He sighs. “Fine.”
“Thank you. Now, call the doctor back in here and let’s finish up this appointment.”
Uri sticks his head into the hall and summons the doctor again. Dr. Grigory walks back in with a nervous frown on his face. He shows us the baby monitor and points out his observations. Even to my untrained eye, it’s obvious that one twin looks noticeably bigger than the other. Despite what I just told Uri, I am worried.
“You’re really going to have to put your feet up and relax, Alyssa. You need to be someplace calm, quiet, and peaceful. The Bugrov estate is nice but perhaps a change of scenery might also help soothe your mind and relax your body.”
“We’re not at the estate anymore,” Uri says gruffly.
“Oh,” Grigory says with a nod. “Right. Excuse me for prying.” He looks back at the monitor. “Would you like to know the sex of your babies?”
Uri glances at me, his hand landing on the small of my back. “It’s up to you.”
My initial instinct is yes. My second thought is hell no. I’d never admit this out loud, not even to Uri—but I don’t want to know the sex of the babies in case we end up losing one. It’ll be so much harder once I know what we’re having.
I swallow my worry and shake my head. “I’d like it to be a surprise. We’ll wait to find out.”
“As you wish.”
Once the gel has been wiped off my body, Uri helps me off the examination table. He takes my hand as we walk out of the hospital, but I can tell from that far-off look in his eyes that he’s in plan-and-prep mode. The man has never met a backup plan he didn’t want to prepare a backup plan for.
The whole drive back to the cabin, I try not to let my fear get the best of me. But just like before the appointment, I have to consciously focus to stop my knee from bouncing. It helps that Uri takes my hand and keeps it in his lap until we arrive.
When we do, I’m exhausted. I can tell Uri is, too, though he does a much better job of hiding it than me.
“It’s going to be okay, Alyssa,” he tells me softly. “Both our babies are going to be okay.” He gives my hand a squeeze. “I’m not going to let anything happen to them. Just like I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
39
URI
“What’s the word on Sobakin’s woman and boy?”
Nikolai barely even glances at me as he gets into the passenger seat. “Dimiv said he’s got a man on the job. But both Elena and Artem have heavy security surrounding them at all times.”
“Of course they do. Doesn’t mean security can’t be breached.”
“We don’t have the same manpower in Moscow that we do here, Uri.”
Gritting my teeth, I rev the engine and leave the cabin behind. It’s been days and we’ve heard nothing about Boris. He hasn’t resurfaced yet and I’m getting tired of waiting. Hence the spontaneous scope-out.
Dimiv is currently in charge back at the safehouse. He’s been roped into a video game marathon with Lev while Alyssa stays in bed with Polly for company. She’s been quieter than usual after our doctor’s appointment and I’m hoping that some closure will help her relax a little.
Closure in the form of Boris’s head on a spike would be most preferable.
“Are you sure you want to try this location?” Nikolai asks. “Boris and his men haven’t worked out of there in years.”
“Which is exactly why he might risk it. He’ll assume it’s under the radar. There aren’t very many places he can hide.”
“On the contrary, this is a big city in an even bigger country. Big fuckin’ planet, too, while we’re on the topic. For all we know, he could be guzzling vodka in some random pub in Russia by now.”
I glare at him. “Aren’t you just a fount of optimism today?”
Nikolai rolls his eyes. “I’m just being realistic, man. If I were that fucker, I’d have cut and run the moment I was free.”
“Which only proves that you don’t have the personality to be pahkan.”
Nikolai flinches, his face hardening instantly. It’s a low blow and I regret it immediately. Just not enough to take it back.
I haven’t lived with my brother for a very long time and the close quarters that the cabin requires haven’t exactly been conducive to our relationship. Nikolai and I always get along better with some space between us. Living on top of one another this last week has reminded me of why he moved out the first chance he got.
It doesn’t help that Alyssa loves the hell out of him.
“It looks abandoned,” Nikolai remarks gruffly as we pull up outside of the old Sobakin haunt.
“Doesn’t mean it is.”
He sighs. “How long are we gonna sit and brood before you accept that no one’s here?”
“We just arrived.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
I bite my tongue to stop another below-the-belt insult from flying loose. “An hour or so.”
He mutters something I don’t catch and sinks low in his seat, a hood pulled down over his face. “Whatever you say.”
I grab my phone, if only to distract myself from the tension boiling between us right now, and start texting Alyssa.
URI: How’s it going?
ALYSSA: Polly went back to her room for a nap. I’m just lying in bed… thinking of you.
Hm. I like where this is going.
URI: Oh yeah? What are you thinking about?
ALYSSA: The lake.
That’s all she needs to say for me to know exactly what she’s thinking of. I can feel the heat spread slowly to my extremities. I adjust in my seat so that Nikolai doesn’t suspect what’s unfolding right next to him.
ALYSSA: I’ve got your little silver present in bed with me right now.
URI: What a good girl you are. I might have to reward you.
ALYSSA: Please.
URI: Take off all your clothes. I want you completely naked and splayed out on that bed.
ALYSSA: Done.
That didn’t take long at all. Someone’s clearly eager. It makes me regret this little stakeout, the unfortunate distance between us. I could have been at home, ravishing her body, making her come again and again with my own two hands, instead of letting the metal toy I bought her have all the fun.
Before I can think of an answer, she sends another message. This one is a picture, though. I lean away from Nikolai, making sure to angle my phone to the side so that he can’t see my screen.
It takes everything in me not to groan out loud. The woman is a fucking vision. Her breasts are on full display, tempting me with soft, supple curves. Her nipples are aroused and begging for attention. I’m straining so hard in my pants that it’s painful.
She sends another picture—this one with the toy clasped between her slim fingers.
URI: That’s my good little kiska. Now, slide that inside you slowly.
I open the app on my phone and find the control panel. Cranking it on, I start the vibrator on low. If I’m going to be here for an hour, I intend to make it count.
ALYSSA: Oh God… it feels so good, Uri.
URI: I want you to touch yourself while the vibrator works its magic. Imagine I’m with you, sliding my hands over your breasts. Sucking on one nipple, then the other…