Page 83 of Dice & Dekes

This is getting out of hand, and even if Viktor is doing better than I thought, he’s still probably nursing a concussion. “Listen, I love you guys… but maybe you should clear out and let Violet do her thing?”

“Yes! Okay, party’s over,” Violet says. “I’m going to need everyone to back up. He took a serious hit, and the protocol window for assessing potential cranial swelling is ticking.” She points at Noah. “That means you, Coach Abbott. Go get Molly. I’ll call if anything changes.

Noah is clearly prepared to argue, but his anger sputters out when Vivian takes his arm. “Let’s give them some alone time, okay? Plus, I’m sure Mom is worried.”

Invoking Molly’s name was the right move. Noah gets to his feet and follows Vivian out of the room. Briggs goes with them.

“Um…” I look to Ranger.

“Sorry.” He gives me a sheepish smile. He’s almost my dad’s age but has an expressive babyface that makes him look years younger. “I need to stay here. Team policy.”

“I figured. It’s just… do you think they’re going to tell my parents?”

Ranger busts up laughing. “Oh, for sure. By the end of the day, everybody is going to know.”

“Sorry,” Viktor says. His voice is small.

I squint at him. “If you weren’t already injured, I would smack you. What are you apologizing for?”

“Blowing our cover,” he mumbles. “It’s the worst possible timing, right?”

I take a deep breath. “No,” I say at last. “It’s fine. If anything, it’s the best possible time.” If my parents had found out before the trip, it would have devolved into an epic fight. Now, though? I’m not so worried about what they’ll think. I haven’t decided exactly what I’m going to do, but given how ambivalent I’m feeling regarding the annulment, it could go either way. Whatever I do will be the result of my feelings for Viktor, and nothing else.

Now isn’t the time for that conversation, though. I rub Viktor’s hand and ask him, “How much are you hurting right now, babe?”

“I’m your babe?” Viktor blinks a few times. “That’s new. Since you ask, I’m literally in agony. But I’m glad you’re here.”

“Adorable,” Violet grumbles. “If you’ll excuse me, Knova, I’d like to do my job now. Would you mind giving me some space?”

I let go of Viktor’s hand and let the professional through. But I don’t go far. If Violet needs me to move, I’ll move. If Viktor needs me to stay, I’ll stay. But I’m not leaving this room until I’m sure he’s okay. He’s fought for me again and again. It’s time I prove I’ll do the same—even if it terrifies me. Especially because it terrifies me.

I’m going to be right here, waiting to see what he needs from me. When Violet’s done, I’m going to do everything in my power to ease his pain, the way he’s done for me so many times.

If Viktor thought he was already getting the full wife experience, he hasn’t seen anything yet.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Viktor

I wake up to a cold pressure on my ankle. It takes an effort to open my left eye; these painkillers are legendary.

Knova’s sitting at the end of the couch with my leg in her lap, icing my ankle. According to Violet, I don’t have a concussion—just a hell of a scare. My helmet did its job when my head hit the boards, and even though I was out of it for a few seconds and slurred a word or two, all the follow-up tests came back clean. No balance issues. No memory gaps. No delayed symptoms. Turns out I didn’t even break my ankle, either—just a brutal sprain. I got off lucky this time. No surgery. Just rest and rehab with Violet. Briggs called it “a vacation,” and at the time I thought he was being a dick. Now? I might actually agree with him.

Watching Knova ice my swollen ankle, I reassess the situation. I could get used to this.

And yet, part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe she’s being nice because I nearly died. Maybe this is just guilt. But the way she’s touching me—carefully, gently—feels like more. And that scares the shit out of me. Because if she’s only doing this out of pity, I’m not sure I’ll recover. Not from her.

She looks up and smiles. “Oh, hey, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

I try to smile. “If it weren’t for the pain and the overwhelming emotional confusion, I’d really be enjoying this. You look hot holding an ice pack, by the way. Like a nurse from a slightly concerning dream. I can’t believe you made me sleep on the couch, though.”

Knova rolls her eyes at me. “Next time, I’ll make you take the stairs. The pills say you can take one every six hours, and you’ve been asleep for almost eight. There’s a glass of water for you whenever you’re ready.”

I turn my head to see the cup in question, and the pill bottle right beside it. “You’re an angel.”

Knova purses her lips. “Maybe you are concussed.”

“Don’t worry.” I fumble for the pill bottle. “If you don’t tell the world I’m a poser in the fuckboy department, I won’t tell anyone that you’re secretly nice.”

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