Amanda wandered around while Viktor took stock of where everything had been moved to. He found her in the master bedroom, standing in front of the floor to ceiling windows that lined the far outer wall. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist as he joined her in admiring the view.
“Not a lot of privacy,” she noted.
“Oh, just wait.” He walked to the nightstand and picked up a remote. He pressed a button. “Turn around.”
She turned back towards the windows and they were completely frosted out. “You just did that?”
“Yeah, isn’t it cool?” He pressed the button again and the windows were again clear.
“Let me see that.” She grabbed the remote from his hands and pressed the button, completely fascinated by what was happening.
He grabbed the remote back from her before she was able to un-frost the windows again and pulled her into his arms. “Is this enough privacy for you?”
She grinned. “Seems to be.”
“Do you think you’d be able to live in a place like this someday?”
She looked in his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair and playfully replied, “If it has a rain shower like the one at your house in Malibu, I might.”
A wide smile took over his face. “I’ll have it installed by next month.”
She giggled. “You spoil me rotten, you know.”
He kissed her lips. “Told you I would.”
Chapter 38
Over the next 3 weeks, Brenda regained strength and was almost back to a normal routine. The tumor was benign and unlikely to return but they were going to continue monitoring, just in case.
One of Brenda’s old friends from Connecticut was coming up to stay for the weekend so Amanda took advantage of the visit to return home and spend some time with Viktor in Boston. Viktor picked her up Friday evening to take her out for dinner.
“Ooo. We get to go in a spaceship!” she excitedly declared as she got into his Porsche.
Viktor laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Wait! Wait!” she shouted as he was about to pull into traffic. “Let me strap in before takeoff!” she said as she put her seatbelt on.
Viktor sat looking at her like she was the most silly person he had ever met. “Are you done now?”
“Yes,” she said with a grin.
They drove to the restaurant and parked.
“Houston, we have landed,” Amanda announced.
“Would you stop,” Viktor said, starting to feel slightly annoyed.
She giggled and stepped from the vehicle. He got out after her and they both heard shouting coming from the parking lot. Viktor shut the door and met up with Amanda behind the car. He looked in the direction of her gaze and saw a hooded figure pull out a gun and shoot an older man dressed in a suit standing outside a silver Mercedes with the driver’s door open. Amanda shrieked and jumped back. The man instantly crumpled to the ground. Viktor grabbed Amanda and pulled her behind his car as the hooded figure took something from the victim’s hand then got into the Mercedes and drove away.
As soon as the car was gone a young man who had witnessed the event ran to assist the man who had been shot. Another bystander approached while talking on his phone. They were both in shock over what they had just witnessed. Amanda couldn’t even look and she was shaking like a leaf.
They waited for the police to arrive and gave a statement and their contact details before leaving. Neither felt like eating out after what had transpired, not to mention the entire area was now a crime scene.
“What do you want to do?” Viktor asked as he began driving aimlessly.
“I want you to get rid of this car,” she replied as she stared blank-faced out the window. When he made no reply she looked at him and repeated her words with more force. “I want you to get rid of this car!”
“Amanda, that could happen to anyone.”
“No. No. That man wasn’t killed for a Honda!” she angrily replied. “He was killed for a Mercedes. Your car is worth twice as much. If we had gotten there any sooner that might have been you in the parking lot!” Her whole body shook and tears streamed down her face. “I want you to get rid of this car today,” she demanded.
Viktor waited a few minutes for her to calm down before even attempting to respond. “I would have given him the car, Amanda. I’m not going to risk my life to save money.”
“And what if they don’t bother to ask first?” she countered.
Viktor could see her point but still felt like she was overreacting. He didn’t reply, thinking that after a few days she wouldn’t feel so strongly about it.
“What’s it going to be?” she asked.
“Give me some time to think about it,” he replied.
“How about this … I’ll give you two choices. You pick which one you want.”
“What are the choices?” he played along.
“The car or me.” Her demeanor openly reflected her unyielding determination.
“You’re serious?”
“You can keep the car, Viktor. But you’ll bring me home and I won’t see you again until it’s gone.”
He didn’t need to think long. “You know I’ll choose you, Amanda. I’ll always choose you.” He reached out and took her hand.
She released a stifled cry of relief and then broke down weeping. Viktor pulled off the road so he could comfort her. She crawled over the console and practically sat in his lap as she held onto him and cried her heart out.
“It’s going to be okay,” he tried to reassure her. “We’re going to grow old together.”
She sat up and looked in his eyes. “I’m going to be so mad at you if we don’t.”
He chuckled and wiped her tears. “I love that you get emotional about me. Have I told you that?”
“I don’t love it. It’s awful. I hate feeling this way.”
“Well, I don’t want you to be sad either. But I like that you care so deeply.”
“I do, Viktor.”
“I know.”
