Page 136 of Gilded in Blood

Calina is only a few months pregnant, and she’s become incredibly emotional.

The smallest thing can set her off, the tears and waterworks just start coming.

She walks over and carefully hugs me. “I’m so happy for you.”

“So am I,” Irina says, wrapping both arms around both of us. Kira joins the hug a second later.

“You deserve this, Mila.”

“Thank you.” I smile at each of them. “I’ve never been happier.”

The words come from the deepest part of me. “I’m marrying the love of my life.”

Another chorus of emotional sighs follows. Calina dabs at her eyes again.

“There they go,” Kira teases.

We all laugh again. As the laughter dies down, Irina reaches into her handbag.

“Oh, I almost forgot.”

She pulls out two pregnancy test sticks and holds them up. “You still want to check?”

As I stare at them, my stomach immediately flips. For the past few days, I’ve been feeling off. Nauseous, easily tired.

After I threw up twice this morning, the women insisted I take a pregnancy test. And Irina offered to go get me one. Now here they are.

“I really think it’s probably just a bug,” I say.

Irina and Kira exchange an amused look. Then, in unison— “That’s what I thought too.”

The two of them dissolve into laughter.

I look at Calina, she smiles knowingly. “The only way to find out is to take the test.”

“If you’re not pregnant,” she continues, “great. You can drink champagne at your wedding without worrying.”

I look down at the tests in Irina’s hand. “That’s actually a good point.”

I take a slow breath. “Okay.” I reach for one of the tests and head for the bathroom.

Kirill

I stand in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting the cuff of my black tuxedo for what has to be the fifth time.

“You’ve already fixed that twice.”

I glance at Maxim’s reflection. He’s straightening the lapels of his own suit, looking entirely too relaxed.

He walks over. “Here, let me help you. I believe it's my duty as the best man.”

“Glad you remembered,” I huff.

Over the last six months, Maxim and I have grown close enough that I now consider him a friend. When I asked him to be my best man, he accepted without hesitation, saying it would be an honor.

“You nervous?” he asks.

I study my reflection for another second before letting out a quiet breath.