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“Talk to me, baby.”
I rarely call my father dad. I know the fact I did makes him worry more. I can hear it in his reply.
“I called him last night…” I can’t seem to form any more words. If I do, that will somehow make all this seem real. Until now, I’ve been trying to convince myself it was just a bad dream.
“Did he say something?”
“Katherine answered his phone, Dad. She was in his hotel room. She said they’d spent the entire day together. Niko was in the shower.”
“Maybe you misunderstood.”
“There was no misunderstanding,” I respond, tears stinging my eyes. I feel some escape and I hate it. I hate that I’m shedding tears for Niko. He doesn’t deserve them.Not now.“She was way too nice. Besides I heard Niko. He yelled out for her to just let the phone ring.”
“Baby,” he says, sounding as devastated as I feel.
“I guess he didn’t want his clueless fiancée to know he broke his promise.”
My misery seems to swallow me whole, and I lose it. The tears fall as I let out a broken sob. I’m sitting at Dad’s desk and fall back into his chair, curling up and dropping my head. I haven’t felt like this since my mother passed away. That tells me how deep my feelings for Niko are.I’m so stupid.
“Calm down, Emmie. Niko spoke with Katherine yesterday, but I’m certain he didn’t know she was in Athens. He was completely surprised.”
“Yeah,” I laugh bitterly through my tears. “So surprised that he invited her up to his room.”
“I’m sure that’s not the case. I don’t know how to explain her being there, but I know Niko enough to say he wouldn’t do that to you, baby.”
“You’re wrong.”
“You need to talk to the man. Make him explain.”
“It would just be more lies,” I argue.
“You’re a Korslova, daughter. I didn’t raise you to back down from a fight. You’ve been fighting silently your whole life. Now is when it counts the most. If you want Niko, it’s time you show the world what I already know.”
“What’s that?”
“You remember when you were younger, before your mother passed away and Antonio’s father asked you what you were going to be when you grew up?”
I think back through my memories, back to a time when life was happier. Instantly, memories of my mother’s beautiful face smiling down at me comes to my mind. I remember the day my father was talking about. It was a private picnic with the closest members of “the family”. I heard the staff refer to us as the inner sanctum, but I had no idea what that meant at the time. I was in Mr. DeLuca’s lap. He always spoiled me and referred to himself as my second father. I loved him very much. We had just enjoyed this big dinner that my mother had mostly fixed on her own. She loved baking and she oversaw the cooking of the dinner that day. Mr. DeLuca was married, but his wife was never there.
After dinner, we were gathered outside to watch the men play baseball and he asked me if I was going to bake and cook like my mother, and I told him no. I bragged that I was going to work for him, just like my father. They all laughed but I remember he asked me why I wanted to do that, and I told him because I wanted to make sure my family was safe, just like he and my father did. He kissed the top of my head and I remember he told Antonio that when the time was right, it would be his job to make sure I was taken care of. Antonio nodded and I argued I could take care of myself. Mr. DeLuca laughed and said when you are in the family you are never alone.
“Emilia,” my father prompts.
“I remember.”
“Niko is part of your family now. We support one another. You need to talk to him.”
“But…”
“I’ll find out what is really going on,” he promises. “If it’s bad, I’ll end things myself. Still, you’re a woman now—as much as I’ve fought it.”
“Daddy…”
“You need to call Niko and stand up for yourself. Let him know that no one walks over a Korslova. In this world all you have is your name and the respect you demand. Never forget that my sweet girl.”
“I’ll remember. I love you, Daddy.”
He’s silent for a moment and I dry my tears. I still ache, but talking to my father has made things better.
