The Russian Billionaire’s Secret(33)

“Can you go find her for me?” Vlad said, his brain spinning, thinking on how to handle this.

“If you wish, Sir,” Boris replied, “But my advice is to let things lay low until brings it up.”

“You know I can't do that Boris,” Vlad said rubbing his chin with his hand.

“Let's hope it doesn't blow up in your face Sir. Good luck,” Boris said, taking the basket back out with him and going to find Shelly.

Chapter 5

The Baby

Shelly walked into Vlad's office with her tablet and was ready to take notes. When she saw his face, she knew this was personal, not business and closed it and walked over to his desk.

He got up and walked around his desk and pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his hand went to the back of her head and held her firmly in place while his tongue and lips worked their magic to make her melt in his arms.

Eventually, he pulled back and looked at her. “When were you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Shelly said looking confused for a minute, still reeling from his kisses her brain hadn't quite caught up yet.

“About the test,” Vlad told her softly, rubbing her cheek with one of his hands.

Shelly looked at him funny for a moment. “What test?”

“The pregnancy test!” Vlad said spelling it out since she didn't seem to know what he was talking about.

Realization dawned on Shelly and she nervously took a step back and wrapped her arms around her belly protectively, without knowing she did it.

“I wasn't sure. I still need to see a doctor to confirm,” she said nervously.

Vlad looked at her for a moment before responding quietly. “I'd like to be there.”

“You do?” Shelly said sounding shocked.

Nodding, Vlad took her hand in his trying to reassure her. “I've always wanted children, I've fallen in love with you these past few weeks Shelly, and I'm okay with this, if you are. Please keep me involved.”

“I don't know if I'm ready to be a mom, I'm only twenty three, I pictured getting my brother through school before I found someone to settle down and have kids with,” she told him looking a little lost. “And, I don't know if I can be the woman you need me to be. I'm from a completely different culture.”

“I don't care. Skin color doesn't matter to me, where you were born doesn't matter to me. What I care about is the fact that I find you beautiful, kind, intelligent, caring, and you have a work ethic that I admire. You're not scared to work hard and you are willing to stand up to me when you think I could do better or am making a mistake. You are perfect for me Shelly. Nothing else matters to me. I want to see you happy, and I want to spend my life with you.” Until Vlad had spewed all the words, he hadn't realized exactly how much he truly meant them.

Shelly opened her mouth to say something and then instead, burst into tears.

Vlad looked panicked for a minute, unsure what to do, he was expecting her to be happy, not cry. Pulling her into his arms, he rubbed her back gently for a few minutes until she stopped sobbing and started sniffling.

“Are you okay?” Vlad asked her; worried he'd said something wrong.

“Yes... No... I don't know,” she told him, sounding as confused as he felt.

Vlad hugged her tighter for a couple more minutes before finally letting her go to talk to her.

“Marry me. If you don't want a big wedding, we can do something small and intimate, we can elope to Vegas, whatever you want. I had been thinking of asking you before I knew you were even pregnant, but now I insist,” Vlad told her.

“Let me think about it for a few days, okay?” Shelly told him, wiping her face off with her hands.

“You never can make decisions without thinking about them, can you?”

“Not when they are so important and big decisions. I don't believe in divorce Vlad, I have to believe that we'll work out and everything between us is real,” Shelly told him. “My parents had a love that I got to see growing up that I admired. I want that in my life, especially when raising children.”

“It is real Shelly. I'm sorry if my timing sucks and I didn't ask you before I knew you were pregnant. Finding out you were pregnant made me realize I didn't want to lose you or the baby though,” Vlad said worried now that she might choose not to marry him. He wasn't used to not getting his way, and this was something that emotionally mattered to him. It wasn't a game, or a challenge, or a business deal.

This was a matter of the heart.

Shelly reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand. “I will let you know soon, okay?”

Vlad nodded and watched her walk out of the room but didn't follow her. Sometimes giving a person space is the only way for them to realize what they need.

Even if it's hard to stop yourself from chasing after them.

Chapter 6

Acceptance

Shelly sat in the doctor's office a few days after her first blood draw. They confirmed the pregnancy and were now doing a dating ultrasound to confirm her dates.

She'd be close to fifteen weeks if it was accurate, which meant she conceived on their first night together. She hadn't been totally aware of the no condom thing until after they'd had sex, but she'd just come off her period and didn't think there was any chance she'd get pregnant.