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CHAPTER SEVENTY – FIVE ROSE AMARA'S POV Pregnant. I think the doctor just said I'm pregnant. 'I can't be pregnant," I blurt. 'I'm on the pill." The doctor double-checks the papers in his hand. 'You are, miss." 'There must be a mistake." 'No. Your blood tests came back with a considerable amount of hCG, which is the pregnancy hormone." I stare at his face, my mouth falling open. 'Then…then…how can I get pregnant if I'm on the pill?" 'If you missed a day or so, it could happen." 'I never have." Because the brute Ethan keeps coming inside me all the time and is so vehemently against wearing a fvcking condom, I take them religiously. My gaze slowly slides to his. He's grown quiet, his face expressionless. What is that supposed to mean? Is he also shocked? I'm going to put a baby in you. My eyes widen as his words from before slamming back into me. No, he didn't. He…wouldn't. 'Is this the first time you're finding out about the pregnancy? If so, you should see an OB-GYN," the doctor continues. 'It needs to be done as soon as possible." I'm unable to answer him, so I nod in response. The doctor watches us peculiarly for a second, then takes his leave. As soon as the door closes behind him, I face Ethan, trying as hard as hell to hold on to my cool. A volcano is raging inside me to sweep me under. 'Aren't you going to say anything?" His eyes meet mine, and I see it, the cunning, the fvcking victory. If I had any doubt, it's now eradicated. The asshole. The fvcking asshole. Ethan takes my hand and brings it to his face, but I yank it away before he can kiss it. 'Is something the matter?" he asks nonchalantly, almost innocently. 'Something the matter? Something the fvcking matter? I was on the pill. I shouldn't be pregnant." Ethan keeps his cool. 'I've heard it's only ninety-nine percent effective." 'Or zero if you switched them out." 'Possibly." "What the fvck is wrong with you?" I jump from the bed, ready to punch him, but the world spins, stopping my plans. Ethan clutches me by the arm, but I yank it back, facing away from him to grip the bedpost. I want to scratch and claw at his damn face. I want to kick and hit him but feel too physically weak to inflict any pain. 'Why are you so angry? It would've happened at one point or another." My lips part. He's not even trying to deny it or defend himself. He's openly confessing that he switched out my fvcking pills. 'Wow. I really want to kill you right now." 'That will leave you alone with our baby, so I vote against that option." I turn around and punch him across his slowly healing face. He doesn't attempt to avoid it, even though he must've seen it coming. 'It's not our baby." 'You and I made him or her, so that makes the baby ours." 'You made this happen." 'Fine, but don't get too agitated. It's not good for your health." 'How can you be so calm about this?" 'Why wouldn't I?" 'Right, why wouldn't you?" My voice rises with a sense of mockery that's so close to rage. 'You're the one who plotted for this all along, and it's simply working according to your plan. Now what? What's next in your grand plan? Are you going to put a few other babies in me?" 'If you want to." 'I don't want to! That's why I took the damn pills." 'Are you done?" 'I'm not fvcking done! You know, this is why I can't trust you, Ethan. This is exactly why. One moment, you make me feel as if the world is at my fingertips, then stab me in the damn back." 'Don't be so dramatic." "Dramatic? Do you think this is dramatic? Oh, I will show you what dramatic is really like." I push at his chest. "You and I are no longer on speaking terms." 'Fine." 'Don't talk to me!" "I'm not. You are." Frustration bubbles in my veins, but I bottle it up and storm out of the room. I'm well aware of Ethan following right after me. I stand in front of the car because I have nothing but a phone to call Zeth and Eya. As soon as he opens the door, I slide into the passenger seat and stare out the window. I try to ignore the memories that come with being in this seat. Less than an hour ago, he made me feel over the moon. Now, he's done it again in a completely different way. A sigh leaves him, and I feel his eyes watching me. "Do you feel nauseous? The doctor gave me a prescription." I don't respond and continue staring at the other cars through the window. 'So this is how it's going to be? Silent treatment?" Exactly. Until I figure out what to do with the life growing inside me and the man who put it there. Because we'll never be the same after this. ETHAN The drive home is spent in utter silence—the suffocating type. Rose erases me entirely and focuses her full attention on the world outside. I clench my fist around the steering wheel to keep myself from grabbing and knocking some sense into her. That will only escalate things for the worse, so I stop myself. After all, it's not like she's mad for no reason. I may have played it down at the hospital so she didn't pop a nerve, but even I know her anger is legitimate. She barges outside as soon as we arrive at the Russians' compound. Eya and Zeth greet her at the entrance, and she merely nods in their direction. I walk beside her, keeping up with her angry strides. Anger is good sometimes. It means she cares enough to be angry. It's the lack of reaction that grates on my nerves. We're only two steps inside when Bella jerks up from her position at the bottom of the stairs and quits clinking her nails against each other. Was she sitting there all along? She's in her pajamas, her white-blonde hair is barely brushed, and the dark circles under her eyes hint at many sleepless nights. We stop when she runs and clasps Rose in a hug. 'Are you okay, Rayenka? I heard what happened and was so worried about you." My wife fakes a smile for her grand cousin's sake, even though she's been sulking around me. 'I'm totally okay, Ana." "But Papa said the Albanians got you and took you and…." She tRosels off, sniffling. 'Bella, don't cry for something as trivial as this," Rose scolds like a loving mother, and the analogy hits me with the image of her carrying her own son or daughter. My son or daughter. My gaze tRosels to her stomach; although it's flat, the doctor said our child is there. Our. Mine and Rose's. Holy fvck. I never thought it would feel this…euphoric. Fascinating, really. 'It's not trivial," Bella argues. 'You were in danger." 'But I'm not anymore, you crybaby." "But you were in the past and will be in the future." Something flashes in Bella's gaze, something I never thought a soft, sheltered thing like her would ever show. Grudge. An angry grudge. Is that interesting, or what? Rose pulls her into an affectionate hug. 'Don't worry, Ana. I'll always be around to protect you." "But for how long?" the younger woman murmurs, her gaze on nothing particular. 'For as long as it takes." Rose pulls back. 'Okay?" She nods, her gaze sliding toward me, then back to Rose. 'I…I want to talk to you about something." 'Can it wait until tomorrow?" 'Yes, of course." She kisses her. 'I'm so glad you're safe." Then, Bella smiles at me. 'Thank you for bringing her back." 'She's my wife. I would do it any time." I try to reach for Rose, but she steps away. As soon as Bella disappears up the stairs, Rose's smile vanishes. I suppress my reaction as we head to Raven's office so we can give him a report of what happened. 'He will let you know the rest." She makes a vague gesture in my direction without looking at me. 'I'm tired, so I'll retreat to my room." 'Of course, of course." Raven's brows furrow. 'Take care of yourself and the baby." Her lips are thin in a line at that. She didn't have a problem lying about her pregnancy all this time, but now that it's become true, she's in the mood to kill me. She tells Raven good night and storms out of the office like hell is on her shoulders. I contemplate the best way to summarize the situation to him before I join her. There's no way I'm letting her sleep in that state tonight. It takes me twenty minutes to answer Raven's questions before I've had enough. 'I don't think we killed all the Albanians since that's not their only hideout. Pharaoah and Adrian will give you a full report come morning." I'm about to excuse myself when Raven cuts off my attempt to flee. 'I'm going to need you to carry out a hit." 'On who?" "I'll let you know soon." He pauses. "Just be ready for it and keep it between us." "Got it." No idea who he's trying to eliminate, but if he's keeping it a secret, something is definitely up. I will look into it as soon as he gives me a name. Did they figure out the identity of the tRosetor stealing from them? The wrinkles ease in his eyes. "And thank you." 'For what?" 'For saving Rose from an atrocious fate." Why do he and Bella think I did it for them? I only did it for her and myself, by extension. 'There's no need to thank me. She's my wife." After saying good night, I retreat to our room. I stop at the threshold when I spot her sleeping on the bed. She's curled up in a ball, the last position I would expect Rose to sleep in. The vulnerability of it doesn't escape me. She has been through so much today, from the attack to the kidnapping, and she ended the day by finding out about her pregnancy. Recalling what those fvckers did to her makes me want to go back in time and slice the throat of every last one of those bastards. If Pharaoah didn't catch that guard or if I were a little too late, she wouldn't be sleeping in our bed like this. I could've lost her for fvcking good. A long breath heaves out of my lungs as I shake those thoughts away. It's over. She's here, and I'll make sure nothing like that happens again, even if it means keeping her in my sight at all times. She certainly won't like that, though.