Lap of Luxury (Love Don't Cost a Thing)

“I’m pregnant, too.”

I whip around. Ciara’s face is bright red, and she casts a fearful look at Mikhail. One look at his stunned expression is enough to tell me that he had no idea.

“You’re—you’re—how long…when did you…?” Mikhail passes a hand over his face, trying to come to terms with what he’s just learned while still keeping his handgun trained on Damir.

Ciara takes a shaky breath. “I’ve suspected it for a month.”

“A month?” Mikhail exclaims.

“I didn’t want it to be true, not while we’re in hiding. I’ve been in denial, I guess. I didn’t want to deal with it, but it looks like now I have no choice.”

“Congratulations,” I tell her weakly.

She gives me a wan smile. “You, too.”

Then she steps forward and takes my hand, and turns to face the brothers. “This changes everything, you realize. Either you two work together against this Navarro, or Bethany and I are not going to make it. Your children aren’t going to make it. We’re carrying your blood. Both of you. Both of us.”

Mikhail starts toward her, but she draws away, taking me with her. “No. Don’t come to me. He’s the one you need to talk to,” she says, nodding at Damir.

“You’re the one I’m here to protect,” Mikhail says defiantly. “I’ve got nothing to say to him.”

“I’m sick of hiding!” she exclaims. “This isn’t a life, Mikhail, and I’m not bringing a child into this world only for it to be hunted down. You two need to figure out a way for all of us to coexist in this world.”

“We won’t have to if I kill him,” he growls.

“I don’t want to have a baby with a killer, either. Especially not one who’s killed his own brother.”

“Neither do I,” I say, drawing closer to Ciara. I glare between Damir and Mikhail, who are both staring at us like we’re mad. Finally, Mikhail takes a deep breath and turns to his brother.

“You’re going to be a father. I’m going to be a father. Ciara’s right. This changes everything.”

“Does it?” Damir asks without inflection.

“You and I and are going to take out Navarro, and then we’re going to go our separate ways once and for all. No hunting us down. No revenge. We’ve got other responsibilities now.” Mikhail hesitates, and then slowly lowers his gun.

Damir is still pointing his rifle at Mikhail, his finger on the trigger. I wonder if he’s thinking about becoming a father, or calculating our chances of survival if he takes on both Navarro and Mikhail at the same time. I want to believe it’s the former, but there’s a cold glimmer to his eyes that tells me it’s not.

He bares his teeth in his shark-like smile, and lowers his weapon. “Sure, brata.”

Ciara’s hand, which I didn’t realize was gripping mine like a vice, unclenches, and she lets out the breath she’s been holding.

But I’m still looking at Damir’s toothy, malevolent smile. “Why don’t I believe him?” I ask, but no one’s listening to me.

“We’ll split up,” Mikhail announces. “Damir will go to the east and I’ll go to the west. We’ll circle around, taking out any of Navarro’s men we come across, and meet up north of the house at the crossroads and each report what we’ve found.”

He casts a questioning look at Damir, who nods once.

“Um, okay, Ciara and I will just stay here and do our nails?” I scoff.

“Just keep out of sight,” Damir tells me, standing up. “Go into the bathroom like Mikhail said, and stay down.”

“No!” Ciara and I say at the same time.

“We’re coming, too,” Ciara says.

“Yeah,” I agree. “If you two idiots were happy to drag us into this mess and get us pregnant, then we’re going to see it through to the end.”

Mikhail turns to Ciara. “I can’t focus if I take you with me.”