"I would push that woman out of a window if I could. I will not let her breathe in the direction of my boys. They will not relive the fate of their uncle. I won't allow it."

She walked around to hug his front. "I could've never imagined."

"You have to understand. I can't let my mother or Viktor near the babies."

She felt torn about Viktor, because although he was arrogant, he helped her get close to Maksim.

"I understand."

Maksim's hand cupped the back of her head, and he tucked her face in the crook of his neck. "Without you, there's only vodka and insomnia."

"We can get help together, Mak. I still get irrational thoughts, still have triggers, still cling onto my father's ghost, but I'm better."

"I don't get episodes like you do."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't talk to someone."

He paused, and she looked up to make sure he wasn't angry.

"I bought you a TV."

She frowned at the random change of subject. "Why? You already have like ten in here."

"No. I meant the day you left. I finally earned enough to afford a TV, so I brought one home for you."

Her chest shrunk. "I always told you that we were fine without one."

"I know, and there's nothing I looked forward to more than coming home to hear you talk for hours about office gossip. I wanted you to have nice things, though. I wanted to be a man for you."

"You were."

"Not just in the sheets, Raelynn."

She lowered her eyes, and her thighs felt a phantom beard burn from when Maksim was last between them.

"I destroyed the TV, wrecked the apartment, and blacked out for a few days. There was just alcohol and insomnia for months. Anger. So, so much anger. I felt small; a little boy in a man's body. You crushed my pride."

"I–"

"I know. You were running from your past. I don't blame you for it, because I have done the same. You're the only person I want hearing this."

"Thank you."

If they had these conversations months ago, so much pain, fear, and humiliation would've been avoided. So much of her pregnancy wouldn't have been missed.

"... um, is your face okay? I hit you really hard."

She rubbed his cheek and accidentally skimmed her thumb over his lip when he smiled.

"I hope you hit Dante just as hard."

"That bastard. What happened to him?"

Maksim shrugged and released her. He bent to pick up the fallen tomatoes. "He's keeping a low profile. I've been conducting... business with his associates."

"What will you do to him?"

"An eye for an eye," Maksim replied. "I'm going to hit home, just like he did to me. Sometime, someday, I'll rip his woman from him to even the score."

Even the score.

She thought of Tiffany, and a wave of stress made her lean against the counter.

"Forget about Dante. Something has to be done about Tiffany. She sold me out. Sold the boys out." She gripped the counter. "I just don't know what. I don't want to..."

"To kill her?"

Raelynn flinched. "No. We are not the law."

Maksim chuckled. "I am." A tomato was crushed by his fist. "This is my city."

"No more blood," she argued. "I promised my father."

Maksim threw the tomato in the trashcan. "Fine, no blood. I'll strangle her instead. A bloodless death."

"Maksim!"

Seeing her conviction, he offered, "I'll cut her fucking hands off, then."

"You want to maim her?"

"She shouldn't have tried to take what wasn't hers."

Raelynn rubbed her face.

"We will talk about it after the babies are born. You need to focus on your health, alright?"

She nodded slowly. "God, I can't believe I'm having this conversation."

Maksim washed his hands and then led her to the couch. Her dress flattened and further emphasized her abdomen, leading Maksim's eyes to it.

His fingers twitched, but he refrained from touching it.

"Why have you been staying away from them all week?" she asked and rubbed it.

"I..." he looked frustrated.

"Maksim?"

"I feel ashamed for failing. Staying away is my punishment."

"That's ridiculous." She replied. After opening up to her, he deserved deserved some happiness.

She took his wrist and tried to tug it to her abdomen, but he was immovable. Deciding to improvise, she crawled closer and propped herself on his lap.

Maksim's eyes widened as he remembered the position. Every day after work, they united in the same position.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and placed her cheek against the one she had slapped. Her swollen chest was flush against his flat one, and she felt his cheek stretch when he smiled.

"Do you have a gun holstered?" she asked, shifting a little.

"Yes."

"Oh. Well, can you take it off?"

"It's hard to remove my cock."

"Geez, Maksim. It's been ten seconds and you're already..."

"I can't help it. I haven't fucked you in months."

"Uh..."

That was the end of that. The thought of sex with Maksim had all sorts of effects on her.

A twin shifted inside her, giving her an appreciated distraction. The shift soon became a party of kicks.

"I can feel them," Maksim said with awe. His hand came to rub her. "I am sorry I have neglected you. I have been busy."

"Are you talking to me? Or..."

"All of you." He circled her belly button with a thumb, and she felt that right on her clit.

"I will do better. Would you like that?"

He got a strong kick as an answer, and his laughter made her tremble.

"это мои мальчики." (Those are my boys).

Over the next three days, Maksim dedicated more time to her. He made dinner with her, dragged her to his lap, and bathed with her at night.

The bathing was the most troublesome part. It was supposed to be bonding time in which he taught her Russian and washed her belly. They were gentle with each other, but the intimacy was burning too hot.

Having all those inches skimming her thigh, those glistening abs begging to be scratched, lips whispering to be kissed, was making Raelynn's hormones go haywire.

She wanted him, but didn't know if sex would be healthy. Things were still too fragile between them, and having Maksim's cock split her apart could likely shatter more than an orgasm.

She was in the living room, bored out of her mind and wishing she could go back to work as she heard the treadmill a few doors down. Maksim had a gym in the penthouse and occasionally stepped into it.

The thought of Maksim sweating, aching, and panting made her slide off the couch and waddle to the room. She peeked in, and found him bouncing on the treadmill, shorts low on his hips and muscles tight.

"Fuck," she whispered.

She watched for so long that she lost track of time. Maksim's endurance kept him going. She knew plenty about his endurance.

Thoughts of his hips ruthlessly thrusting had her hand drifting to her center. She rubbed herself through her leggings, feeling ashamed but weak against the temptation.

Her knees wobbled. It didn't take much stimulation to have her at the edge of an orgasm.

Maksim stopped the treadmill and walked over to a bench surrounded by weights. He picked up his phone and made a call.

"It's me."

"No. I had a question."

"How soon can I fuck her?"

The question alarmed her.

"What position won't hurt the babies?"

"Good. How hard can I thrust?"

"Alright. That's all." He hung up and tossed his phone on the mat.

"Get in here, Raelynn."