Page 38 of The Devil's Viking

Suddenly exhausted, Viking sat down, staring blankly at the wall. And just as clearly as that horrible tattoo had appeared in front of him, something else showed itself in his mind’s eye:

Iris’ small, perfect, naked body.

Kneeling in front of him, her black hair flowing over her shoulders and down her back, covering that fucking tattoo, those amazing purple eyes clear, still pools. Those tiny russet-apple breasts teasing him, her hips sweetly curved. He’d been legitimately horrified that day when she’d offered herself to him in exchange for the room and food and clothes, but he’d still seen her beauty. It was as breathtaking and mysterious as a winter sunset over the Rockies. It had been undeniable.

He’d been utterly blown away by just that little peek of her, and he’d never imagined that he’d see anything more, not ever, not even if he really wanted to. But now, after blundering into her room that morning, Viking was in the position of being simultaneously horrified at what he’d seen on her back and captivated by the rest of her. That taut ass that would almost fit in his hands, those slim thighs as white as the snow outside, that dark triangle nestled between her legs. And thoseeyes, blazing up at him with strength and vulnerability when she’d told him that she liked when he called her ‘baby’.

He now fully understood how hard it must have been for her to tell him that… and that made him feel both angry and protective. Iris was astonishing, so much so that even when Viking was shaken at seeing her steeped in the ugliness forced upon her, he still sawher. Somehow, she rose above it all; somehow, she shone bright. She was a little miracle, and he was starting to feel like if given half a chance,he’dfall to his knees in front ofher.

All his life, Viking had heard that true beauty chased away the ugliest parts of humanity, that light made the darkness flee in terror. He’d always thought that was ridiculous, poetic idiocy; nothing that he’d seen in war had ever convinced him that violence and pain and damage were weakened by anything, let alone banished by the good.

But that wasbeforehe’d witnessed Iris somehow burn away the darkness that had literally attached itself to her body, and lift her chin and laugh. She’d just sailed right on by him that morning, just gone to the kitchen and put on her apron and made muffins and bread from scratch. She’d demonstrated what Viking thought of as perfect grace, so maybe he’d been wrong when he hadn’t considered strength a type of beauty – one that could kick a shadow right in the ass, one that could transcend filth and sin.

Maybe it was time that he become a believer in that kind of grace. That kind of beauty.

Maybe he could start with Iris’.

Chapter Fourteen

Iris had just finished cleaning the crash rooms – even after ten days of cleaning them, she still wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to what she saw and smelled back there – and was drying her hair after her shower. She slipped into the bathrobe that she and Zoe had bought in a sale at an incredible eighty percent off: it was thick terrycloth, warm and soft against her skin. Every time that she put it on, she felt like she was all wrapped up in a large pair of arms, just snuggled up against a broad chest.

Viking’s arms; Viking’s chest.

Jesus Christ, girl. Stop it. He isn’t interested in you that way.

Oh, sure, he showed up at her door at six every morning and watched her bake and talked to her over coffee before heading over to Blue Dragon Ink. He said goodnight to her every night before switching on the motion sensors that effectively trapped her in her room, away from him. He was friendly and sexy and funny – and she had never wanted anything in her life as much as she wanted him.

And she wouldn’t ever have him. She knew it.

Bang on cue, as if she’d summoned him with her thoughts, he knocked on her bedroom door. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was going on nine o’clock, which was a bit early for Viking to turn on the motion sensors. She hoped that everything was OK, that the Garden hadn’t appeared on Wolf’s radar again. She didn’t trust when Gideon was quiet.

“Come in!” she called, tugging the bathrobe belt more tightly around her waist.

The door opened and there he was, so tall and so achingly gorgeous. He was so near and yet so far from her, and as the days passed, she felt that divide more keenly, more deeply. She had no idea what to do with herself anymore, where to look or how to act or what to say.

“Hey, baby,” Viking said. “You got a minute?”

“For you, I have two.” She waved him to the bed, and she sat in the armchair. “What’s up?”

He shut the door, then sat on her bed and smiled at her, shattering her heart into a million pieces. “I wanted to see how you’re doing.”

Iris blinked. “You mean how I’m – what do you mean? Like, with work?”

“I can see how it’s going with work, Iris. It’s going great. You’re a whirling dervish in the kitchen and with the cleaning, your baked goodies are now in serious demand with customers, and you’re taking in tips now for the food, so your envelope of money must be bursting.”

She nodded and then waited.

“I was thinking more… I wanted to ask you…” Viking screeched to a conversational halt, looked at her uncertainly. “I was wondering how you were doing with… with you. Like how you’re feeling about Gideon and where you see your life going from here.”

“Ah.” Iris looked down at her bare feet. “Well, to be honest with you, I’m feeling –” She broke off, struggling to find the words. Howdidshe feel? And even if shecouldarticulate it, would she be able to say it to Viking?

And then – out of absolutely nowhere – a burst of courage rose in her. It was the same courage that had got her out of and away from Gideon, and which had told her to send that bastard one final message, and that had pushed her to tell Viking one true thing about herself.

Right now, right this minute, it was screaming at her to tell this man the truth about everything. It was saying that she had nothing to lose, not one single thing, and everything to gain. She wouldn’t be with Viking, and it wouldn’t change anything about what Gideon had done, she knew all ofthatof course – but she’d have been open and honest with him, and when he rejected her again, she’d be strong enough to take it.

I can take anything.

She took a deep breath and called on any better angels that she might still have left. “I – I feel – pathetic.”

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