Page 93 of Claimed in the Dark

Wren: I called it.

Carina sent an emoji of someone rolling her eyes.

Louisa: You were betting on me?

Carina: I have a test. We’ll come over now.

I thought it was kind of early, but when I looked at the clock, I realized that I’d been stalling in here for a while.

Having them all come over could make Paloma suspicious, but they made sure to keep things casual. They showed up, almost at the same time, and Carina made up the excuse of wanting to have breakfast. But then Mila botched it by saying they’d come to start working on a lunch we wanted to have together.

“Breakfast, lunch, whatever.” Paloma shrugged, just happy to have them over.

“Mama, can I show you the book series I got yesterday?” Brady asked after Carina made the excuse of using the restroom. She winked at me when Paloma and Brady couldn’t see.

“Um, in just a second,” I told him.

“But Mama…” He pouted, clearly in one of those rare moods where he wanted to get his way, no matter what.

“I want to see!” Elena said happily. “Can you show me first? Because I love to read, just like you.”

“Okay!” He scampered off, holding Elena’s hand and tugging her along while she held Luka. “We’ll just have to make sure Luka doesn’t teethe on them,” he said, matter-of-fact.

I hurried to the bathroom and didn’t delay. It wasn’t like it was rocket science to pee on a stick. I’d done this before, and it was uncanny how it felt like a déjà vu moment.

I hadn’t planned on Brady. The condom had just happened to break with Kaleb. This time, with Nikolai, we weren’t planning anything either.

He has to be okay with this.

He’s such a good role model for Brady.

He’s practically telling him that he can call him Daddy.

Pacing back and forth in the bathroom, I gave it a minute.

Okay, those things never need the full time that the box says to wait.

I was too impatient. Turning swiftly, too swiftly, I stubbed my toe on the vanity stand.

Two lines showed up clearly.

I didn’t need more time to wait.

The proof was there.

I was pregnant.

Knocked up.

Carrying the baby of the Mafia hitman who’d only ever met me because he was supposed to kill me.

I swallowed hard, pressing my hand to my chest as my pulse skyrocketed. My fitness watch buzzed at the sudden and drastic increase of my pulse, but I wasn’t worried. I had this sensation when I took the last pregnancy test that told me that Brady was on the way. It was like a freight train of adrenaline hitting at once.

Oh.

My.

God.