Page 101 of Gilded in Blood

He stays inside me for a long moment, breathing hard against my neck, hand gently rubbing my stomach like he’s imagining it already swelling with his child.

“Mine,” he whispers, kissing the back of my neck. “All fucking mine.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Kirill

I’ve learned to trust my instincts. Not because they’re always right. They’re not.

But over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern. Every now and then, I wake up with this feeling buried deep in my gut. A quiet sense that something isn’t right. Like the air itself is warning me.

Sometimes the day passes without incident, and I convince myself I imagined it.

Other times…

Those are the days people die.

I’ve had that feeling since the moment I opened my eyes this morning.

It’s followed me through breakfast, through packing, through every minute we’ve spent getting ready to leave England.

I can’t shake it. I don’t know if today’s another false alarm or if something is waiting for us around the corner.

Either way, my guard stays up.

Our bags are already packed by the front door when Milana walks into the bedroom carrying the last of her things.

She stops the moment she sees me. “What’s wrong?”

I look up. “What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“You’ve had that look on your face all morning.”

I force a small smile. “It’s nothing.”

She doesn’t look convinced. “You sure?”

I nod. “Did you get everything?”

She glances around the room one last time. “I think so.”

“Chargers? Laptop? Passport?”

She laughs softly. “Yes, Dad.”

I gently spank her ass. “Seriously?”

She laughs and slips her hand into mine. “I’ve got everything.”

I glance at my watch. “We should get going. The pilot called a few minutes ago. The jet’s ready for departure.”

She nods. “Okay.”

I pick up our bags and take one last look around the suite, before opening the door and wait for Milana to step through first.

By the time we reach the private airstrip, my unease has worsened.

The jet sits on the tarmac, its engines still quiet as the ground crew finishes the last of their preparations.