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“Is is good to have you home?”
“It’s good to be home.”
“I wasn’t expecting you until this evening.”
“I came straight from the airport. I am eager to get this matter settled and go home to my wife and son.”
I nod to him, faking a smile. As much as I too want this to be over, I don’t. His expression dulls, eyes darting around the room. “Where is she?”
Pumpkin strides over to greet Nicolai, weaving between his legs, rubbing himself against Nic’s three-thousand-dollar suit pants.
“What the fuck!” Nicolai frowns, shaking his leg to shove the cat off him. “When did you get a fucking cat?”
I sigh, shoeing Pumpkin away, but the stubborn thing won’t go. “He is not mine.”
Nicolai laughs. “You let her bring her cat?”
“I used it as leverage,” I correct him quickly.
Cocking his brows, he smirks, looking down at the stupid cat who’s now trying to chew my shoelaces. “He seems to be very fond of you.”
“I am glad you find it amusing.” I scowl.
“As much as it warms my black heart, brother, seeing you play with your pet, I am more interested in its owner. Where’s the girl?”
Just as though she had been summoned, Scarlet’s bare feet patter down the hallway. Judging by the consistent pattern in them, she doesn’t know he is here. She stops at the hall entrance, eyes widening, face paling. Nicolai turns his head in her direction. His jaw clenches with an unspoken distaste. Scarlet pulls the EarPods from her ears and clutches them in her hand tightly. I can see from here how rapid her breathing has become. She is scared.
I feel this sudden urge to protect her from him. I move, standing a little closer to her. Nicolai’s eyes shift to mine, noticing. They narrow slightly before looking back to Scarlet.
“Miss Reed.” His voice thickens the air. “We meet, at last.”
Twenty-Nine
Scarlet
As I stand in the hallway entrance, I am dumbstruck, frozen in place, staring at the big bad wolf. Swallowing the ginormous lump in my throat, I suddenly lose my breath. For every ounce of Luca’s muscles, Nicolai’s glare is ten times stronger. Intimidating, powerful, and downright deadly, this man is danger personified.
“Did you cut out her tongue, brother?” Nicolai chuckles at Luca, but he does not mirror him. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I’d say he looks nervous, which only adds to my already building panic.
Nicolai ushers towards the sofa. “Please, take a seat.”
He watches me like I am prey as I move slowly to the sofa. I am conscious that he is a lion out of his cage, ready to pounce. Knowing what I already do about him, I’d be wise to obey quietly. I sit, wiping my sweaty palms along my jeans before cradling them in my lap.
Unbuttoning his suit jacket, Nicolai takes a seat opposite me, calmly placing one leg over his knee. Leaning back, he rests his arms on his thighs. The black designer suit he wears speaks of wealth and power enough without the cold harshness of his glare. Luca remains standing just to the left of us, on guard. Though, it’s unclear from his look who he is protecting, Nicolai or me? It’s like he is sitting on the fence, still deciding which side to take.
“So, it has been brought to my attention that you were the source of the wedding photos that leaked to the media. Is that correct, Miss Reed?”
He addresses me like a principle would a small child in trouble. My mouth goes bone dry. I squeeze my hand, not sure whether for comfort or to stop myself from screaming the obscenities and accusations I so wish to deliver.
I don’t answer, and it’s not to poke the angry lion further. It’s because I can’t. Fear has me mute.
Nicolai lets out a frustrated sigh and looks at Luca. It’s like they are speaking a silent language because Luca steps forward closer to us both and peers down at me.
“Answer the question, red.” The threat bleeds into his tone, but his eyes look desperate. Is he fearful for me? I shake the thought off as being ridiculous and remind myself Luca’s loyalties lie with his family, not me.
Fighting back the tears, I maintain eye contact with Luca. “Yes,” I answer meekly. “Yes, it was me.” God, why am I looking to Luca as if to save me? He’s the reason I am here to begin with. He fed me to the lion. But as I look into his whiskey-colored eyes, I see them calling back to me. I see something in them. A familiarity that I can’t ignore.
Nicolai clears his throat. “Eyes on me, Miss Reed.”
