I pull back enough to hold her at arm's length. I quickly scan her face and check her clothes for any signs of injury or struggle. My hands immediately move downward to cup the small bump of her stomach. I press my palms gently against her.
"Is the baby safe?" I ask frantically. "Did you feel any pain while you were out there?"
"Alexei, we are perfectly fine," she reassures me.
"You cannot possibly know that for sure," I argue. "You were out there doing who knows what."
She covers my hands with hers. "I am unharmed, and the baby is safe. I promise you."
I leave my hand resting against her belly. I try to feel for movement even though I know it is much too early in the pregnancy. My thumb gently strokes the curve of her stomach.
"You can’t keep doing this to us," I whisper. "You are carrying our child, Zoya."
"I know," she replies quietly. "I’m so sorry."
I let out a shaky breath and pull her into a much gentler hug. "Why did you do that?" My voice breaks on the words. "Why did you mess with the security bracelet? I had no idea where you were or if someone had taken you."
She offers a sad smile and brings both of her hands up to my face. Her palms feel freezing cold against my flushed skin. "Hey, please look at me," she says softly, tracing my cheekbones with her thumbs. "I’m truly sorry. I just needed to investigate a situation."
I curse out loud and pull away from her touch. I turn in a short circle before facing her again. "Not this again," I groan. "Why do you never listen to my warnings? This is not a game, my darling. These people are incredibly ruthless. They will kill anyone without a second thought." I grab her shoulders to make sure she understands. "Why do you keep risking your safety? You make me worry so much that I can’t even think straight."
"Alexei, please listen…"
"I have terrible enemies who would gladly hurt you just to punish me," I interrupt. "You are the only good thing I haveleft in this world. I am begging you to stop engaging in these dangerous activities before you get yourself killed."
I drop to my knees in front of her and the entire room goes silent. I can feel the discomfort radiating from the guards behind me—the feared boss of Moscow on his knees, begging a woman for mercy in front of his soldiers. I don’t care what they think, all I care about is my wife not sending me to an early grave with a heart attack.
"Please, Zoya," I plead. "Promise me."
She stares down at me in shock before glancing past my shoulder. The guards lining the walls are staring awkwardly at the floor and the ceiling to avoid watching this private moment. She looks back down into my eyes.
"Fine, I promise," she whispers. "But there is something important I need to tell you."
"What is it?" I ask while remaining on my knees.
"I went to the secret meeting place where the Georgians gather."
My heart stops in my chest before restarting with a painful thud. I jump to my feet before my brain even registers the movement. My hands are all over her again. I spin her around to check her arms and back for hidden injuries. My hand instantly returns to rest over her belly.
"Did anyone hurt you?" I demand in a panic. "Did any of those monsters put their hands on you?"
"I am unhurt," she says firmly. She catches my frantic hands and holds them still. "I’m not a weak person, Alexei. The baby is okay."
"Did anybody figure out you were hiding there?"
"No."
I let out a massive breath. All the exhausting tension I carried for the last four hours leaves my body in a rush. I have tolean against the hallway wall just to stay upright. "Why are you putting me through this?" I ask weakly.
"I’m sorry, but I needed to find out their plans for you," she explains. "I just wanted to help you succeed."
"If you truly want to help me, you need to stay safely inside this house," I tell her. "You could create fun videos to pass the time. I would gladly pay you a fortune just to watch you read a dictionary or sing a song. I simply want you safe." I cup her soft face in my hands. "I do not need your assistance on the battlefield. My job is to handle the violence. When I return home, I only want to find my family safe and far away from my dark world so please swear to me that you will never do this again."
She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Okay, I swear. But you need to know that their leader plans to attack us within a week. He is getting extra help from an Arab gang."
I stare at her serious expression and let out a tired smile. "I already knew that information."
She blinks in surprise.