Her green eyes lock on mine as her body tenses and she moans my name. My eyes run over her, taking in the sight of her tits poking out from her disheveled bra, the sexy curve of her hips, and the stomach that I know is going to start growing bigger with each passing week. All of it works together to quickly push me over the edge with her. I pull her closer, kissing her slowly as she clenches around me, milking me of everything I have until I’m completely and utterly spent. I give her one last kiss before reaching down to pull the blanket back over her again and cradling her against my chest.
“I love you, Kolya,” she murmurs against my neck before kissing the crook of it.
“I love you, too, baby, more than you could possibly imagine.” I kiss the top of her head. “No more talk about bad parenting. Our baby is going to be surrounded with love from the moment he or she takes their first breath.”
She nods her head in agreement and we sit for a few more minutes before I carry her inside, worried she’s getting too cold. When I check my phone, I see a text from Vadim.
Chapter15
Moira
“What?” I ask, pretty sure I’ve just heard Vadim wrong.
“There was a substantial insurance policy on the club, and, surprisingly, Paddy kept it up to date. Automatic payments came out every January for the year, so the club was covered till the end of the year. I canceled the policy, obviously, and already started everything rolling for you to get your payment.”
Vadim looks at me, studying me with those amber eyes of his, but all I can do is gawk like an idiot and say, “What kind of lawyer are you?”
He laughs and says, “Whatever kind very high-paying clients need me to be.”
“Thanks, man,” Nikolai says, smacking him on the arm.
“No problem, and congratulations on the baby and wedding and all that.”
He waves his hand in our general direction, making Nikolai laugh. “So heartfelt. Thanks.”
“You know I don’t do well with emotional stuff. I do wish you both the best, though.” He looks at his fancy watch that has more gadgets than my Jeep does. “I’m sorry. I’ve got another client coming in.”
“No problem. We need to get somewhere anyway. I’d say send me the bill, but we both know you probably already have.”
Vadim laughs and gives me a wave before we walk out of his office. I’m still too stunned to speak. It’s like the one thing my grandad did right. My first thought is that he had plans to set the building on fire himself if things went too far south so he could collect the huge payout. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that it’s the only explanation that makes sense. The club had fallen on hard times before it ever came to be mine, and those automatic payments were huge chunks of money coming out every year. I’m guessing that club was going to end up being a pile of ashes no matter how things turned out.
“Feel better?” Nikolai asks me. “My money is yours, but I know you like knowing you have your own.”
I smile because he’s right. I know we’re engaged, but I still feel like I’ve just been mooching off him. Now I feel like we’re closer to being on equal footing. I rest my hand on his thigh while he drives us back to the other side of town. I know he’s not happy about it, but he pulls into the youth club’s parking lot, looking around at the rougher side of town with a worried look on his face.
“Don’t complain when I have a head full of grey hair, because it will be your doing.”
I laugh and run my hand through his thick, dark hair. “You’re going to make one hell of a silver fox.”
He laughs and pulls me in for a kiss. “You promise you’ll call me when you’re done and that you won’t just hang out in the damn parking lot?”
“I could’ve driven myself,” I remind him.
“No, I don’t want you coming and going in this parking lot on your own.”
“You act like it’s a third-world country.”
“I grew up in a rough neighborhood. I know exactly what happens when you let your guard down, and I’m telling you right now that there’s no way in hell I’m letting you get out of this car until you promise you’ll stay inside and call me.”
I kiss him and whisper, “I promise,” against his lips. Part of me is shocked that he’s actually letting me leave the car. He was protective before, but ever since we found out about the pregnancy, it’s steadily grown worse. I know he’s just worried, though, so I give him another kiss and tell him I’ll call him as soon as I’m done. He doesn’t drive away until I’m safely inside. I give him a wave, surprised at myself that his overprotectiveness isn’t grating on my nerves. I’ve always been super independent, but the truth is, I love how over-the-top he’s become. He makes me feel loved, like I’m the most precious thing in the world to him, and he makes me feel safe in a way that I’ve never known before.
Despite my determination to start teaching, I have no desire to push things too far. I take a look at the spotless gym and smile at the young guy who’s heading towards me. I see the family resemblance immediately and shake the hand he offers me.
“You must be Adam, Gina’s brother,” I say, smiling at him and the young blonde who comes up to stand beside him.
“And you’re Moira, I take it,” he says with a grin. I shake my head yes as he wraps an arm around the blonde. “This is my fiancée Stacy.” If the huge grin on his face wasn’t proof enough, the way he looks down at Stacy like the whole world revolves around her would’ve been clue enough.
I shake her hand while Adam gives a soft laugh. “I never thought I’d see the day when Nikolai would settle down. He’s made it abundantly clear that if anything happens to you, Stacy and I will never be able to have children.”