed escort.”
“Aleksandr, I don’t think there’s need for that.”
“Viktor. I want security tripled. No one in or out without my explicit approval.”
“Aleksandr.” I grab his wrist, pull his attention back to me. “I need you here. Not organizing military operations. Here. With me.”
He stops. Kneels beside the bed, both hands framing my face. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I’m also making sure you’re safe while this happens.”
“The baby’s coming. We planned for this. We’re ready.”
“I know. I know we are.” I can see the fear underneath his control. The same fear I’m feeling, magnified by his need to protect what he can’t actually control.
