Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I push my thoughts away as the door to my father’s office opens. He steps out, Niko following him. They stare at me and I’m glad that I’m sitting. There’s something about the look on my father’s face that makes me believe that if I were standing, my legs would give out.
“Emilia, come here. Niko and I have something we wish to discuss with you.”
I blink. Niko? Why on earth would he be involved with anything to do with me?
And why does my father appear so nervous?
I have a feeling the answer is not going to make me happy.
I look at Vic for reassurance. I think he tries to smile at me, but it looks more like a grimace. That doesn’t exactly boost my confidence. For a minute, I can feel my body flush with a sort of sick feeling of heat. I swallow to try and stall the nausea that always arises. This is a precursor to a full-blown panic attack. I’ve had too many not to recognize them. I don’t want Niko to see me like this. It’s bad enough that my father and Vic have. I hate the way these episodes make me feel.
Before I descend deeper into embarrassment, I feel a hand on my upper arm. I force myself to move my gaze from the hand on my bicep up to the face smiling down at me. The face of the only friend I’ve truly had outside of Zoe.
“It will be okay, Emmie. Breathe.”
I nod, taking a deep breath. It’s then I realize just how fast my heart is beating and I hate it. I hate being weak. That’s not the person I want to be. I know losing my mother was traumatizing, but that happens. People deal with it every single day. How did it turn me into this person who needs reassurance to function? Before I can fully get myself under control, I feel Niko beside me. I don’t know how to explain it, but I don’t need to look to know that it’s Niko with his hand against the base of my back. There’s an energy in his touch that seems to suck away the air around me. It’s intimidating—and that’s putting it mildly. It’s so strong that I can feel it echo inside of me, making my body vibrate with tension.
“Now, Emilia.” I jump when I hear his voice so close to my ear. I can literally feel his heated breath fan against the back of my neck. I look to Vic for reassurance, and he nods, slowly dropping his hand. “Victorio,” he adds. My gaze darts between the two men. Niko’s features are cold and emotionless.
“Yes, sir,” Vic answers, suddenly sounding all business.
“Her name is Emilia or Miss Korslova. She is your charge. Her safety is your only purpose.”
Something passes between the two men that I don’t like. I turn to look at Niko, suddenly forgetting all about panicking.
“He is my friend.”
“He’s your bodyguard,” Niko corrects, not bothering to even look at me while speaking. His gaze is still centered on Vic.
“And my friend.”
“Then, I’ll see to it that he’s replaced with one of my own men. He’s here to keep you safe. That’s his job. If he can’t do that and that alone, I can’t trust him.”
“It’s not your place to do anything when it comes to me. You aren’t responsible for my safety—or for anything really. You are overstepping.”
“It won’t be a problem,” Vic interrupts.
I turn to look at him with shock. What is going on here?
“See to it that it’s not. Now, Emilia, it’s time we talked.”
“I want to have this out. You can’t just march in here and start giving orders.”
Niko is finally looking at me and he’s about to speak when his cell begins ringing.
“Hold that thought,” he grumbles, answering his phone. “Niko.” He’s silent for a minute, but I see the anger on his face. There’s also frustration. That’s an emotion I can completely commiserate with. “No. Contain him there. I’m heading that way,” he adds in a growl. He clicks off his phone and looks to my father.
“Is that about the situation we were discussing?” My father questions cryptically.
“I’m afraid so. I have to go. I can—”
“I’ll handle things with Emilia. You may speak with her later.”
“Handle things? Will someone please tell me what is going on here?” I huff, panic leaking through my words. For some reason, I look to Niko to answer instead of my father. Rather than explain, he chooses to lean down and kiss my forehead.
“We’ll talk soon.”
Before I can respond, he walks away, dismissing me completely and leaving me to stare at my father.
“What is going on?” I ask. I can tell from the look on his face that my earlier feeling was correct.
I’m not going to like his answer.