Page 80 of Toxic Salvation
“Um… sure. Given the circumstances, that’s allowed.”
“Good. Because that’s what she is.”
“Seconded!” Vesper raises her hand, and Luka dissolves into giggles.
Just like that, his tears are gone. He’s smiling now, bouncing on his toes like we just told him we installed a chocolate fountain in his room.
“How about we go out for ice cream?” I hear myself offer.
Vesper turns to look at me, clearly surprised. I look away before she can see too much.
The truth is, Vesper and Luka have something special. And I don’t want to be left out anymore.
An hour later, Waylen, Osip, Pavel, and Luka are sprawled across the lawn at Pacific Park, working their way through double-scoop ice cream cones we drove twenty minutes to get.
On any other day, I’d join them. But right now, the only person I want to sit next to is the blonde destroying a double chocolate heath bar cone with more enthusiasm than should be legal.
Best eleven dollars I ever spent.
I watch her attack the ice cream, tongue darting out to catch every drop. Each lick sends heat straight through me. By the time I’m so hard I can barely walk, I decide to take the empty spot next to her on the bench.
She stiffens when I sit down but keeps her attention on her dessert.
“How’s the ice cream?” I ask awkwardly.
As conversation starters go, that’s pathetic. But every other topic I consider feels too heavy, too loaded with everything we’re not saying.
“I’d offer you a taste,” she begins, “but honestly? This is too good to share.”
“You’d share with Luka if he asked,” I accuse.
Her expression softens. “You know I’d do anything for that kid. Including share my heath bar cone.”
“I believe you. Especially after what I saw today.”
She cringes. “I’m sorry about that. I meant to keep my cool, but that woman just…” She shakes her head. “She rubs me the wrong way. The way she was messing with Luka’s head is criminal.” She turns to face me. “Yana told him that you and I wouldn’t love him anymore once we start a family of our own.”
My hands clench. “She really is a piece of work.”
“The absolute worst.” We sit quietly for a minute, watching Luka tease Osip about something. “You didn’t have to step in like that, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Earlier, with Yana. You didn’t have to say what you said. I’m not your woman, and that’s okay.”
I nod, but I don’t answer right away. There’s a tiny smudge of chocolate at the corner of her mouth. I want to lick it off.
“Are you alright?” I ask instead.
She watches Luka and the others. “Of course. I can take that bitch any day.”
“I’m not talking about Yana. Well, notjustabout Yana.”
Understanding passes over Vesper’s face, but she continues to work at her ice cream for a while. She keeps staring across the park as she does, like there’s something there just out of sight that she’s yearning to see. “I’ve spent every minute since you told me thinking about what you said.”
“I know it’s a lot to process.”
“I have to reconcile who my father really was with who I thought he was. It’s harder than I expected. He’s been dead for years, and still…” She trails off. “It’s so hard to believe he did what he did.”
