She was clearly expecting to speak with me, because it hadn’t taken much effort for her to usher me toward another room, away from all the brothers and cousins.
“Well?” She raised her brows and bit her lip. “Did you take the test?”
I held up my phone and showed her the image of the positive test.
“Oh…” She smiled before wrapping her arms around me. The push of her baby bump against me was just one more—very solid—reminder of how much I would need to adjust.
That will be me, too.
I’ll have a baby bump.
I’m going to be a mother.
Tears stung at my lids as I experienced a fleeting sense of homesickness, missing my mother. She would’ve been so thrilled to welcome a grandchild. My father would’ve been so proud, too.
The urge to cry instantly evaporated as another very different thought hit me.
In thinking about my family, the one I used to have, I furrowed my brow.
But what will Arturo think?
Elena pulled back, peering at me. “Okay, Ifelthow quickly your mood shifted. What’s wrong?” She frowned. “Is this not… good news?”
“It is.” I wiped my eyes. “It’s good news tome.”
She grinned. “And to Maksim. He’ll be thrilled. I can tell.”
“But what about my brother?” I asked quietly.
She sobered up, staring at me. “What… do you mean?”
“How will he see this?”
She huffed, almost incredulous. “Not to sound crass, but it doesn’t matter what he thinks. Right? You’re a Volkov now.”
I nodded and shoved my hair back, pacing. “But he will have an opinion about this.” I whirled to face her. “My God. What if this was his plan all along?”
“Huh?”
“What if hewantedme to get pregnant? If he wanted me to have a Volkov child that he could… that he wants to…”
“Carina.” She shook her head. “No.”
“What if he arranged for me to marry into the family so he could use my child as leverage or something? To use my child against?—”
She took my hands. “No. He can’t. Hewon’t. Maksim wouldn’t—none of them would let anyone hurt this baby.”
“But there has to be something behind it all. Arturo had to have given me to Maksim for a reason. He doesn’t care about the trade agreement despite what he said. His actions are toosketchy to believe what he says anymore. He had to have given me away for a reason, and I can’t stop this worry now that he’s going to interfere and?—”
She tugged me into a hug again. “Stop. One thing at a time. Tell Maksim, and he’ll explain that no one will target your child.”
I pulled free. “No. Elena, no. Promise me.” I caught her eye and gave her a stern look. “Not now. Not tonight.”
“Carina—”
“No. Do not say anything at dinner. Let me tell Maksim on my own, at home, where I can not have the pressure of all the others being there.”
She furrowed her brow but nodded reluctantly. “All right. But if Adrik asks me about what’s going on or anything to do with this, I willnotlie to my husband.”
