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When he got in the van that day, he looked at me, touched my cheek, and just passed out. His mind knew he was finally safe, letting it fall into the sleep it desperately needed. I watched them prod at him. Searching him for new wounds that were under his pants.

He has three broken ribs and a few bruises. I don’t know the extent of his injuries because they won’t tell me, even after I tried to bribe the doctor.

I don’t know why this shit is so hush-hush. I’m carrying his baby, but can’t know if his bones are broken. They only told me about the ribs so that I wouldn’t lie on them, causing further injury.

When the man took me from the Manor, apparently, he wasn’t smart enough to cover his face, or license plate, or do anything to cover up his kidnapping.

Viktor found us within a day due to the man’s poor planning. Apparently, he blew up the side of the building with an RPG. Where he got an RPG, no clue.

I’ve been lying here in bed for hours. The full moon is lighting up the night sky, filtering in through the windows. I rotate from being on TikTok to Instagram, then YouTube. I’m on Instagram Reels right now, getting bored again.

I can’t do much due to the fact that getting kidnapped didn’t help me recover from a broken pelvis, and whatever happened in that warehouse didn’t help either.

Throwing my phone down on the bed with a huff, I wiggle my way to the edge of the bed before propelling myself off with a grunt, pulling my walker over from next to the nightstand and using it to push myself off the bed. Gaining my balance, I waddle over to the small desk and grab the fetal heart doppler and gel before waddling back to the bed.

Climbing back on the bed, I try to keep the rustling to a minimum and the noise even lower as I scoot the walker away. I look over at Riot, his head is angled towards me, eyes open, his brown ones staring into mine.

I jump a little, not expecting him to be awake. “I didn’t know you were awake,” I say, brushing his longer hair out of his face. When he’s awake, he usually doesn’t talk, just looks at me for a few seconds before falling asleep again.

“You’re so beautiful, Penelope.” My heart warms at his words. Also, a little embarrassed. I’m in just a sports bra and a pair of silk sleep shorts. His accent is thick, his voice raspy. I reach over to my end table, grab the bottle of water, and I open it, tipping it to his lips as he sits up slightly and drinks it greedily.

Once he’s done, I put it back on the nightstand, and he lies back flat again.

Uncurling the cord from the Doppler, I place a dollop of jelly on the bottom of my belly and press the cool end of the Doppler to it. Flicking on the machine, the flutter of a heartbeat echoes from it.

I look over to him, something I can’t recognize in his eyes. When he feels my gaze on him, his eyes meet mine.

“That’s her heartbeat?” He whispers, reaching one of his hands over, letting it spread over my belly. Just as he does that, she kicks it. He retracts his hand so fast you’d think it’s on fire. I laugh, pulling the Doppler away from my belly.

“Did she just kick me?” He sounds flabbergasted. I laugh more, my belly shaking, the little girl inside going on a roller coaster.

“She doesn’t like anyone touching my belly. Destiny constantly bickers with my stomach when she gets kicked. Kai will flick my belly when she kicks him. Viktor writes a tally down when she does, threatening to take away that many toys once she gets of age.” He laughs, stopping and groaning, clutching his ribs, wincing in pain.

“Come here, Moss,” he whispers, his arm closest to me stretched out to me. I wiggle over to him, moving down the bed to lie on my side, head resting on his large bicep. His arm wraps around my shoulder, pulling me closer.

“Riot, your ribs. I don’t want to hurt you,” I try pushing away from him, but his hold is strong on me, somehow still moving me closer.

“Please,” he whines, sounding desperate. “Call me my name.”

“Dmitri,” I whisper, laying my arm over his chest gently.

He leans down, pressing his lips against mine. They are warm, soft, a perfect puzzle piece against mine. His tongue slips in my mouth, and I whimper, wanting more of him, but knowing I can’t.

He pulls away, his chest heaving, breathless. There’s so much fire in his eyes, so much longing.

“I want you. I want us. Our family. I want a life with you, Penelope. I’m just so scared of losing you, and now our daughter,” He breathes, his hand reaching up and cupping my cheek. “I’m scared of failing you both. I’m not built for this life, for love and to be a leader at the same time.”

“Then don’t be anymore.”

He looks at me, confused, his head tilting. “What do you mean?”

“Pass this on to Viktor, the insane one who lives for death. Settle down somewhere and just live your life as a normal person.” He seems at war with himself, the idea dancing in his eyes as he questions the logistics of it.

We don’t speak about it again, letting it hang in the air. I tell him about the past two months, every milestone in my pregnancy. I tell him everything I’ve done, all the hours I’ve spent on my phone in bed or in the pool, floating on top of the water. I tell him how ready I am to meet her, all the steps I’ve been taking to make my body ready. I’m excited to meet her, just not to push her out.

He asks about her, the hours she’s most active, her weight and height, her health, everything.

I tell him about how she makes me pee all the time, always using my bladder as her personal internal trampoline. How she’ll use my ribs as monkey bars.