Cruel Paradise - A Mafia Romance Chapter 99

“The human brain works in mysterious ways?”

Dr. Nara gives me a sympathetic nod. “As I said, denial is common amongst women who suffer from abusive relationships. I’m sure another pregnancy is less than ideal for you right now but—”

I sigh. “It’s not that. I have a blocked fallopian tube. The chances of me getting pregnant are basically zero. And those three kids are my sister’s, not mine. I’ve never been pregnant. I doubt I am right now.”

She cocks her head to the side. “You have one defective fallopian tube?” “Yes.”

“And the other one?”

“Excuse me?”

“Is your second fallopian tube blocked also?”

“Um, well, no. I mean, not that I know of. But the way my luck’s been going…”

The doctor nods. “Maybe we should do some tests, just to rule it out?”

I swallow. “Sure.”

“I’ll clean you up first and then we’ll get the bloodwork done.”

I spend the next half an hour staring up at the fluorescent lights until I start seeing weird patterns dancing in front of me. Somehow, they all look like babies.

“Alright, Ms. Carson. We have your test results back.” I jerk upright and wince. “Whoa there—let’s take it easy, shall we? You’ve been cut up pretty bad. Those wounds will take a few weeks to heal completely.”

“T-the results?”

She gives me a look that I can’t quite interpret. Is that sympathy? Pity? Apology?

“You are in fact pregnant, Ms. Carson.”

Pity. Definitely pity. The buzz of the overhead lights suddenly sounds like a baby’s cry.

“How… h-how is that even possible?” I stammer. “I had a test done, like, just a few days ago. That was when they caught my blocked tube.”

“Things change quickly. There could also have been some malfunctioning equipment or a faulty reading of the results. But there’s no denying this, Ms. Carson. You’re pregnant.”

Goosebumps erupt all over my arms. I’m pregnant. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. I don’t know whether to feel happy or sad. I don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to do now.

“Ms. Carson…” I look towards the doctor, hoping that she might have the answers. “You are still in the early stages of your pregnancy. As a rule, we don’t normally encourage this, but—you don’t necessarily have to stay pregnant if you don’t want to.” I frown. What is she saying? She’s offering me a way out…

My first instinct is NO.

My second instinct is—hell fucking no.

I force my eyes to the doctor’s and my resentment of her suggestion ebbs slightly. All she’s seeing is a victim of domestic abuse with three children to raise. She’s trying to help me.

But she doesn’t know the whole story.

She doesn’t know that this baby was born from something real. That I happen to love the father of this child even if he doesn’t love me and despite how he has treated me. She doesn’t know that I’ve wanted this baby from the moment I saw my sister become a mother. She doesn’t know that I have always taken my miracles where I can get them. Inconvenient or not.

“I’m gonna keep this baby,” I say firmly.

And I’m gonna save my other babies. It’s up to me now and there’s only one path forward.

We have to leave this city.

For good.

74

RUSLAN

Kirill bursts into my office, his cheeks flushed as though he sprinted all the way here. “I’ve got news!”

“You found Sergey?”

“No,” he pants. “This is about Emma.”

I scowl. “Why would I care about that news?”

“The security team is still on her. She ended up in the hospital with all three kids.”

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m on my feet. “Are the kids okay?”

Kirill frowns. “The kids are fine. It’s Emma that’s hurt.”

“Can she walk?”

“Uh, I think so? She drove to the hospital herself.”

I sit back down and concentrate on the barrage of legal paperwork in front of me. “Then she’s not that badly hurt, is she?”

I’m being pulled in two directions. On the one hand, I fucking loathe that she might be hurt, badly or otherwise. On the other hand, her problems are no longer mine.

I’ve spent the morning dodging calls from The Brooklyn Gazette asking if they can get an exclusive statement from me. A quote, maybe? Fuck them all.

And fuck Emma, too.

“Ruslan, I know you’re pissed at her—”

“‘Pissed’ doesn’t begin to cover it. I’m done talking about her.”

“There’s something you need to—”

“We need to double the number of men looking for Sergey. He can’t have just disappeared into thin air.”

“I got my hands on Emma’s files and—”

“I’ve managed to suppress news of the botched launch getting out there. So far, the incident has been printed as a ‘good time gone bad’ incident. Nothing has been traced back to Alcazar itself or to me by association, but rumors are circulating. We need to expedite the investigation so that we have a story we can spin to the press.”

Kirill is glaring at me with his jaw clenched. “That’s the third time you’ve cut me off.”

“If you didn’t insist on talking about Ms. Carson, I wouldn’t have to cut you off.” “This is important!”

“You were the one who brought me the news, remember?” I growl. “You were the one who shoved those pictures in my face and told me that Emma and Remmy were working together.”

Kirill bristles. “Meaning what—this is a ‘kill the messenger’ kind of situation?”

“Whatever you have to say about Emma is immaterial to me now. So if you want to keep talking about her—” I jab a finger toward the door. “—you can get the fuck out and find someone who cares.”

He has the nerve to open his mouth again. Thankfully, my phone starts to ring. I pick it up pointedly and answer the call without checking who it is.

“Hiya, buddy. How’re you doing?”

Jesus Christ. I can’t catch a fucking break anymore.

“What do you want, Adrik?” I ask impatiently.

Kirill’s eyebrows leap up on his forehead as he listens.

“Oh, just wanted to see how you were doing. Can’t imagine Alcazar is doing all that well, considering all the bodies it’s turned up lately.”

“Ah, you called to gloat.”

“Not at all! I called to sympathize. Personally, I think you should capitalize on your notoriety. Maybe change the name from Alcazar to The Grim Reaper? This game is all about marketing after all.”

“It was simply a case of overindulgence. It’s happened before. The incident will be forgotten soon enough.”

“Overindulgence, huh? That is the perfect branding for the magic drug you’re pushing. Tell me: how long do you think it’ll be until the press gets wind of the fact that five dead bodies turned up the same night that you decided to launch Venera?”

I grit my teeth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no connection to Venera and, if I did, I would definitely take the credit.”

Adrik chuckles darkly. “Is that how you managed to seduce that pretty little secretary of yours?

Slipped her some Venera at the water cooler?”

If only he were standing in front of me now. Nothing could stop me from punching the smirk off that weaselly little cunt.

“If you’re done—”

“Why was she at the hospital today? You two had a little fight, did ya? You know what they say: you can’t have it all.”

I freeze. That’s why he’s calling. He’s not just trying to needle me. He’s trying to let me know that he’s got eyes on me.

“Adrik, a little word of advice: get your nose out of my fucking business and mind your own. Maybe then you’ll be able to make at least one of your ventures successful.”

I hang up without waiting for his reply. My eyes are focused out of the window, but I’m not seeing anything there. “That fucker is watching Emma.”

Kirill pulls out his phone immediately. “According to the report I got earlier, the doctor advised that she stay at the hospital overnight for observation. She should still be there…” He puts the phone to his ear. “Maksim? You at the hospital… Yeah… I need you to…”

I turn back to the window while Kirill coordinates with the security team on Emma’s tail.

How could I have been so stupid? I brought Emma out into the public sphere with me. I exposed her to the whole damn world. Which means I’m the one who made her a target. I may be done with her, but Adrik doesn’t know that and, even if I told him, he would never believe me.

I’m still pissed at her but not enough to justify feeding her to the dogs. Definitely not enough to risk those kids in the process.