Isabel
“Viktor!” I hiss.
“What?”
“Don’t ‘what’ me! You need to drop it with Toby.”
“I don’t like how he looks at you,” Viktor says and spins me on the dance floor.
Almost a year has passed since that night we came together, and things have been quite interesting. I moved into his home about six months ago. He’s still working through his emotional loss, and his body is becoming stronger every day. I even asked him to volunteer with other injured vets. He’s not alone in this process, and I’ve given him a purpose by helping others.
Over Thanksgiving, my father and Viktor met. At first, Viktor’s gruffness with others rubbed Dad the wrong way. Once Dad saw Viktor taking care of me and how much he loved me, it was water under the bridge.
Tonight, we’re dancing at my work’s Christmas party. Viktor and Toby have been glaring at each other most of the night. It didn’t matter how many times they saw each other, every time it’s the same thing.
I cup his face and wait for his eyes to meet mine. “Am I yours?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course, and I’m yours,” he says, and my eyes mist at the intensity of his words.
“Then does it matter how Toby looks at me?”
“No, it doesn’t, but he needs to stop before I rip his eyes out.”
This conversation is an old one. It seems that any time we do some event for my job, these two idiots got into a pissing match. Toby hasn’t forgiven Viktor for kicking him out of the house or for the tongue lashing Toby received from his supervisor after they learned how he treated Viktor. Viktor is too protective over me to let it go.
I’m exhausted. I’m Bone tired, and talking about Toby with Viktor is not helping matters. It’s our first Christmas together, and I want to enjoy it drama-free.
Done with the topic, I place my head on his shoulder and sigh. I don’t need them to be friends. Hell, I don’t even like Toby, but I do have to work with him.
Viktor stops us from swaying and squeezes the side of my neck. “Belle?”
“Yeah, beast?”
His chest vibrates with a chuckle before he lifts my face to look at him. “I’m sorry. I don’t like the man. I love you, and I promise I’ll do better.”
My heart flutters like it always does at his declaration of love. “I don’t like him either, but I have to work with him.”
“I know… I’m sorry I’m acting like an ass.”
“Me too…”
He captures my lips, and the kiss leaves me breathless. When he pulls back and my eyes flutter open, I see his smug grin. “You’re incorrigible.”
Viktor becomes serious. The muscles in his jaw tighten, and his eyes pierce mine. “I love you, Isabel Marchant.”
My brow raises at his use of my full name.
“You came into my home and heart uninvited. You pushed me to uncomfortable levels. You’ve made my life better, and I’m sorry if I’ve made yours harder, but I’m not sorry that you’re mine.”
My eyes narrow and when my lips part to speak, he kisses me softly.
Viktor lowers to one knee. The movement is fluid even though I know his latest prosthetic has been bothering him. All the women around us gasp as I watch him with surprise. My heart beats against my ribs, and my body begins to tremble.
“You’ve made me a better man. Will you please marry me?”
My hand raises to my lips, and emotions wrap around me. I’m dizzy with happiness and open my mouth to tell him yes when everything goes black.
Viktor
I watch in horror as her body goes limp. I catch her and pull her to me. “Belle?”
There’s a flurry of activity around us, but all I can focus on is my world. Fear claws through my body at the real possibility that something is wrong with her. I’ve been noticing that she’s been…off. Any time I’ve mentioned it, she’s chalked it up to stress from work or getting over the stomach bug.
Gathering every bit of my strength, I push to my feet with her in my arms. I ignore the throbbing pain in my leg and see the concerned faces of the crowd that’s formed. I take one step and then another until I’m rushing through the group.
When I place Belle in my car, I notice how clammy her skin has become. Little puffs of air escape her parted lips. After shutting the door, I step back into someone.
“What did you do to her, Prinz?” Toby snarls.
“Nothing!” I roar and shove the man aside and rush to the driver’s door.
“What’s wrong with her?” His words plague me as I haul ass to the emergency room.
It’s been almost an hour and a half after leaving the Christmas party and I still have no idea what happened to Belle. Once I rushed her into the emergency room, they took her from me and forced me into the waiting area.
I hate hospitals. The smell… the cold… the memories. I’m losing my mind with worry and trying to fight back the demons inside of me. The last time I was here, I lost my mother and my leg. If I walk out of here without Belle—
I stop pacing and ignore the pain in my leg when a man walks into the waiting area. “Viktor Prinz?”
My fists at my side, I hurry to the man dressed in scrubs, all the while reminding myself I can’t hit him. Since I’ve arrived, I haven’t seen Belle. They took her from me, and without being considered family, they refused to let me follow.
She’s mine. How could they take her from me? She is my family, my everything.
“Yes?” I force the word through my dry throat. My body’s been shaking with anguish, wondering what happened to my beautiful Belle.
“Ms. Marchant is asking for you. Please follow me,” he says and moves back through the doors.
“Is she okay? What is wrong with her?” The questions fly out, but before I can get an answer, we are at her door. I would have snuck in a while ago had I known she was this close to me.
Inside the sterile room, I find her laying on the bed hooked up to an IV bag. Pure relief causes my knees to give out at her side. I grab her hand, kiss it, and lay my cheek to it.
Warm tears slip from my eyes. “Belle?”
“I’m so sorry, honey!”
“Are you okay?” My throat is hoarse with emotion, but I don’t care. I need to know she’s okay. I can’t lose this woman. Now that I have her, I intend to keep her in every possible way.
“Come up here. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m okay. And Viktor?”
I rise, and the tone in her words makes me pause before I can so much as sit. “What?”
Her radiant smile beams at me. “Yes!”
“YES? Is that some kind of syndrome?” I ask, wondering why she’s smiling.
“No, Viktor.” She laughs and tugs my arm so hard I fall to her side. “Yes, I will marry you. I love you!”
Releasing a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, I hug her awkwardly around the wires she’s attached to. I breathe in her distinct smell, and some of the tension in my body eases.
“Let’s do it as soon as you’re out of here!” I need everyone to know she’s mine.
Her eyes light up with amusement, and she starts laughing. The sound is one of my favorites in the world.
“I’m being serious,” I tell her with a smile. It seems it’s all I do now with her in my life.
“I see you’ve told him?” a voice says, interrupting our private moment. “Congratulations! How are you feeling, Isabel?”
“Great,” she says, but something in her tone doesn’t sound right to me.
“Okay, good.” The nurse points at the IV bag hanging nearby. “You’re done with this bag, and the doctor will be coming by soon with your discharge papers.”
“Take good care of her and her precious cargo,” the woman tells me with a smile before leaving us alone once again.
My vision blurs and my head spins. “What…what is she talking about?”
“You know how you want to get married soon?”
“Yeah…”
She grabs my hand in hers. “Let’s do it before I start showing…”
Air.
I need air and confirmation. “Showing what?” I ask, needing to hear the words from her mouth.
“I’m carrying our baby… I’m pregnant.”
With those words, I fall deeper in love than I thought possible with Isabel. Lifting my hand, I lay it gently over her flat stomach. “I’m going to be a daddy,” I whisper with awe.
Tears of joy roll down her cheeks, and I catch one with my thumb. “I’m bursting with love, Viktor.”
Remembering the box I’ve been holding all night, I stand. My quick movement makes her frown, but I ignore it and shove my hand into my pocket. Wrapping my hand around the box, I look into her eyes and everything around us stills.
“You’re giving me the world. Wear my ring today and tomorrow we go to the judge.” My words are thick with emotion. I’m overcome with all the good Isabel has brought into my life. I open the box and slip the one carat diamond framed by rubies onto her finger.
Where there once was despair and darkness, there is now hope and light.