Midnight Sanctuary (Bugrov Bratva #2)(65)

ALYSSA





I inch my way towards the porch, where Uri is standing with his back to me. “I want every security measure we have fortified. And I want another sweep of the property…” He runs a hand through his hair. “… I know and I don’t care. Just do it.”

He hangs up and puts his phone away. “Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, still unaware that I’m watching him. I move in a little closer, waiting for him to notice me like he always does because the man has the peripheral vision and spatial awareness of a damn ninja.

But… still nothing.

Could this really be my time to catch him by surprise? Wonders never cease.

He’s got both hands resting on the porch railing, gazing out at the forest beyond. Closer… closer… I jump forward and wrap my arms around him.

“Gotcha!”

His fist is clenched and up and halfway towards punching a crater into the side of my head before he realizes who is giving him the anaconda treatment around the midsection. “Blyat’,” he grumbles. “Don’t do that.”

“I can’t believe I actually got you,” I say in amazement. “Does this mean I’m the pakhan now?”

He glares down at me as the hand that was just one second ago on a collision course with my face comes to settle protectively around my shoulders instead. “You are supposed to be in bed.”

“I’ve been in bed all morning. I needed to stretch my legs.”

“Stretch them around your room. You shouldn’t be walking up and down those stairs too often.”

I roll my eyes. “Methinks you might be taking the doctor’s advice a little too seriously.”

“Whereas you aren’t taking his advice at all.”

I wrap my arms around his torso. “I’ve been a freaking girl scout all this time. Model patient. But it’s boring up in my room, Uri. There’s only so many books a girl can read. Only so many movies a girl can watch. Only so many naps a girl can take.”

“The day you reach your napping limit will be a worrying day for all of us.” He glances past me towards the open door that leads to the kitchen. “But if you want me to come tuck you in myself, all you have to do is ask.”

My throat is suddenly dry. It’s really, truly unfair how he can do that. One murmured suggestion about anything even remotely bedroom-related and boom, I’m putty in his hands.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” I tease back, biting my lower lip.

“Careful, narushitel—you keep looking at me like that and we won’t even make it to bed. I might just have to spread you out on the kitchen table.”

“Ew, please don’t.” I whirl around to see Polly coming down the steps, wincing uncomfortably at what she just overheard. “We eat on that table.”

“Pol!” Uri says in surprise. “You’re looking… better.”

“Less corpsey, do you mean?”

I can’t help but laugh. The fact that she’s cracking jokes is a good sign, in my not-so-professional opinion. And the truth is, she does look less corpsey. There’s more of a light flush on her cheeks, more of a spark in her eyes.

“Slightly,” agrees Uri. “But I’d prefer you stay in bed until the corpseyness has reached zero.”

Polly wrinkles up her nose in a scowl. “I’m gonna go stark raving mad if I stay in there. A girl can only have—”

“Yes, yes, I heard the whole speech already,” Uri snaps irritably. He softens and says, “Fine, you can stay down here for a little while. Go hang out with Nikolai or Lev. But you—” He turns those scintillating baby blues on me. “—get your ass back upstairs and rest.”

“Come on, Lys,” Polly says to me with a conspiratorial wink as she comes and scoops my elbow in hers. “Let’s do as we’re told. Otherwise, your baby daddy might actually blow a fuse. That vein in his jaw is never a good thing.”

I have to suppress laughter as I throw Uri a wink and follow Polly upstairs. “I expect you back in our room in twenty minutes,” he yells out after us.

When we get to Polly’s room, I make myself comfortable on the window seat while she sprawls out on the floor with a huge stretch and yawn. “Sorry about Uri,” I say. “He’s been a little tightly wound since our last doctor’s appointment.”

“I can’t say I blame him. You really are a menace to your own health. He doesn’t even know you’ve been cleaning Lev’s room and fetching me snacks from the kitchen, does he?”

My eyes go wide. “You aren’t gonna tell him, are you?”

“Don’t worry. Your dirty little secret is safe with me.” She holds up a finger in warning. “But if you don’t start taking it easy, I may have to rat you out.”

I frown and flop back against the wall behind me. “You’re as bad as your brother.”

She smiles sympathetically. “I get where he’s coming from. And I’m inclined to agree. You need to put your feet up and let yourself be pampered.”

“Blech. I’d rather be waterboarded.”

Polly laughs. “I know you’re worried about me, Alyssa. But don’t be. I’m okay.” I raise my eyebrows and she nods emphatically. “Seriously. I’ve been doing better lately. I’m not gonna lie: some days are harder than others. But today’s a good one. I feel… optimistic." Her eyes land on my belly. “Mostly because I’m gonna be an aunt in a few months and I can’t wait. But in order for me to be an aunt, you need to give birth to two healthy babies. So…”