Page 159 of Toxic Salvation
“Your life is happening right now, darling. Don’t let Ihor take that away from you.”
I look down when my phone buzzes against my thigh. Kovan’s name lights up the screen and my stomach does that silly, schoolgirl flutter it always does when he texts me.
KOVAN:Just wanted to wish you luck for the appointment. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there but I planon being home early tonight... and I plan on showing you just how much I love you.
The implication in those words makes my stomach clench with want. I pull up the photo I took this morning before leaving—me in the sexy red lingerie set that Osip had gifted me for Christmas. I attach it with a message.
VESPER:Funny... I was going to say the same thing to you. Six weeks baby!
Right after I send the text, the SUV comes to a stop in front of Dr. Mann’s clinic. I turn to Mom, taking in her gray complexion and the way she’s gripping the door handle. “Why don’t you sit here and wait for me, Mom? You’ve been in enough doctor’s rooms as it is.”
“Are you sure, honey? I don’t mind. But if you want some privacy, I can wait here.”
“You’re tired. Chemo this morning was too much, wasn’t it? You should have just stayed at home and rested like I told you.”
“I want to be here for you as long as I can be.”
The words sting.As long as she can be.Because despite our best efforts and the magic of modern medicine, we might not have as much time as we thought.
“Good. Then you can be here for me right here. The appointment shouldn’t take too long. This is just to clear me for… uh… normal activities.” My face gets hot and I duck my head.
Mom laughs. “Go on, get cleared. I’m happy to keep the boys with me tonight, by the way.” She winks.
“Mom!” I jump out of the car to avoid her knowing look.
I rush inside, followed by my usual security detail. Nikolai, Tikhon, Aleksei, and Filipp spread out behind me in formation. At the entrance, I stop them.
“Nikolai, Tikhon, you’re with me. Aleks, Fil, stay with my mother. She’s tired and she’s going to rest in the car.”
They nod and adjust accordingly. Two head back to the SUV while Nikolai and Tikhon follow me into the clinic.
The moment the receptionist behind the desk hears my name, she straightens in her chair. Her leopard-rimmed glasses slip down her nose. “Dr. Fairfax! Of course, you’re Mr. Krayev’s fiancée. Right this way. I’ll inform Dr. Mann you’ve arrived.”
The special treatment still feels strange. Before Kovan, I was just another face in the crowd. Now, I’m someone people notice. Someone who gets rushed to the front of the line.
She leads me into a spacious room painted in soft lavender with abstract art on the walls. Dr. Mann has done her best to make the space feel less clinical, but the examination table and medical equipment give it away.
I only have to wait a few minutes before the doctor herself walks in, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders. “Hello, Vesper, how are we doing today?”
“Great. Excited for you to clear me.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Eager, aren’t we?”
My cheeks burn. “Uh… something like that.”
Chuckling, Dr. Mann starts pulling on her gloves. “Lie down for me, please, and put your legs in the stirrups.”
I do as she says, letting the paper gown billow around my waist. The examination is quick and professional. Dr. Mann hums to herself as she works.
“Alright, it looks like you’re all healed up! Everything looks great.”
“So… I can stop by the salon right after this?” I ask, only half-joking. “Because I’m in urgent need of a Brazilian.”
Dr. Mann laughs. “Go get that wax, girl. You’re good to go.”
“Fully cleared?”
“You’re free to have as much sex as you want. But just a heads up—youareable to get pregnant again now. So, if that’s not part of the plan, I can take you through your birth control options.”
