The next guy that stared at my breasts was going to have their drink spit in. I got it, I had big breasts and pregnancy was making them larger, but if another person starred down my shirt I was going to snap. I poured a drink for the poor girl who kept fending guys off and gave her a smile. She came in with two other girls and seemed to have been abandoned.

"Hey, if those guys give you a rough time or get too touchy, you let us know, 'ight?" I said as I handed her her drink. She was short and willowy, easy pickings for drunken men who were too brazen. She nodded and passed a few bills over the countertop.

I gave Mason a nod down the counter and he nodded back, understanding to keep an eye out for the girl. Mason seemed like he wasn't much of a threat, but he and I trained together at the gym on weekly basis. Well, we did on a weekly basis.

I crouched down behind the counter and cracked the seal on my PowerAde, chugging a bit of it down and stuffed a few crackers into my mouth. I wasn't going to get much of a break tonight, so I was making do behind the counter.

As employers went, Yuri was understanding. We weren't supposed to eat at the bar, but when I sat him down and explained my situation, he let the rule slide. He also wanted me to wear clothes that I was comfortable in. While dressing up, or down, was common and allowed, but after stumbling around in heels for a few nights he practically banned me from wearing them.

I stuffed my stuff back into my bag and popped up, catching a new customer sitting down at the bar. Tall with a baseball cap and a hoodie. I couldn't see his face because he was looking down at his phone.

"What can I get you, hun?" I asked, wiping my hands on the back of my jeans. The man looked up from his phone and gave me a cheeky smile that I recognized immediately.

"Vodka on the rocks, double please," Dimitri said, turning his phone down onto the bar top. I smirked and turned around to get a bottle of our better vodka, scooped some ice into a glass and poured the vodka into the glass. I set it down in front of him and rested my arms on the counter.

"I'm surprised to see you in my neck of the woods," I said lacing my fingers together. Dimitri nodded and took a sip out of his vodka. I took a quick glance around at the members in the bar then back to Dimitri.

"Just wanted to see what the charm was with this place. It's nice, I might add it to my lists of places to go when I want to escape," Dimitri replied.

I laughed at him. "Gotta use up that time while you can," I said and straightened up as someone else came to the bar and tended to their order. I took orders for a few other people before returning to Dimitri, gesturing to his now empty glass. Dimitri nodded but shifted to the side as the girl from behind came up next to him at the bar with a concerned look on her face.

"Can you call me a cab?" the girl from earlier asked. I gave her a sympathetic look and nodded my head, pulled my phone out to call her a cab.

"You okay?" I asked as I brought the phone to my ear. The girl gave a timid look over her shoulder before looking at me with a shrug.

Dimitri gave her a sideways glance before looking over his shoulder, presumably looking for the group she was looking at. I just finished the call when one of the guys who had been trying to get her attention approached my current pal in distress and tried to put his arm around her.

"Beat it, buddy. She isn't interested," I bit out, narrowing my eyes at him. The guy smirked at me and tried again, only for Dimitri to turn and look at the guy.

"I don't think my friend here is interested. I suggest you walk away," he said, standing up and angled himself between the guy and the girl. The girl looked a little frightened, but I gave her a reassuring look. The douche nozzle seemed to get the hint and walked away.

"Thanks for that Comrade," I said, patting his hand when he sat back down. Dimitri nodded again and looked at the girl, giving her a friendly smile.

"Just stick with us until your cab gets here, they won't bother you again."

The girl looked back to me and then back to Dimitri. I smiled and set a glass of water on the counter for her.

"You're fine here, he's a big softy. But his freakish height will deter people away. You should see the looks on people's faces when they stare at me and then he appears when the two of us are out. They run for the hills," I joked, trying to make her feel a bit better.

"You two know each other?" she asked, shifting on her feet.

"Yeah, Rose and I are good friends. I stopped by because I haven't seen her because she works too much," Dimitri said, giving me a pointed look.

I rolled my eyes. "I got bills I need to pay, Comrade."

Dimitri and I kept conversation with her while I made drinks. Once her cab arrived I flagged Mason down and asked him to walk her to her cab. I waved at her as she reached the door and turned back to Dimitri, taking the lull in people to reach under the counter for my drink.

"Can I ask you something? And I don't want this to come out the wrong way?"

"What's up?" I asked as I sipped my drink.

"I know how much is deposited into your account each month, in the last two and a half months you've received close to forty-five thousand. Why continue the hours the way you are?"

I frowned and set my bottle down on the counter, toying with it between my hands. "Remember how I told you I went to school for Kinesiology?"

Dimitri nodded his head. "I have outstanding tuition, not including my housing costs. I also have outstanding medical bills. So, while the amount I get each month is a lot, a large portion is going to bills and paying my debt. But my debt has debt too because of interest," I said playing with one of the napkins on the bar top.

"How much do you owe for your schooling?"

"Right now, roughly sixty thousand," I said, guessing the amount off the top of my head. It was a lot.

"And your medical bills?"

I got quiet at that and took a drink from my bottle. That wasn't a conversation I wanted to have here. I opened my mouth to speak but Mason walked by with a platter of fresh wings and I breathed in the smell. I grimaced and covered my mouth.

I barely had notice, so I yanked the closest garbage can towards me and held my hair back, puking loudly. Once I got it all out of my system I stood up with a deep breath, reaching for one of the napkins just below the counter to wipe my mouth. Once wiping my mouth and tossing the soiled napkin into the garbage, I turned around to find Dimitri watching me.

"What?"

"I thought you called it morning sickness?"

"Haha! No!" I said humorlessly, "It's all fucking day, Dimitri. All-day. And if I smell meat, I'm toast."

I pulled the trash bag out of the can and tied it up, setting it into the hallway behind me before turning back to the bar.

"I thought that would have eased up by now?" Dimitri said, a sympathetic look on his face. I chuckled and took a sip of PowerAde to get rid of the taste.

"I'm ten weeks, I'll be dealing with this for a bit more. Want another drink?"

"No thanks," Dimitri said pulling his wallet out and placed a twenty on the bar. "How late are you here until?"

"I got a few more hours."

Dimitri got up from his chair and tucked it back under the bar. "Let me know when you get home, okay?"

I gave him a smile and watched him walk out the door, and couldn't help but feel a little big happier than before he came in.


I made it to the clinic with a minute to spare, I rushed inside and gave my name at the desk. I only had to wait a few moments before I was escorted back into an exam room, with Dimitri already inside.

"Hey, sorry I got held up," I said as I set my bag down on the ground next to him. Dimitri chuckled and folded his hands in his lap as he sat on the chair next to the examination table.

"It's fine. I've gotten used to your time management already," he joked, cracking a smile at me. I rolled my eyes and got up on the table, crossing my ankles as we waited.

"How was Seattle?" I asked. Dimitri had to leave early last week for a conference in Seattle. I could tell that he didn't want to go.

"Cold, cloudy, and wet. Very wet."

I cracked up in laughter as the doctor came in, greeting us kindly as he got everything ready.

"So, twelve weeks. Very exciting! How have you been feeling?" Dr. Miles asked as he rolled his chair towards me.

"I've been ok. A bit of heartburn, but I've had really bad morning sickness. And I'm exhausted. I actually fell asleep sitting upright at work yesterday," I said, blushing at the final admission. Thankfully it was Alberta who found me, it could have been worse if it was a client or coworker. How else was I to explain why I fell asleep? But Alberta just laughed and said it had happened to her sister all the time.

"The fatigue is normal, it should ease up further into your second trimester. As for the morning sickness, how often is it?"

"Almost all day? If I eat anything within the first hour of being awake, it comes back up. And if I smell meat of any kind cooking it makes me sick too. I actually can't keep meat down either."

"I'm going to prescribe you something to hopefully help minimize the morning sickness, and keep an eye on the heartburn. If needed, I can prescribe something for that too. Now let's take your weight and measurements."

I got off the table and stepped on the scale and then stood against the chart so Dr. Miles could take my measurements. He frowned at my weight but assured me that while it was lower than it was at my first appointment. He said it was most likely because of the morning sickness.

I got back up on the table to do the ultrasound and lifted my shirt, tucking my hands behind my head. I looked at Dimitri and smirked.

"You know, you can come closer. The bump is not going to bite you," I snickered, pointing to my belly. Dimitri moved his chair closer so he could see the monitor. As Dr. Miles did the scan and took measurements of the baby, I watched Dimitri.

The last two times we had been here he had this look in his eyes that screamed content. The tender look on his face when he looked at the black and white footage made my heart flutter a bit. Here was a man who was ready to take on being a single father, and was already in love with his child.

Dr. Miles finished up and wiped the goo off my stomach, getting up to go print copies of the ultrasound. I hadn't moved yet and turned my head again so I could look at Dimitri again. With him being this close, our faces were inches away, and I could feel his breath brush over my face.

"Do you want to feel it?"

"Pardon me?"

"The baby. Do you want to feel it?" I asked. Dimitri looked from me to my stomach and back, confliction crossing his face. Being a little bold, I reach over and took his hand and placed it on my swollen skin, resting my hand over his for a moment before putting mine back under my head.

Dimitri kept his hand still for a moment before shifting his chair so that he was closer to my midsection, running his thumb over my skin slowly, and I watched him melt a little bit. While I carried this baby, he was their parent, and he was missing on the small things because he wasn't around all the time. He leaned forwards before catching himself, sitting back up and furrowed his brows.

"What?"

Dimitri shook his head. "Nothing. It was an inappropriate thought."

I rolled my eyes and playfully poked his shoulder. "Dimitri, what is it? You can tell me anything."

He looked up at me and I could see the tips of his ears turn pink. "Can I kiss them?"

A smile crossed my lips and I laughed, nodded my head. "Yeah, of course you can."

Dimitri smiled shyly and leaned down slowly, kissing my distended belly. I suppressed a shiver as he did so. Too many times I thought about what his lips would feel like, and I'd scold myself because it was wrong. But the reality was so much better. His lips were warm and soft against my skin and I could already imagine how he would tenderly kiss this child's head.

I couldn't wait until I could give him that opportunity.


I sighed as I climbed the stairs and pulled my keys from my coat pocket. I found the right key and looked up to find my door open. I slipped one of my keys between my fingers and crept closer to the door, only to find the building manager standing in the doorway. Marko was a nice guy and would act as a buffer between the residence and the creepy landlord. Marko maintained the building and tried to make things easier for us by warning when the landlord was coming in.

"Um? Can I help you?"

Marko looked towards me and I noticed that he was wearing a filtered mask. I shook my head and stepped closer but he stopped me.

"Nuh-uh. Not until you put one of these on, prego. Don't want you breathing this in."

"Breathing what in?" I asked as I took the mask from him placed it over my mouth and nose. "And how did you know that I was pregnant?"

"You've got a lot of baby books out and there were prenatal vitamins on the counter. I put it together," Marko said. "Pipe burst in the unit above you. It leaked down into your place. But there's a bigger problem."

I followed Marko into the apartment and into my bedroom, only to find my bed moved away from the wall and a gaping hole there. I glanced up to the ceiling and found the telltale signs of a leak too.

"Black mold," Marko said pointing to the wall. "It looks like the pipe was leaking for a while before it finally gave way."

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. God, I didn't need this right now. The inspector explained how long this problem had been going on and strongly advised that I not stay here until the situation has been dealt with.

I nodded and packed what I could into the two duffle bags I owned, reaching under my nightstand for the precious little box I kept there and pulled out my phone. Lissa was going to be a bust because she was in Italy with her boyfriend, Aaron. I called Mia and waited for her call to pick up.

"Hey!"

"Hey Mia, it's Rose."

"What's up?"

I explained the situation to her, and she made the appropriate comments and complaints. But when I asked her if I could come crash with her she got quiet.

"Oh Rose. I'm so sorry. I'm visiting my parents in Ohio. But I can let you stay in my spare room when I get back at the end of next week!"

"Thanks, Mia. I'll figure something out until you get back. I'll talk to you later."

I leaned against the wall in the hallway and groaned. I couldn't sleep in my car, it was too small. And I didn't have the money to stay at a hotel.

Think Rose, think.

I opened my phone again and called the only other person I could think of.

You've reached the voicemail of Dimitri Belikov, I am unable to take your cal…

I groaned and closed my phone, hoisting my bags onto my shoulders and headed for the stairs. The drive to Belikov Enterprises was short, but my fingers tapped against the wheel the whole time. I parked and headed for the desk, stating my name. The woman I saw last time had a nice smile for me and slid a plastic card across the desk.

"You can go directly through the gates now without needing to stop. And when you get to the elevator just swipe the card inside to give you clearance."

"Thanks," I said as I scooped up my card and headed for the elevator. I finally made it to the floor and walked up to the desk there.

"Hi, um is Dimitri in a meeting?"

"Yes he is. Do you have an appointment?"

"No, I just need to speak with him. Do you think he'll be long?"

The man typed away on the keyboard and clicked a few things before shaking his head. "No, maybe half an hour."

I nodded my head and gave him a small smile. "Can I wait here?"

The man nodded and I headed towards the plush couches, sitting down and prepared to wait. I shifted on the couches a few times before leaning my head on the back of it. I traced the pattern on the ceiling with my eyes, finding shapes and faces in the popcorn design. More than a half-hour passed and I was starting to get antsy. I just wanted to unwind.

The door to the boardroom I met Dimitri in opened, and he and a few people walked out dressed in suits and skirt sets. I waited until most of them had disbursed before I stood up and walked towards Dimitri. He was standing with a man who was a few inches shorter than him with messy blonde hair and blue eyes.

I was hesitant and stayed a few steps away in case they were still talking about work when Dimitri noticed me standing there, interrupting his conversation.

"Rose."

I waved. "Hey, sorry I called but it went right to voicemail."

"Are you okay? Is the baby ok?" Dimitri asked as his voice became serious. I flicked my eyes to the man beside him. Either he already knew about the baby, or Dimitri just blew that information out of the water.

"I'm fine, baby's fine. I just needed to talk to you," I flicking my eyes to the man standing next to us, "In private. Please?"

Dimitri nodded and said something that I didn't understand and gestured for me to follow him into his office.

"What's up?"

"When I got back to my place I found out that the pipe in the apartment above me burst. When they opened up my bedroom wall to clean fix the issue, they found black mold. I was told by the inspector not to stay there until they can clean it up. My friend Mia doesn't get back from Ohio until next week and I don't have money for a hotel. Could I possibly borrow it from you and you can take it off my monthly deposits?"

Dimitri raised a brow at me while he leaned against the desk, arms crossed over his chest. He was quiet for a few moments and my anxiety started to rise.

"You know what? Forget about it. I'll call Lissa's parents and see if they have a spare key to her house," I blurted out and pushing my hair out of my face. I spun towards the door, opening it only for it to be shut by a hand above my head.

I turned and found Dimitri right behind me, so close that it startled me. How the hell did he move so quickly and silently?

"I have a better idea."

"Hmm?"

"You can stay with me if you want? I have a guest room."

I bit my lip. "Are you sure? I don't want to impose on you."

Dimitri gave a small smile and nodded his head. "I'm sure. C'mon, I take you back there so you can get settled. I have another meeting in two hours and will be home late."

I nodded and stepped away so I could follow Dimitri out the door. The guy that Dimitri spoke to earlier was standing outside of Dimitri's office with a worried look in his eyes, and he tried to hide it when he saw me follow Dimitri out.

"What do you need Ivan?"

Oh, so that was Ivan!

"Just wanted to make sure everything was ok. And so that you could introduce me to the lovely lady who's made you smile anytime she's brought up," Ivan said moving his eyes to me as he finished speaking. I peaked up at Dimitri and smirked, but was embarrassed at the blush that rose to my cheek. I knew exactly why he would get excited when someone spoke about me, but sad part of me almost wished he smiled because it was me as a person.

Dimitri smacked Ivan in the back of the head with a head shake and a chuckle. "Everything is fine. And this is Rose. Rose, this is my annoying COO who has deemed himself 'best uncle' already."

I laughed and reached my hand out to shake Ivan's. "Nice to meet you, Ivan."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Ivan returned.

"Alright, alright. Let's get this one home before you try asking her out on a date," Dimitri said and I could practically hear his eyes roll. I chuckled and went with Dimitri to the elevators. He gave me his home address and I followed behind him.


Ouu! Rose is staying with Dimitri! I wonder how that will work out?

I'm posting early because this coming week is going to be super hectic for me. I am (finally) starting my new position at work and have a few doctor's appointments.

I hope you all have a lovely week and that you like the chapter!