A/N: I've been going through a lot of late so...that is all i can give as for my absence. I do apologize but i'm still fitting to finish Reconditioned before March at least. its a fight; let's see what happens. Love you all for sticking in there with me and i hope you enjoy...i might be a bit rusty lol.
"How did you get up here anyway?" Kris asked as she tried to repair the water damage to her makeup.
She sat perched on the end of her bench at her vanity as Viktor came to lean on the adjacent wall. He folded his arms and with a smirk, he peered down at her.
"I snuck in." he said dubiously.
Kris slanted him a look.
"Fine, I asked your step mother to let me up. She was nice enough to though it makes me fear her judgement for taking people at face value."
Kris scoffed and went back to renewing her eye liner
"I've scolded Gwyn about being swayed by a pretty face; devils wear the best skin you know..."
"I won't take offence to that..." Viktor said sardonically.
"You know I wouldn't care either way." Her smile was too sweet to go with such venomous words.
"You wouldn't be my woman if you did."
"Speaking about 'being your woman'..." she started.
Finally pleased with her repairs, she placed her brushes back into their case, stood up and straightened her dress before turning to face him. He had to know that this conversation was going to get serious eventually because he pushed away from the wall and stood with hands in pocket looking every bit like a scolded boy.
"Why have you been giving me the stiff shoulder? I called, I texted and I worried my ass off about you; all along giving you my best version of patience. What happened? Where were you?"
Viktor didn't answer right away, but his eyes did something right before her. The way they'd shifted to something darker and troubled was not lost on Kris but it was so brief that she had to question if she had read correctly. She watched him slide his hands free of their pockets, closed what little space was left between them and slid his arms around her waist. Kris had to admit that just feeling his warm palms graze along the bare skin of her back was very distracting. She was not completely against being distracted but it was not going to get her question answered.
"Baby...I've missed you the moment you left my car; don't think I haven't. All that time away has made me certain that you are the only woman for me. But, because of work, I had to focus and neglect you until I'd gotten my tasks out of the way. However, I had no intentions of missing this night. I'm sorry I made you worry and that I couldn't answer your messages."
Shifting in his arms she tried to remember why she was so upset when Casanova here knew how to untangle her bunched up knickers...
Not to mention the ability to soak them, but its ok, we're not wearing any knickers tonight.
Little voice...it sure knew how to interject...
"Still, just what was it that you were up to that-"
"Kristen."
Viktor, like Lilith, rarely called her in full name mode. It was almost unnerving.
"Y-yeah?"
"Not tonight. It's your birthday, you look extravagant in this gown and I'm certain the lack of fabric beneath it could top it. You want to know what I was up to? Then I'll tell you when the time is right...but not tonight."
There was a bit of desperation in his voice that mirrored that in his eyes. Viktor was almost pleading with her to let it go. Should she be worried or was it just that painful? Damn the itch of curiosity; she wanted to scratch it red but for now, she would let it go. After all, Gwyn had gone through so much trouble to make this evening perfect, the last thing Kris wanted to do was fuck it up.
So, silently relenting, she sucked it up, leaned in to plant a gentle kiss to her lover's lips and allowed him to win this one. Eventually he would have to tell her...she just hoped everything was ok.
***
Gwyn was an event planning genius. Was that even a thing? If not, she was the first of her kind. The way the entire expanse of the back yard was lit up with brilliant lights that twinkled like stars, extravagant sweeping draperies and fancy party favors was simply amazing. A live band was set up on the gazebo making their way through a snazzy jazzy number that had guests swaying and twirling on the dance floor. The hors d'oeuvres were the tastiest, mouth-watering treats that her eyes and mouth had ever experienced. To think she had a big part in all their preparation made Kris proud to brag about, and she sure did every time she heard someone exclaim about their yumminess.
Viktor had shuffled off to the bar to fetch her drink and she knew it would be awhile but damn, it was longer than she had anticipated. Perhaps the time felt longer because one of her father's business partners was about to make her ears bleed from the slow-speed conversation he was trying to subject her to. Truly the only reason he was buttering up so close was because he was trying hard to get Platinum Membership at TTB and Kris kept denying his application with good reason. If he kept talking she was going to have to enlighten him of what that 'good reason' was. Trying to make himself look harmless by having his version of light conversation was not really helping his case at all. Kris was at her limit; it was her birthday and even though business was her pleasure...she was on vacation damn it!
"...and so like I've said previously, I find that your line of business is quite the picker upper after a long week in the office-"
"I figured that the only 'lines of business' you were acquainted with as a 'picker upper' was that of the white powdered variety. Am I wrong?" Kris interjected with an arched brow but her voice low enough beneath the jazzy snazzy song that was floating through the night.
Ghastly...was that the word? It seemed to be accurate enough to describe just how pale the short portly man had become. She inclined her head with a look that said she was daring him to deny it.
"M-mistress..."
"Yes Mr. Cane; even on vacation in my lovely little evening gown, I am. But at the moment, I would prefer to talk less about work and simply enjoy the festive my dear mother has bent over backwards to throw for me. Think we can do that?"
He bobbed his head repeatedly with eyes wide. Clearly he was nervous not just of their conversation being overheard, or of her knowing his secret but also from the chilling expression she wore. Kris really had to bottle this shit and make a fortune from it; the intimidation was on point.
Shortly after, Cane got the point and wobbled off in another direction. When Kris looked about to search out Viktor, she also caught the eyes of quite a few of her customers and club members. Damn, TTB was more popular than she was aware of. Pat on the back for that accomplishment.
But where the hell was Viktor! Did he run out to help stock the bar or something?
"Hopefully you're not too bored."
Kris turned at the telltale sound of Gwyn's voice. She looked gorgeous in her pale pink dress and it was almost a moment of complete shock to really see how much she looked like her mother. When she thought about it, while scolding Cane, didn't she refer to her just as that? Did that meant that she had accepted Gwyn to be that much? It would be easier; there were too many damn syllables to add on when she said step mother.
"Or that I'm bothering you." She said with a nervous chuckle when Kris did not answer.
Snapping out of her trance, Kris chuckled and shook her head. It was hard to get the awed feeling or expression off of her face; Gwyn was practically Katelyn's twin!
"No! I'm having a blast; I just...I tuned out for a sec there. You look absolutely beautiful."
Blushing horribly with a hearty laugh, she patted her pinned up hair and returned the compliment.
"I've had quite a few questions about you this evening."
"What sort of questions?" Kris asked with curiosity.
"Oh just a few gents who find your lure irresistible...and, a few ladies as well."
"Now you've got my attention." Kris replied with her own version of Viktor's grin.
"Don't get your hopes up young lady; I've managed to beat them off with mention of the handsome man you've brought to the party. Where is he anyway?"
"Your guess is better than mine. I was just about to hunt him down."
"Well do so quickly; it's almost time to cut the cake and I want to meet him before then." She grinned.
"Speaking of handsome missing men, where is my father and why are you not glued to his side?" Kris asked as she threaded her arm with Gwyn's and dawdled off in search of both their men.
Gwyn's joy at being this close to Kris was enough to make her squeal but she composed herself the best she could.
"Mason is the master of socializing and I can only assume he's at the center of one of those groups of conversation. I'm good at planning these types of shindigs but I'm horrible at mixing and mingling. Is that bad?" She asked; furrowing her brows.
"Not at all. I can do the mix and mingle if I'm forced to but I'm not much for it. However, given my career choice, I'm more or less forced to bite the damn bullet...can't promise a smile though..."
Gwyn giggled at the last comment and nodded with understanding.
"How is it...at the club I mean? Did it take some adjusting to get use to the environment?"
Before answering Kris nodded to another client who played it cool and smiled back with a nod of his own.
"Nope. When I figured out that it was what I wanted to do, it all came naturally. You are aware what sort of happenings go down at TTB, are you?"
From the blush that warmed her cheeks, Kris had her answer.
"Oh, yes...yes I do."
"You disapprove?" She asked, leaving her voice playful so Gwyn would not feel intimidated.
"Not at all! More like envious; you get to go to work and have fun."
"If I didn't know better I'd say you had a kinky side Gwyn."
"I am a woman Kris...we all have that side."
They gave each other a knowing look and shared a laugh just as Viktor approached.
"Well finally! I thought you went to the brewery." Kris exclaimed as she accepted her drink and a quick smooch from her lover.
"So sorry koketka; I got lost in the crowd." He explained; giving her his wicked crooked grin.
"Next time use a flare or something."
"I'll bring one for the next event."
"You two are adorable." Gwyn said with a pleased grin as she looked from Kris to Viktor and back.
Kris felt proud and giddy at the statement. Maybe she would admit to blushing but only because it was Gwyn.
"Let me officially introduce you to the stranger you allowed to fetch me from my room."
"Oh come now, it wasn't as if I was wrong. Go on then."
"Very well, Gwyn this handsome chap in the suit here is my loving over protective caring boyfriend. You can call him Viktor though..."
The two chuckled at that as Kris gestured to the beaming Viktor and then to the equally beaming Gwyn.
"Baby, allow me to introduce to you the woman that has patiently love me all these years even when I was nothing but cold to her. This is Gwyn..."
Kris paused and looked Gwyn right in the teary eyes she knew they would be and finished.
"...my mom."
Hearts were all a-fluttered at that declaration and it was as if Kris was finally complete. It was right. It all felt right. Gwyn had proven her love and commitment to her over and over; yesterday was the greatest testament for that. Kris would've never made it to her mother's grave without her there and that was something that she simply could not and never would take for granted. So, yeah...she was her mom. No one can replace Katelyn, but she was gone now and there had been a gaping void where she once was. Kris had finally accepted that that tragedy from many years ago had indeed happened and there was nothing she could've done as a child to stop it. She was at peace that her mother had suffered all this time and just wanted the pain to go away. Yeah, it still stung knowing that she wasn't enough but the deed was done and in the end Katelyn had still left her with words of comfort. All was forgiven. As for Gwyn, she was the only brave soldier willing to cross that dark void of pain to get to Kristen's heart; there was nothing more that she could ask for.
"Going to make me ruin my makeup and the girls will want to fight you for it." Gwyn chuckled as she sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief Viktor had presented to her.
"I'm sorry." Kris smiled; taking the gentle cloth from her fingers and helping her clean up the mess.
"Don't be. I'm too happy to need an apology."
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Hilton." Viktor held out a hand and when Gwyn placed hers in his, he shook her hand and gave her a full smile. Kris rarely saw him make the effort. Was she jealous? Nah!
"Please, Gwyn is just fine and the pleasure is all mine!" She beamed back and Viktor nodded in agreement as he repeated her name.
"Quite the charmer isn't he?" Kris said; nudging Viktor's side and easing the moment with light humor.
"If he can capture your attention I'd say he's more than that." Gwyn replied as Viktor kept up the school boy grin that shed years and intimidation off of his usual demeanor.
"Gee, you'd think I was a problematic type of girl."
"Picky and hard to crack would best describe you but I love a challenge." Viktor quipped.
"Need a harder jab in the ribs huh?" Kris asked with a tight grin but of course, it only made him grin more.
"I'll behave..."
"Good boy..."
"...for now at least."
Gwyn was enjoying the verbal exchange more than Viktor was and it was like that that Mason found them.
"So this is where you two were hiding." He said as he slid his arms about his beautiful wife.
"And now for the paternal intro..." Kris started but Viktor was already stepping forward with right hand extended.
"Mr. Hilton, I'm happy to finally meet your acquaintance. Viktor Shostak, sir."
"Ah, so I finally get to meet my daughter's love interest. I honestly thought my hair would be long gone and a cane permanently attached to my hand before I ever did. The pleasure is indeed all mine."
"Just like I'm not even standing here..." Kris said to herself as she narrowed her gaze at her dad.
At least they enjoyed the humor. She folded her arms stubbornly and tried not to melt when Viktor embraced and pulled her closer.
"I'm glad to be the first and the last." He said to her father but even thought she looked away in faux disinterest, she could feel his gaze upon her.
"Full of yourself aren't you?" She murmured.
"Aw, look how adorable she is when she pouts." Mason cooed as Gwyn giggled gleefully.
"Isn't there a cake we should be cutting by now?" Kris asked in attempts to detonate the current topic.
"Already uncomfortable?" Viktor poked playfully.
"Clearly that finger grows back when dismembered." Kris smiled sweetly up at him.
"Krissy don't, I just met the poor guy; at least let me have a drink with him first." Her father pled.
One big joke. But in all honestly she was enjoying it. Didn't mean that she would admit what they already knew.
"She is right though; it is cake time and then we'll lively up the dance floor a bit. Come on birthday girl and boy!" Gwyn was already pulling Mason along but before he could get far, he'd grabbed ahold of Kris who then dragged Viktor along.
The night went on with high spirits, lots of laughter, dancing and some really delicious treats. No glass was left half full and the music was nonstop. After her father had given a lovely speech on behalf of the family, the dancing resumed and so did the rest of the festivity. All along, Viktor clung to her side except when he was fetching drinks or excusing himself for important calls. There were odd times when she caught sight of him from a distance, speaking careful and intently into his phone; it was moments like that made Kris wonder if everything was ok. When she would casually ask him after each call, she would catch a fleeting look in his eyes that was quickly veiled with a smile and assurance. He would pull her close and distract her with a gentle caress down her bare skin and kiss her lips lightly. A little voice chimed in and made her doubt whatever was said in those private calls were positive at all. She was curious but she'd have to wait at the end of the evening to play Nancy Drew.
Two in the morning and the last of the party guests were finally wobbling into the back seats of their designated rides. As they waved them all off and thanked them with well wishes and party bags, Gwyn finally let out a sigh of relief and slouched against her husband. Kris stood on the top of the stairs with Viktor's coat draped over her. She knew just from the one gesture that the tension for everything to go right had finally left her mother's shoulders.
"Its times like these that I wish we had an escalator to take us upstairs. I'm beat." She groaned as Mason helped her back up the stairs and they all turned to reenter the house. The twins had long retired and promised to burn Viktor's ears with a thousand questions a piece when they were able to drag their bones from bed. Not something to look forward to but something that Kris would not be able to save her love from. Oh well, the whole family liked him instantly so what could she do?
"You deserve the whole day in bed love; it was one of the best birthday parties I've ever had."
He kissed his wife and she blushed as if they were teens on their first date. Kris loved the way they complimented each other. Years ago, she wouldn't have allowed herself to see it, but now she wanted to. Gwyn completed her father just as much as her real mother had. For the time she was here on earth, Katelyn had been everything her father had needed at the point in his life; Gwyn had only taken over where she had left off. As Kris peered up at Viktor, her breath was stolen to see that he was already watching her with the same longing look that her father watched Gwyn with. The thought she'd had before looking to him was that someday she wanted the same for herself. She wanted to love and be loved as if nothing else mattered even if the world was falling apart around her. When everything was tearing apart as life would sometimes have it, she wanted her hand to be forever safely clasped in the hand of the one she loved. That's why she had looked up at him...did he want it too?
Her eyes must've asked the question because his grin grew and she watched him nod yes. Wasn't it just a crazy thing when words were needless things to communicate with anymore? When you can simply feel in one touch and understand in one simple gesture everything your lover wanted to convey?
"Don't know about you two love birds, but we old folks are past our bedtime." Mason said with a chuckle.
"Who are you calling old? I'm in my prime thank you very much." Gwyn corrected as she fluffed her hair.
"I stand corrected love. Now come put this old man to bed would you?" Mason grinned.
"We're going to head in as well. It's been a very eventful day and these heels are too new to be on another minute." Kris said as she stepped forward but stopped when she realized that she was still holding Viktor's hand. To say she was aware when she'd taken it would be a lie. He smiled at her and released her so that she could give her parents the hug she had meant to give before her discovery.
She kissed Gwyn's cheek and embraced her as she thanked her for an amazing party. It was still too cute to see the woman's eyes tear up every time Kris displayed happy emotions towards her. She then hugged her dad who held on just a bit longer. Too many years had passed since they were this genuine with their embrace. She missed it and vowed to herself that every day she would strengthen their once broken relationship.
"Viktor is there anything else we can get you before we retire for the night?" Gwyn asked; still being the perfect hostess.
"Oh no, I have all I need right here. Thank you so much for having me."
Yeah, Kris was blushing and she didn't care, because he had looked right at her after saying it. She was indeed everything he needed. My, she was rather sentimental tonight!
"Perfect, sleep well you two." Gwyn said as she crossed the threshold with her 'old man' right behind her calling a 'good night' over his shoulder.
Kris smiled as she watched them walk away and only looked up at Viktor when her parents had gotten to the top of the staircase. The sounds of crickets chirping in the still night and the light glow of lights haloing them birthed a calming atmosphere. Normally it would feel charged and tantalizing when the two was this close to each other; perhaps it was still there but it felt different yet in an amazing way.
The way Viktor silently observed her as if he was committing her completely to memory right down to her DNA was enough to make her knees weak. She did the same. She took in the way the dew had made his hair a bit darker blond and how his coif had began to fall a bit. She imagined her curls had already done the same. His eyes were alit like two embers undying and relentless to remain alive. The bridge of his nose sloped down to rest above the press of his cupid's bow to only curve gently to the shape of his lips. Even they were perfectly placed just above a slightly squared jaw that was dusted with golden flakes of hair that reached and framed his face.
"I love you too..."
Kris jolted in surprise at his words. Had she said it without realizing it? Had it been like the moment she held his hand without being aware of it? As he stepped forward and chased away the cold of the night with the press of his body and the folding of his arms about her, Viktor lowered his lips to hers and whatever breath that was left within her was all his. She kissed him back and shuttered in his arms; happy that he was strong enough to keep her on her feet because her knees had clocked out the moment he had her.
"Saying it is overrated when I can see it koketka..." He whispered against her parted lips.
So she hadn't said it...well not with words but he knew. He felt it as if it was a tangible living breathing thing that sought only him. Her heart was only for Viktor and part of her felt the fear that she had never been this deep in love. She had taken the deepest final breath and plunged lower than she had ever been beneath the surface. This love had surpassed what she had ever felt with Reeva; making it appear to be nothing more than a drunken amnesia inducing one night stand. And what she had felt for Lilith? That was something that had bode no words but a simple understanding that she had once wanted her to be her everything. No, even that paled and faded in the presence of her current tsunami of emotions. Viktor was all consuming. This was the type of love that if taken away in any sense of the words...it would break her for good. She would not be herself anymore and there would be no hope of ever reopening her heart again. And that...that was the fear of it all, yet it was not discouragement to press forward and throw caution to the wind. She wanted-no, needed this too badly.
"Take me to my room..."
***
The lights were lowered, the bed turned down and warmth from their bodies married and explored the other. Clothes all forgotten and a lovely discarded trail that led to the bed they lie in, Kristen and Viktor began their slow silent praise of each other's body. Nothing but the gasping or sighing releases of breaths and the departing kisses of their skins can be heard but everything was felt. Viktor held her as if she had been a lost cherished thing that was finally found and would never let go ever again. Never guessing for a moment that this all consuming feeling could become anymore intense, Kris was awed all the more as he pulled her deeper. With every trail of his lips and his hands he whispered wordlessly how much he loved her. When he looked into her eyes, she understood the plea that she never left his side. As he sought deeper intimate places with the joining of their bodies, he vowed that he belonged only to her and her to him. What wowed her was that she finally understood the ingredients to making love. It required something of the soul, a rendering of the heart and liberation of the mind for it to become love. Everything was in sync and all was right.
And as her lover brought her keening and singing his name climatically, Kris luxuriated to the sensation of him joining her in the release of their ecstasy. It was something to be amazed about; no moment before this that she had had with Viktor had ever been this passionate. Could it be that absence truly made the heart grow fonder? Maybe those few days away from him could be the blame of it, but Kris never wanted to do it again even if it had made the reunion more intense and special.
As he rolled to his side and pulled her closer till her head rested on his arm and the other tucked her to him, he stared down at her as if she was his everything. He made her feel that way and it was perfect because he was the same to her.
"I can't believe how much in love with you I am..." She whispered mostly to herself but she knew he heard from just the slight lift of his lips.
"I tell myself the same thing every time I think about you; seeing and touching you only makes it better."
"Don't ever leave me like that again. I'm not sure it's healthy." She grinned.
Although it was said light heartedly, Kris felt him tense and the same expression she had witnessed many times earlier in the evening crossed her lover's eyes once more. This time she didn't want to ignore it but he responded before she could.
"I'll never be the one to leave first..."
"You say that like it would be all my fault." She frowned and shifted to get a better look at him.
"No...it would be mine." Viktor replied; his tension still present and his eyes darker.
"I think I've ventured to far down the rabbit hole to turn back now and even I did...I wouldn't be the same."
"Neither would I but sometimes...situations occur that forces us to do things we don't normally wish to do."
Kris sat up and his hand slipped away from her waist. She stared down at him in the dim lighting of the room and realized that he was using it to hide what she was seeing, but he couldn't. Something was wrong and she needed to know what it was. She turned to the lamp on her nightstand behind her and clicked it on. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Kris looked back at him and found that Viktor had shifted to sit up in bed. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so indifferent?
"I'm usually the pessimistic one and here you are taking over where I left off."
"I took you more for a realist..." He said; sliding his feet back and forth over the sheet.
The covers pooled in his lap and his broad chest was almost hidden by the curves of his shoulder. The man looked defeated and it was only then that she noticed the red angry scar.
"That's new..." She mumbled with brows knitted.
Viktor didn't need to follow her gaze to know where she was looking. He knew the moment it had happened that night that it would be impossible to hide it from her. He knew but he couldn't tell her just yet that he had scored it because of Fairchild's pellet grazing him from the shot gun. Telling her that now would mean telling her everything. Telling Kris everything would mean ruining her birthday. Technically it was over but Viktor didn't have it in him to ruin this night. Maybe it was selfish and it was sure to bite him the ass later, but he wanted to be selfish now. That required another lie...
Shit...
"Yes, it is but it's also nothing." He finally answered.
She leaned forward and reached for his shoulder but he took her hand before she could. Kris' eyes darted to his and Viktor nearly caved from the concern that weighed in them.
"Viktor-"
"Baby, it's nothing."
"How did you get it?"
"I got shot at..." There, that was true.
"What!" She exclaimed; launching herself forward to get a better look.
"Kristen-"
"Who the fuck shot you and why?" Her voice was growing in volume.
"Shh, you'll wake your parents."
"Fuck that; who the fuck shot you and why!"
Viktor sighed and tilted his head back until it was inclined against the headboard. Closing his eyes, he suddenly felt too exhausted to take on the great inquisition that would be filled with lies tonight.
"What happened...please tell me. Don't shut me out like this."
Why did she have to make this harder? Why did her voice sound so fragile? Why...
Just a lot of whys.
"I told you that I had to leave town to gather my team; that meant going places that were dangerous and encountering people who were as well." He said all of this still not looking at her. Viktor knew if he did, she would see that he was lying and she only would because he just didn't want to anymore.
"That's too vague to be all to it."
"Technically it is all to it, but I'm fine..."
"Why do I feel like that is not entirely true?"
Viktor tilted his head back down and opened his eyes to see the look that would haunt his every waking hour. He nearly didn't ask it but he was already feeling too rotten for it to get any worst.
"Do you trust me love?"
"Completely..."
She'd answered so quickly and earnestly it made his throat constrict and his heart jolt with an ache that would be hard to get rid of.
"Then trust that I'm ok and everything is taken care of."
"But-"
"Soon, I'll tell you everything soon but please, just for tonight, let me hold you. I need to hold you..."
At least that was true and desperately so. He may never get this opportunity ever again and Viktor was not prepared to lose it. He knew it had been hard for her to swallow her questions and he knew that sleep would not come easy for them tonight but Viktor breathed a sigh of relief when she turned back around to switch off the light. She waited for him beneath the covers and when she felt him curl around her tightly Kris allowed his slow caress to sooth away the tension in her body. They lay there silently for sometime; none of them succumbing to sleep due to the deception that hung between them. It was all on Viktor...
"I never thought in all my life that I would ever be this in love with anyone. Never once thought that anyone could feel the same for me...but I'm so happy. No matter what happens now...I'll always be grateful to you for loving me back."
With chest tight and eyes stinging, Kris pressed her face into his chest and tried to tell her tears not to come but they were not having it. She wasn't just crying because of his words or how gently they were spoken, but because she knew something was wrong and whatever it was, he was lying to her. He was too afraid to tell her because it had enough power to break them. She knew eventually they would have to face it but she wanted to avoid it if only for tonight. Just a bit longer...
***
They'd had brunch as it was pretty late in the day to be considered breakfast anymore. Her family had sat around the dining room table with laughter and questions for Viktor until they had to leave for their flight back to San Fran. From the ride to the airport, the two hour wait until their departure and arrival, the two had barely spoken. The big secret was hanging between the both of them but Viktor was avoiding it. Kris wasn't sure she could wait any longer, so when they entered his Wrangler in the parking lot she had decided that she was going to address the matter now. She knew that he got just as much sleep as she had and that was none at all. More so, she knew that he'd felt her silent tears as he held her tightly all night; they could go no longer like this. Once he'd gotten onto the busy freeway, she took a deep breath to start but her cell phone rang. Fishing it out of her purse she answered the call when she saw Neil's name displayed on the screen.
"Hey, just got back in town. Timing me or something?"
"Something like that, or it could be that I just know your flight schedule as I do work for you."
"I don't recall hiring you for your smart retorts but firing your for it...that's sounds about accurate."
"I'll behave. Welcome back; hope it was relaxing." Neil said as she adjusted her shades on her face,
"Very, almost too relaxing. How come you never called; all I could get was a lousy 'we're doing fine and the club isn't burning to the ground so chill' text."
"Because we had it under control."
"Shut up."
"I will eventually, but I still wanted to update you."
"I am coming in tonight; can't it wait?"
"No."
"Now I'm worried." She retorted sardonically.
"Not sure yet if you should be; in fact it should shed some worry of your shoulders once you hear the nature of the news."
Kris' interest couldn't be more pricked now.
"Well spill the tea sweetheart."
"Well it appears as if we no longer have to be concerned with one of our recently difficult customers any longer."
"Enough with the foreplay; lay it on me." She said impatiently.
"I'm getting to it. A few nights ago, someone put a hit out on Fairchild and left the place riddled and nearly completely leveled."
Kris' heart gave a violent lurch and all the air rushed out of her lungs as she gasped at the news.
"What?" She managed to finally whisper.
"Yeah, it was practically a massacre. Looks like whoever did it did not leave any witnesses and was clean too; the police still don't have a lead and they're still pulling body bits from the rubble. It's crazy..."
Kris didn't know what the right reaction was just yet, but she couldn't find the words even if she did.
"The news is speculating it to be drug related as some evidence of narcotics survived the fire but no specifics have been released along with any sort of statement. All I know is the house and everyone in it is in ashes."
A fear hit her when Neil's words truly sunk in. Yeah, now she knew what the big mystery was that her lover was too cowardly to tell her. She was painfully aware that he had done the deed and that he had lied to her. He had waited till she was out of town and executed the plan without her. Yes, she knew...but Neil had said that everything and everyone that was in that house was dead...
"Neil..." she said; nausea creeping inside her knotted gut and a tremor getting worst in her muscles.
"Yeah boss?"
"W-when was the last time you heard from Bianca?"
Kris didn't have to look to know the sound she was hearing to her left was Viktor's grip tightening on the wheel. The pause on the other line was what she was focused on. She didn't like it or Neil's murmured exclamation.
"Fuck...I-well, we tried her apartment a few times but she never answered. Fuck Kris, I didn't...I didn't think that..."
"Oh my God..." she whispered.
"I'll get up now and drive by her place then I'll call you back-"
"No. I'll deal with it."
"I'm so sorry...I wasn't thinking..."
"Not your fault. I gatta go."
She ended the call without any further notice. Nothing but rubber gliding along the tarred road could be heard. Somewhere in the midst of her call, he had turned the radio off; probably to listen in on her conversation. Well, now she was well informed and there was no running from this now, but Kris couldn't do this with his attention divided. She needed to have him undistracted and with him looking her in the eyes, because if he dared then to lie to her, killing them both in car accident due to blunt force trauma to the driver's head would make the evening's news.
"Find somewhere private and park there now." The chill of her voice nearly made even her shiver.
"Ok." He replied. A simple Ok huh?
"Make it quick..."
"Ok..." he answered patiently.
Yeah, he knew damn well this was not going to be pretty. It would take a bit for him to comply with her demands so as he silently did, she went over the past few weeks in her head. She wanted to bookmark every memory that could considerably be a moment that Viktor had lied to her. Bending the truth, omission, manipulation or deception; they were all big words that meant one little three letter word. A lie; it was all a lie. But even that was not the worst of it; Bianca was possibly a casualty in all of this. Had he not even cared to remember her in the midst of all that planning and mayhem? The real question that sounded off in her mind was just what the fuck was Kris going to do at the end of this conversation? There would have to be a conclusion to this matter, but how was she to handle this? Was this it? Was this really all the happiness she was going to get after a lifetime of clutching the shitty end of the stick? There had to be a reset button to all of this. Somewhere in a little hidden shop in a dark alley, there had to be a mysterious gypsy surrounded by antics, relics and dusty ass books just waiting for her to stubble along to grant her at least one do over.
Oh look, we're already unraveling...well, again at least. This should be fun.
***
She had no idea where they were or if she'd ever even been to this side of town before, but he had delivered on the private bit. They'd parked in some dark alley, minus the little gypsy shop however, between two tall buildings that appeared to be vacant. Kris couldn't give in to the musings of her mind, she had something bigger to face and upon the ride to wherever the fuck they were, she could come up with no conclusion that ended with her staying with Viktor.
Still staring out at the brick wall before them, she removed her glasses; certainly not needing them anymore as the buildings' height alone told the sun where to shove its rays. Kris unbuckled her seat belt and took a deep breath. It wouldn't matter because it just wouldn't be enough to prepare her for the end of something she had wanted all along. This was unfair...
"I know that somewhere in this conversation, I'm going to leave my side of the car...and I'm going to come over there and physically hurt you. I think it's only fair to give you that much, though honestly...that's more than you deserve." The monotonous tone of her voice broke the heavy silence and set the mood of where this was about to go.
Viktor didn't give a reaction because he had been reacting all along. There was defeat in the way he sat still with his hands placed palm down on his thighs. His sunglasses were still on but from his side profile she could tell that his eyes were closed and he was controlling his breathing. Meditating was not going to protect him.
"Tell me Viktor...please...tell me that everything I'm thinking right now is just pure speculation. Convince me that I am jumping to conclusions. I really need you to look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't do this to us; that you didn't lie to me. Please...please...just...please."
Tears were announcing their arrival but Kris was not ready for them yet. She had to stay cold even though her voice was already breaking. Never was she one to lie to herself; that was how much she had valued honesty, but right now, in this moment, she wanted this lie. She wanted to brainwash herself and accept that Viktor had not deceived her and that his promise to never lie to her was still intact. For once...she just wanted to win.
But he hadn't looked at her and done as she'd asked. Kris turned in her seat to face his profile and bit her bottom lip. She was not ready to cry. She scratched at her right leg not to sate an itch but to keep her right hand occupied while she used the left to push back the wild dark curls of hair.
"Look. At. Me. Look at me and tell me that you didn't do this. Tell me you didn't lie...tell me." She gritted through clenched teeth. There it was; anger was beginning to surface just a bit over the hurt in her heart.
A moment of silence lapsed between them, but Kris was going to wait for a response that she unintentionally was holding her breath for.
"I can't..." he finally said; still as stoic as before.
"You can't? You can't what? What is it that you can't do Viktor?" there was a twitch developing under her left eye.
"Look at you..."
For a moment that stung deeper than she thought it would.
"Why? Is it guilt or disgust this time?" Kris asked; the sting of rejection meshing with her anger.
That worked. His head swiftly turned in her direction and he stared at her for a spell before he finally answered.
"Disgust? You've never disgusted me Kristen."
"Happy to actually get your attention, now take off the fucking glasses if you don't want new polarized contacts."
Viktor dropped his head and after a while he removed the sunglasses and placed them on the dash. Knowing that he would need as much room to maneuver, he unbuckled his seat belt and turned until his back was against the door. Still, it was too hard to give her the eye contact she demanded; he was ashamed of himself for lying to and hurting her. All he can do now was come to terms with the fact that she was going to leave him at the end of all of this.
"What the fuck were you thinking? After all we talked about and after you promised you would wait for me, you pull this fucking stunt? Why?"
"I had no choice Kristen; I had to protect you-"
She had warned him. She was on the next side of the Wrangler with fists flying. She grabbed a handful of his hair and wrestled him as he tried to restrain her. The fury that overtook her when she saw his bloodied mouth and scratched forehead just made her lose it all. Kris fell back against the passenger door as Viktor tried to lay her on her hands and lock her legs down with his. They were both out of breath but only one of them was leaking.
"Let me go!" She growled.
"Kris I'm sorry..."
"No...you're not fucking sorry yet! I'm going to help you get there though." She laughed manically while struggling beneath him.
Her forehead connected with his nose, but it wasn't broken like she'd hoped. Blood spilled onto her yellow top and Viktor grounded his teeth in pain.
"Let me go!" She yelled; her laughter turning to frustrated screams.
Anyone deciding to pass by then would assume that she was being attacked when really it was the other way around. Viktor's grip slackened and her hands came free with fists ready. He had a split second to dodge a right hook and he grabbed it then the left. Crossing her arms over her chest, he pinned her as she screamed wordlessly. The worst of it came when he saw the tears. Viktor could deal with the fighting; he would've let her pummel and bruise him to her heart's content, but when she started sobbing...it broke him.
"Why! Why did you do this to me? You lied to me! You fucking lied to me!"
"I'm sorry-"
"Sorry? F-fuck you!"
"Kris, he had to go...he was coming for you and I-"
"I never asked for a fucking hero! You killed her too when you decided to take him out!"
"What? No I-"
"You killed Bianca! Let me fucking go! I'm going to kill you!"
"Listen to me!" He yelled over her hysteria.
"No! Get off!"
"She's not dead!" Viktor yelled, shaking her to jolt her out of her grief.
Kris stared wild eyed up at him and tried to catch her breath. He repeated what he'd said but this time with less volume. It was only when Viktor felt her body go still did he release her and sat back against the driver's door. His face was swelling and his ribs were sore; fuck he was just exhausted. Closing his eyes and dabbing at his bloodied nose, he listened to her shifting upright in the seat. Only when she went still did he looked at her. She was staring down at nothing as if trying to decipher if he was telling her the truth. This was why he regretted lying to Kristen; everything else he said from this point on would be too hard for her not to question.
"B-but...she was in th-the house. She had to be..."
"She was. I had to go in Kris; had I delayed any longer he would've killed her."
"W-wait. How do you know that?" She asked, confusion so clear over her face.
"I still had his home bugged. I knew she was in danger and he was going to kill her."
"But, what you did was not an overnight thing; you planned this just as you planned to make sure I took the trip home. You made sure I was out of town."
"Yes..."
"So how long did you know that she was in danger and you kept that shit from me?"
Viktor deflated again because she had peeled away another layer of his lying.
"Fuck it! I can't do this right now. I can't even stomach being this close to you and honestly I don't know if I even believe that she is alive."
"She is..."
"Then where the fuck is she?" She yelled; slamming the palm of her hand against the dashboard.
Viktor swallowed hard and nodded his head in the direction of the building behind Kris.
"In there."
Kris heart dropped as she looked back at the structure behind her. He'd brought her here knowing that she would demand to see Bianca. Honestly he wasn't sure if she would leave him with the ability to drive after their talk so Viktor had decided that this was for the best. Thankfully he did because his vision was a bit blurry.
"Take me to her." She said, grabbing up her phone and bag from the floor.
"Wait Kristen-" he'd grab her arm just as she was about to open the door but she yanked it away.
"Don't! Just shut the fuck up and take me to her...or are you lying about this too?"
"I'm not but she's-"
"Then get out the fucking car and take me to her now Viktor." She gritted.
Her eyes had never been this filled with anger, at least not directed at him. Viktor wanted to warn her that what she was about to see would not be pretty but if he opened his mouth in any further protest he might lose his top row of teeth in the process. So he took the keys out of the ignition, grabbed his cell phone and exited the car with her. Thankfully he had worn a black t-shirt because anything else would be obviously stained just as his face was.
When he'd gotten around to the other side of the car, he found her already pulling at the entrance but it was not going to budge. He told her to follow him and he turned to head to the back entrance. Viktor could hear her anger in just the way she walked in her heels but that was expected; it was the shock she was going to have when she saw what Fairchild had done to her employee that left him uneasy.
There was a key pad next to the door that he'd keyed eight figures into. Once the bolt slid from the lock, he pushed the door open and waited for her to enter. The place appeared to be an abandon warehouse but chatter could be heard from above them. Well perhaps chatter was too light a word; someone was arguing about a bag of Cheetos while another told them to pipe the fuck down.
"Those are my teammates. They're keeping guard over her."
"Sounds like they ran out of snacks..." She mumbled
"It's normal for them."
"Are these the four guys you told me you were assembling?"
"Yes they are..."
"Something that was actually true..."
He didn't respond to it because he had no right to. He was just surprised at how calm she was now considering how hostile she was less than five minutes ago. It could have much to do with her knowing that Bianca hadn't perished in the explosion, but it didn't assure him that it would last. She hadn't seen her yet...
Viktor parted the gate on the elevator lift and then lifted the vertical gates for them to enter the platform. She stepped in and he closed it behind her. Again he had to key in a code but it was four figures shorter than the last. Once the code was accepted, he pressed the button that would take him to the third floor. Kris massaged her right hand and wiped at the blood that was there while he dabbed at his face with his shirt. This was going to be fun to explain. He just hoped that the guys didn't get in her way.
"She's beaten up pretty badly." He murmured while the elevator ascended.
"What?"
"Fairchild was trying to milk information about us from her but she didn't have anything to give him, so he had his fun with her. I just wanted you to be prepared because she's not quite out of the woods just yet."
"So why the fuck is she here and not at the hospital?" She turned to face him and Viktor lifted his hands to tell her wait; this time they would have more room to move and her legs were free if she decided that round two was going down.
"I have a doctor on my team; everything he needs to take care of her is here. Besides, if she showed up at the hospital looking the way she had that night, there would be no way to avoid her connecting you to what happened. "
"Just protecting me again huh?"
The elevator stopped but they hadn't moved to leave just yet.
"Yes. You may not like it but I had to."
"Open the gate. Take me to Bianca." She was clearly restraining herself again.
Viktor was not going to push his luck but instead, he did as he was told. The conversation died in the room when Marx and Jinx saw Viktor's face.
"Yo, what the fuck happened to you?" Jinx asked as he got off the couch.
"Fuck that, who's the goddess behind you?" Marx cut in as he leaned over the back of the chair to get a better look at Kris.
He looked smitten and she was going to smite him if he even tried. The look she gave him said enough.
"Not now guys." Viktor murmured as he turned for the room that Bianca was being kept in.
Jeong-Hun had moved her from the little operating room and fixed up the room that was further back in the loft that made a more comfortable bedroom for Bianca. She could rest easier in there especially because it had a door. She would appreciate it more when she could manage more than ten minutes of consciousness every time her eyes opened. It was the only reason the brothers had gotten so loud with the snack attacks; they felt more at ease knowing that they wouldn't wake her.
Due to his absence in the main room, Viktor had expected to see Enrik in the room with Jeong-Hun, but he wasn't and neither was the doctor. When he looked back for her, Kris was just standing in the threshold staring at him with fear in her eyes. God, she had seen enough for one lifetime and here he was about to traumatize her again. Viktor wanted to close the door and bar it but he knew that she wouldn't allow that to happen. Kristen was the type of woman that needed to know and do the necessary evil even if it stole a piece of her soul every time. So with a big sigh, he stepped aside and watched the breath leave her body. Somehow, she had managed to move her feet and enter the room but getting closer was a task. What was he to do? He couldn't comfort her with words or a touch. He couldn't do anything else now but step aside and leave her unprotected.
"Oh God..." She whispered.
Kris was hoping that this was just one more of her vivid Stephen King like dreams again. She wanted it all to be that so bad to the point that she was pinching herself as she normally did to make herself wake up. Nothing but sharp jolts of pain happened; she was awake and Bianca was really laying there with casts and bandages. The dark purplish-blue bruises that could almost be black were really there. The closer she got the more blurred her tears made her vision.
"Bianca..." she cried as she dropped down to the chair that sat next t her bed.
Kris sobbed when she saw the broken arm that was casted and the many bruises that disappeared beneath her clothes. What had he done to her? No, this would've never happened had she denied him the Submissive contract. Hadn't she known all along that letting him have Bianca was going to end horribly for the girl? She had warned her yet she had allowed it. Kris had neglected to protect her Just as she had promised to.
"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry.."
"This isn't your fault Kristen." Viktor said from behind her.
"Yes it is. I could've stopped this..." She wept in her hands.
"Both of you could not have known it would've gotten this far."
"I knew...I knew and still I handed her over to him." She cried.
"Kris-"
"Just go Viktor. Leave me alone...please. Just go..."
She didn't want to be comforted or convinced that there was nothing she could have done to stop this. Kris knew better and she was not allowing herself a break. All she could hope was that Bianca would live and when she finally awoke...she could forgive her.
It had barely been a week of her accepting her mother's death not being on her. She had finally forgiven herself and made amends with Gwyn and her father. She thought it had been okay to step out of her depression for a change and truly live. Now this...this happened and there was no way for her to get around that every bruise and broken bone Bianca had bore was all her fault. This was all her fault and not even Viktor could save her from what her mind had in store for her.