Page 35 of King of Shadows

Then I turn toward Lev. “I need to get my wife to the hospital.”

“I’m fine,” Chloe protests.

“No.”

“Kazimir—”

“We’re going to the hospital to have you checked.”

I carry her into the back of the car and climb in beside her. “Drive,” I tell Lev.

I hold Chloe against my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around her. I can’t stop replaying everything in my head. What if I hadn’t listened to that feeling? What if I had ignored the urge to check on her? They could have disappeared with her before I even knew she was gone. I close my eyes. I don’t want to think about what could have happened.

Chloe touches my face. “I’m okay.”

I open my eyes. “Tell me what happened.”

She takes a shaky breath. “When I was getting ready to leave, I went to use the restroom. When I came back out, my bodyguards were unmoving on the floor.”

I close my eyes briefly as she continues.

“Then two men grabbed me. They told me I had to go with them to the car or they’d shoot me.”

I pull her closer. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

She rests her head against my chest. “Can you take me home?”

“Yes baby, but we need to make a quick stop at the hospital first.”

“Kazimir, I’m fine.”

I brush my thumb across her cheek. “I just need to know that you and the baby are okay.”

I press another kiss to her forehead. “Please, baby. Do this for me. For my peace of mind.”

She studies me for a moment before finally nodding. “Okay.”

An hour later, the doctor checks Chloe thoroughly. Finally, she smiles. “Everything looks good. The baby is doing fine.”

I release a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

Chloe

A Month Later

Ever since Vadim died, I’ve noticed a change in Kazimir. He’s more relaxed, although the fact that Vadim’s son is still out there continues to bother him, and I know my husband won’t truly rest until he finds him.

Still, the constant tension that used to sit across his shoulders has eased, and he smiles more and breathes easier. Lately, things have been going so well that sometimes I catch myself wondering if this is really my life.

Every now and then, though, I think about that day and the fear that I might never see Kazimir again. For a few nights afterward, I had nightmares and would wake up sweating with my heart pounding as I reached for Kazimir, but eventually, they stopped. Now, I’m okay, and more than okay, actually, because I’m happy.

I lie back as the doctor moves the ultrasound wand across my stomach, her eyes focused on the screen. When she smiles, my heart starts beating faster.

“You’re having a baby boy.”

I immediately turn toward Kazimir, the smile on his face is impossible to miss as he squeezes my hand. “A boy,” he repeats.

I look back at the screen, my heart filling with something I can’t quite put into words. Our baby boy, a mini Kazimir.