Page 55 of Viktor's Temptation
Her heart melted at the sincerity in his gaze, but she couldn’t resist one last jab. “You’ve gone from test driving my skills to planning my entire future. Aren’t we getting a little ahead of ourselves?”
“Gracie,” he murmured, leaning in so that their noses almost touched. “I never get ahead of myself. I just happen to know exactly what I want.” His lips brushed hers, the kiss slow and deliberate. “And what I want is you. Forever.”
She sighed against him, her hands sliding up to rest on his chest. “You’re impossible,” she whispered, though her smile betrayed her.
“Impossibly in love with you,” he replied smugly.
Gracie laughed, shaking her head. “Fine. Let’s see how good you really are, Mr. Perfect. I hope you’re ready to keep up with me.”
Viktor smirked, stepping back and gesturing toward the training equipment. “The question, my love, is whether you’re ready to keep up with me.”
“Oh, it’s on!” she shot back, her competitive spirit flaring.
“Good,” Viktor replied, his silver eyes shimmering with anticipation. “Because if you’re going to marry me, I’ll need you at your very best.”
“So, how are you going to redecorate my house?” Viktor asked, his tone casual but his grip firm as he tugged her out of the gym area.
“Redecorate?” Gracie echoed, shaking her head in disbelief. “I can’t do that!” She gasped and tried to pull back, but Viktor didn’t let her go.
“Why not?” he asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Because this is your home!” she protested, her cheeks flushing. “You’ve decorated it how you like it. I don’t want to impose my preferences on your space.”
Viktor tsked softly and shook his head, looking down at her with a fond smile. “Love, you’re not getting it,” he said, his voice gentle but insistent. “My space is with you. I don’t care what I sit on as long as you’re sitting next to me.” His smile turned sly. “Or on top of me,” he added, his tone dropping to a suggestive grumble.
Gracie predictably turned crimson, stammering as she tried to respond. Viktor laughed, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction. “In other words, you could drape the entire place in teddy bears, rainbows, or whatever else you want, and I wouldn’t care.”
Her lips twitched, torn between amusement and exasperation. “Teddy bears, really?”
“Absolutely,” he replied smoothly, taking her hand again and leading her toward the elevator. “However, redecorating is secondary to what I have planned for today.”
“And what’s that?” she asked, curiosity creeping into her voice.
He pushed through the metal doors, pressing the call button for the elevator. “I was thinking it’s time we evict your deadbeat boyfriend from your house.”
Gracie blinked, surprised, but before she could react, Viktor continued, “Sorcia’s ladies can handle the sale and get you an excellent price. Or, if you’d prefer, you can rent it out and use the income however you see fit. If you do sell it, I’d be happy to invest the profits for you.”
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” she admitted as they stepped into the elevator. “Honestly, I’m just eager to get back to work.”
“And from what I’ve seen, you’re more than ready to return to the hospital,” Viktor replied, his approval evident in his tone. “You’ve honed your skills, so I don’t see any issues navigating the human world again.”
Her eyes lit up, excitement bubbling to the surface. “Really?” she gasped, turning to face him fully as the elevator descended. “I really love the flying part!”
Viktor grinned at her enthusiasm. “It’s pretty awesome, isn’t it?” He leaned down to kiss her softly before adding, “But today, I think we should focus on clearing out Warren. No matter what you decide to do with your house, one thing’s certain—he has to go. Don’t you agree?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Gracie said, her voice gaining confidence. “He’s overstayed his welcome by about…forever.”
The elevator doors slid open, and outside Viktor’s building, a sleek black SUV was waiting, with Darvin sitting behind the wheel. Viktor opened the back door and gestured for Gracie to climb in before sliding in beside her.
“Ready for this?” Darvin asked with a broad grin, glancing at them in the rearview mirror.
Gracie let out a laugh, her excitement now bubbling over. “Oh, I’m more than ready to kick that bastard out of my house!” she declared, rubbing her hands together with anticipation.
Viktor’s laughter joined hers, rich and deep. “I agree,” he said, his eyes gleaming with shared amusement. “It’s going to be delightful watching you use your new powers to take back what’s yours.”
Gracie’s grin widened as she thought about it. For once, she didn’t feel afraid—she felt empowered.
Thirty minutes later, Darvin pulled up outside Gracie’s house. She couldn’t help but smile faintly at the sight of it, though the pang of loss was sharp. This three-bedroom beauty had been her first major achievement after becoming a nurse. She remembered every sacrifice—months of eating ramen noodles and bland chicken to save for the down payment. It wasn’t much, but it was hers.
