28. Inessa

Roses are covering every surface as I step into the closet to get ready for Verena's appointment. I can't even see my clothes or the floor and I'm frozen, staring at each arrangement. They vary in color and size, filling the space and it takes me a moment to see what's at the center of the room. The plaster cast of my bump is arranged dead center in the middle of the florist that's taken over the room.

There's less care than there should be as I trample the blooms. I've never cared for flowers; they die and smell like this shit when the petals begin to rot. But I miss my bump and being able to touch it. The delicate petals are crushed under my feet until I reach it and drop down to my knees. Dani has become my favorite person. I didn't know what she was going to do with the plaster cast. All the rough edges have been smoothed over before a beautiful starry night has been painted over it.

There are different depths to the black paint and it's shiny, making the stars sparkle like diamonds. My brows come together at one huge pink one. Turning my head to study it, a laugh escapes me. It's not lacquer making it reflective, the cast has been coated in an inch-thick resin and the stars are sparkling due to literal fucking diamonds being embedded into the material. It's heavy so I don't attempt to lift it in case I drop it or ruin it. The cast isn't just my belly, it shows the swell of my tits and it's propped up to grow from beneath the roses.

I trace the curve and it's strange to have good memories when it all ended so horribly.

"Don't kneel."

My heart jumps out of my chest, and I fall backwards at Vlad's ridiculous order. Pressing my knuckles over the organ so it stays inside, I turn, glaring up at him.

"I'm going to put a fucking bell on you."

He's in another impeccable suit as always, but there are fewer demons in his eyes as he stalks towards me, making sure to step on the petals I've already crushed. His big, inked hand is held out to help me stand and he dips down as I raise to my full height to pick me up by the back of my thighs. I'm only in one of his t-shirts which have become my uniform because they allow breathing room against my chest to stop me feeling sore all day.

It's like he knows as he cups my ass with both hands and leans back, so there's no extra pressure against me. I do the normal thing and lay my head on his shoulder. He's being strangely warm. There have been no quips or stupid comments and I miss them. He kneads my ass and kisses my cheek as he turns, walking back into the bedroom.

"Are you tired, meelaya?"

I shake my head and take in a lungful of cardamom and sandalwood. As soon as we step into the room, I look towards the crib where Verena should still be sleeping, but she isn't there.

I don't panic though and ask, "Val?"

He's a baby thief and I'm eighty percent certain that it's his fault she looks grumpy all the time. Or Dima because whenever he holds her they have matching expressions as though gravity is pulling the corners of their mouth down. Vlad shakes his head and blocks my sight as he presses his lips behind my ear.

"She's watching Vitali while he eats his snacks."

I can't focus on the role reversal when he gently places me on the bed. He didn't throw me for once which is both boring and exciting. I like the way he's rough with me. But it gets better as I sit up with my elbows propping me up to watch him remove his suit jacket. He folds it and lays it on the bed beside me before doing the same with his tie, then cufflinks. Time slows down, the corner of my bottom lip getting trapped between my teeth as I visually eat up every inch of skin that's revealed. The kot on his chest is staring at me until the Madonna comes into view. His ranking is next as he shrugs out of the crisp shirt, and I've never found the eight-point stars on his shoulders more attractive than I do in this moment.

A whimpered moan leaves me as he softly instructs, "Lean back, meely moy."

I shake my head and stare at his belt, waiting for the rest of the show that's clearly being put on for my entertainment.

"Inessa."

The bark is missing from his tone, and I hum as I look at his beautiful face. The smirk is downright sinful, and I refuse to play coy only because I've clearly been caught.

"What? I was minding my business and then you just started stripping in front of me."

I fall back against the bed as he takes two steps and falls over me to catch himself with his hands beside my head. I've unlocked a new Vlad character, and this one is playful as he looks down at my legs wrapping around his waist.

"I didn't say I don't like it."

My mumble has the attention back on my face. I'm weak and his biceps are caging me in. That big vein is basically mine and it twitches, making me drool. He drops his voice as he speaks against my lips.

"You were rubbing your ass against my dick all night. When you need me to fuck you, say it."

I refuse to beg him and lift my head. My lips skim his jaw as I turn at the last second and latch onto his bicep with my teeth. My hips move on instinct as I moan into his muscle, feeling all the strength inside of him.

But Vlad is a neurotic asshole, and he digs his fingers in the sides of my neck as he holds my nape, forcing me to let go of my dream. My teeth marks mix with the dark-blue ink on his skin, the red is highlighted in each indent with a white center, and he wraps his other hand around my jaw before planting a bruising kiss on my lips. I'm dazed as he ends it too soon and drops his hold on me. I land with a small bounce, and it allows sense to enter my body. Unwrapping my legs from his waist, I lay back, deflating into the sheets as I close my eyes and ask, "Do you have condoms?"

Please say yes.

My eyes open to the devil staring down at me and he wraps his hand around my neck.

"One chance is all you get to give me a reason why the fuck you would need them?"

It's normal again and I press my neck into his palm, being a smartass.

"I was going to throw you a party. I wanted to use them as balloons to protect everyone from your personality."

I smile sweetly at him as he traces my lips. There's no comment to shut my mouth and he grinds into me. Each movement matches the words slowly leaving him.

"You're mine, nothing will ever come between us."

My lust isn't fully doused, but rational thinking is allowed in as I bite back my moan and croak out, "Then you're not fucking me. I'm not on birth control."

All of the wonderful pressure is removed from my body, and he peels my legs off him as he stands, shirtless and beautiful, with arrogance on his tongue.

"I've wanted to fuck you and went without, you haven't. Enjoy waiting, moya koroleva." He picks up his shirt, jacket, tie, and cufflinks then turns to leave, speaking over his shoulder. "You'll come to me on your knees when you can't take it anymore."

I'm throwing a tantrum inside and it reaches my hand as I pull the pillow from above me and launch it at his head. It flies past him and hits the wall a good half a foot away from him. The asshole turns his head, looking to it then me with his stupid mouth opening again.

"Your aim is still shit."

I feign nonchalance and sit up, talking to the wall.

"I meant to do it."

He laughs and it's a beautiful sound, an even better sight as his back cords to show his muscles perfectly.

I have an issue with restraint around Vlad, so I do the mature thing and lock myself in the bathroom. His toothbrush is in the holder, but I don't have any thoughts of putting it in the toilet. He doesn't issue a warning either as he walks out of the room and closes the door behind him. It's fine, I don't have to fuck him to get release and I'll get birth control today just in case I'm a liar. I count to a hundred before leaving the bathroom and getting dressed.

Fully dressed and ready for Verena's doctor's appointment, nerves swarm my gut. It's stupid when I can see she's growing, hearing them talk in percentages all the time makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. As though being a parent is a test and they marking how poorly I'm doing.

My steps slow, feeling the tension before I'm even around anyone else as I go to the elevator. Vlad didn't wait for me and he's not in his private office. I repeat the details in my head about how my baby has been since her last visit. One word, perfect. Even when she cries in the middle of the night, she's perfect after knowing Vlad's fears.

There are no sounds of chatter as the elevator doors open. Everyone is sat staring at Vlad's office door with disgust and protectiveness makes me speed up. He doesn't need it. The man is more than capable of defending himself and he has a list of sins longer than my arm. But he's Vlad and there's good inside him contrasting everything bad he's done and will do.I don't have any false ideas that he'll become an upstanding citizen or any less violent, but I know he will never, under any circumstances, allow that violence to touch us.

I haven't seen any of them after my short-lived move and disgust morphs into confusion when they look at me then each other. Val moves before the others and takes measured steps until he's in front of me. He's weird as fuck and holds my shoulders, speaking slowly like I'm an idiot.

"Are you okay?"

Staring up at him, I copy his tone and speed, exaggerating it to point out that he's strange.

"Yes…I…am…fine."

Blinking at me like a freak, he doesn't move.

The office door opens, and he curls his arm around me fully as he stares at his brother. All of them stare behind me at whoever has walked out but the dress shoes show it's Vlad. I half expect there to be an alien with him. I look over my shoulder, but it's just Vlad holding my grumpy baby girl as she scowls at everyone with her eyes half open. A very handsome in his suit Vlad, holding a little baby in a ruffled romper and matching hat. She's so adorable and my ovaries melt at the sight of her cuddled against his big strong biceps.I'm so fucked, and I already know he's winning yet another game.

Being a jackass, Tali extends his voice, "Looks like the parents aren't fighting anymore."

My head snaps to him with a glare for ruining my good mood with his stupid need to keep calling us his parents. He forces an innocent look on his face and tries to hide his smirk.

"What? I'm an orphan now, this is how I'm dealing with my grief."

My smile comes back at the reminder the cunts are dead, it couldn't have happened to more deserving people, and I let him know as heat covers my back.

"I mean this from the bottom of my heart, congratulations."

There's no sarcasm in my tone, I'm being genuine, but they laugh, and Val holds up an imaginary drink in salute.

Taking Verena from Vlad's arms before Tali can steal her, I kiss her cheeks, inhaling her baby smell. It's mixed with cardamom and sandalwood creating the best scent in existence. She loses her scowl as I noisily kiss her cheek and her lips lift at one side. Warmth moves across my back to wrap around my hip and Vlad gently pulls me into his side. It causes our audience to comment as they go in age order.

"I thought she was going to be screaming." Val hands off to Tali who shrugs. "Maybe she has some kind of stockhold syndrome." Dani corrects him, "Stockholm syndrome." And Viktor takes up the last comment, being cute.

"Does this mean you're not going to move again?"

Vlad doesn't answer as all eyes come to me. I wink at him before dropping my voice to a stage whisper, "It's for the horses, rypka."

His lips pinch in at the side as he hides his laugh and steals whatever food Tali is too frozen to guard anymore. Vlad gently turns me and guides us out of the house without removing his hand from my lower back. Dima only has to look at Verena and she copies his upside-down lips. He falls in step with us, and I keep my voice low as I blame him.

"You're being a bad stepdad and corrupting her."

Vlad hides his laugh at my side as Dima pauses. He shakes his head and takes Verena from me so I can slide in first. He hands me my baby, so I can get her buckled in with Vlad blocking anyone from seeing into the car with his big body.

"Don't you start with the jokes, or I'll tell him your secret," Dima says and nods towards Vlad.

I don't have a secret. The bastard did it purposefully and Vlad gets larger, asking his junior, "What secret?"

He's an asshole and Ana pokes her around their bodies and rage. I smile at her and ask nicely, "Can you kick Dima's ass, please?"

She doesn't even need to know why and punches him in the ribs. I know it's about to turn into a full-out brawl when he swipes her ankle out and she narrowly misses smacking her head off the corner of the door. Vlad decides to be a grown-up, so he grabs her by the back of her t-shirt and separates them. She's only a few years younger than me but she has childish mannerisms and scowls up at him while attempting to continue hitting Dima.

"Calm down, pipsqueak, and get in the other car. You can kill each other when you're not needed to guard my wife."

Dima looks ready to kill her and I sit taller, knowing Vlad has to agree with me or I'll make his life hell.

"Stop picking on her, she's a quarter of your size."

His eyes widen and he splutters as she stalks away and slams the car door behind us.

"She's a hellion who needs sedating for the rest of the population to be safe."

That's a dramatic description for someone who is barely over five foot and as thin as Ana. Vlad closes the door in my face, cutting the conversation short and his muffled voice comes through the closed window.

"What secret do you know about my wife? And why?"

I'm definitely getting Ana to kick his ass now.

They move further away, and I fix Verena's hat as I talk to her.

"I hope you weren't attached to your Uncle Dima. He seems to forget that your papa is a bit crazy."

The driver's door opens, and Vlad loses all of his anger as he looks at us in the back seat. There's something in his hand and I tilt my head, looking between the seats to see him attach a mirror to the dash. There's also one on the back window and I keep tilting my head to see what he can. The cute devil has set mirrors up so he can see her face as he drives.

Tension fills him and he loses his smile as he starts the car. Whatever is inside his head makes him anxious. I want to hear his outrageous thoughts. All the times he'd spew the craziest shit replay, filling the silence. Now there's only the gentle tap of his finger in the new repetition of three, five, three, three as he continues to drive in silence with Dima and Ana following us. I look back to see if they're killing each other but they're calm, and Ana is sat on alert, staring out of the window as though she's doing surveillance.

Vlad's finger doesn't stop tapping against the steering wheel. It increases in speed the closer we get to the doctor's office. Leaning forward, I curl my hand over his shoulder from behind. I can't do much from the back seat, but it gets his attention, and he breathes. Pulling up in the underground space, he picks my hand up and kisses my knuckles before getting out.

Acting like a bodyguard, he opens my door, and his eyes soften when he looks at me holding Verena. The other two stay in the car watching the entry and exit points. They're going overboard, it's just a doctor's office, but he needs this because of his fears, and I walk steadily. He remains half a step behind us, positioning his body to block us from anyone else. Big, deadly teddy bear. Anyone waiting for the elevator decides the stairs are a better option from the violent look emitted over my shoulder and I lean back into him.

Once we're locked away from other people, he pulls me into his side and kisses the top of my head. He can read my thoughts as he speaks into my hair.

"Don't be scared, meelaya."

He's distracting me on purpose and lifts Verena off my shoulder. All of the Vartanovs are baby thieves. Even Viktor and he's still a child. But I don't stop him, and I know I look dopey, staring up at him as he holds her, so they're face to face.

I love my daughter and she's the most adorable baby in existence. When she opens one eye as though no one deserves the energy it takes for the other, it turns into even more admiration. The dismissive look doesn't deter him as he kisses her forehead and tucks her to his chest, arranging her so she can look out if she can be bothered to. It should be criminal for Vlad to hold a baby; it makes him even more attractive. The brutal, busted, inked hands delicately holding innocence and his harsh face promising murder if anyone goes near her just add to the appeal.

He turns to me as the elevator continues its ascent, and my knees go weak. I'm definitely losing the game he's created. There's no other choice and he knows it as he kisses the top of Verena's head over her hat. When he lifts his hand to cup my face, I have the sense to take a step back and lower my voice, so I don't disturb the baby.

"You're not playing fair. Stick to the rules, Vartanov."

He laughs lightly and straightens his shoulder to stand taller, effectively weakening me even more. The cocky shit smirks as he turns and flicks his eyes to me.

"There are no rules where my family are concerned, and you were crowned at the top."

Inside I'm screaming take me as I grab the railing digging into my ass. He turns off the gentleness in favor of murder as the ping indicates we've reached our destination. My own murderous thoughts start when we step out of the elevator, and the receptionist coos over Vlad.

"Oh, you look so cute."

Is she on drugs? There's no fucking planet that Vlad would ever be classed as cute. Appreciation fills her eyes as she rakes them down his body and they pause below his chest. I follow her gaze and she's checking him for a ring when I'm fucking standing here. He's never worn one. It's never been an issue. His hands are covered in blood too frequently for any jewelry to be worn, but that's going to change now. This stupid fuck has no critical thinking skills. A ring doesn't mean shit when he's stood at my side holding my daughter.

I step closer to him, wrap my arm around his middle under his suit jacket, and purposefully lay my hand bearing his rings on his chest. He looks down with a small crease between his brows and softly asks, "are you okay, meely moy?" without moving his lips.

Obtuse asshole. I can't feel a gun in his waistband, or a knife, and the crease disappears as he smirks to himself like a jackass.