Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
"I'll ask him for a sit down," Kincaid says, "but you aren't coming this time, O. You're more likely to shoot him than negotiate with him. The last fucking thing I need is to end up in another fucking war when the one we're dealing with still isn't entirely over."
"Fine," I agree easily enough, not taking my eyes off Faith. He's right. I let Tarasova live once. I'm not so sure I'm willing to do it a second time. "Do it."
He stalks across the room to January's side and picks her up from the couch. "I'll call when it's done," he mutters over his shoulder, already headed to the door with her in his arms.
As soon as the door closes behind them, I pick Faith up. She wraps around me like a koala bear again.
"Where are we going?" she asks as I carry her down the hall.
"Home, little bunny," I murmur, pressing my lips to her forehead. "We're going home."
Chapter Twenty
Faith
"Are you nervous?" Mila asks, watching me pace back and forth across the living room.
"No," I lie and then huff. "Yes." I spin to face her, wringing my hands together. "I don't want him to lose his job because of me. He loves his job."
"He loves you more," she says, smiling at me. She's lying on the couch with her hands on her belly and her feet up. Her belly has really grown since I met her. Her feet are always swelling. The baby will be here soon. She's miserable, but she tries to hide it, especially from Roman.
"Do you think they'll fire him?" I ask, peeking out the front windows again. Octavio and Roman have been gone for hours already. I'm ready to burst into anxious pieces. How long can a hearing really take? It's not like he has to go to court to defend his job or anything. He just has to meet with his chain-of-command. I wanted to go with him, but he didn't want them trying to make me testify. I think he's worried that if he gets fired and I testified, I'll feel like it's my fault.
"I don't know," Mila admits with a little frown. "I don't think so. He's a great detective, one of the best in the city. I think his major is just being a dick." She laughs quietly. "Roman says Jessup is always a dick."
I resume pacing, peeking out the windows every few minutes. Knox is sitting in his truck across the street. He sees me peeking out and waves at me. This time, I don't hide from him. I wave back.
"I'm really glad you're home," Mila says. "I missed you the past few days."
"I missed you too." I turn back to her, blinking rapidly to keep from crying as her words send warmth shooting through me. "You're my first real friend."
Her green eyes light up with genuine happiness. "Of course I'm your friend, Faith. I love you. You're smart and funny and you cook for me and help me annoy Roman. We have to stick together, or our men will never let us out of the house."
I laugh because she's probably right. Octavio and Roman are both bossy and overprotective. "I don't mind it so much," I mumble, my cheeks heating. It's hard to be mad about it when overprotective and bossy Octavio is also really sweet at the same time. He's all alpha, but it comes from a place of love. "It's nice to have someone care about me and what happens to me."
"We all care about you. You're part of our family now, and we protect our family." She struggles into a sitting position. I cross to her to help. By the time she's upright, her face is red and she's panting a little. "Being pregnant is hard work," she huffs, slapping her hair back from her face. "I can't wait until I can see my feet again."
"I'm excited to meet her." I sit beside her to lay my hand on her belly, smiling when the baby kicks me.
Mila's expression melts, her green eyes bright. "Me too," she says softly. "I'm so excited to meet her and hold her and watch her grow into her own little person. I can't wait to see Roman with her. He's going to be such a great daddy to her."
"Yeah, he will." He's so in love with Mila and their baby. He's always touching her stomach and smiling. It's honestly adorable how excited he is about being a father again.
"Octavio will be an incredible daddy too."
I blink at her.
"I'm just saying," she mumbles, grinning at me.
"He told me we're getting married."
Her grin widens.
"I want kids someday, but not yet," I admit. I want time with Octavio first. Time where Nikolai and the Bratva aren't hanging over our heads like a sword, I mean. And I want to go to school and get a degree. Octavio said he wants babies with me, but not until I'm ready. When we talked about it, he told me that we should probably talk to my doctor about putting me on birth control, so he doesn't get me pregnant by accident. He also said a few other things about loving being inside me bare. That conversation ended with him giving me orgasms.