Chapter 22 - Ivan

It's been two weeks. Two fucking weeks of tracking that asshole, Donovan, to learn more, and all I've done is taken care of other contacts Lev—and, by extension, Sergei—wants dealt with.

Enough of the info I found on Donovan led to several of his supposed allies. Over time, I've been able to track each of them down in the hunt for more usable data. A handful were less than thrilled about ratting him out, but a good session in the chair loosened their tongues.

Still, there were five who wouldn't budge, sure that Donovan was the new player in town. They all met the same fate as anyone else looking to mess with the Vadims and my brothers and I had been there to deliver Vadim justice to each bastard who threatened them.

Tonight signaled the last of the leads I had to go on, and it hadn't panned out. I was pissed, grumpy as all hell, and ready to get back home to Adley.

"Have the cleaners come. We can't have this shit found," I bit out, and Abe cocked a brow at me.

"What crawled up your ass?"

I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. "Ugh, sorry. This is just a bit frustrating, ain't it? We've been looking for a better lead on Donovan's plans for two weeks now. It's getting old."

Abe shrugged as he nodded once, pulling out his cell to text the clean-up crew.

"No shit. But that's the job." His fingers danced over the keys, and then he slid the phone back into his pocket. "They'll be here in ten. And I, for one, am looking forward to the break. We've been hitting it every fucking night, and for the first time, I'm actually running out of gas."

Vlad groaned in agreement, rubbing the back of his neck. He'd worked over our latest target for at least an hour, and I was sure his back was sore from leaning over the guy as he was strapped to the chair.

The sound of water running also started up, and I looked over to see both him and Abe washing their hands in the dingy sink we'd had installed in what we affectionately called "The Work House."

"Yeah, boys. I think a night in is just what the doctor ordered."

Images of Adley filled my mind, and my bad mood was dissipating faster with each second.

When they were cleaned up, my brother sauntered over, Abe knocking me in the shoulder with his. I shoved back, playing our dumb little game, but then Vlad caught me by the arm and swung me around to look at his phone.

Reading the message, I rolled my eyes and groaned. "Oh, fuck off, Vlad."

Abe pulled up to a stop, clearly amused and interested in what the asshole had texted. "And what's all that about?"

He rushed over to Vlad, and even as I tried to interpose myself between them so that Abe could suffer without reading the message, Vlad managed to lift his phone over my arm and shove it in Abe's face.

Abe started to read the thing aloud, his words choppy as he dodged my strikes.

"Just be more quiet this time. I'm sick of hearing you bone. Ha!"

Having utterly lost this battle, I gave up, sighing as I walked to the exit. "I hate you both."

"Whatever you say," Abe yelled, "bone daddy!"

***

Finally, back home, I was glad to be done for the evening, and I wasted no time heading straight upstairs and to my bedroom. It was quiet as I came up the steep stairs, but then, in the distance, I heard the distinct sound of someone worshipping the porcelain throne.

Adley?

Hurrying up the remaining few steps, I got inside and shucked off my coat and boots. Sure enough, I heard the sound again and then the frailer noise of Adley moaning with discomfort.

"Ugh, make it stop," I heard her mumble from the bathroom, and I padded over to see what was up.

I'd cooked last night, and if I'd given her food poisoning, I was about to feel like a real dickwad.

"Adley? What's going on in there?"

The door to the private toilet room was closed, and I heard the thing flush and another low groan from Adley. In a few moments, the door opened, and she stepped out, looking worse for wear.

She glared up at me as she heaved in several breaths, and I was almost sure Adley was going to turn around and puke again until she shook her head and walked past me toward the bathroom counter.

"What's going on in here, buddy, is your fucking fault."

Adley's tone was exhausted and annoyed, and I'd rarely heard her sound this snappy since she'd been living here. She hung her head over the sink, turning on the faucet to splash her face with cold water.

Another several seconds dragged on before she turned off the water and spun slowly around to face me. Her color was still off, but cooling herself down looked to have eased some of that nausea plaguing her.

"My fault?" My stomach dropped, and I could suddenly feel my heart beating in my chest. "Fuck, it was the food. Dammit, Adley. It hasn't affected me or the guys. I didn't think—shit. I'll toss out whatever we have left."

A dry, sarcastic chuckle left her, and Adley rolled her eyes. "You moron. It's not the food."

She stared at me, her eyes wide and brows up to her hairline. I just stood there, too confused about what she meant by that if it wasn't the food.

"Adley, I don't think I under—"

"Ugh, men. They can be so thick sometimes." She walked away from the counter, coming back toward me.

I thought she might be coming in to pull me somewhere or even shove me, considering her mood, but Adley just stepped around me back into the tiny room that housed the toilet. She bent down, retrieving something small off the ground. Another pained moan left her as she straightened up, and then she walked back up to me and clapped whatever she was holding against my chest.

As she walked away again, I reflexively caught the thing before it fell back to the floor.

"Ugh, remind me not to bend over anymore."

She was back at the sink, splashing her face again when I finally looked at what she'd given me.

My jaw actually dropped.

"Wait. Is this—"

"Yup," She replied, looking at me through the mirror.

"So that means you're—"

"Yup."

"Oh my God, Adley, I…holy shit!"

Everything spun and jumbled together, the world flying around off its axis as I processed what was happening. Reality hit me like a bulldozer, but I looked into her crystal blue eyes in the mirror again and dashed over to her side.

Spinning her around as gently as I could, I fell to my knees in front of her, looking straight ahead at her lower belly.

"You're pregnant," I whispered, a burn behind my eyes that I wouldn't acknowledge.

I heard Adley release a breathy chuckle, and then her hand came to my face, the other threading through my hair. When I looked up at her, the annoyance appeared to be gone, and her eyes were soft and glassy.

"It's so fast. I didn't think…Wow."

A genuine laugh left her that time, and Adley smiled down at me. "Like something out of a teen drama. You knocked me up on the first try."

Like a damned fool, I started laughing, throwing my head back as the burn in my eyes got worse. I wasn't that guy. I wasn't about to cry over some emotional bullshit, but damn, this was way better than I expected. After a second, I looked back at her lower belly again, putting my lips to the area over her leggings.

"Hello in there."

Adley laughed, but when I looked up at her, I could see she wasn't being as stoic as myself. Tears slid down her face, and when I got back up to my feet, I swiped my thumbs under her eyes to clear them.

"Stupid hormones."

I cocked a brow. "Are you sure you can use that excuse already?"

She swatted at me. "Damn straight, I can. If this baby is making me puke my guts out, the hormones are definitely working their magic."

"How did you get a test? It's not like we've been to the store."

She rolled her eyes at me. "You dope. I ordered it and had the thing delivered. You still have an address even all the way out here. I just used Google."

I wasn't thrilled with the idea that finding the house could be that easy. Still, I could always make sure that the driver's delivery records disappeared. I knew several excellent hackers.

"Well, however you got it, I'm about to frame the thing."

Kissing her, which she tried to pull away from, likely because she had just been sick, Adley laughed against my lips. I scooped her up despite any protests, however, carrying her to the bedroom and lying her down.

Together on the bed, I stared down into those soft baby blues, putting my hand on her stomach. Adley sighed, a tired smile still in place on her features.

"I think you can tell, but I'm fucking thrilled. You're creating a human, our human. It's…it's a raw sense of power and connection I haven't known before."

She giggled. "Look at you getting all deep. Mostly, it feels like a raw sense of nausea and exhaustion to me."

I grabbed her chin, making her look at me as I held her stare. "Whatever you need. You fucking tell me all of it. Understood?"

"I will." Adley held my hand where it claimed her face.

With another long sigh, Adley snuggled deeper into the bed. "Rest is what I'm feeling right now."

Making her look at me one more time, I held her chin as I covered her lower belly with my other hand.

"Tomorrow, we're getting you a dress. I'm not waiting another minute to make you my wife."

Her eyes flared wide. "Tomorrow? Like tomorrow tomorrow?"

Smirking down at her, I used my knee to guide Adley's legs further apart. "I'd do it now if I didn't have other plans."

She looked at me like I'd lost my damn mind. "Pregnancy and a proposal is a lot for one day, and now you want to add…"

Adley let the innuendo speak for itself. If she was going the nonverbal route, then I could, too. I reached for the hem of her leggings and then yanked them down, taking her panties with me.

"Ivan!"

I wasn't listening to any of her protests right now, though. Adley was carrying my child, and along with the swirl of emotions that brought, there was also this thrum of possessive energy that gripped me, making me want to claim her as mine all over again.

Squirming, Adley tried to redirect me, but as always, I was taking what I wanted from my sweet, feisty girl, and she was going to lay back and take it. I tossed her pants to the side, lying between her legs and reaching up for one of Adley's breasts as I spread her for me with the other.

She moaned low, her breaths flowing in and out in quick succession. "Ivan, I…You know what, never mind. Go for it. Maybe it'll make me feel better."

I smiled just before diving in, dragging my tongue through her slit and finding the growing wetness that was always so responsive for me. I was going to make her come at least twice on my tongue before sinking my cock inside her.

My perfect girl. Pregnant and claimed and mine.