Viktor Krauss's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Viktor Krauss wanted one thing, and it was not safe. He wanted Sunny Larkspur close to him. That was the problem, because Sunny was the only reason he was still alive. She had caught him mid-attack, wrapped him in her arms, and hidden him inside her home from Petra, the woman who had sworn to kill him. Now he sat at Sunny's kitchen table, a fugitive, trying not to stare. He was failing. Sunny bent over the sink, fixing a leaky pipe. She wore only her paint-splattered overalls over a simple undershirt. The straps strained across her chest. Her shoulders bunched like river stones as she turned the wrench. Viktor's mouth went dry. He forgot the plate in front of him. He forgot Petra outside somewhere, hunting him. He just stared, and a thread of drool slid down his chin. He wiped it fast. Too late. "You're leaking, sugar," Sunny said. She didn't turn around. She could see his reflection in the dark window. "Worse than my pipe." Viktor's face burned. He grabbed his water and drank to hide it. His plan was simple: act calm, be charming, get close. But every time she moved, his brain shut off. He needed her to want him. Instead he looked like a starving dog. Sunny set down the wrench. She turned and crossed her arms. The straps creaked. Viktor's eyes dropped again before he could stop them. "Up here," she said, tapping her chin. She was grinning, not angry. "You've been chewing the furniture since sunrise. If you want something, Viktor, you'd better ask it plain. I don't feed hints." Here it was. His chance. Viktor stood, chair scraping. His heart slammed. He decided to stop pretending. "I want you," he said. The words came out cracked. "All of you. I can't think straight. I can't eat. Look at me." Sunny studied him for a long moment. Then she laughed, warm and loud, and stepped close. She was a full head taller. She put one thick finger against his chest and pushed. He sat back down like she'd swatted him. "There," she said. "Now the drooling's done. That's better than watching you dribble." She leaned down until they were nose to nose. "You want me? Come get me." She turned away and headed toward the bedroom to change.