Page 13 of Saving Forever
“No.” I bite my lip. “It’s just…what are we doing? We’re married and we have to practice holding hands! It’s like we’re in kindergarten or something.” I snort and start to giggle again.
Viktor chuckles. “Yes, this is strange.”
“I’m sorry.” I’m still laughing. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Stress.” He smiles. “I understand.”
“I’m not usually a giggler.”
He shrugs. “Is okay. You are cute.”
Cute?
Did my new husband just call me cute?
And why does that make me happy?
A knock on the door breaks the spell and I watch as Viktor walks across the room to open it. Kelly.
Ugh.
She doesn’t like me.
She’s like big sister and bodyguard, all rolled into one. The person he trusts the most, from what I can tell. They have a bond that goes beyond the fact that she speaks Russian, and a tiny part of me understands that I have to win her over if we’re going to get through this unscathed.
“Are you packed?” she asks casually, coming inside and avoiding my eyes.
“We will be ready soon,” he says.
She glances at me. “Good morning.”
It’s cold. Sharp. More threat than greeting.
I swallow down my annoyance and try to keep my voice neutral. “Good morning.”
“We will meet in lobby,” Viktor says. I don’t know whether he senses the animosity and is trying to diffuse it, or if he’s just practical and impatient.
“I thought we could have breakfast,” she says.
“We have eaten,” he says, even though that’s only partly true. He motions to the tray on the table.
“Right.” Kelly nods stiffly. “All right then. I’ll see you in about an hour.”
She leaves and Viktor mumbles something under his breath.
“She hates me,” I say softly.
He shakes his head. “No. She is worried about me. Afraid we will hurt each other.”
“Why would we hurt each other?” I ask curiously.
His eyes meet mine. “Because we…” He stops, shaking his head. Then holds up a finger, indicating I need to wait. He talks into his phone, presses something and then hands it to me.
“Because we understand that our future, and our lives, are in each other’s hands. If either of us betray the other, there will be fallout. And it’s impossible to trust each other completely after such a short time. Kelly believes you will take the money without fulfilling the terms of the contract.”
I stare for a moment and then lift my gaze back to his. “I won’t,” I whisper harshly. “We’re in this together. I would never betray you! You saved me. I would have had to tell my father everything or that man was going to hurt me. How could I betray you when I owe you everything right now?” To my surprise, tears fill my eyes and slide down my cheeks.
“No.” He reaches out to wipe them away with his thumbs, his touch a gentle caress. “Please. No crying. If you trust me, I will take care of you.”
