Page 23 of Viktor

“I would be extremely careful what you say.” The iciness in Viktor’s tone left no room for confusion.

Elizabeth took a step back, and Viktor smiled, the grin predatory.

Sara’s face flamed with embarrassment, and she stepped away from him, forcing Viktor to drop his hand. “Elizabeth, this is hardly the time or the place…”

She wagged her finger in Sara’s face, preparing to hurl even more hate, when Viktor stepped in. He gently pushed Sara behind him and turned back to the slightly overweight woman, using his height to tower over her. He spread his legs and crossed his arms, his best “do you really want to fuck with me” stance.

Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. “Just who do you think you are?”

“Someone you donotwant to fuck with.” While he felt bad about using foul language, he needed her to understand this was not acceptable behavior. “I suggest you go back to your shopping and let us do ours.”

“She can’t keep me from my grandbaby.” The hostility remained, but the woman backed up a few steps.

“I’m not trying to keep you from Delia.” Sara dodged around Viktor, and he growled in frustration. He’d put her behind him for a reason. “You are more than welcome to come to the farm and see her anytime you want.”

“I have a perfectly good home she can visit.”

“No.” Sara straightened. “I will not let her go anywhere Roger can get near her.”

The snarl returned to Elizabeth’s face. “My son did nothing to that child.”

“He hit her so hard, it knocked out her front tooth.” Sara tried to keep her voice down, but Viktor was very aware of all the patrons who drifted closer to eavesdrop.

“Lies. He said she fell and hit her mouth on the end of the coffee table. The tooth was already loose.”

“The judge didn’t think it was lies.”

Elizabeth turned her hate-filled eyes to Viktor. “Did you sleep with him too?”

Enough was enough. “I told you once to be careful what you say.” Viktor leaned down so he could look her in the eyes. “Leave now, or I will slap a harassment and slander lawsuit on you so fast you won’t be able to see your own head spin.”

Elizabeth gasped, and her face started to turn an angry shade of red. She looked like some kind of mottled fish with her face all screwed up in rage.

Viktor steered Sara away from the hateful woman and pushed the buggy ahead of them both. He could hear Elizabeth grumbling behind them, but she didn’t follow. He doubted she cared about the lawsuit, but she had to be wondering exactly how far she could push him.

“Thank you.” The sincere appreciation in Sara’s voice brought his attention back to her. Her face was still a bright shade of red, and she kept her eyes down, embarrassed as people around them whispered. She didn’t deserve this.

“I told you I’m here to protect you.” He leaned down, his mouth right next to her ear. “Even against old biddies who are drama queens spoiling for a cat fight in aisle ten.”

Sara burst out laughing. He did not just whisper that in a conspiratorial manner like they were two thieves plotting the heist of the century.

They spent the next twenty minutes getting everything on her mother’s shopping list, and then Viktor loaded up two extra shopping carts. Sara’s eyes widened. Who could eat that much food?

“That should do us for at least a week.” Viktor looked at his haul like he was contemplating getting another buggy to fill.

“More like a month.” Sara ushered him into the checkout lane before he could do just that. “There’s no way we’ll eat all that.”

“You might not, but Gabe and I will.” He started unloading everything onto the conveyer belt.

“Even you two can’t eat this much.”

He flashed her a smile, and the checkout girl nearly choked. Sara glanced over to see her ogling Viktor’s muscles. They did look awfully fine as they rippled every time he maneuvered food out of the buggy and onto the belt. His smile must have been too much for the girl. She was in her teens, and this was probably her first part-time job.

“You okay?” Viktor asked the clerk, pausing long enough to look at her. She had a dazed expression on her face, her eyes glued to his biceps.

She squeaked out something, her face flaming red, and went back to scanning the items. Viktor smiled softly and returned to his task.

The man was sinfully sexy, and he knew it. That sly little smile said as much. Arrogant. Bossy. Everything she didn’t want. Yet her heartrate sped up every time he got near her.

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