Ultimate Vengeance (Wanted Men Book 4)(58)

“Get us a car,” Gabriel said to Jak, who gave a clipped nod and took off with his phone pressed to his ear.

“No need.” Lucian appeared and waved Jak back before he could get far. “Mine is already at the curb. It can take you where you need to go. What’s wrong?”

Lucian’s regular muscle, a nasty-looking sonofabitch named Sorin was at his back, looking as if an invisible wire connected them. Markus had also come over, and even though all wore identical frowns, Markus’s was that much deeper because he and Eva had grown close over the last six months since they worked together every day.

Gabriel quickly recapped while—imagining Eva was going to come around soon and become self-conscious—Alek waved them toward the exit. He went first, creating a path through the crowd, and they hit the near-empty lobby in no time.

He turned on Gabriel. “What the fuck is this? I had no idea this was happening.” He waved a hand over Eva’s prone body. “Why didn’t either of you share this information? What if you weren’t here?” he whispered fiercely as a couple passed by. “I wouldn’t have had a fucking clue what was wrong with her. Is she on insulin?”

“What the hell happened?” Vasily pushed into the group, bringing with him the sweet scent of cigar.

Gabriel rubbed his jaw on the top of his wife’s dark head. “Sugar,” he said to his father-in-law before responding to Alek. “Yes, she is. We’ll talk tomorrow. I want to get her home.”

“Christ Almighty,” Vasily muttered as he laid his inked hand over his daughter’s forehead. “You’re so much like your mother it’s infuriating.”

Eva smiled shakily, and as though it were meant as a compliment, she murmured, “Thank you.” When she closed her eyes, tears hovered on her lashes.

Alek leaned in and kissed her on her damp temple. Fuck. He was spooked by her uncharacteristic lethargy. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry.” She didn’t open her eyes. “I’m still trying to get used to having to be more careful.” She was rubbing her belly and seemed to be talking to the baby more than anyone.

Lucian waved forward a guy who was either wearing Kevlar or who spent a lot of time at the gym. “This is Isaac. He will take you. Do not hurry back,” he said to his driver before turning to Alek. “Are you planning on leaving?”

Vasily, who’d been ready to go with his daughter, sent the others off and hung back after hearing the question.

Alek’s nape got tight at the tension that suddenly sat between them all. “No. I have personal business here.”

Lucian nodded once and made a quiet sound that could have meant anything before turning away and disappearing back into the ballroom.

“I’m not privy to the information,” Markus said with his hands upraised when Vasily gave him an inquiring look.

“Why didn’t you tell me she was dealing with this?” Alek demanded, going back to Eva. “Either of you. You obviously knew, if your lack of surprise is anything to go by,” he said to Markus.

“You know Eva, she doesn’t want the attention that comes with it,” Vasily explained.

Markus added, “Gabriel told me—without her knowledge—so that if he wasn’t around at the office, I’d be able to keep an eye on her in case something like this happened. I’ve heard the reminder on her phone go off. She curses worse than her husband because she’s forgotten to stick her finger and fill in the chart her doctor gave her.”

“Her mother was type two.” Vasily was looking into the ballroom, his gaze unfocused. “Since diabetes is genetic, Eva made sure to let her obstetrician know to keep an eye. We’re just hoping it remains gestational because that means it will disappear after she has the baby.”

Alek felt like a dunce because he’d never heard of the condition. But then, why would he be aware of something like that? It wasn’t as if he’d personally known many pregnant women in his lifetime.

“I remember Kathryn used to inject insulin right into a pinched portion of skin on her belly,” Vasily murmured. “She didn’t like it when I told her I’d rather deal with a decapitation than watch her do that.” He had a small smile on his face as he walked away.

“Think they have any idea how it freaks us out when they speak so casually about the unspeakables?” Markus’s hazel eyes were laughing, showing he wasn’t all that bothered.

Alek slapped his boy on the back and led him into the ballroom for another hit of misery. “I’m sure it’s all part of the fun.”