Shock.
Definitely shock.
I was beyond surprised that this could be happening now.
That I’d be pregnant with Andre Orlov’s baby. My uncle’s rival.
The one man I wanted to belong with and love and start a solid future with. But also the one man I’d never be able to fantasize about like that.
I’m pregnant.
The joy I wanted to embrace was eclipsed by fear as I sat on the bathroom floor and stared at the test stick. As if zoning out and watching it would make the results change.
Terror took over me, because while I wanted to bask in the marvel that I would be a mother and that I could have the gift of a sweet child of my own to love and raise the best I could, it felt like I was in charge of a ticking time bomb.
This secret wouldn’t be good news. Not for Uncle Roberto or anyone from the Giovanni family. Not for Andre or anyone in the Orlov organization.
Both families would see this union and the result of it as a curse. A betrayal of the highest regard.
Placing my hand on my stomach, I closed my eyes and willed myself to be strong.
I can do this.
I will do this.
I’d woken up and known I had to flee and run from Andre’s suspicions, but now, I had to escape before anyone could know that I was carrying his child. I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t know how I’d do this and also get my cousin to safety. But I would. I had to.
Pushing off the floor, I began to plan.
Get some food, whatever I can manage to keep down.
Pack some non-perishables.
Look up some women’s shelters in the city before I leave because who knows when I’ll have access to Wi-Fi again.
Get my clothes and go before Andre is back from wherever he went with Sergei.
I can make something up and lie to the guards about why I need to get out of the house. I’m not a hostage here, not like under Uncle Roberto at his house.
Hurrying to my previous maid’s room, I grabbed the bag that I’d arrived here with. Food could wait. Breakfast wasn’t ideal with how queasy I felt, but maybe if I sipped some water and stayed moving, I could eat something light before going.
The burner phone was under the large duffle bag I’d put up on a shelf in the closet, and I grabbed that too.
A series of messages had been sent to me from Uncle Roberto as of yesterday morning.
“Fuck you,” I whispered, deleting them all. Each one was the same, a pushy nag to get him something he could use against the Orlovs. It seemed like he was determined to burn up my phone until the afternoon. That was when the texts stopped.
I rolled my eyes and shoved the phone into the bag, along with the clothing I had in here. I was wearing something newer and nicer that Andre had gifted me, but it seemed wrong to take his presents when I was leaving like this, with how I had been sent here in the first place.
Carrying my bag, I hurried out of the room and headed toward Andre’s again, to get my things.
Toothbrush, toothpaste, my lotion. Deo?—
I stopped short. Not looking up and seeing where I was going, I nearly collided with Oleg. Gasping in surprise, and damning my lack of attention to my surroundings, I looked up at the gruff, older man.
“Oh! Sorry.” I wanted to wince at how easily my apology came out of my lips. It was ingrained in me from my uncle and the Giovanni men that it was always my fault. It was always my wrong, and I wasn’t valuable enough to have someone else be inmyway. I was the one in everyone else’s way.
Dwelling on the shitty treatment I’d gotten all my life, I blushed as I wrestled with embarrassment.
