24. Tatiana

24

TATIANA

I didn't know how much time had passed since I'd stared down at that pregnancy test and saw how my future would go.

Days, maybe a week. Time just seemed to mesh together, if I was being honest.

I hadn't seen Gio since then, not because I'd been keeping my distance but because he'd gone back to the West Coast for work. But the texts I got from him were daily, and although raunchy, I sensed a lighter, softer note in each one.

Like when he'd ask how I was and wanted me to elaborate.

Or when he'd send me a random text saying he was thinking about me .

But would he still feel that way when I finally told him about the baby?

I placed a hand on my belly but quickly removed it, as the last thing I needed was for someone to see and jump to conclusions.

I took a deep breath and exhaled, steadying myself, because at this particular moment, I had to focus on the here and now.

And that was because Dmitry had gone and gotten himself married.

Not just married to someone he ran into or even an arranged marriage to another family. No… to Claudia Bianchi.

Dmitry had wed Gio and Amara's sister.

I guess we really were keeping it in the damn family.

They'd had a low-key ceremony just an hour before, and having everyone close to us gathered for the nuptials made my thoughts clear for the first time in forever.

Seeing Gio after a week felt like an eternity had passed.

God, I had it bad for him.

And pretending to have no feelings for him, acting like he was just my sisters-in-law's brother, was a hell of a lot harder than anyone could guess .

The door to one of my favorite little French restaurants was held open for us. I stepped inside, behind everyone else except Gio, who was right behind me. I felt his towering frame so close, sensed his body heat seeping into me. I swore I felt his breath tease the tendrils of my hair and heard him inhale deeply.

But I focused on placing one foot in front of the other and stared at the massive, crystal chandelier that hung in the center of the large room. Everyone was dressed in their best, and I smiled as all the patrons stared in awe at the beauty who was my new sister-in-law, Claudia, as she made her way through the establishment in her wedding gown.

Pierre, the owner, came out from the back to greet us. He shook Nikolai and Dmitry's hands, his grin splitting wide when my brothers accepted the gesture.

We were led to a table, Pierre assuring us it was the best one in his restaurant. Once we were all seated, he snapped his fingers. The waitstaff bustled over and made sure all our crystal glasses were filled with artisan water.

The owner grinned from ear to ear as he doted on my brothers.

A wine glass was set in front of me, and panic washed over me, as I knew I couldn't drink it. But would abstaining be like a neon sign that I was pregnant?

Liquor was poured for the men, and a childproof cup of chocolate milk was brought out for Luca.

Dmitry reached over and pulled Claudia's chair close to his. He threw his arm over the back of it, the tips of his fingers lightly stroking the bare skin of her arm. Watching the pure happiness that was on my brothers' faces was something I didn't think I'd ever get to witness.

And it made me feel like everything was right in the world.

Dmitry and Nikolai started speaking in low voices to each other, and I had this tingling on the back of my neck. I didn't have to look at Gio to know he was staring at me.

I grabbed my water glass and took a long sip but nearly choked on it when I felt a heavy, warm hand land on my thigh.

I did pretty damn well at not snapping my head toward Gio and silently asking him what in the fuck he was doing.

My breathing was visibly changing—I felt it start to pick up. My fingers twitched, my hands shaking as I gripped my water glass, when he pushed the fabric of my dress all the way up my leg. He skimmed his fingers over my bare skin, and I felt goose bumps move along my entire body.

I shouldn't have, but I did turn my head and glance at him. And that sexy bastard was looking straight ahead, his focus on my brothers, a muscle under his jaw flexing.

He moved his fingers to the edge of my panties and teased the skin just beneath, gently following it down between my thighs until he brushed that sensitive spot where my leg and pussy met.

Self-preservation rose up, and I placed my hand on top of his, trying to stop him. The last thing I needed was for my brothers to catch on to what was happening and shoot Gio right there at the table.

Although he didn't make a sound, I swore I heard his deep chuckle echoing in my head, as if he were up to the challenge of showing me he'd damn well do whatever the hell he wanted.

He tightened his fingers against my flesh, demonstrating to me that he was much stronger and determined to make… this happen.

My pussy got wet at that thought and realization.

Being in the middle of a restaurant with my family all around, customers eating a stone's throw away, and Gio touching my panty-covered pussy was so wrong it was good. Beads of sweat started forming on my temple, and trying to act "normal" was getting harder by the second.

Two waitresses came by with trays full of the first course. And the entire time the dishes were being laid out, Gio kept rubbing my slit through the lace. I glanced around the table, but no one seemed to pay me any attention. Although, Claudia seemed… off, and I couldn't figure out why. She was also sweating slightly, perspiration dotting her upper lip and forehead, her cheeks pink.

God, it's hot in here.

I clenched my legs together, trying to let Gio know he had to stop.

I sensed him shift in his chair, leaning a bit closer to me. "Keep fighting me. I'm sporting a raging fucking hard-on right now because of it." He added more pressure to my leg. "But I know you really want to open up for me."

His voice was low enough—along with all the chatter in the room—that I knew I was the only one to hear his words.

I did as he said, and Gio ran his finger down the center of my pussy, gently pressing the gusset of my panties against my opening. I tried to hold in my moan, but a squeak escaped, and I worried that I sounded like a dying animal.

But everyone was still engrossed in their own conversation and paid us no mind.

Gio leaned back in his chair like a king getting his fill of… everything.

And that everything was me.

After taking a long drink from my water glass to help the parched feeling of my throat, I set it down and placed my hand on his again, praying like hell he'd quit.

I didn't want him to stop because I wasn't thoroughly enjoying this; it was because I feared someone at this table would see. Then all hell would break loose. I grabbed on to that Petrov fire within me and looked at him, narrowing my eyes and pursing my lips. I wanted him to see he was pissing me off.

He was already staring at me, this cocky fucking smirk on his face. He leaned in at the same time he hooked his finger on the edge of my panties and pulled them aside.

And then he whispered, "Fight me, little girl. Like I said, all that does is make my cock harder." And then he smoothed that digit over my slick, bared pussy, chuckling deep in his chest. "Your cunt is all primed for me." And then he was leaning back in his chair like nothing happened, and I wondered if I'd imagined it all.

Gio pushed a thick, calloused finger into me, and I bit the inside of my cheek. My inner muscles clenched with the memory of his girthy cock wedging inside of me, stretching me, making it hurt so good.

Nikolai started conversing with Gio, and I had to draw up every ounce of strength I had to act totally unaffected.

With one more thrust of his finger into me, Gio finally removed it, adjusted my dress, and grabbed his wine glass just as the food arrived. He glanced at me as he took a drink, and I noticed his middle finger was glossy with my arousal.

Gio set the glass down, and—shocking the hell out of me… again—he sucked that digit into his mouth. Right the fuck in front of everyone.

My face felt so damn hot with embarrassment and arousal.

And with each passing second, Gio acted more closed off, and every bit the Italian Mafia leader he was.

I tried not to look at him, but I couldn't help but steal glances in his direction .

Get a damn grip.

I glanced at Amara and Nikolai, who were taking care of Luca. Dmitry had his arm over the back of his new wife's chair. I was able to focus on other things besides the fact that I was pregnant, that I'd nearly had an orgasm in the middle of a restaurant surrounded by my family, and that I was in love with Gio.

I doted on Luca, my nephew, the cutest thing I'd ever seen in my life.

Nikolai, Dmitry, and Gio started talking about work, their conversation cryptic and not making any sense to anyone but them. But that didn't stop me from listening in.

"As much as you assholes annoy the hell out of me, I won't lie and say this marriage doesn't make our union even stronger," Gio said. He leaned back in his seat and braced his elbow on the arm of my chair.

I shifted as I felt his energy surrounding me.

Dmitry started talking, and when I glanced at Nikolai, I could see him staring at Gio with a strange expression on his face. It made my heart race for another reason.

Did he suspect something?

But Nikolai turned his focus to my new sister-in- law and asked, "Claudia,"—his Russian was thick—"do you know about our fight club business venture?"

I snapped my focus to Dmitry and saw my brother instantly tense.

"Nikolai," he growled and leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table and glowering.

Nikolai smirked. "What, brat ?" he asked with false innocence, using the Russian word for brother.

"Enough," Dmitry bit out.

But it was clear Nikolai wasn't perturbed by the clear aggression and warning pouring off Dmitry. Whatever he was doing, whatever he planned on saying, was going to continue whether the groom liked it or not.

Nikolai grinned and cast a glance at Gio before looking at Claudia again. "You should check out a fight. It's pretty fucking incredible entertainment."

"Language, Nikolai," Amara chided, but we all knew he did whatever the hell he wanted, when he wanted.

"Fucking ya!" Luca shouted, a wide smile on his face as he scored points on whatever game he played.

I felt my eyes widen in surprise and covered my mouth with the back of my hand to stem off my laughter.

Nikolai chuckled and looked over at his son, but at the narrow-eyed look on Amara's face, he sobered and shifted in his chair.

"Baby, we don't repeat the bad words we hear Daddy say, remember?"

Luca didn't respond as he kept playing, which had Amara sighing in frustration and casting another angry look at Nikolai before grabbing her water glass and downing it.

"I mean it, Claudia. Have your husband bring you."

Dmitry shook his head.

There was a heavy silence that filled the table.

"I'd like to go," I said in a low voice, staring at my brothers. I had no clue why I even said a word, let alone got involved in this. The last thing I needed to do was go to another fight when the last one I attended had been a nightmare.

But I knew I'd be safe, and there was this push and pull inside me that said I had to go. I had to create new memories in a place that had been so dark.

Gio didn't look at me, but when I glanced up at him, I could see he was scowling. He gestured over to the waiter and asked for something too softly for me to hear. Only a moment later, a glass of whiskey was being set down in front of him.

He promptly tossed it back.

"I thought you said those fights were nothing but a bunch of bloodthirsty savages?" Amara wiped Luca's face after she spoke.

"The answer is no," Dmitry bit out. "Absolutely not."

"It'll be safe, brother." Nikolai's brows lowered. "I'll even bring Amara. She's been wanting to check one out since the last time she snuck her perfect ass into the underground." He turned his head to stare at his wife. "Remember, kotenok ?"

Nikolai leaned in and dragged his nose along the shell of her ear. I held in my cringe at seeing my brother being sexual with his wife.

"I had to kill those assholes who thought they could even look at you."

Amara slowly blinked, and a blush spread across her cheeks. Nikolai kissed her temple before looking at Dmitry again. He held out his hands, palms up, before dropping them back down."See? It'll be a family outing. We'll bring in extra security, keep a safe area sectioned off for the girls, and they can get an adrenaline rush watching D'yavol beat some poor sap to death."

Dmitry's jaw was clenched tightly as he squared off with Nikolai, who just smirked.

"What do you say, Gio?" Nikolai asked, saying those words slowly and with purpose.

Gio was silent for long seconds, then responded, "Maybe watching the fights will open their eyes to their world more."

I shifted on my seat at the fact that I'd see Gio fight again, although I didn't know who at this table knew D'yavol's true identity.

"But don't think I'll let this caveman shit fly with my sisters, Russian ," he added.

Nikolai sobered instantly after Gio spoke, all amusement fading as he stared at the other man. "Your sisters are married. They aren't under your protection anymore, and you sure as hell don't make the rules." He leaned forward and growled curses in Russian before saying, "Don't think you can tell me what to do."

"Okay," Amara said. "That's enough. Claudia just got married, and this is supposed to be a nice after-ceremony meal. All of you are ruining it." The anger in my sister-in-law's voice was thick and made me proud as hell that she stood up to these Neanderthals.

Nikolai leaned back in his chair, Gio shut up, and Dmitry laughed softly.

And just like that, the atmosphere changed. Everyone calmed the hell down, and we had a nice rest of the afternoon.

But internally, I was a ball of nerves because something inside of me said this moment—tonight—was the start of everything coming to a head.

Life as I knew it was never going to be the same again.