Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
His jaw clenched at the question, and his eyes shuttered. “Not yet. They’re in Russia,” he lied, “so they’ll fly over once the boys are home.”
“I thought I heard a hint of an accent, but I couldn’t place it. I probably should’ve guessed from your last name, though, right?” she chatted, not picking up on the tense energy coming from him now.
“Well, I’m sure they’re going to love your boys, especially seeing as how they’re miniature versions of their daddy,” she continued as she opened the door. “I guess that’s why your family gave you the Harley Davidson nursery,” she shot at me. “Need to have something of their mama around them.”
Clearing my throat, I muttered, “Something like that. Although, I could’ve done without them buying them small battery-operated Harleys to ride on once they get older, and huge teddy bears with biker gear on.”
Again she burst out laughing, but I didn’t join her this time because I was overly aware of how Taras’ mood had plummeted.
“They’ve got more clothes than any newborns we’ve ever seen, and most of it has bikes and logos on, too. Nothing better than a happy ending with babies, where you know they’re going to be loved by everyone around them.” She let out a happy sigh. “Anyway, I’ll be seeing you later, but if you need anything press the buzzer.”
And with that, she was gone, leaving me with the large stewing and brooding man.
I didn’t know what to say to fill the silence, but I did know I didn’t want to say anything at all.
Just then, his phone rang, and still holding Hendrix securely in one arm, he reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, frowning when he saw the caller’s name on the screen.
A question over the caller’s identity made my gut clench: I wonder if it’s his wife?
Eyes lifting to me, he answered it, holding the phone to his ear. “Is everything okay?”
The answer to that question was unknown to me, but he kept his eyes locked on mine throughout the call, giving one-word answers, as his eyes narrowed slightly, and the muscle in his jaw clenched.
Finally, he clipped, “Okay, I’ll be there soon to fill you in on that, Otets.”
I knew from that word it was his father, which made the blood in my veins feel like it was turning to ice.
I was so set on not letting Bogdan Fedorov know he was with me instead of his wife, that I held my breath. And then Hendrix let out a little shrill cry.
It felt like twenty men were going to come in and gun me down, but Taras smirked. “It’s a baby, Dad,” he told him smoothly. “I’ll explain when I see you.”
With that, he pulled his phone away from his ear and calmly ended the call, before putting it back in his pocket. While he was doing it, like there was nothing wrong in the world, the pressure in my head built to exploding proportions.
I expected him to tell me we now had a problem, or for the boys and me to find a hiding place in Ugadugu where his family would never find us. I waited for that advice, but he stayed silent and tried to settle down the still crying baby.
Finally, I rasped, “You’ll have to tell him you were in a restaurant, and the people at the table next to you had a baby.” It was a weak lie seeing as how it was only nine in the morning, but still.
Tilting his head to the side, his eyes scanned me from my eyes down to Walker, who was happily fast asleep. “Why would I do that? And why do you look like you’re about to have a heart attack, dorogoy?”
Ignoring him calling me ‘sweetheart’ again, I focused on the urgent matter at hand.
“Because I am. If he knew about the babies, he’d find a way to deal with them to protect your marriage and the alliance. I love my babies,” I croaked, looking down at a now blurry Walker. “They’re my world.”
“What kind of man do you think he is?” Taras asked quietly, sounding confused but angry. “He wouldn’t hurt them, or you for that matter.”
I didn’t believe him. I knew from my own family and the MC, that marriages were among the most important ways to strengthen alliances and cement our families' standing in our worlds. Duty and loyalty to them were ingrained in us from day one, and you didn’t go against it.
Taras having two sons who weren’t his wife’s would definitely harm the alliance Bogdan wanted, and it also conflicted with his loyalty and duty to the Fedorov Bratva. His father wouldn’t be happy with that at all, and getting rid of that problem would solve it, right?
I couldn’t say for sure that Bogdan was the type of man to do this, but it’d been one of my main worries and reasons for not reaching out to Taras.