GINEVRA I swayed my hips from side to side, humming to a mental song as I got ready in front of the mirror. I was happy. I was overjoyed. I was ecstatic because for the first time in my life, I loved something more than life in itself. My little monstrous thing growing inside my stomach. It made me sick, made me hate myself most of the time, made me into a bitchy nag and a cry baby, but I found myself falling in love with it everyday. The little thing was just like his father and he hadn't been born yet. His amazing father. He had been paying me extra care since he returned a week ago. He'd cook, clean, set up cameras and force me to make videos with him. He'd kiss my bump, kiss my lips, make love to me so gently because he wanted the feel of me embedded in his memory—and he also didn't want to hurt our baby. The perfect gentleman. I was so in love with two people to a point where I hadn't realized I was slowly turning into ashes. We had our first doctor's appointment booke

GINEVRA "He's ready to see you ma'am." Finally! I had been waiting at The Pakhan's estate for more than three hours without being graced with his presence and it got me really aggravated, seeing that my hormones had begun raging. Blame it on the pregnancy. Clearing my throat, I stood up and made an attempt to walk into the lobby when the guard gripped my shoulder. "He is waiting to see you." He affirmed. "He? My—”"Yes ma'am." A shuddered breath wracked through me. Why did he want to see me? What had I done? Why couldn't I have the meeting with his second? Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Russia after all. I began walking through the slightly familiar hallway until I was in front of the door I dreaded the most. Raising my fist, I softly knocked on the door once and walked in before closing it shut with a click to the lock. The strong smell of that awfully familiar cologne mixed with the smoke from a burning cigar hit my nostrils, almost making me gag. Pregnancy hormones. I fe

GINEVRA His fingers drew lazy shapes on my skin as his growing bulge pushed into my ass. "You're unbelievably perfect baby." He whispered, lips leaving trails of wet kisses across my back. And I knew then, that Ricardo was my one—my happy place. "Oh!" I gasped. "Did you feel that?" "Yes baby, I did. He just kicked so hard." Ricardo murmured against my skin, sending shivers down my spine. A strangled laugh escaped my throat. "How do you know it's a he?" He chuckled, letting out an amused laugh. "I should know because I made him." Reckless laughter tore out of my throat and I allowed it. Ricardo and I vibrated against one another as we laughed our lungs out. I laughed until I couldn't help myself any longer, I couldn't hold back on the emotions that were fighting to be let out. I let go. My body vibrated as I sobbed with my face buried into pillow. Ricardo held me tighter and from the wetness I felt on my shoulder, I knew his eyes were leaking too. "I'm sorry, amore. I'm so so

GINEVRA If I was unaware of my conjugal endeavors last night, then the aching between my legs was all it took to jog my memory this morning. I couldn't complain. I was sore but in a good kind of way and those ocean blue eyes boring into mine with so much excitement in them were enough to make my heart melt. "Are you going to say something or would you rather stare at me like a creep for the whole day?" I grumbled, making a screeching sound as I stretched myself awake. Ricardo chuckled. "I could stare at you the whole day without getting bored." A kiss on my temple that had me smiling sheepishly. "Did you have a great night?" "What do you think?" "I think I wore you out a little too much, which is why I've made you the perfect breakfast." His tongue glided across my neck and he hummed his approval at the taste of my skin. "Why don't you go freshen up and I'll set the table." . . . "Oh my, Ricardo!" I smiled. "That breakfast was amazing. You're such a good cook. Thank you so much

GINEVRA "Let me tell you a little story, Ricardo." I bit my lip and heaved out a breath before continuing. "There was this girl, only six years old at the time. she lived in her very beautiful castle back in Russia with her father who loved the fuck out of her and her mother who loved her too but was too much of a drug addict to care for her little girl." I waited a few minutes to get my emotions under control before continuing. "One day, her father took her into the forest for his hunt but when they returned, their castle had been invaded by bad men. That little girl ran into the house and immediately lost her mind when she saw her mother laying on the floor. At first, she thought that it was one of those days when her mother would overdose and pass out so she began calling out to her. ‘Mum, why are you on the floor. Come on, you'll catch a cold, let's get you to bed.’ She called out but there was no response. She didn't understand what was happening until her father held her moth