Page 56 of Viktor at Sea

“If I ever hurt Astrid, I’ll have myself to answer to first,” I replied with the utmost conviction. “Though I don’t dream of ever hurting Astrid. I love her too much. Hurting her would only be hurting myself.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” Daewon grinned and wiped away his tears. “Now, come on,” he chuckled, patting me on the back. “We wouldn’t want to leave Astrid waiting, would we?”

“No, we wouldn’t,” I chuckled and followed him out of the workshop.

“Between you and me,” Daewon whispered in a hushed tone, glancing around to make sure no one was around to overhear. “My daughter has more than a little bit of a temper on her. She got it from her mother if you ask me. Good luck with that.”

“I quite like her temper,” I chuckled, and we walked toward the beach where the wedding was to take place. “It’s rather refreshing to have her scream my ear off when she thinks I’ve done something wrong.”

“Especially when you have everyone else calling you Captain and looking at you like you’re some sort of royalty?” Daewon said, hitting the nail right on the head. As former Captain, he had gone through the same thing. If I hadn’t joined Jorvik when I had, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Daewon had remained the Captain–he had once mentioned that my coming along meant he could retire, so there was no bad blood there.

Daewon was Captain of Scully back then, but that magnificent ship was no more. When we were attacked by pirates on my first mission after moving to Jorvik, the ship was damaged by their cannons. We tied up the pirates and swappedout Scully for The Serpent. And what a beauty The Serpent was. So beautiful and majestic. Trustworthy. Reliable.

“Yes, exactly,” I chuckled, but before either of us could say anything else, an unwelcome woman came barrelling toward us at high speed. To stop myself from toppling over at the impact, I braced my arms on her shoulders and held her back so she couldn’t attack me again.

“What are you doing, Chara?” I asked, a stupefied expression on my face as I watched her cautiously. Anyone would with the wild, crazed look in her eyes. “Are you okay?” I asked with a touch of concern when she kept opening and closing her mouth, visibly struggling with her words. “Did something happen?”

“I had to get your attention somehow,” she told me, completely ignoring Daewon who was watching the exchange, looking just as confused as I felt. “I desperately need to speak to you about something, Viktor. You’ve been avoiding me for the past two weeks. I don’t know what I did for you to treat me this way.”

Chara was right. I had been avoiding her ever since she cornered me in Churchill’s work hut during a fitting. I didn’t appreciate how uncomfortable she was set on making me feel every time she was around. I had made it clear that sleeping with her upon my most recent return to Jorvik was a mistake, but she was a stubborn woman who refused to see sense.

“I haven’t been avoiding you,” I lied. “I’ve just been busy planning my wedding.”

“Too busy for me?” Her lips turned up at the corners, and her face twisted into what I could only assume was her attempt at a seductive smile, but it didn’t lure me in. Perhaps, many a day ago, it would have, but I was a changed man.

“Not now, Chara. And not ever again,” I groaned and moved to go around her, but she circled her fingers around my wristto halt me. She reeked of desperation and had an unpleasant expression on her face.

“Please, Viktor,” she begged. “I really need to talk to you about something. It’s important.”

“Can this not wait until after the wedding?” I groaned, resisting the urge to brush a hand through my hair. I had spent an embarrassing amount of time taming it into a neat bun this morning, and I would be damned if I let anything, or anyone, ruin it before Astrid got a chance to see me. I could just picture the appreciative grin on her face when she would see me later, followed by the teasing comment she would no doubt make at the amount of effort I must have put into my appearance today. More than double the effort I usually put in, but what can I say? I wanted to look good for my bride.

“No, it can’t.” Chara shook her head furiously. “It’s very urgent.”

Unable to see a way to put a stop to this madness without hearing her out, I sighed and pursed my lips.

“Fine. Tell me what’s so urgent, and make it quick.”

“I’m pregnant,” Chara announced, a watery half-smile on her face. She pressed a hand to her stomach, flat, despite the skintight dress she wore.

“What did you just say?” Daewon exclaimed from beside me when I couldn’t bring myself to say anything, feeling as if I had fallen into a state of shock at her confession.

“I’m pregnant with Viktor’s baby,” she repeated, her voice louder and clearer–far more confident, as well–than before. “And I’m here to stop him from making a big mistake by marryingAstrid,” she snarled my bride’s name. “Since I’m with his child, I’m the woman he should be marrying. Not her.”

As if the news that the island whore–and this wasn’t me being bitter and rude, but a well-known fact that Chara seemed to take pride in–being pregnant with my child wasn’t difficultenough to deal with, a loud, collective gasp sounded from all around us.

I glanced around me to find that more than half of Jorvik, currently on their way to the shore for the wedding, had witnessed Chara tell me she was pregnant with my child.

This couldn’t have come at a worse time!

Did I mention that today was my wedding day?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“Ineed you to repeat what you just said,” I asked of Chara, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m pregnant,” Chara repeated, her hands still pressed over her stomach. Her dress was just as skin-tight as ever, but there was no curve or bump to her stomach. “I’m pregnant with your baby, Viktor.”

“Is what she’s saying true, Viktor?” Daewon demanded with a growl, his gaze hardening as he stared me down. “Is Chara pregnant with your baby?”

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