Kat
Ilinger in the doorway of our bedroom, my pulse ticking a little too fast.
Dinner was peaceful. The house is easing into its new rhythm effortlessly. Ana is settled in her room with Camille right next door. It was so good to be able to tuck my daughter in again. It’s been way too long, and I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed it.
Vlad’s gone for the night, making arrangements to have our things sent over. I worry for him, worry what might happen if Piotr were to find out his own family is investigating him.
Pavel stands in front of me, rolling up his sleeves, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “You look tired,” he says.
I step into the room. “It’s been a long day.”
He arches a brow. “That’s an understatement.”
“You’re telling me.” I stop mid-step, raising a hand to my mouth. “God, how selfish of me. You found out you’re a father today, and here I am, making it all about myself.”
Pavel looks away for a moment, then places his hands on my upper arms. His touch soothes me instantly, as it always does. “It’s not about you or me. It’s about all of us. But especially that little girl down the hall. Our little girl.”
I smile. My Ana. Just thinking about her has a way of calming me, centering me.
He grins. “I have an idea.”
“An idea?”
“Yep. I think a bath might help, hot, with lots of bubbles.”
I can’t help but laugh. “That does sound good.”
“Come with me.”
He leads me to our bathroom, flipping on the lights, then dimming them. The tub is massive and inviting. It’s also something I unfortunately never seem to have time for. Pavel crouches down and turns on the water, testing it under his hand and adjusting the knobs until he’s satisfied. A handful of bath salts, a generous pour of bubble solution, and soon foam is swirling across the surface, a lovely scent of lavender filling the air.
Neither of us says much as the tub fills. We just stand side by side, the sound of running water echoing around us as steam fills the room. My nerves hum beneath my skin, tangled up with exhaustion and anxiety. I should tell him about the baby, but I don’t want to break the spell of the moment, not yet.
Pavel tests the water again. “Perfect.” He dries his hand off on his pants leg, then asks, “You ready?”
“For a hot, relaxing bath? Always.”
His lips twitch, a low chuckle escaping as he pulls his shirt over his head. My breath catches when I look at him. He’s all sharp lines and hard muscle. No matter how many times I see him shirtless, it always gets my heart beating faster.
I pull off my own shirt, then reach for my pants. Pavel closes the space between us, his hands finding my waist, his lips softly brushing against mine. He murmurs against my mouth. “You’ve been keeping secrets, Kat.”
The husky warmth in his voice sends heat curling low in my belly at the same time, causing my nerves to jump. Does he know I’m pregnant?
“First Ana,” he says, his fingers tracing slow circles against my skin. “Who knows what else you could be hiding?”
I swallow hard, forcing a sly smirk. “I don’t know. I guess you’ll just have to wait to find out.”
He slides his hands down, unbuttoning my pants and tugging them along with my panties over my hips until they drop to the floor. For a second, we just stand there, breathing in the hot, scented air, the sexual tension between us pulsing. All the anger, longing, and secrets boil down into one raw, electric moment.
Pavel unhooks my bra smoothly in one motion, letting it fall away to the floor. The way he stares at my breasts sends a flush of heat through me.
“God, you look good,” he mutters.
“You’re not exactly hard on the eyes either.”
He smirks before taking his pants off, revealing the v-cut of his hips and the thick length of his cock, already hard for me. My mouth waters, desire washing away every other worry. He steps into the tub, then turns to face me. He reaches out a hand, inviting me in, and I take it, sinking into the heated water with him.
I settle between his legs, my back against his chest, bubbles foaming up around us. Instantly, all of the tension in my muscles releases. His strong arms slide around my waist, pulling me close. I can feel his hardness pressing against my lower back.
He leans down, brushing a few kisses along my shoulder while working his thumbs into the knots around my neck. I let out a loud sigh, my head tilting back against him.
“You did great today,” he murmurs against my skin. “Ana’s amazing.”
I bite my lip, nodding. “She really is. I’m so sorry you missed those years with her.”
He exhales; his breath hot against my neck. “I’m not letting that overshadow the fact that I have her here now,” he says. His hand slips beneath the water, caressing my belly. “And there’s a lot more at stake.”
A lump of guilt builds in my throat. I can’t keep this secret forever; it’s only right he knows. But his arms feel so good around me, the hot water soothing all of my anxiety away, and selfishly, I just want to savor it.
Steam swirls around us as he kisses below my ear, sending a wave of warmth straight through me.
“I’m proud of you,” he whispers. “For raising her so well, for everything.”
My fingers graze his thigh beneath the bubbles, feeling the tautness of his muscles.
“Thank you,” I whisper. His hand moves over my breast, thumb rolling my nipple in just the right way to make me gasp. I turn my face to his, a moan slipping free when his mouth finds my lips, the kiss deep and urgent.
“God, Kat,” he growls. “You and your secrets…I ought to punish you for that.”
My pussy clenches at his words. “Maybe you should,” I tease back. But my heart hammers, and I know it’s time. No more delaying.
I twist my body enough so that I can press my palms to his chest as I look him in the eye. The hunger in his gaze burns, but he frowns slightly at my sudden retreat.
“What is it?”
Here we go.
My stomach twists. “Pavel, there is one more secret I’ve been keeping from you.” I swallow hard before saying, “I’m pregnant.”
For a heartbeat, he just stares at me. Then he lets out a sharp breath, eyes blown wide.
“Pregnant?” he repeats, low and disbelieving. Shock and confusion flash across his face. I brace for anger next. But it doesn’t come. Instead, joy takes over his features like sunlight.
“You’re pregnant?” he says, grinning. “You really are full of surprises, aren’t you?”
Tears blur my vision as I rub his chest. “I was scared to tell you. You have so much going on right now—”
He silences me with a heated kiss, his lips molding to mine. “Stop,” he whispers, breaking away just enough to speak. “We’ll figure it out. We already have a daughter, and now another baby is on the way. I’ve never been this goddamn happy.”
I laugh, tears of joy streaming down my face while the bubbles float around us. He curves a hand over my belly, still grinning in awe. I kiss him again, this time more gently, letting the revelation settle.
“Thank you for telling me,” he whispers against my mouth. “Now, no more secrets, okay?”
My lips turn upward into a smile. “No more.”
A shiver of anticipation rolls down my spine when he slides one hand up my body, and his palm curves around my breast, fingertips grazing my nipple. I gasp at the electric jolt that shoots through me.
He trails his fingers down, sliding them between my thighs under the water, finding me slick and ready. He cups my pussy, teasing my clit with his thumb.
A ragged moan escapes my throat. I push against his palm, urging more contact. He shifts my body so that I’m in front of him again, on his lap. He presses his cock against my opening, teasing me.
“You want this?” he murmurs near my ear, biting my earlobe just enough to send a jolt of pleasure through me.
“Fuck, yes,” I breathe. “Please.”
He holds me up, sliding his tip against my entrance, and I whimper. My arms tremble, braced against the tub’s edge. Slowly, he sinks inside, inch by inch, until he’s fully buried. We both groan, the warmth of the water only adding to the pleasure.
“God, Kat,” he says, pulling me tighter against his chest. “Every damn time, you feel so damn good.”
My nails scrape the porcelain. The steam makes everything slick and hazy, the bathroom lights shimmering off the bubbles floating around us. He grips my hips, beginning a slow rhythm, each thrust more intense as he deliciously stretches me.
The drag of him inside me is almost too much, and my mind blanks. I ride the wave hard, pleasure coiling low in my belly until it snaps. My entire body tenses as I come, a choked cry ripping from my throat. Pavel’s own orgasm follows, and he growls against my ear as he drains himself deep within.
For a moment, the only sounds are our ragged breathing and the slow deflation of the bubbles. My limbs go limp, the only movement the aftershocks rippling through me. His strong arms slide around my waist, pulling me back so my spine rests against his chest. My heart is still racing, my skin oversensitive.
He dips his head to kiss my shoulder, moving his lips up the line of my neck. “You okay?”
“More than okay,” I reply. But something about the finality in his tone tells me he thinks we’re done. A flicker of mischief sparks in my chest—I’m not done yet, not by a long shot.
I twist in his arms, the water swirling around us, foam clinging to our skin. His gaze slides over my body, a glint of surprise crossing his features when I plant my hands on his chest, pushing him back against the opposite side of the tub.
“Oh?” he says, brow lifting. “Feeling greedy?”
“Maybe,” I mutter, letting a smile curve my lips. The need inside me hasn’t been fully quenched. It’s shifted into a different edge, a craving for more closeness, more sensation.
He braces his arms along the edge of the tub, watching me with dark intensity. “I warned you not to tempt me,” he growls, a playful warning in his tone.
“Punish me, then,” I tease, sliding closer. I can feel the water cooling, but I don’t care. All I sense is the heat of him, the way his cock twitches as I settle my hips over his.
He answers by cupping the back of my neck and pulling me in for a searing kiss. “Stay like this,” he whispers against my mouth. “I want to see you on top of me.”
I lower myself onto him, his cock sliding inside me slowly. I moan at the stretch, at the wet glide, at the slight ache that melts into pleasure. He grips my waist, guiding me to sink lower, until he’s fully sheathed. My nails bite into the porcelain as I adjust to the sensation.
“Fuck,” he mutters, kneading my ass. “You take me so well.”
He digs his fingers into my hips, urging me to move faster. “That’s it,” he says through gritted teeth.
I lean forward, arms locked, letting him control the angle and rhythm as I rock against him. The friction jolts through me, still so sensitive from the first orgasm. Each thrust forces a gasp from my lips, every nerve taut. He plunges even deeper.
Pleasure builds sharply, and I realize that I’m about to come again. I arch my back, tilting my head backward with a ragged moan. He grips my shoulder, pulling me close enough so his teeth can graze my neck in a gentle bite, the possessive gesture making me shudder.
“Kat,” he hisses. “Come for me.”
I let out a broken cry, my second orgasm slamming through me in hot waves. My inner walls clamp around him, and I hear him groan my name. His cock throbs, hips thrusting in desperate jolts until he goes rigid beneath me, releasing a guttural sound of raw satisfaction. I feel him spilling into me, hot and pulsing, triggering a final echo of pleasure in my own overstimulated body.
For a long moment, we stay like that, breathing as if we’ve just run a marathon, water rippling around us. Eventually, I ease forward, letting him slip free. My limbs tremble, exhaustion swirling in my veins. The tub is well past lukewarm now, but his body heat is enough.
I shift again, and he gently pulls me back against his chest, wrapping his arms around me so we can both rest. Our hearts begin to calm their rhythm, the scent of lingering lavender drifting around us. I close my eyes as the last tremors fade.
He kisses my shoulder, then nudges me to tilt my head so he can press his lips to mine. It’s soft and loving—an odd contrast to the raw intensity we just shared. My chest tightens with affection and relief. We’ve conquered yet another hurdle in our relationship, forging a deeper bond than before.
We lay there, catching our breath, reveling in the quiet. I think of the joy on his face when I told him I was pregnant. My heart stutters with gratitude that he’s not angry, not resentful, just simply happy. Finally, he says, “We should get out before we freeze.”
I grin lazily. “We definitely destroyed the bathroom. We’re going to need a lot of extra towels.”
He chuckles. “Worth it.”
Slowly, we untangle ourselves, standing on shaky legs. He helps me climb out first, then grabs a towel. My cheeks flush as he wraps it around me, his knuckles brushing the side of my breast tenderly.
He steps out, a towel slung around his hips. We look around the bathroom and exchange a wry smile as if to say, what now?
“We’ve got this,” he says simply, pulling me close for another quick kiss. “And I don’t mean just the bathroom. All of it. The Bratva. Piotr. Everything. Especially this baby.”
My throat constricts, tears threatening. I swallow them down, nodding. “Together.”
He nods back. “But next time you keep something from me, Kat, I’ll spank you twice as hard.”
“Promise?” I respond playfully.
He laughs. “You’re trouble.”
“Maybe,” I admit, letting him guide me toward the bedroom, leaving behind a trail of water and scattered bubbles on the floor. “But you wouldn’t have me any other way.”
His hand settles on the small of my back, warm and solid. “Damn right.”
His eyes flick over my face before pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “This Bratva mess, Piotr, the Novikovs…I promise I’ll keep our family safe.”
Our family. Two words I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing. But there’s still one more lie left, one more secret. And it just might be the one that tears us apart for good.
But one I have to reveal to him all the same.
