Mirrors lined some of the walls. People liked a show, especially their own. Katie didn’t say whether she liked what she was seeing or not.
It was then I realized two bratva men had walked in behind her. “Who are they?” I jutted my chin toward them.
“Extra security.”
“We don’t need extra. I’m here with you.”
“The bratva considered that.” She sighed and ran a hand through her black strands. “They don’t exactly trust you yet, though.”
“Interesting. You’re holding my blood in you and they don’t trust me with it? It doesn’t matter, though, because it’s not their decision, Katalina.” I narrowed my eyes at them. I wasn’t sure if they were here because she agreed to it or because they were going against her command in order to watch her every move.
It felt like the latter, considering the way she narrowed her eyes at them.
“It’s a joint one, monster.” She rubbed her face and tried to get rid of the anger. Then she smirked at me, probably because she saw my jaw clenching. “It’s just the beginning of a transition. They’ll get used to it, huh?” She shrugged and relaxed a bit in the shoulders, and it cooled the temper running through me for a moment.
“Well, you saw the opening. I’m not inclined to stay with you while the whole place stares us down. So let’s go. And your guards can go the opposite way.” I waved them off.
She rolled her eyes. “Rome, they’re providing security for me. Extra safety.”
I glared at both of the guards. “You think they’re any good at that?”
The men glanced at one another, not sure what to do. They were young, highly untrained, and not ready to do anything other than collect intel.
I had the answer to my question. “You want them to continue to follow us?”
“I’m not sure there needs to be any following.”
“Because?”
“Because I’d like to stay for a drink.”
“You can’t drink.” My gaze flicked down to her belly where she rubbed immediately. There wasn’t a bump there. Not yet.
“Of soda.”
I kept my eyes on her. “Should you even be drinking that?”
“Are you fussing over a damn ginger ale, Rome? I’ll drink what I want. One sip of carbonation and sugar isn’t going to hurt the baby.”
“So, you did read up on it?” I tried not to smile.
We were already crazy parents, already out of control.
“Oh, shut the hell up.” She stomped her foot. “I realize I’m getting a little obsessive about what I can and can’t do so as not to harm the baby.”
I sighed. I was too. We were helicopter parenting before the child had even gotten to the viable pregnancy stage.
“If we go, I can stop that habit of yours for a little while.”
“Really?” She tilted her head. “How so?”
“You don’t need to ask the question when your pussy knows the answer, Katalina.”
She glanced behind her. “Want to say it louder for the people in the back to hear? Jesus, Rome.”
A laugh rumbled out of me. She thought I cared? I didn’t give a damn at all. This was my place. “Katalina, the whole world knows you’re having my baby. What’s there to hide?”
The two bratva men near us scoffed a little more loudly than Katalina liked. They weren’t her normal security.