“He said you might have been poisoned.”
I roll my eyes. “I was not poisoned. I just wasn’t feeling well.”
A doctor raps on the door as he enters the room. “You’re looking a little better after those fluids,” he states.
“Yes, I feel better, thank you.”
“Do you know what’s wrong with her yet?” Matvei asks bluntly.
The doctor looks between us before returning his gaze to me. “I do, but I’d like to speak to my patient in private.”
I shake my head. “Just go ahead and say whatever you have to say so he knows I’m okay and he can stop hovering.”
“Are you sure?” the doctor asks. I nod.
“Well, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Your blood work all looks good except for your vitamin levels. I’d like to see them a little higher in a pregnant woman.”
I feel like all the air has been sucked out of the room. “A what?” I ask, my voice nearly a whisper.
The doctor levels his gaze at me. “You’re pregnant. You didn’t know?”
I shake my head, then suddenly realize I haven’t had my period in two months. “Oh my God.”
The doctor looks from Matvei to me, realizing he’s just dropped a huge bomb. “I’ll step out and give you two some privacy.” The door closes behind him with a soft click.
Matvei sits on the edge of my bed. “You really didn’t know?”
“No! Though looking back, a few things make more sense now.” Tears suddenly start streaming down my face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. You don’t have to stay. I can do this on my own.”
Matvei pulls me to him, quieting my spiral. “Why the hell would you think I would abandon you and our baby?” His voice is strained as he pulls me closer.
“I haven’t seen you in almost two weeks. I haven’t even heard from you and I thought maybe you got tired of me. It’s not like there was anything more between us other than sex anyway?—”
Matvei pulls away quickly and cups either side of my face. He stares into my eyes with such startling intensity I have to force myself not to look away.
“I would never just leave you like that,” he says softly, intently, and I believe him. “Never. And I sure as hell am not going to abandon you to raise our child alone. I’ll be part of this child’s life in whatever way you’ll have me.”
Instead of answering, I ask a question. “So you didn’t disappear because you were done with me?”
Matvei’s brows furrow. “Why would you think that? I told you I had business to attend to.”
His annoyance irritates me. “Yes, you did, but if I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that from some guy who ended up ghostingme I’d have enough for a nice coffee. You didn’t call, you didn’t text. Nothing but radio silence. What was I supposed to think?”
“I don’t ‘ghost’ anyone.” Matvei sounds offended that I even suggested it. “You’re supposed to take me for my word. I was in Moscow and then New York when Evgeny called me. I chartered a plane back here to get to you.”
The father of my baby kills people. He is a crime lord. That’s what he does for a living.
My mom might have gotten herself involved with the Irish mob, but I’m pretty sure getting pregnant by the top Russian mob boss in the city—one even the cops are afraid of—beats her mistake by a mile. I’m so lost in my racing thoughts I don’t hear Matvei speaking.
“Sonya.”
“What?”
“You’re coming to stay with me. No more staying in your apartment. I want you where you’ll have twenty-four-seven security beyond Evgeny.Mysecurity.”
“No. Nope. No way.” I shake my head. “We’ve already been through this. I’m not going to be forced into whatever domestic situation you think this is—” yet another thing we have to talk about, because we’re definitely not in an actual relationship “—especially now that I’m having a baby. I’m not just a vessel, you know.”
“No one said you were.” Matvei’s lips thin, a line forming between his eyes because he’s… perplexed?