Page 184 of Toxic Salvation
“What’s this?”
“A peace offering. Maybe an apology.” I lean against the counter, watching her face. “I had it custom made.”
She sets down her mug and opens the clasps. Her breath catches when she sees the medical instruments nested in plush velvet—stethoscope, reflex hammer, otoscope, all engraved with her initials.
“Oh my God.” She lifts the stethoscope with reverent fingers. “Kovan, this is…” She looks up at me, and for the first time in weeks, there’s no wariness in her expression. “You had these made for me?”
“I want you to know how proud I am. You’re an incredible doctor, Vesper. This is me supporting your career.”
She throws her arms around my neck and buries her face against my throat. “You have no idea what this means to me.”
“Given how hard you fought for it, I think I do.”
She pulls back to look at me. “You don’t have to worry so much, you know. I’ll have security with me constantly. I’ll be in a hospital surrounded by people. Nothing is going to happen.”
“It better not.” The worry bleeds through despite my best efforts. “Just humor me, okay? Be careful. Call if anything feels off. Don’t go anywhere alone, and don’t ditch your security no matter how tempted you are.”
She cups my face with both hands. “I promise. I’ll be fine.”
“You have to be.” I cover her hands with mine. “Whatever happens, stay alert. Protect yourself.”
“The same goes for you.” Her palm slides down to rest over my heart. “I love you too much to lose you.”
I lean my forehead against hers—it’s become our thing, this quiet moment of connection. She smells like coffee and the expensive shampoo she uses. If I ever lose her, I don’t know how I’d go on.
“If it comes down to a choice between saving yourself and saving a patient, be selfish. Save yourself.”
She doesn’t hesitate. “I will.”
I have to smile. “You’re lying.”
She kisses me hard and winks. “Come on, husband. You promised to drive me, and we’re going to be late.”
She squeezes my ass on her way out of the kitchen. But she’s hardly a step out of the door when my phone starts buzzing with texts.
I glance at the screen.
PAVEL:Red alert. Come now.
63
VESPER
I’m back.
It’s what I’ve wanted for months now. Slipping on my doctor’s coat feels like coming home. The heft of it across my shoulders, the familiar rustle of starched cotton, the rainbow shimmer of my badge catching the fluorescent light—everything about it screams that I belong here.
This is who I am. Dr. Vesper Fair— No, that’s not right.
The name still surprises me when I see it printed on my ID badge.
Dr. Vesper Krayev.
That’ll take some getting used to.
But despite the satisfaction of being back in my element, I can’t stop thinking about Kovan. Somewhere between the kitchen and the car this morning, his entire demeanor changed.
One minute, he was kissing me goodbye and giving me those beautiful, engraved instruments. The next, he was checking his phone with fear in his eyes.
