6. Chapter Six
Everything is fuzzy. I’m having a really hard time concentrating and my head really fucking hurts.
The doctor is talking too much and I don’t really want to pay attention to all the shit he’s saying. I know Joy will fill me in after a little nap, my body is struggling to stay awake. But then I see him walk in.
I thought seeing him at the stadium was just a fever dream. There is no way in actual hell I hooked up with a professional hockey player.
In the midst of my confusion about seeing him here, I hear the word pregnant from the doctor. Then hear boyfriend from Joy.
Before I can compute anything he walks over to me. His smell invades my senses. So familiar, so comforting. I’m transported back to that night in his bed. I’d never felt so beautiful, and cared for more than I did that night.
He kisses me on the forehead, opposite of my injury.
“I’m so sorry, Skatten Min. I can’t believe I’ve hurt you.”
“ You hit me?”
“Not on purpose, obviously.” He swipes the hair off my forehead, his gaze landing on the small patch of stitches. “I’d never purposely hurt my girlfriend and the mother of my child.” His eyes land on Joy this time, reminding me that she’s the reason he’s even so close to me right now.
Laughter bubbles up, shocking everyone in the room.
“C, what is so damn funny?” Joy asks, surprised by the sudden change in my attitude.
“I had sex with Viktor fucking Karlsen.” Tears stream down my face from the laughter. “And not only that, now I’m having his baby. Me. Of all women, the curvy scorned lover who only went to the game to be petty! Now I have stitches, a concussion, a boyfriend, and a baby.”
They both look at me like I’ve gone mad.
“Do not talk about yourself that way ever in my presence.” He stares through to my soul. “You are the most gorgeous woman my eyes have ever had the pleasure to gaze upon. I will not stand for you putting your body down. Especially a body that is carrying our child. ”
My laughter stops abruptly, and the only thing that comes to mind is, “Yes, Sir.”
A smirk twitches on the corner of his lips. He leans down to whisper in my ear, “Good girl, Skatten Min.”
I clench my thighs together, and my skin pebbles from my head to my toes. Everything about that nickname, from the way he says it to the way he looks at me, is something I love.
A nurse interrupts us to hand me some pills. “This is for the nausea. Hopefully the dizziness will subside as well. It will dissolve right on your tongue.”
All the while she’s talking to me, she can’t keep her eyes off Viktor.
Back up bitch, that’s mine.
The possessive thoughts surprise me. Even after finding an engagement ring for another woman in my boyfriend’s closet, I never once had that thought about Thad. But one look from another woman, while his eyes are glued to me, has me ready to fight.
My hand instinctively goes to my stomach at the thought. I rest my head back on the pillow, rubbing a non-existent bump.
“Hey! No sleeping!” Joy yells and I’m brought back to the current conversation .
“I wasn’t. I’m fine.” I open my eyes wide to show her how awake I am. Even though the pull is coming hard and fast.
“Did you win your game?”
“You remember the game?”
“Yes. No. I only have a hard time with the moments right before someone hit me with a projectile puck.” I raise my brow.
There’s that smirk again, twitching just at the corners of his mouth. “We did win. But only because I had you in the arena.”
“Ok, Ms. Miller, you are ready to get out of here. Does she live with either of you? She will need someone to watch her tonight.”
Both Joy and Viktor answer conflicting yesses at the same time.
Joy side-eyes Viktor, and he ignores her, focusing on the nurse instead. “She lives with me now. I’ll be taking over her care.”
The drooling-over-what’s-mine nurse comes back with a stack of paperwork for them and a wheelchair for me. As if my dignity needed another hit in front of this man. Reluctantly I allow him to help me into it.
Standing has me swaying on my feet and I can tell the dizziness has not left. All three of them are swooping in to save me.
“I can do it myself, guys, thanks for the concern.” I roll my eyes .
“Actually, I can’t let you do that. Hospital policy and all.” The nurse smiles sweetly at me.
“It is your job, so I will allow you to help. But these two can go.” I shoo them out of my room, and the nurse helps to usher them out. At least she is redeeming herself from looking at Viktor.
Shuffling a few more steps, I find the handle of the wheelchair to lower myself in.
“Perfect, are you ready to go Ms. Miller?”
I nod. Annoyed by this whole thing, still in disbelief that I’m pregnant. I don’t believe it’s true, and I will be making my driver stop at a drugstore on the way home. I need to see it with my own eyes.
Nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greets me at the doors of the hospital.
Viktor is leaned up against his fully decked out Tahoe, one leg crossed over the other, and his hands shoved into his pocket as he talks to an animated Joy.
Why is that so sexy? And why are thoughts of using those blacked out windows to my advantage running through my mind? I fan myself with the discharge paperwork.
The automatic doors whoosh open, drawing Joy and Viktor’s attention back to me.
He leans down and scoops me up in his arms before depositing me into the front of his truck .
“Well, that’s one way to do that.” The nurse smirks. “If you feel fuzzier, or like you’re unable to wake at each hour, please come back right away.”
“She will.” He stares at me, willing me to argue with him.
I sink into the seat, sulking like a teenager. If there is one thing I can’t do, it’s be dependent on someone else.
Before leaving, Viktor opens the trunk and pulls out some signed pucks for the emergency room staff. The nurse is back to drooling, and losing her good graces with me. Bless her heart.
“Do you need to swing by your place to grab clothes?”
My head swivels in his direction. “For what?”
“To spend a few days at my house. You’ll need someone to watch over you while you recover.”
“Um. I don’t think so! I do not need to be babysat.”
He growls, “Skatten Min.”
“You can’t make that sound like a threat if you won’t tell me what it means!”
He purses his lips and drives forward, leaving the hospital behind us. The silence stretches on. Neither of us speaking to the other.
“Could you stop by the drugstore up ahead, please?” I point to the sign coming up on the right .
He follows my direction and pulls into a spot. Placing my hand on the door handle, he reaches out to stop me.
“No. What do you need?”
“Something you don’t want to buy.” I scoff.
“I’d do anything for you. Try me.”
“I want a pregnancy test. Or five. I need to see it with my own eyes.”
He nods, getting out of the truck and leaving me on my own with my thoughts.
The laughter bubbles up again. How did I, Calliope Miller, end up in Viktor Karlsen’s truck, with him running into the drugstore to grab pregnancy tests for our baby?
Me: Joy. Seriously. How the fuck did I get here? photo of drugstore
Joy: The Goddesses blessed you, obviously. Find out if any of his friends are single. winking emoji
Me: On it babes.
Looking at the two of us, I would have told you, with certainty, that Joy would currently be the one in my position. With the hot hockey player on her arm. Not me. I’m the thick friend. The one who likes to run, but not consistently and will definitely be down for Taco Tuesday with a few margaritas.
I’ve never been the first choice, and an embarrassing amount of guys only dated me to get to Joy. She’s the skinny, blonde haired, blue eyed, sweet, and funny friend that everyone hates to love because she’s just so damn perfect.
Staring out the window lost in thought affords me the privilege of watching Viktor walk back to the truck until my eyes catch on two full bags from the drugstore.
He opens the door with a broad grin on his face, handing the bags over.
“I got two of every kind they have. Just to make sure our liten b?nne is really in there.”
“How many are in here?” I ask with wide eyes, rummaging through the bags.
“No idea. But I also got you lots of water too.” He starts up the engine and turns back on the road to his house.
“So, first of all you’re amazingly sweet. But water will dilute things. It’ll make the levels harder to detect. And you’re supposed to take them first thing in the morning.” I hug the bags to my chest in my lap. I can’t believe he bought all of this stuff and isn’t freaked out. Thad would never.
“Oh. I didn’t know. I don’t want to wait until tomorrow though. Maybe just a few tonight?” His grin grows wider .
“You’re really excited, aren’t you?”
“The woman of my dreams is growing my liten b?nne. Of course I’m excited. Why wouldn’t I be?” His brows furrow. “Are you not?”
“I think I’m still in disbelief. And we barely know each other.” I reach out to place my hand on his arm. “I wanted this, us, to be a perfect memory.”
“I think we know each other very well, Skatten Min. And it is a perfect memory, nothing will ever taint that for us.”
“I mean on a deeper level. I didn’t even know your name until the doctor recognized you in the hospital room.” I shrug. “You can’t know that. What happens when this ends and you don’t want me anymore?”
“I know that you’re mine. Elskan min, my soulmate, just like my parents. I was raised by two people who loved each other from the moment they locked eyes, and the feeling they always describe is the feeling I got the moment you sent that shot to me. Besides, your friend talks a lot. I know more about you than you think I do.” The turn signal indicates that we are pulling into a garage under the building where TRNDZ is.
And his penthouse.
Once he’s parked in his spot, he jogs over to open my door. The surprises continue.
Taking a deep fortifying breath, I lace my fingers with his as he takes my bags with the other hand.
Ready or not, this is happening.