Page 79 of The Champion
A ball of fire in the pit of my stomach made me spit out with indignation. “Fools.”
“Thor says that we’ll be at the Gray Manor in a little over four hours. I’ll be counting the minutes.”
“Me too!”
When I finished the call, I ran through the house letting everyone know that Victor was on his way.
My parents came to stand in the door of my father’s office when I shouted with glee. “They’re on their way back. I just spoke to Victor.”
“Aww.” My mom opened her arms as she welcomed me into a big celebratory hug. “Finally.”
Khan leaned against the doorframe with one ankle crossed over the other. “It doesn’t seem that long ago that our family didn’t like Victor Xavier. Here you are skipping down the hallway because he’s arriving.”
Still hugging my mother, I looked up at my father. “I know you want time with Victor to ask him questions about what happened in France, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. They won’t be back until seven o’clock, and Victor and I are eating dinner in my room… alone.”
“Fine. Then I’ll have my fatherly talk with Victor tomorrow.”
I released my mother and made something clear to my dad. “If by fatherly talk you mean sitting him down and explaining to him that if he ever physically or mentally abuses me, he’ll have to deal with you, then don’t. Victor isn’t a violent man, and there’s no need for all that drama. After the way you all treated him at Thor’s wedding, he knows what he’s getting himself into. He faced your fatherly fury before.”
“All right, but at least let me tell him that I don’t want my daughter moving across the world for love and then sitting alone at home. Wisdomia is a lifetime project, but I want him to dedicate time for you also.”
His concern made me smile. “That’s sweet of you, Dad, but Victor and I will figure it out. We’ll both be busy, but we’ll make sure to spend as much time together as possible.”
“Hmm… he still needs to know that Mom and I will come to inspect… I mean visit, often. If he’s marrying you, I expect him to be okay with that.”
“Yes, of course.” I grinned from ear to ear.
My parents chuckled behind me as I ran off, eager to tell Belle and Linea the good news that Victor was on his way.
Linea, my new sister-in-law, was as thrilled as me and teased, “I predict that you two will spend a week in bed.”
Four hours later, we were all gathered outside when Magni, Thor, and Victor arrived.
Laura cupped Magni’s face and kissed him like she hadn’t seen him for a year. At the same time, Thor picked Linea up from the ground and twirled her around, making her squeal.
Victor was a different kind of man, who didn’t show his emotions in public. He took my hand and walked off with me in an urgent way. As soon as we made it inside the mansion to an empty hallway, he pressed me against the wall and kissed me with such hunger that it took my breath away.
“Come,” I breathed and led him in the direction of my suite. With our fingers intertwined, and our teeth showing in huge grins, we ran through the mansion like children free from sorrow.
As soon as we were inside, I closed the door and locked it. Victor was on me in a heartbeat and whispered French words of love in between kissing my neck and shoulder.
“I’ve missed you so much it physically hurt,” I told him and pulled him with me toward my large bed.
“I’m sorry, beautiful, but I need a shower before I make love to you.”
Changing direction, we went for the adjacent bathroom where we eagerly kissed while taking off each other’s clothes.
I thought Victor would spot the differences in my belly right away, but he was so focused on getting clean that he got into the shower and finished washing his hair and body before he finally cupped my breasts.
“They feel bigger,” he muttered and leaned against me.
I held my breath, worried about his reaction.
“Wait.” Pulling back a little, Victor looked down to my breasts and then my stomach.
The look on his face went through a number of expressions: from confusion, to understanding, and then disbelief.
“You’re…. you’re…”
