Victor

"Just one bite, my love" I held the bowl to Elena and that was my mistake. My wife barely managed to jump over me, darting into the bathroom headfirst, causing my heart to stop for a few moments until she regained her balance, tripping over her own feet.

Mascot had made his decision and it made Elena land and balance on the edge. Her own father became her enemy and Elena took it hard, she began to doubt her own worth and if she wasn't a good enough daughter for her father to choose her happiness over revenge, if she was worthy of being a mother. And it broke my heart to see her like that.

The sparkle in her eyes, her joyful smile, her enthusiasm and her questions during the examinations. Everything melted away the second the news arrived that Mascot was officially working with Cosa Nostra. It didn't help that, thanks to this, Elena had to stay at home, or if she went out, it was only with me and we were surrounded by a human shield.

In addition, her pregnancy progressed, going from the 'hungry' phase, to constant vomiting, an absolute change in her taste, again, and her mood swings reduced to depression and crying and total shutdown for hours and sometimes days.

I left the bowl on the bedside table and went into the bathroom after her. I crouched down and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her between my knees. "Is it over?" I smoothed the sweaty hair on her forehead, my gaze slid over her bare shoulders and arms. Elena was entering her fifteenth week, at the last examination, the doctor worriedly noted that she was starting to lose weight, as if I hadn't noticed it myself.

"I don't know" she sighed and put her hand on her belly, caressing the tiny bump so gently that I felt the touch like ghostly tongues on my skin. "Elena, should you try something to eat?" her gaze flicked up, Elena lay on my thigh and gave me a small smile. "Do you think we can find some pickles in the fridge?" from sweet during her period, to sour salty at the beginning of her pregnancy, now it was just sour. The problem was that the pickles her pregnancy had stuck to weren't nutritious enough for Elena, and along with the vomiting, she continued to lose weight.

"Whatever you want my love, but how about we add a nice steak?" her emerald eyes closed for a moment and she nodded. "But tiny?" even her voice was weakening. And it was all her father's fault. Elena was in the seventh heaven, she was happy, her pregnancy made her shine, now it was as if I was looking at a ghost that slowly melts over time. "I promise" I picked her up and carried her back to bed, making sure to keep the smell from the bowl away from her as I tucked her under the covers. "Get some rest, and I'll go down and check for pickles, okay?" Elena smiled tiredly again and closed her eyes.

I felt like I was losing my wife and my child. Even Cristina, Ophelia and Oscar couldn't lift her spirits, I went so far as to let Dominic try his clown charm, but Elena didn't react well to his good mood and after spending a good 15 minutes in the bathroom, neither did Dominic gave up. I must find a way to restore her will to live or I will truly lose her.

"Can you cook a steak, whatever?" I looked at the cook, whose eyebrows sank when she saw the untouched kuyaa soup in my hands. "Is the lady still throwing up?" I nodded and set the bowl down on the counter. "Sir?" I stopped in front of the fridge and looked at Emma. "Can I try something?" I thought for a moment, at this stage, I'm ready for anything, so I nodded. "How about you bring the lady here?" she suggested and I looked at her confused. "Please?" I looked at the unopened fridge and back at Emma.

"Okay, but get ready to clean" I sighed and walked back to the bedroom. I doubt that Elena will want to go down to the kitchen, the only reason she left her bed in the last few days was to throw up or take a shower, and she barely had the strength for the latter. Still, Emma had been through three pregnancies, I trusted her, if the cook knew a way to lighten up Elena, screw my bossy ego, I'm ready to listen and perform.

To my surprise, Elena agreed, despite her tired droopy expression, she agreed and lazily let me help her change out of her pajamas into a light casual dress that clung to her, showing off her rounding belly. "Look who's starting to show" I kissed her belly, crouching down to help her put on her sandals. Elena put her hand on her stomach, a gesture she'd been doing a lot lately. "Come on, Emma is waiting for you" I helped her up and we both walked towards the door.

Since we got married, Elena's only activities have been shopping, dealing with Craven Groups invitations, and seeing her friends. Not once did she dispute this, but when we went down to the kitchen, stopped in front of the counter piled high with produce and Elena's face lit up when Emma handed her a wooden spoon with the words 'Will you help me with dinner', it was as if I felt whole again.

"My second pregnancy was horrible. I was throwing up from the air I breathed, I couldn't put a bite in my mouth except when I was cooking. I think it was because I wasn't taking it as a meal, I was just tasting the food I was preparing" my gaze moved away from Emma to Elena, who seemed to have turned full circle, leaning over a pot of stew, scraping the hot broth from the wooden spoon to taste it. I didn't even know my wife was cooking so good and now I was watching her fly around the kitchen, chopping vegetables, mixing mixtures and everything, while consciously or not she was popping one thing or another into her mouth, accompanied by pickled onions from a jar that was constantly moved between the counters.

"My husband was constantly teasing me that when I work, my mind and body seem to belong to two separate women. That's how I realized that if I don't think about the food itself, I take the food more easily and I started eating by foot. Just like the lady in the moment" I nodded and smiled, watching how Elena leaned over the open oven, inhaled deeply the smell of lamb with wine and rosemary and chewed, as if she had food in her mouth.

"Thank you" I smiled at Emma and the old woman grinned. "We are happy too, sir. Miss Elena is very nice to everyone, we loved her for a short time and we can't wait to enjoy the baby too. It's the least I can do for her, after all she's done for me" I raised my eyebrows and Emma looked at Elena smiling. "Two months ago, my husband had an operation. I wanted to talk to you about an advance, but Mrs. Elena refused, instead, she paid for my husband's operation" I blinked confused. Apparently, Elena had created her own life here, without me even noticing. When did she even have the time to do that when I was almost constantly by her side?

"Victor, come?" I turned my attention back to Elena, her smile was livelier than I had seen her in weeks, her eyes were bright and a slight blush had appeared on her cheeks. I got up and walked around the counter, peering over her shoulder. "What is this?" Elena lifted a spoonful of brownish mixture to my mouth. "Try it and tell me if it needs more sugar or cocoa" I smiled and took the tip of the spoon in my mouth. "Cupcakes?" I licked my lips and Elena smiled wider. "Well? How is it?" if I had known that just taking her down to the kitchen and distracting her with cooking would help so much, I would have even moved our bed here. "It's great, I can't wait to try them when they're ready" her face really lit up, she licked the spoon, reached over and reached into the jar of onions, popping one into her mouth before she started pouring the mixture into the baking tins.

"Boss?" Marcus cut us off and I looked at him questioningly. "May I have a moment?" his gaze moved anxiously from me to Elena, but I also saw a slight satisfied smile before it melted when he returned his eyes to me. "Sure" I wrapped my arm around Elena, caressing her belly. "Excuse me, my love, but I'm going to leave you with Emma, okay?" I asked and planted a kiss on her head. "Yes, yes, don't worry" she didn't even give me a glance, but I felt happy at the moment and only because she looked happy, after her depressed moods lately.

"What's up,Marcus?" we both stood at the threshold of the kitchen, so that I could watch Elena. "One of our men just called, the men we had watching Mascot and Gradoni are dead" my gaze snapped back to Marcus. "All of them?" Marcus nodded. "And not only that, along with the bodies of ours, we also found Bennet's people, but I'm not sure if he knows yet" I sighed and pinched the base of my nose. "Did you take care of the bodies?" Marcus nodded. "Okay, make sure no one discovers them before us and can report. The bodies of Bennett's men?" I asked, glancing briefly at Elena and Emma. "We took theirs too, I wasn't sure if it was right to leave them, it's still part of the organization" I nodded and closed my eyes for a moment.

"Okay, okay. Find someone who can give us information on what he's doing and where Mascot is right now. Our man in his casino?" Marcus shook his head and I cursed. "Shit!" how did they find all our people? The man who reported to me from the casino worked there for over a year, was a regular, how did they know he worked for me? "I want you to set up a meeting with Bennett as soon as possible before it gets to Caldwell" I ordered and Marcus walked away with a curt acknowledgment and I returned to the kitchen. The last thing I needed right now was more bad news.

"Is everything alright?" Elena looked at me curiously licking her fingers. "I have to go out tonight, nothing to worry about" I walked over to her and kissed the top of her head, meeting Emma's suspicious look. "What are you eating?" I took her hand and licked her finger. Elena's cheeks turned bright red, and Emma turned to the stove in shame, trying her best not to look at us. "Oh, can I have a little more?" I asked and Elena nodded, pulled her hand from mine and leaned over the open oven.

Five hours later, the kitchen was prepared for a small banquet. Elena was so happy to cook, trying one thing or another, without the food coming back, that I could only sit and watch her, letting her use me as a taster. Emma was right, distracted by the cooking and food ideas coming to her mind, Elena didn't even notice the amount of food she was eating. Her pallor receded, and as her smile grew, not only the nausea, but thoughts of her father had receded, at least for the time being.

"Okay, it's time for bed" I put my hands under Elena and lifted her up. She laid her head on my shoulder and mumbled something, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Emma, I will send the men in groups, let them eat. Make sure we restore the products and take whatever else you decide for tomorrow" I ordered and Emma smiled at me nodding. Elena fell asleep in my arms on the way to the bedroom, she didn't even wake up when I sat her down to help her change.

Her body was probably trying to catch up on her energy, having eaten enough nutritious food today for the first time in days. Elena mumbled 'I love you' and curled up into a ball, pulling my pillow to her belly. "I love you too, baby, I won't be late" I tucked the covers around her and headed for the bathroom. After Elena was fed and now sleeping, I could calmly consider the situation.

The meeting with Bennett was imperative, not least because it was no longer personal between me and him. However, Bennett had worked with Mascot, perhaps he had information that I did not have. Apparently Mascot and Cosa Nostra had already moved and it was time for us to do something too. While I was getting dressed, I felt a forgotten thrill, excitement and thirst that I hadn't felt in a long time, maybe since the beginning of my work, when I started with the first kills, with stalking enemies and eliminating them.

Before I met Elena, I had reached a point of saturation. I was bored with monotony, murders were no longer my concern, women were no challenge, it was as if I was looking at my life from the side and saw no meaning in it. With Elena, it was as if my being came back to life, and now that I had something to protect, the monster inside me was also awakening and hungry for the blood of my enemies.

I tightened the knot on my tie and looked at Elena from the doorway. My woman. There was nothing that could stop me from protecting her, nothing that I couldn't do to see her like that. If I have to work with Bennett, fine, if I have to kill her father and put her through her grief, fine. But Hell will freeze over before I have even the slightest doubt that this is what I must do or regret about anything that will happen.

An hour later I walked through the door to Bennett's office. "Bennett" he stood up and held out his hand. "Craven" up until a few hours ago I would never have shaken his hand. Until just a few hours ago, I would never have considered even the tiniest tiny possibility of the two of us working together. But because of Elena and the baby, because of them I can do anything, even step on my pride.

Elena

I never imagined that my father and I could get here. Even as I began to realize that he saw me as nothing more than a pawn to bend to his whims, it never crossed my mind that he might go so far as to work with Victor's worst enemies, and while I am pregnant with his first grandchild.

I put my hand on my stomach and shoved a piece of peach into my mouth, chewing as the thought crossed my mind that I was about to sink so deep that in my grief, I almost lost my baby. Or at least that's what my gynecologist told me at our last appointment. "I'm glad you're starting to gain weight again Mrs. Craven, I was afraid I'd have to hospitalize you at this exam to save the fetus" I shudder just at the memory and I mentally slapped myself again for allowing the sadness to endanger my baby.

I'm currently 18 weeks, it was so touching to watch Victor listen to our baby's heartbeat, to see him trying to move on the screen. Lately I've been feeling a sort of fluttering tickle here and there and now that I felt it again I couldn't help but smile. "It's going to be okay my little one, mommy and daddy won't let grandpa hurt you, will they?" in response, the bathroom door opened to reveal the dad in question in all his masculinity, causing me to swallow hard.

Hormones!

I glanced down Victor's body, unconsciously licking my lips as I watched the drops of water run down his chest and abs. My breathing quickened with the movement of the wings tattooed on his arms and my breath came short as my gaze followed the dark hairs sinking under the towel tucked around his waist, painting in my mind what was there and how he could use it.

The urge to run my tongue over that tight body built of women's dreams became almost unbearable, causing such heat and moisture between my legs that suddenly wearing underwear felt like hellish torture that I desperately wanted to get rid of.

Victor went to the closet and somehow my body moved by itself, I left the plate of fruit on the bed, pulled myself to the edge and followed him. I couldn't take my eyes off his back, the movement of his shoulder blades suddenly seemed kind of sexy to me as he toweled his hair.

Our sex life hasn't been much lately, mostly because of me and my episodes of depression. Victor was patient, he didn't pressure me and he didn't complain, he was by my side all the time, silently supporting me, neglecting himself, as always, from the moment he proposed to me.

"Victor" he slowly turned and looked at me, spreading that smile of his. "Are you all right, my love? Would you like something else to eat?" he removed the towel from his head and dropped it into the laundry basket, reaching to open the closet with his underwear. "You could say" I mumbled out and he stopped in mid-motion, looking at me again, this time intently. This preoccupation of his always makes him look like he's going to solve a world problem. It's just so...exciting.

"Okay, what is it?" he dumped the linen closet and turned fully to face me. I rarely take the initiative when it comes to sex, but my stomach ached with excitement, as if my insides were on fire and the walls of my womb throbbed with need. "I want....you" I breathed out and one of his eyebrows arched, his gaze slid over me so slowly that I felt his touch like a rash on my skin. "Me?" he smirked and slowly walked towards me. "I...I...I need you!" I whimpered, rubbing my thighs together, trying to relieve some of the tension and the uncomfortable feeling of emptiness.

"Really? You need...me?" he walked towards me with a predatory expression that almost made me cum on the spot. A low moan left me and I took a step back. "I...I'm just...." I stammered, but the words stuck in my throat, my back hitting the door frame and I looked back in panic, suddenly doubting my own courage.

"You say you need me and now you're trying to run away,my love?" I gasped and made a futile attempt to jump when one of his hands hit the wall next to my head and his other wrapped around my waist, pushing me into his chest. "I....I...no...yes, I" his lips met mine with a soft 'late' and I melted, I dissolved and I forgot why I was stuttering just a second ago, I forgot my shame, I forgot my melting courage, I forgot everything, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing into my husband for dear life.

"Jump!" Victor grunted low and I smiled against his lips, which his tongue accepted as an invitation. My legs wrapped around his waist, I felt the hardness of his cock against my opening, pressing my underwear against the moisture that seemed to be trying to penetrate the fabric. "Victor!" I don't know if it's from the pregnancy and the hormones, but it's as if every kiss, every rub of our bodies, his touch, his breath, acted like a drug on me. "Please Victor, I can't wait!" I cried impatiently as he carried me to the bedroom, too lazily for my taste at the moment, showering every part of me he could get his hands on with kisses and light bites.

"Elena..." I shook my head and attacked his lips. "Please Victor, I feel like I'm burning!" I moaned and pulled his hair to meet his gray gaze, burning no less than my body. "Shit, you're going to kill me, Elena!" he threw me on the bed and with a sharp movement removed the towel from his waist. My eagerness and need was excruciating. I tried with shaking hands to at least take off my underwear. Along with my rounding belly, I no longer wore pajamas because the elastic feel of them made me feel uncomfortable, and the nightgowns I wore weren't a hindrance at all.

"No!" Victor knelt before me and took my hands. "Leave them" I blinked in confusion, following his gaze. "You are so wet that your panties have a huge stain, my love" he let go of my hands, bent and spread my knees, looking at my panties as if he were looking at a miracle of God. His jaw muscles twitched and his tongue made a course between his lips. "Damn it, Elena, you look....gorgeous!" his hands slid down my inner thighs and I shuddered, unable to stop the slickness which only increased the stain on my panties as I watched his gaze consume me.

"Victor" my low muffled voice raised his gaze. It was as if fiery demons danced, making his gray eyes seem possessed by lustful promises. "Please" I moaned and he chuckled. "But then you're only mine, Elena, only mine!" he growled and pushed my underwear aside, moving his cock against my hole like a battering ram ready to take over.

A slight searing pain shot through me with every millimeter of steel that stretched my walls until his cock sunk to the very end and Victor hovered over me on his hands. "You're so tight, baby, for God's sake, so long....I don't know how long I'll last, Elena" Victor grunted through his teeth, he pulled away slightly and I pulled him back with my legs.

It was like a long-delayed but desired meeting, impatient, fast, hungry, primal. Pure knocking. Every movement was an attack, every retreat short and teasing, every moan and grunt a promise and oath of more. Victor has always been a patient lover, always attentive, even when he lost control, as if he was unconsciously careful not to hurt me. But now, as I whimpered, clinging to him, rising on his shoulders from the bed and begging for more and more, it was as if I had unlocked a part of him that he had held in check before.

"Victor!" pieces of my soul exploded along with my orgasm, pain shot through my chest and my body hung over the bed. Victor penetrated me so deeply that I hung on his waist and shoulders as he pumped inside me. In one motion, we were both reversed and I collapsed onto his chest, breathing heavily, scratching his skin desperately, still needy.

"I...more!" I moved my hips, applying everything Viktor had taught me so far and tried to ride him. I dug my toes into the mattress and rested my palms on his chest. "Elena!" Victor grabbed my waist, I felt his cock pulsate, move and harden again. "More, Victor, I want more!" my throat itched, I had the feeling that the diaper hid his expression from my view, but I could see the hardness in his eyes, the low lustful thirst that seemed to want to punish me for my courage and praise me for my audacity at the same time.

"Holy shit, woman!" his fingers dug into my flesh, took my control, but didn't stop my ride. Instead, Victor imposed his own pace on my movements, moans and gnashing of teeth making me dizzy. "You're mine, mine, mine!" Victor repeated, squeezing my sides, his hips meeting my descents with fanatical force. "Yes, God, yes, yes, yes, Victor, I'm going to cum!!!" I screamed and my body went flying, Victor rolled over, set me sideways and sat on one of my legs, lifting the other on his shoulder.

His cock pierced me, the wet smacking sounds of his thrusts tearing through my moans and whimpers. "You're mine, Elena! Only mine!" propped up on one arm, my leg on his shoulder, clutching my thigh, I swear I've never felt him so strongly, so fully, like every inch of him was made to be wrapped around from every inch of me.

"Victor!" another orgasm washed over me and I could no longer feel anything but him. His thrusts. The movement of his cock against my womb sent a maddening throbbing that seemed to be whispering to me to shudder in anticipation. "Elena!" its primal roar shook me and tore me apart to bring me back together more whole than before, more alive and at the peak of tired happiness.

"Are you okay, did I hurt you?" I rested my head on his shoulder and felt his lips on my forehead. "No, I'm tired, but I'm fine" I sighed sleepily and turned my head slightly to press my lips to the pulse on his neck. "I missed that feeling" I smiled slightly and closed my eyes, feeling blissfully light. "Me too, I missed you,my love" his arms wrapped around me and gently pulled me closer. "I will never let anything my father does come between us again,Victor" I snuggled into his arms so that I could see his face.

"I'm sorry, Elena, if I was stronger, if I could give up on you, both of you" he looked down at my stomach. "None of this would have happened and you wouldn't have had to endure all this pain" the heavy note of regret in his voice seared me and I pushed myself up onto my elbow. "Do you regret it?" his eyes flicked to mine. "For God's sake, Elena, never!" he pushed me onto my back and loomed over me. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Elena. You and the baby are everything to me. I'm sorry for the pain you're going through, but I'll never regret having you!" it was the first time I saw this expression of his, it wasn't just the possessive gleam in his eyes. Victor was looking at me as if he was ready to give up his life before he let me go.

I raised my hands and cupped his cheeks, squeezing them lightly to bring his face closer. "That's good, Victor Craven, because I have no intention of going anywhere far from you. No matter what awaits us, no matter what or who wants, no matter who or what does, we love you and you are destined to hear it until the end of our lives. Together!" a savage sneer lifted the corners of his lips and my breath sank into his throat in a kiss that sealed my oath as if it was trying to swallow my being as well.