Arranged Mafia Daddy

Chapter 21Sage

21

Sage

W hoever the man in the blue suit is, he’s terribly elusive. Nobody has seen him for weeks, and it’s been quiet here.

Too quiet, considering how volatile things were when I was first taken from my home and wed to a Russian mafia boss.

I shouldn’t complain, though. Everything I could ever need or want has been provided for me with absolutely no limits. Viktor has proven that he will go to any length to make sure I have whatever pleases me, but most of the time that’s just a nice dinner together followed by a wrestling match in the bedroom.

So, despite the monotony, it has been fun. On top of that, we seem to be making progress with one of our goals. The man in the blue suit is nowhere to be found, but so is my period. I think I might be pregnant.

The realization hits me quite hard one day as I’m eating breakfast. It’s the nausea that tells me something is up. My stomach is usually quite well-behaved in the morning, and only tends to bother me if I’ve eaten a particularly, large meal.

Freshly squeezed orange juice and buttered toast are a safe bet, so I’m confused for a moment as to why my stomach is rejecting them. The pieces come together when Viktor enters the room, his body glistening in sweat from his morning workout. He’s literally perfect, but he’s also the reason I feel so terrible.

“You look a little… pale,” he says, immediately trying to backtrack when he catches my look of annoyance. “I mean, maybe it’s a little cold in here. Are you cold?”

“I’m fine,” I mutter, but my voice lacks conviction. I push the toast away, the buttery scent suddenly overwhelming. “Just a bit uneasy. Maybe I didn’t sleep well.”

Viktor’s eyes narrow, and I know he’s not buying it. He’s always been too perceptive for his own good. Or maybe for my own good.

He strides over, sweat gleaming from his body and distracting me from the churn of my stomach for a few seconds. I need more distractions, but he’s going to dig into this further. He probably already thinks I might be pregnant and he wants confirmation.

“You’re not a good liar, Sage,” he says softly. “Tell me what’s really going on.”

I swallow hard, trying to gather the courage. It’s not that I don’t want to tell him. I’m just not sure how he’ll react. Of course, he wants the baby, but what if this is nothing? Will he think I’m crazy for feeling pregnant when I’m not? Will he be angry that I tricked him?

All ridiculous thoughts to have, I know, but that doesn’t stop my anxious mind from coming up with them. It’s funny that I handled death and violence so well, but telling the man I’m married to that I might be having his child is causing me so much stress.

“I think... I think I might be pregnant,” I finally say, my voice barely a whisper.

His reaction is instantaneous. His eyes widen, and for a moment, he looks like a child on Christmas morning, full of awe and hope. “Pregnant?” he repeats, as if testing the word on his tongue. “Are you sure?”

“I’m not sure,” I admit. “But I’m late, and this morning sickness makes it even more likely. I’ve never felt like this before.”

Viktor’s expression shifts from surprise to something much more serious. “We need to see a doctor. We need to know for certain.”

I laugh a little, but his face tells me it’s not a joke. “I mean, we could just take a regular pregnancy test.”

“They’re not accurate,” he says, his eyes so sharp they feel like they’re pricking my skin. “I don’t trust that sort of thing. I want to know for certain.”

I hold up my hands in surrender. “I won’t argue,” I tell him. “I think you’re right to want to know for sure. It would make me feel better too, knowing I’m not just sick.”

A smile spreads across his face, and his lips look like they need to be kissed. I lean in and plant a big one on his mouth, which makes him smile even bigger. All the money in the world, and his smile is the most valuable thing I have.

“We can go now, if you’re ready,” he says, looking at my barely touched breakfast.

“Don’t we need to make an appointment, or is that what we’re doing?”

He chuckles. “Darling, we don’t make appointments when we’re rich. Time can’t be earned back tomorrow. We must make of it what we can today.”

“Always such a poet,” I tease.

Without warning, Viktor sweeps me into his arms, carrying me like I’m made of glass. “Let’s go, my darling.”

“Viktor!” I protest, laughing. “I can walk, you know.”

“I’m not taking any chances,” he replies, already moving toward the door. “And besides, you’re light as a feather. It’s nothing for me.”

His protective nature is so endearing. I give in, resting my head against his shoulder. He smells like sweat and the faintest hint of his cologne. I’ve grown familiar to his smell, comforted by it even when he thinks he stinks.

I giggle as he jumps through the doorway with me in his arms, practically running toward the stairs. “If you drop me, I’m never letting you hear the end of it,” I warn.

“Never,” he promises, his eyes flickering down to me. “I will always keep you safe.”

He never fails to put butterflies in my stomach and warmth in my heart. I snuggle up to him, grateful that I don’t have to walk to the car, even though I’m fully capable of doing so. It’s nice to be treated like a princess, especially when the man doing it could kill a person with his pinky.

The drive to the doctor is quick with Ivan at the wheel. Viktor is tense beside me, one hand on the headrest in front of him, the other gripping mine tightly. His thumb strokes the back of my hand, a soothing gesture that helps a bit to ease the bundle of nerves in my stomach. I suspect nothing will take it away fully but the knowledge of whether I’m pregnant.

We arrive at the clinic, and Viktor helps me out of the car, his hands steady and protective. He tries to pick me up, but I want to walk this time. “I’m fine,” I assure him, pushing his hand away. “Really, I got this.”

His eyes watch me closely as I take a few wobbly steps, waiting to catch me if I fall. I don’t know why he thinks I’m suddenly incapable of walking. That won’t happen until near the end of my pregnancy.

He places a hand on my back, insisting on doing something to steady me as we walk inside the clinic. I allow it, but I really don’t need it anymore. I feel better now that we’re here.

Inside, the receptionist greets us with a polite smile, but her eyes widen slightly at the sight of Viktor. It’s clear she knows exactly who he is.

“We need to see a doctor,” Viktor says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Of course, sir,” she replies, quickly typing something into her computer. “We’ll have someone with you right away.”

Less than a minute later, we’re ushered into a private room. The doctor, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, enters shortly after. She introduces herself as Dr. Ivanova, and her calm demeanor helps ease some of my anxiety.

“How can I help you today?” she asks, looking between Viktor and me.

“I think I might be pregnant,” I say, my voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in my chest.

Dr. Ivanova smiles at me, clearly excited by the news. “That’s wonderful, dear. We’ll just need to run some quick tests to confirm. It shouldn’t take long.”

Viktor stays by my side the entire time, like he’s guarding me from the doctor. When she draws blood, he frowns at the needle, and I almost expect him to slap it out of her hands.

“Relax,” I whisper to him, but he shakes his head, crossing his arms and scowling the entire time.

The tests are quick, and soon Dr. Ivanova returns with the results. “Congratulations,” she says, a warm smile spreading across her face. “You’re going to have a baby.”

The world seems to stop for a moment as her words sink in. I’m going to have a baby. Viktor’s child. The enormity of it all crashes over me like a wave, and I turn to Viktor, tears welling up in my eyes and blurring my vision.

His scowl vanishes as he pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly. “We’re going to be parents,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Sage.”

I cling to him, my heart swelling with love and joy. “I’m happy too, Viktor. So, so happy.”

As we leave the clinic, hand in hand, I feel like everything is finally falling into place. The future is uncertain, but with Viktor by my side, I know we can face anything together. And with a baby on the way, our bond will only grow stronger.

We drive home in a comfortable silence, both of us lost in our thoughts. The mansion looms before us as we pull into the driveway, and it looks more beautiful than ever. I can’t imagine a better place to raise a child.

As we step inside, Viktor pulls me close, his lips brushing against my forehead. “I love you, Sage,” he says, kissing me. “So much.”

I’m surprised by his words, not because I doubt them, but because there was no warning that he would admit such an intimate thing to me. He’s really started to open up since our conversation about his childhood.

A husband should love his wife, of course, but that isn’t always the case. I’ve felt quite strongly about him for a while, but I didn’t want to say anything unless he did first. I was never sure if he wanted to take it that far.

“I’m sorry if I seem taken aback,” I say, looking up at his earnest eyes.

“Don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong, and I don’t even expect a response. I just want you to know how I feel.”

I place my hand over my heart, stunned even further. “Have you been going to therapy or something?” I ask, letting out a nervous laugh.

His eyebrows draw together in a slight frown, and I realize I’m making light of his intimate confession. “I didn’t mean it like that,” I blurt. “I mean, I’m just surprised. I wasn’t expecting all this.”

He shrugs. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it.”

“And you’re not just saying it because of the baby?”

“Of course, not,” he replies, trying to hide the fact that he’s offended. I can still hear it in his voice, and that’s how I know he’s being honest. He wouldn’t be this emotional if he was lying.

I hug him suddenly, wrapping my arms around his waist and squeezing him hard. “I love you too, Viktor,” I say, my voice full of conviction. “We’re in this together.”

He wraps his arms around me slowly, like he doesn’t quite believe he could be this lucky. But he is. We both are, and we’re going to get through this together. I’m sure it won’t be easy, especially with the threats looming on the horizon, but we’re a team now.

Because that’s what true love is. It’s an unbreakable bond, forged in the fires of adversity and strengthened by the knowledge that you don’t have to go through life alone.

I would hug Viktor forever, but our time ends too soon when he gets a phone call.

“It’s Ivan,” he says as he pulls the phone from his pocket. “I have to answer this.”

I nod, taking a step back to give him space.

“Ivan, what’s up?” he asks, his eyebrows drawing together in a tight frown. “Hold on, slow down, please. Slow down.”