Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87502 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87502 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
"Oh, those are beautiful," I murmured.
"They're the best in the county."
The voice belonged to the woman running the stand and I smiled politely at her as I reached for one of the peaches.
And then I heard a familiar voice. It wasn’t close by or even particularly loud, but I knew that voice as soon as I heard it.
My entire body went still and my ears strained. I told myself I must be mistaken—it was impossible—a hallucination brought on by my crazy pregnancy cravings or many just wishful thinking.
But then I heard it again. Deep and soft and steady—a voice I could never forget.
The peach slipped from my fingers and landed back in the basket with a soft thump.
No. No, it couldn’t be. My heart began pounding so hard it hurt. I couldn’t let myself believe it. There were thousands of men in Colorado. Plenty of them probably sounded like that—like him.
My hands started shaking. Slowly, afraid of what I might see and even more afraid of what I wouldn't, I turned around.
At first I couldn't find him—there were too many people. Too many booths and faces. Even if it was him, I would never find him.
Then, the crowd shifted…and I saw him.
He was standing near a truck loaded with crates of vegetables, helping an older man unload them. He wore faded jeans and a blue flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was a little longer than it had been when I'd last seen him and he had a beard now, but none of that mattered.
Because it was him.
It was Kor and he was alive.
For a moment the entire world seemed to stop turning. I couldn't breathe…couldn't think. I couldn't even blink. I simply stood there staring at him while my heart tried to beat its way out of my chest.
Alive, alive—dear Goddess, he’s alive! a little voice in my head chanted. But still I couldn’t believe it—couldn’t believe it was really him.
I’m seeing a ghost, I thought. Either that or I’ve finally lost my mind. Oh my God, if I’m crazy, who’s going to take care of the baby?
And then, as though he felt me looking at him, Kor straightened and glanced across the market.
Our eyes met and I watched the color drain from his face.
The crate he was holding slipped from his hands and hit the ground. Vegetables rolled everywhere but he didn’t even seem to notice.
"Vivienne?" he said.
Or maybe I imagined him speaking—I’m not sure. Because suddenly, everything seemed very far away. The people and the booths and the whole market started to fade and everything got very dim—even the bright sunshine faded to gray.
The last thing I remember seeing was Kor shoving his way through the crowd toward me with a look of absolute shock on his face.
Then the world tilted sideways…
And everything went dark.
FIFTY-SIX
VIVIENNE
The first thing I became aware of was warmth…warmth and safety. Strong arms around me and a steady heartbeat beneath my cheek.
For one wonderful, impossible moment, I thought I was dreaming but then a familiar scent reached me. Warm masculine spice and freshly done laundry. It was his scent—I would know it anywhere.
My eyes flew open, and I saw I was lying on a couch in what looked like the back room of a small shop. Sunlight streamed through a nearby window, and I was wrapped in a blanket. More importantly, I was cradled securely against a broad chest that I would have recognized anywhere.
Kor.
I looked up at him dizzily, trying again to make sure it was him.
“Kor?” I asked, my voice coming out in a whisper.
His arms tightened around me instantly.
"Easy," he murmured. "Easy, sweetheart. I've got you."
The sound of his voice shattered the last of my disbelief and a sob rose in my throat, which I swallowed down with difficulty. I grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands, desperate to feel him.
"You're alive." My words came out in a trembling voice. “You’re really alive!”
His eyes closed and for a moment he looked as though those three simple words had physically wounded him.
"Yeah," he said roughly. "I'm alive, baby. Barely but I’m here."
I shook my head, unable to believe it.
“I…I thought you were one of the bodies they found after The Blackridge massacre."
“Is that what they’re calling it?”
“Yes—I heard on the news that half the population was dead. I wanted to go see if you were one of them, but I didn’t dare go back. I was sure if they caught me there again, they’d never let me leave.”
“You did the right thing,” Kor said roughly. “That town was poison. I just wish I’d recognized it sooner. We should have left right away, instead of hanging around, thinking about winning that fucking Alpha Challenge.”
I looked up at him then—really looked. He was thinner than before. There were shadows beneath his eyes and new lines around his mouth that hadn't been there three months ago. He looked exhausted…burned out…devastated.