Kelly

 

Not the way I had planned things. At all. Andrei had stared down at me and, for once, his face was so easy to read. I could see how much he cared for me. His eyes had even trailed down to my belly, and it hadn’t been to admire my body. He already cared about the child I was carrying. He was frightened, and that frightened me all the more. What was he afraid of and for whom? Himself? His child?

 

His nose was still swollen and bruised. It served as a visual reminder of the danger he was in, of the danger the baby and I could be in, and his nose had been the last thing I saw before I closed my eyes when we finished having sex.

 

This time had been goodbye. This time had been the last time. I couldn’t stay. I just couldn’t. I might have fallen for him, but that wasn’t enough. I had to run. For the baby’s sake. It didn’t matter if Andrei had bodyguards. It didn’t matter that he assigned some to me. The baby would always be in danger if I stayed.

 

My eyes fluttered closed and I fell asleep in his arms. More times than not, I fell asleep in his arms afterward, and it was going to be something I’d miss. Despite his job, despite his mysterious side, I always felt safe in his embrace.

 

When I woke up, I kept still, feigning sleep since Andrei was still asleep himself. My mind had been made up. I would run. I would find a way to disappear. I couldn’t let him have the baby, no matter what contract I signed. He was a dangerous man. Yes, he might have feelings for me, and I definitely had feelings for him, but that he could kill without any regret…that was a deal breaker. No child should be raised by a man like that. Mine sure as hell wouldn’t be.

 

It wasn’t easy, staying in his arms, pretending to sleep, pretending everything was fine, but I managed, thinking and planning my escape. I’d leave Mom with most of the money. I would only take what I needed to get away, and then I’d figure something out. I was resourceful. I would make things work. Somehow.

 

Finally, Andrei woke up. He stirred and kissed my forehead, and I had to suppress a sigh. How could a man be so tender at times yet also be such a ruthless man who would kill others without batting an eye? He was Jekyll and Hyde. That was my biggest issue, and had been all along. Reconciling the two sides of the elusive, enigmatic Andrei Petrov. He was dangerous in every sense of the word.

 

Tenderly, gently, he climbed out of bed and dressed. He was trying not to wake me. I couldn’t risk even peeking with my eyes. If he saw I was awake, he might pounce back on top of me, and I would give in again, and I had to be strong. I had to get away.

 

Only after the door quietly shut behind him did I open my eyes. I was alone, and I had a feeling I was going to be alone a lot for the next eight or so months. Take a deep breath, Kelly. You can do this. My hands trembled as I gathered my few belongings. Anything Andrei had bought for me I ignored, so there wasn’t a whole lot I had to grab. It wouldn’t be right for me to take them.

 

I eased the door opened and made my way downstairs, careful to avoid any servants and especially Lucas. While Lucas had become a friend, I doubted he would help me with my escape, and even if he would be willing to, I didn’t want to risk him getting in trouble with Andrei. Who knew how he would react when he realized I had gone and taken his baby with me, that he had gone to so much trouble and paid so much to have an heir and for that heir to then be stolen away? Since he would kill his enemies, it wasn’t that much of a stretch to think he might be willing to also kill his employees, or anyone who stood in his way.

 

But for so long, I had worried about others and not myself. I would see to it that Mom was settled in. It wouldn’t be fair to uproot her, though. She would stay here, with her doctors. I would pay Claire to stay on with her. No matter how angry Andrei would be with me, I did believe he wouldn’t take anything out on my mother, not after he told me about his parents.

 

Once I had Mom and Claire set up, I would find a way to take care of myself, and the baby. The leftover money from Andrei should be enough to keep Mom up to date with the hospital and its many bills, and if that money did happen to run out, I’d go back to taking care of her, too. Everything would work out. Somehow.

 

I called a cab, instructed the driver to meet me a few blocks away and, after making sure no one saw me, left the house behind. The entire time I walked those blocks, I had to fight the urge to look behind me. And that was when it hit me. That I’d be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life.

 

But I didn’t have a choice. I had to leave now, before the baby was born.

 

The cab arrived a few minutes later, and I instructed the driver to take me to my mom. I wasn’t sure where I would go afterward. I only knew I had to get away.

 

Funnily enough, I didn’t regret signing the contract. My hands rubbed my still flat stomach. I was going to be a mother. Andrei had given me that. I had him to thank. Even if I was going to raise the child alone.

 

Goodbye, Andrei. Please don’t hate me.