“Excuse me?” I asked.
The doctor smiled. “You’re pregnant, Mrs. Lenkov. About six weeks if my calculations are correct. We’ll know more at your first ultrasound.”
I opened and shut my mouth. “Pregnant? But Dr. Jelinski said it was impossible.”
“Well, he was wrong. But his original findings are why I took both blood and urine. The tests came back positive. I’d thought you’d be happier.”
My heart pounded in my chest and my palms grew damp. “I am. I just… It’s hard to process. After believing I’d never have children, you’re suddenly saying I’m pregnant, and I… I’m not sure what to think or how to feel. It’s…”
“Overwhelming?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Go home and share your good news, Mrs. Lenkov. If I know Ivan, he’ll be thrilled. And extremely protective. I hope you’re prepared to feel like a caged bird until the baby arrives.”
I placed a hand over my belly. “What if I can’t carry to term?”
“There’s always the possibility of that happening, even with someone who hasn’t had your past, Mrs. Lenkov. I’ll call in a prescription for prenatal vitamins. You’ll want stronger ones than the type you get over the counter. I’m also going to recommend you do things in moderation. Don’t suddenly start going to the gym every day or take up jogging.” He cleared his throat and lowered his voice a little. “And tell your husband to be…gentle in the bedroom.”
My cheeks burned and I nodded. After my appointment wrapped up, I walked to my car in a daze. Ivan had made sure I’d learned to drive and had gotten my license, then he’d purchased a car for me. It was the same as his, but a different color. I collapsed onto the driver’s seat, my mind reeling from what I’d learned.
I went home on autopilot, hardly aware of my surroundings. I somehow made it into the driveway before I stopped and seemed to freeze completely. I heard Ivan shouting as he raced toward me after I’d been sitting there for who knew how long. He shut off the car and tugged me into his arms.
“Imogen, what’s wrong? What happened?”
He sounded frantic and it had the effect of ice being dumped over my head. The fog lifted and I focused on his concerned face.
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong, I’m just… a little in shock I think.”
Ivan lifted me into his arms and carried me inside. He sat in his favorite chair in the living room and settled me across his lip, smoothing my hair back from my face. “Kiska, what happened?”
“I saw Dr. Semenov. He said…” I stopped and licked my lips, suddenly nervous over how Ivan would react.
“He said what?” Ivan’s hold tightened on me.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurted. My cheeks warmed and I looked into his eyes. They darkened and his lips parted before he let out a whoop and crushed me in a tight hug.
“My beautiful, stunning, talented wife is pregnant!” He grinned so big I thought his face might crack.
“I’m hardly talented, Ivan. Women get pregnant every day.”
“But my woman doesn’t.” He kissed me tenderly. “I’m so happy, kiska. You were more than enough, but this… this is a miracle. We’ve created a life together.”
I pressed his hand to my belly and told him about Dr. Semenov’s warning when it came to the bedroom and anything strenuous. I saw the flash of worry in Ivan’s eyes and knew the doctor had been right. My husband was about to wrap me in cotton and refuse to let me lift a finger to do anything. He’d probably carry me room to room, for fear I’d trip and hurt myself.
“I will take the best care of you, liybimaya. Both of you,” he vowed.
“I know you will.” Smiling I kissed him again. “You’ve always taken care of me, Ivan. With you, I’ll always be safe and always be loved. This baby might be a miracle, but you were the first miracle in my life. My savior. My husband. My love.”
When the Bratva had come to my uncle’s house all those months ago, I’d been terrified, thinking I’d be made to suffer yet again. It had never occurred to me that Ivan would rescue me, make me his wife, and fall in love with me. And I certainly hadn’t thought I’d ever love a man like him, but I did. Yes, he did bad things, and he’d hurt people. But I knew he’d never harm me. I was his world, and he was mine.
Somehow, I’d managed to get my happily-ever-after. And now that I carried his child, our fairytale ending was complete. Or it would be once our baby arrived safe and sound. I’d do whatever it took to guarantee nothing happened to our child because I knew no one would ever be more loved or wanted.
I’d been taken by the Bratva. Claimed by a monster. And given freedom in the most unexpected of ways.
Dear Reader,
Taken by the Bratva is a short novella for those who need an escape from reality but are short on time. We hope you enjoyed the story and will take a moment to leave a review or rating at the retailer of your choice, or at Goodreads or BookBub. We appreciate your support!
If you’d like to read a longer Mafia romance by us, check out Collateral Damage (Owned by the Mob), published with Changeling Press.
Paige & Harley
Collateral Damage by Paige Warren & Harley Wylde
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Copyright ©2019 Harley Wylde & Paige Warren
Cerys
I could hear my heart thundering in my ears as I strained to listen to my father’s conversation. The men had forced their way into our home, and I’d heard the crash of furniture. At first, I’d been terrified because I’d thought we were being robbed. Now I knew different. I’d known my father was in trouble, but I didn’t realize how much. Money had been tight for a while,
