Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“Galina doesn’t make me weak, Dad. Trust me, she makes me strong. She is … she is this fire, and she makes me want to be better. You have nothing to worry about with her.”
“Peter told me about his suspicions. I believe he has come to you.”
“About Vik Kuzlov?” Mikhail asked.
“Yes.”
“He’s going to try and attack Galina. I will kill him.” This wasn’t a threat, it was a promise.
“Mikhail, I know you believe Vik believes you’ve slighted him in some way, but it’s not because of your marriage to Galina that he feels this way. Until I met Anna and we got married and had you, Vik Kuzlov was in line to the Belsky Bratva.”
This was news to Mikhail. “What?”
“Vik Kuzlov is a … relative. Your uncle.”
“How is that possible?” Mikhail asked.
“Our father—your grandfather—had a mistress. She was killed, and Vik was already born, and he had a reputation. An anger. Your grandfather knew he couldn’t have a bastard on the throne, so he made sure Vik was rewarded. Made him a Brigadier, gave him a title, power, and wealth. Everything a son like Vik shouldn’t have gotten. But it was all in the knowledge, that he wasn’t going to be King. That was my job. The firstborn son in marriage.” Boris sighed. “Twenty-three years ago, I got the news that I had cancer, but it was treatable. There was always a risk it wouldn’t work, and I get tested yearly, and so far, it has stayed gone. I met Anna working at the hospital, married her, and against all odds, we had you. During that time, Vik was by my side and I told him in the event of my death, he would get everything. Belsky would return to him.”
“And then I was born,” Mikhail said.
“Yes. I have my men and guards on you at all times. Vik has never done anything to harm you, and he vowed to keep you safe, but time is slipping by. Power gets to a person, and I haven’t been able to contact Vik in two weeks. This is the longest he’s been off the grid, and no one can find him.”
This made Mikhail tense up. “What?”
“I need you to take extra care. Vik won’t go after Galina to hurt her. He’ll go after Galina to lure you so he can kill you.”
Chapter Ten
Galina looked up to see Mikhail enter their penthouse suite. He looked pale and he didn’t make a sound as he closed the door and then put his jacket up on the peg beside him.
She nibbled her lip and turned to look at him. “Are you okay?”
Mikhail finally looked up. “Yeah.”
“Long day?”
He walked up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and then took possession of her mouth. She ran her hands up his chest, circling his neck.
“Yeah.”
“Want to talk about it?” she asked.
“No.” He kissed her again. “Yes.” Then another kiss. “No.”
“Then how about we don’t but completely do talk about it?”
“You totally get me.” He sighed, pressing his head against hers.
She slid her hands down his back wanting to make it easier for him. “Do you want to know what I did today?” she asked, hoping to provide a perfect distraction for him.
“What?”
“I got Peter to go to the pharmacy for me today,” she said.
Mikhail pulled away. “Are you sick? Poorly?”
“No, I’m not sick and I’m not poorly. Well, I don’t know if you would say I’m either of those things.”
“Galina, if there is something wrong, I need to know about it. I have to get a doctor to fix it.”
“I got him to get a pregnancy test kit,” she said, blurting it out a little faster than she hoped.
“A pregnancy test kit?”
“Yes. We’ve been married for two months now, and er, yeah, I’ve not had a menstrual cycle in all that time.” She nibbled her lip.
“Does that mean…?”
“I’m usually regular like clockwork, so not being regular is kind of scary, and I don’t know if this is a good thing or not.”
He cupped her face and kissed her lips. “Have you taken the test?”
“No, I was waiting for you. I was hoping you and I could do it together, you know?” She nibbled her lip.
Peter had offered to stay behind and be there to hold her hand, but she knew this was Mikhail’s place. He had to be the one holding her hand.
He let her go and ran one of his hands down her body, going toward her stomach, and resting it there. “Our child could be in there, growing?”
“Yes.”
She covered his hand with her own. “Our baby could be right there.” She let out a little giggle. “I don’t know why I’m laughing.”
“Are you excited about this?” Mikhail asked. “We could be parents.”
“I know, and yes, I’m excited and kind of nervous. I didn’t think I’d be a young mother, but I think you and I can do this. If you can get me to shoot, then I think we’ve got this.”