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God, help me.
Please.
I’m begging You.
Please.
Help me.
Please.
I need You.
Her
Don’t Worry, Baby by Rachel Fannan
Diana took her time walking.
Miami was just as sunny as she remembered it, a city she had enjoyed very much but had never quite felt like home. And it had been the same with Athens, Diana thought absently. Even with all the years she had spent in Greece’s capital, her soul had always felt lost and unsettled, and it was only when she realized her purpose that everything had clicked.
Home was where she could be of most help, and for some time, that had been what Helder Meer was to her.
Now…things had somehow changed.
A helpless smile broke over her lips when she saw the staff all lined up in front of Damen’s building, half of them reception while the other half was security.
A man stepped up as soon as she reached the foot of the steps, bowing deferentially as he greeted her. “Good afternoon, Ms. Leventis. Your brother’s expecting you.”
Her smile widened into a grin. “Of course he is.” And it was just as she expected. “Did he have to cancel any meetings to make it back here?”
“Aaaaah…”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Diana concluded ruefully. “Anyway, thanks for the, err, grand welcome, and I’ll see myself up.”
A worried expression flitted over the man’s face. “We were instructed to escort you—”
She shook her head at the offer, saying, “It’s fine. I can handle going up the elevator on my own, I promise.” And because this was something she had done for ages, she beat a hasty retreat after her words, leaving them no chance to make their case.
Damen was already waiting for her when she made it to the penthouse floor, hands clasped behind his back. Tall, dark, and handsome, he was one of the richest men in the world, and – if his rivals were to be believed – he was said to be one of the most ruthless as well.
Whether that was true or not, however, didn’t really matter.
For Diana, he was just Damen, the big brother who had always cherished and protected her.
And right now, Diana thought with a gulp, she needed him more than ever.
Clearing her throat, she tested a tentative smile at him, saying simply, “Hey.”
His handsome face immediately softened, and she breathed a sigh of relief as his arms opened. She ran straight to her brother’s embrace, and her eyes closed as his hard arms closed around her. Damen always made her feel safe, and no matter how old she got, she didn’t think that would ever change.
“So…” It had been minutes since Diana had arrived at his office, and Damen had given her as much time as he could to settle down, having seen the wan expression on her face.
“I know you’re not surprised that I’ve come,” Diana blurted out.
“Your security saw it fit to inform me as soon as you booked your flight, yes.”
“And because I’ve come here instead of your home…”
“It’s something you’d rather Mairi doesn’t know about.”
Diana gave him a small nod.
“You know you can tell me anything,” Damen said gently.
“I know.” Her voice was subdued. “It’s just hard.”
And so it was, Damen thought, seeing the way his sister had started wringing her hands on her lap. It wasn’t like Diana at all to show her anxiety; with a mother like Esther, who delighted in exploiting people’s weaknesses, both of them had learned early on to use their composure as a shield.
Gazing at her contemplatively, he decided it was time to give Diana a little nudge, just to see if it would be enough to have her open up. “How are your studies?”
When he saw Diana visibly relax at his words, he knew that he had done the right thing, just as he knew that school was not why she had come running home.
“I’m doing a lot better than I personally expected,” Diana admitted. “Better than anyone would probably expect, considering my reasons for going there.”
“You went there because it was what you felt you needed to do.” Damen’s voice was firm. “I see nothing wrong with that.”
Diana wrinkled her nose, thinking she should’ve expected it of Damen to not see how eccentric her choices had been. “Honestly, I’m just glad you didn’t laugh at me when I told you a Netflix show gave me purpose. Not all big brothers would have been open-minded as you.”
“That’s because not all little sisters are saints like mine.” The words would’ve normally made her laugh, but instead a stricken look crossed her face.
“I’m not…” Her voice faltered. “I’m not a saint.”
“Diana…” He stopped speaking when she shook her head, and when he noticed how her fingers had started digging into her palms, his chest clenched with the urge to protect her. She was and would always be his little sister, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.
