Page 153 of House of Roots and Ruin
There was an odd strangled quality to his voice, as if it strained him to sound so careless.
I hesitated. “Nothing.”
Viktor snorted. “Are you…are you not in jest?”
I shook my head even though he couldn’t see it. When he came to another junction, he stopped, looking back. I’d never seen such a serious expression on his face before.
“You’re not truly going through with it, are you?”
“Because of…Gerard?” I wasn’t sure how to phrase everything we’d learned in the last day.
“Among other things.”
I’d been pondering this since the plan had been laid out in the Garden of Giants. If Gerard’s crimes were exposed, if he was arrested and taken away, there was no longer any danger to me, to Alex, to the two of us. My situation had not changed, nor had my feelings. I wasn’t going to turn tail and run.
“Alex had nothing to do with any of that.”
“Didn’t he?”
“Of course not. You saw him today. He was wholly shocked. You can’t fake such surprise so convincingly.”
Viktor shook his head with swift disagreement. “That’s exactly how someone who had something to cover up would respond. Too over the top and theatrical.”
“It was genuine. Earnest. Everything that Alex is.”
He snorted. “You sound as though you love him.”
“I do.” There was no hesitation now.
“It’s just me here, Ver. There’s no need for pretending.”
“I’m not.” My words were sharp, the head of a match hungry for a flame.
Quick as a wink, Viktor stepped close, pinning me between him and the wall. “You said he’s never kissed you as I have.”
I could feel the warmth of his breath on my lips, enticing and tempting me to tilt my head up, bridge the distance, and lose myself in the promise of those kisses once again.
I placed my hands on his chest, fingers spread wide, and he smiled as if he’d won. With gentle but firm pressure, I pushed him back, giving myself space away from him, from the dark twinkle in his eyes, from the danger of his beguiling grin.
“Love is more than just kissing. So much more.”
“That sounds like the feeble excuse of a girl who’s not been well kissed.”
“I’m choosing Alex.” I squirmed, uncomfortable with the way he still towered over me. “I’ve chosen Alex,” I corrected with emphasis.
He stared down at me, his face painfully unreadable, before turning and continuing down the passage. I hung back, surprised he’d given up so easily. He paused, listening for my footsteps. “Coming?”
Warily, I followed after him.
“So you’ve chosen Alex and Alex has chosen you and all of that is so very well and good, but what about children? Have you factored that into your decision?”
“Children might not be in the cards for us,” I said, trying to keep my voice even and expressionless.
“And if they are? Can you imagine raising little copies of everything you saw in those jars?” He shuddered.
I shrugged. “That wouldn’t happen. Whatever it is Gerard wants to achieve pairing us together…it won’t happen. Alex isn’t like the two of you. He can’t do anything like what you do.”
Viktor threw an impish glance over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows with brazen suggestion. “We already have that well established, Ver.”
