Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
She seemed taken aback at the intensity of his oath.
“I believe you really mean that,” she said, giving him a look of wide-eyed wonder. “Tell me something, Sir Davrik—why do you care about me so much? Why do you give a damn what happens to me?”
“Because you’re special.” Davrik leaned across the table, holding her gaze with his. “Because from the first moment I saw you and heard your voice, I knew I had to have you, baby girl. You’re mine and I’m never going to let another male touch you again!”
“But…you just met me yesterday,” she protested, sounding rather breathless.
“And yet I feel like I’ve known you for years,” Davrik told her softly, trying to moderate his tone. “I know you don’t feel anything for me—not yet. But I hope to change that. I want to show you that I can protect you and provide for you and take care of you, baby girl.”
Sonya looked at him, wide-eyed, and he could tell she didn’t know what to say. But just then, the waiter came back carrying a platter with a golden dome over it. He sat it down in front of Sonya and drew off the dome with a flourish. When the steam cleared, she gave a little gasp and clapped her hands in delight.
“Oh my God! A cheeseburger! I haven’t had one of these for years—not since the Scourge invaded! How in the world did you get them to make something like this?”
“It’s all in giving precise instructions,” Davrik told her. “Try it—see if it’s anything like what you remember.”
Sonya picked up the steaming burger and took a tentative nibble. A moment later her eyes rolled up in pleasure and she took a larger bite.
Davrik felt a glow of satisfaction. Clearly the cheeseburger was a success. This had always been one of his Sonya’s favorite foods and it was clear that this new Sonya felt the same way.
“Oh, that was so good,” she sighed after eating most of the burger. “It tasted like a little piece of home.” Suddenly her eyes were glistening with tears.
Davrik looked at her with concern.
“Are you all right, baby girl?” he murmured.
“Sorry.” She sniffed and blotted her eyes with her gold linen napkin. “I didn’t mean to get emotional. It just reminded me of home and I miss it so much. Not the way it is now, you know—the Scourge have completely spoiled and ruined and polluted just about everything. But the way it was. Back before they came. Back when my Mom and my Granny and the rest of my family were still alive.” She sniffed again.
“How did you lose them?” Davrik asked gently. His own Sonya’s family were all still alive—except for her father who had died when she was very young. He still kept in touch with them, though he didn’t go to see them often. It was too painful to watch them together and remember how Sonya’s face used to light up when she was with her cousins and aunts and uncles with the younger generation of children running and playing and laughing.
“They died in the first invasion,” Sonya said quietly. “The one nobody saw coming. Billions and billions spent on our defense department and not a single satellite detected those bastards before they started bombing the shit out of us with their disintegration detonators.” She sighed and rubbed her temples tiredly. “I was out of the house that day—teaching at USF, you know? When the bombing started, we all ran to the lower levels and hid. When it was finally safe, I made my way home. It took me nearly three days because by that time all the roads were blocked. So I had to walk all the way and hide at night.”
“You must have been terrified,” Davrik said softly.
“I was.” She nodded. “But I was sure if I could just get home, everything would be okay. Everyone had been gathered at my Mom’s house for a barbecue. I was the only one who had to miss it because I was teaching that damn class. But when I finally got there…” She paused and shook her head. “Never mind.”
“What happened when you got home? Tell me,” Davrik urged gently. He had a feeling that she needed to talk about this—that it had been festering inside her for a long, long time and she just needed someone to listen.
Sonya took a deep breath.
“When I finally got home, I found…nothing. Just a big hole in the ground where my Mom’s house had been. The Scourge must have dropped a bomb right on it—vaporized everything and everyone inside instantly.” She shook her head. “I try to tell myself at least they didn’t suffer—probably didn’t even feel a thing. But that’s cold comfort when I miss them all so much and I’m all alone.”