Page 50 of Claimed in Sin
She nods and squeezes my arm gently before she lets go to slip out of the room. Then I push myself up and walk into the bathroom and close the door.
The tub's full of water hot enough that steam has started to collect along the mirror above the sink. Bubbles form a thick layer across the surface and beckon me in. It's like Mr. Kuzin knows exactly how to relax a woman. His wife is a very lucky woman.
I peel off my clothes, leaving them on the tile, and step in and lower myself down. The heat wraps around me and I feel every muscle I've been clenching for the past hour start to unwind.
I sink until the water reaches my chin and close my eyes, focusing on my breathing. It's been a long day and I'm tired and emotionally worn out.
If that gun would've worked, I'd have killed one of my father’s men. As it stands, I feel like the ones who lay dead in Stepan's house are dead because of me. Some of them may be my cousins or uncles, and it makes me think of how Filipp will react to all of this, how angry he may be at me for cheating on Maksim and causing all of this.
I've always been the good girl, the one who never did a bad thing or took risks. Listening to Elira tell me to take a risk and have an adventure was a dumb move, though I can't be mad at her for it. I made the choices on my own and if I hadn't made them, I'd be oblivious to what real love feels like. Stepan awakened something inside me I've never felt and if he hadn't done that for me, I'd have married Maksim and never known what true love really is.
Pressing my eyes closed, I let the water swirl around me and rest my hand on my belly, wondering what Stepan is thinking about this baby. His reaction was so subdued, almost nonexistent. He's not overly expressive with his emotions at times, but he is tender and gentle with me. So this whole evening has felt like an alternate timeline or something, seeing him so angry and hostile, then not feeling a trace of his tenderness when I needed it most.
Maybe it was there. Maybe I'm too worked up and scared to feel it. Or maybe I blame myself too much to allow that tenderness to reach my heart right now. I don’t deserve any of this affection or protection, either. I lied to him, kept his baby a secret, and literally slept with him while I knew damn well thatI was planning to marry another man. He shouldn’t love me. He should hate me. But here I am, safe and sound with him.
I'm starting to drift off, almost to a point where I'm dozing, when someone softly knocks on the bathroom door. I blink my eyes open, realizing I almost fell asleep and call, "Yes?"
"Marina? My name is Mila. I'm Roman's wife. Sorin told me you were here. Can I come in?"
I hesitate, then I pull the bubbles up around my chest and shoulders. Being in a stranger's bath is one thing. Having that stranger's wife walk in is a little awkward, but it piques my curiosity. My father has always told me that Roman Kuzin is a monster, though I never knew what he looked like or really much else about him until tonight. I didn't know who Stepan was, either—not really.
"Yeah," I mumble, deciding that if a woman is brave enough to marry a Kuzin man, I’ll learn what I can about her. I'm having a baby with one of these men. That's scarier than what I thought.
The door opens and a woman steps in with a baby on her hip. The child isn't even a year old yet and this woman appears to be my age, maybe younger. She's so pretty and walks cautiously as she walks over and closes the toilet lid, sitting down on it. She adjusts the baby on her lap and it leans into her chest.
"Sorry to barge in," she says. "When I heard what happened, I wanted to come check on you... And you could see there are more than just men with guns around this place." She chuckles softly and bounces the little one on her knee.
I almost laugh. It comes out more as a breath through my nose, but she catches it and smiles.
"This is Amelia," she says. "She should be asleep, but we're going through a days and nights mix-up right now. She thinks Mommy doesn't need to sleep at all."
She's an adorable little girl, with a swath of thick, dark curls on her head and wide green eyes that stare at me. She looks tired, though, and she yawns so big, I can see one tooth poking through the gums. It makes my hand slide across my belly under the bubbles as I think about how soon, I'll have a little baby like that on my lap.
"She's so beautiful," I tell Mila. I see her father in her, the square jawline, the dimple in her chin. And she has his eyes too. Much like Stepan's. Their family genes are strong. I wonder if my baby will look like me or Stepan.
"That she is, but she's a terrible sleeper—incredible eater, though. And she's got her father's temper." Mila grins and presses her lips to the top of Amelia's head.
Amelia lets out a loud cry, and Mila stands and bounces her and shushes her, but the crying ramps up. "Hey, shh," Mila soothes. Amelia doesn't like being talked about, apparently, because her wailing erupts into a fit complete with throwing her head back and kicking her legs, and soon, the bathroom door opens and Sorin appears.
"I've got her," Sorin says, holding out her arms. "Come here, sweet girl."
Amelia goes to Sorin without protest, her crying tapering off as Sorin tucks her against her chest and rocks her. Within seconds the baby's eyes droop and her head tilts against Sorin's shoulder.
"She's a witch," Mila says, watching them go. "I'm convinced." The door closes and Mila sits back down.
"You didn't have to come check on me," I say.
"I know. I wanted to." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I've been where you are, Marina... And I know how scared you must be."
I'm not fond of her pity, or sympathy—whatever it is. I turn away with my cheeks burning and gather more bubbles that seem to be dissipating faster now as the water really starts to cool. When I say nothing, Mila continues.
"Is it okay if I tell you a story?" I look up at her, not sure what her angle is, but I nod. I'm sort of trapped in this bathtub with a complete stranger looking at me, and I'm not typically a rude person. Mila seems nice, however, and as she starts to speak, her voice lulls me into a trance.
"When I met Roman, he was violently angry with me and wanted to kill me." Her eyebrows rise as I narrow my eyes at her, then she chuckles. "I had stolen from him, and it's his own personal thing... But the point is, when he saw me for who I really am and the situation I was in with my stepmother, he proved what sort of man he is."
This is one of those, "I married this man despite his flaws" sort of speeches, and she's got me hook, line, and sinker. "What sort of man is that?" I ask her, already knowing what she'll say. No woman marries a man who is violent with her unless she's forced. And given that they have a baby together and she's in here calmly trying to help me, I'd say that's not the case with her and Roman.
"He's a good man, and so is Stepan." She sighs and smiles warmly, eyes glazing over like she's remembering things fondly. "I think finding this family was the best thing that's everhappened to me. I would've been trapped in a bad mess without them."
