Once Maksim was satisfied with his work, he rinsed her with soap twice. He thoroughly made sure she was clean, while being gentle around her cut.

When the water became cold, he stood up and blocked it with his bare back. His hands found her hips and secured her against him. Although there was nothing sexy about the pubic hair that was still flowing down the drain, he was erect. His cock was arced upwards, poking her belly. The fleshy cause and effect was almost comical.

"Do you need help to get out?" he asked. His voice was husky– maybe because he was choking on emotion, maybe because he was in pain.

"No."

He ignored her words and bent down to pick her up. She didn't understand why he asked in the first place if he was just going to do what he wanted.

"Please don't carry me," she requested, palming his heavily inked shoulder for balance.

"It is slippery in the tub."

"I'm fine."

"I insist."

"I just..." she blew a breath. "I need space."

"You had enough of that. You need help," he argued.

"I'm not an invalid."

"Well, at least not physically," he chided. "Why would you hide this and live unprotected where anything could–" he cut himself off. With flared nostrils, he carried her to bed. "We will talk about this after you see a physician. I don't want to worsen your blood pressure."

"I will give you your answers, Maksim. But I will not let you insult me or treat me like a child. I may be carrying one, but that doesn't make me one."

He laughed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You kept me from my baby for months, and now you're telling me I can't look after it? That's not how this is going to work. I'm taking charge, beginning now. We're going to the physician tonight, and that is that."

If he was this possessive when he thought there was one fetus, he would lock her up when he found out there were two.

Long puddles trailed out of the bathroom when he walked out and set her on the bed. He ignored his dripping pants, instead dried her wet hair and pulled another towel over her shoulders.

"Doctor appointments? Fine. But I'm going back to my regular life. I want to go back to my job and finish the DC presentation."

The declaration made tendons appear on his neck as an inner war raged. He wanted to raise his voice, but didn't want to distress her. "Absolutely not. You're going on maternity leave."

"It's still early for maternity leave."

Maksim ran a hand through his hair, and his body seemed to buff with muscle. It was a telltale sign that he wanted to throw her against a wall and fuck her until she was so high off dopamine she forgot her argument. That's how fighting used to work between them. Now that she was pregnant, angry sex wasn't an option.

He pulled out a black t-shirt and dropped it on her bare lap. She stared at the cloth, frustrated. The shirt was ironed and crisp; very different from the ripped t-shirts he used to wear. The distinction made her even more irritated.

The sound of wet fabric flopping made her look at Maksim. He was naked, hard dick swinging as he kicked the wet clothes aside.

"Can you cover up?" she looked away.

"You're already knocked up, Raelynn. You've seen, sucked, and orgasmed on my cock plenty of times, so there's no need to be shy now." He went into the closet and pulled on new clothes.

"Put that shirt on. I'll have someone retrieve your things. Where were you staying?"

"Brooklyn, but I don't feel comfort–"

"Brooklyn?" he exploded, ripping the shirt he was holding. "Which part? Do you have any idea how dangerous Brooklyn is?"

I'm sure you would know with your mafia business.

She palmed her face. He was going to go ape-shit when he found out about the twins.

"You're over-reacting. Can we skip on the appointment?"

"No."

"I'm fine physically. I go to my regular checkups. I just passed out because of the heat and my nerves. The... the baby, too, wouldn't stop kicking. I was afraid someone would see the movements. I'm fine. I promise I won't fight anymore if you don't make me go."

He raised an eyebrow. "You'll go on maternity leave without further argument?"

"How about I answer some questions instead of slamming the door on your face like I want to?"

"I knocked one door down already. Do you really think a second will stop me? Why did you do this? Why did you punish me by taking this pregnancy from me?"

The accusation made her angry. "You think I left knowing I was pregnant? You think I'm that cruel?"

"I don't know what you are anymore." He stood straighter, reminding her of how tall he really was. It was infuriating, because although they were no longer on his damned skyscraper, where he worked on the top floor, he was still unreachable.

"How can you say that?" she rose to her feet. "I tried to tell you," she poked his chest, doing more harm to her finger than his muscles. "Why am I the villain? What about the things you did?"

He raised his hands and made a move to grab her. Grab her and what? She wondered. He couldn't pin her down and fuck her like old times.

Realizing this, Maksim gritted his jaw and lowered his hands. "I'm the one that deserves answers, so stop asking questions. Just stop talking altogether and lie on your back."

The demand unnerved her. "Lie back for what? Is sex my payment for skipping out on the appointment?"

"Lie back," he repeated.

She hesitated, because she didn't want to have sex, but she didn't want to go to that appointment, either.

Choosing the lesser evil, she crawled on the bed. Maksim followed and kneeled beside her. His large hand cupped her right breast and fondled it.

She looked away.

Was this his a display of power for him? A reminder that she would remain under his thumb forever?

"They're enormous and stiff," Maksim blurted, referring to her breasts. "Do they hurt?"

"Uh, not really."

"And the color? Your nipples were not this dark before."

She relaxed when she realized he was only exploring the changes that pregnancy had on her body. He wasn't interested in sex, but catching up with the flowering of her body that he missed.

"It changed."

"Oh." His eyes were wide with amazement, and his hands moved all around her– from her breasts, to her shoulder-blades, to her bellybutton. One of his hands hooked behind her knee and moved it aside to unfold her pussy. There was no hunger in his expression, only awe.

She shut her eyes and focused on not gushing.

"Will this become darker too?"

No, but it will glisten if you don't stop staring at it.

"I don't think so."

Maksim lowered her leg and returned his attention to her belly. After a long pause, he whispered, "do you know the sex?"

"Boy."

Boys.

Maksim leaned close and inhaled her belly. It was an odd move, but she learned long ago he had a touch of animal in him.

"How many months?"

"Recently reached six."

"I missed the first heart beat check and the first kick." The feathery touch he had on her belly became more possessive as he gently pressed into her.

"Viktor knew," he declared.

Seeing where this was going, she was quick to defend Viktor. "He's an asshole, but he was trying to help. He wanted you to be happy again."

"This didn't concern him. This is my baby, not his, and he'll get what's coming for meddling in my business."

"Stop." She pushed his hands aside and reached for the shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting a break."

"You're not going to Brooklyn." His eyes fell to her abdomen, where his shirt stretched over it.

"Where's my purse?"

"Are you looking for your Metrocard? If you think I'm going to let you take any more public transportation, then the fainting must have done more damage that I thought."

She sighed. "I just want my phone to call my roommate. Now please get out."

"I'll return. I'm sleeping with you tonight."

"What?"

"We're sleeping naked, your belly against mine. I will not miss any more time with my baby." He picked up his jeans and slid them on, covering his bouncing cock. "I need to return to the office to deal with things. A maid will be here to look after you."

"You better leave Viktor alone!" she called after him.

Maksim went into the bathroom and came out with the gun. He shoved it into his waistband, not meeting her eyes as he opened the bedroom door. "I'm your boss, not the other way around. Don't forget that. Go to bed. The maid will be here in a few minutes. Oh, and there's something else..."

She forced a "What?" through her pursed lips.

"You're not getting away a second time. Not with my baby." He left after that.

"Babies," she whispered; correcting him although he was long gone.