Chapter 44

Laura

I WAKEup to find Victor still sleeping next to me, his breathing slow and steady, his chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. I can feel the heat radiating from his naked body, warming me from head to toe.

The evening light filters through the blinds, casting long shadows across our rumpled sheets.

A single tear slips down my cheek, and I hastily wipe it away.

Damn it, these pregnancy hormones are too much.

I’m constantly on the verge of tears, even in moments of pure contentment.

Carefully, so as not to disturb him, I prop myself up and study his face.

He looks younger in sleep, the hard lines of his features softened by rest. I resist the urge to trace my fingertips along the sharp angle of his jaw, to feel the rough stubble beneath my touch.

How did I get here?

My heart swells with a confusing mix of feelings.

Married to a man I barely know, carrying his child, and yet… somehow falling for him more and more each day.

As if sensing my gaze, Victor stirs, his eyelids fluttering open. Those mysterious gray eyes meet mine, and a slow, lazy smile curves his lips.

“Morning, kiska,” he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep. “You been watching me long?”

I feel my cheeks warm up, realizing I’ve been caught. “Not long. Actually—it’s evening,” I correct him, lowering my head a bit. “I was just… lost in thought.”

“About what?” He reaches out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

“About us. About this crazy situation we’ve found ourselves in.” I bite my lip, suddenly uncertain. “Victor, what are we doing? What is this… thing between us?”

He’s quiet for a moment, his gaze searching mine. “Be my wife, Laura,” he finally says, his voice low.

I chuckle softly, touching his face. “I am your wife, silly.”

His words catch in his throat as he tries to express himself.“I mean, I want you… and the baby,” he finally manages to say, taking a deep breath. “I mean it, Laura Anne Thompson, marry me—for real.”

Damn it, here come the tears again.

Fighting them back, I steady my trembling hands before placing one softly on his chest. “Okay,” I whisper.

Inside my head, the words are clear and urgent: I love you, Victor. More than anything else.

But I hold them back, scared to say them out loud.

I reach up, my hand gently cradling his face, thumb caressing his cheek. “There’s so much I want to say, so much I feel for you, but I just… I can’t get the words out.”

He captures my hand in his, bringing it to his lips. He presses a fierce, hot kiss to my palm, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin.

“Let me show you,” he growls, rolling me beneath him in one smooth motion. “Let me show you how much I fucking need you.”

His cock is long, thick, and hard, glistening with a thin layer of moisture. It stands proudly between my legs, waiting to be welcomed inside.

I moan when Victor’s lips trail down my neck, his hand gently caressing my breasts. The head of his cock brushes against my entrance, sending a tingling sensation through my body. As he rubs it against me, I can feel the ridges and veins, each one adding to the pleasure.

“Victor…”

He grinds against me with a frenzied urgency, his hips thrusting and grinding in perfect rhythm with the rhythmic throbbing of his bulging cock, teasing me with every movement. The soft, wet sounds of his cock rubbing against my wetness fill the room, accompanied by our heavy breathing and the sound of our moans.

My hips buck in response, desperate for his touch as our lips collide in a fiery and passionate connection. Every nerve in my body is on fire, craving the release that only he can provide.

“Tell me, kiska,” he growls against my lips. “Do you like it when I’m inside of you?”

I whimper, nodding my head as he continues to tease me.

“I want to hear you say it,” he demands, his voice dripping with desire.

“Yes,” I gasp out. “I love it when you’re inside of me.”

He lines himself up at my entrance and slowly enters me, inch by inch. The feeling of fullness and pleasure washes over me, and I wrap my legs around his waist, urging him to move faster.

Victor’s thrusts become harder and faster as our moans hang in the air. He leans down to capture one of my nipples in his mouth while his hand rubs circles on my clit.

With each thrust, he pushes deeper and harder; his cock fills me completely, hitting all the right spots and driving me wild with desire.

“I can feel you gripping me, baby,” he growls in my ear, his hot breath sending tingles down my spine. “You love it when I fuck you like this.”

I want to scream for him to never stop, but all that comes out is a deep, guttural moan.

“I’m so close,” I finally cry out as the pleasure builds within me.

“Come for me, kiska,” Victor whispers hotly in my ear. His words are all it takes for my release to wash over me in waves.

“I know you want more,” Victor growls against my skin, his voice dripping with lust as he pulls out of me, leaving me aching and wanting for him. My body is on a high, but he isn’t finished with me yet.

“Turn around,” he commands, and I eagerly comply, knowing what is coming next. I get on all fours for him, my ass high in the air, anticipation coursing through my veins. I turn my face to look at him. Victor’s body is a sight to behold, his muscles tense and glistening with sweat as he positions himself behind me.

His cock presses against my slick entrance, and I arch my back, eager for him to take me.

And he does, in one swift thrust that fills me completely. I can’t help but cry out at the feeling of being stretched and filled by him.

He begins to move inside me, his strong hands on my hips as he pulls me onto him with each thrust. I push back against him, wanting to feel every inch of him inside me.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” he grunts between thrusts. I sobin response, urging him on even harder.

Victor groans. I feel his cock pulsating, our moans echoing through the room as our bodies move together in perfect rhythm.

“Fuck, fuck! I’m coming again.” Gripping onto the sheets, unable to contain my moans as he continues to drive deeper and deeper inside of me. His hand reaches around to rub circles on my clit, intensifying the sensations even more.

“Oh God, yes!” I cry out, feeling myself getting closer and closer to the edge.

“Fuck yes, kiska, I can feel your pussy so fucking tight on my cock,” Victor growls in my ear as he picks up his pace.“I’m coming too,” he utters.

With one final thrust, we reach our peak together, with him giving a hoarse shout as he spills himself inside me. And then he’s collapsing on top of me, his weight a warm, welcome burden.

We stay like that for a long moment, our hearts pounding in tandem as we catch our breath. Victor presses soft, gentle kisses to my ear, my neck, my shoulder. Each one feels like a promise, a silent vow.

Eventually, reluctantly, he rolls off me, gathering me close to his side. I rest my head on his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat.

“I have something for you,” he says suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence.

I lift my head, my eyebrows pulling together in confusion. “What is it?”

He reaches over to the nightstand, picking up a velvet box. My heart skips a beat as he hands it to me, a small, almost shy smile on his face.

I hesitate, then reach to open the box. Inside, nestled on a bed of black satin, is a necklace. The same necklace he gave me on our wedding day, the delicate gold chain and single diamond pendant. Only now, the pendant is surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds, glittering in the soft light of the bedroom.

“Victor,” I breathe, my eyes filling with tears. “It’s beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you,” he murmurs, taking the necklace from the box. “May I?”

I nod, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. I sit up, sweeping my hair to the side as he fastens the chain around my neck. The pendant settles just above my breasts, the diamonds catching the light with every breath.

“Perfect,” Victor says, his voice rough with emotion. “You’re perfect, kiska.”

I turn to face him, my heart in my eyes. “Thank you,” I whisper, my hand coming up to touch the necklace. “For this, for everything.”

He kisses me then, soft and sweet and full of unspoken promises. And for a moment, everything is perfect.

Suddenly, his phone starts buzzing violently inside the pants thrown on the floor.

I groan as he pulls away from me, my body already missing his warmth. I watch him as he stands, his muscles rippling under his skin as he reaches for his phone. His jaw clenches as he reads the message, a flicker of anger crossing his face.

I sit up, the sheets pooling around my waist. “What is it?” I ask, my voice still thick with sleep and satisfaction.

He doesn’t answer right away, his fingers flying over the screen as he types out a response. I long for him to come back to bed, to wrap me in his arms, and lose ourselves in each other again.

But a shadow crosses his face, and I feel a sudden, sinking sense of dread.

“Laura,” he says, his voice grave. “I have to go. There’s something I need to take care of.”

“What?” I blink, confusion and fear warring in my chest. “What do you mean? Where are you going?”

“I can’t tell you.” He cups my face in his hands, his eyes intense and apologetic. “But I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can. And when I return, we’ll talk. About everything.”

I watch as he quickly pulls on his clothes, his movements sharp and efficient. He grabs his gun from the nightstand, checking the safety before tucking it into the waistband of his jeans.

“Be careful, please,” I tell him, my heart in my throat.

He pauses, his gaze softening as he looks at me. In three long strides, he’s back at the bed, his hand reaching out to caress my cheek.

“Ya tebya lyublyu, Laura,” he breathes out, his voice rough with emotion.

I chew on my lip as I glance up at him. “What does that mean?” I ask, a flutter of hope in my chest.

He gives me a smile but doesn’t answer. Instead, he leans down and kisses me again, hard and desperate, as if he’s trying to pour all his feelings into that one embrace.

And then he’s gone, leaving me alone in the rumpled sheets, my heart aching with a mix of love and longing and fear.

“Go to sleep, kiska,” he calls over his shoulder, his footsteps heavy on the stairs.

I hear the front door open and close.

Slowly, I sink back against the pillows, exhaustion tugging at me, my body heavy and sated from our lovemaking. I can still feel the ghost of his touch on my skin, the taste of him on my lips.

As my eyes drift closed, I clutch the necklace he gave me, the diamonds warm against my palm. It feels like a promise, a tangible reminder of the bond growing between us.

Come back to me,I pray silently, sleep pulling me under. Come back to us, Victor. We need you. I need you.