Page 2 of Frosted Hearts

Leaving his office, I pull up the campus map on my phone and look for the English building. According to Illeana'sschedule, she should be in a gothic literature class right now. Sounds utterly boring but I want to get an idea of what her classes look like. Nothing better than jumping in now to take a look. The map shows the building just across the quad. Following the directions, it doesn't take me long to make it to the building and up to the third floor where the class is being held. Looking at my watch, I see the class only started ten minutes ago, which means I have time to enter and take a seat in the back to listen and observe.

Quietly opening the door, I slip in and take an open seat in the back. The teacher pauses at my entrance but continues quickly without saying a word. I probably should have thought that through before entering but I supposed teachers are used to students entering late, or having someone sitting in on their classes at random. At least I hope they are.

I haven't even been in the classroom for five minutes and I can tell this is going to be a class that bores the hell out of me. I really hope she has some more interesting ones. If every class is like this, I'm going to need to bring something with me to keep me awake. Probably my laptop and some headphones to watch a movie while they discuss some old books that were already turned into movies. At least the one they are talking about today was. I'm pretty sure there are like six different Frankenstein movies.

It takes everything in me to stay awake for the next thirty minutes of class. By the time the teacher is done talking, I'm already bailing out the back door. I've seen enough of what classes are going to be like. I need to work on mapping the quickest routes around campus and then go take a look at the dorm room Dean James set up for me. It's supposed to be right next door to Illeana's. I'd rather have everything moved in so she doesn't become suspicious and asking questions just yet.

Thankfully, I don't have much that needs to be moved in. Just enough to make it look like a typical male's dorm room, so no one gets suspicious. Which means some bedding, a television, a gaming system, and a mini fridge. The essentials. I probably could have asked one of the guys from work to get that set up while I followed Illeana but I knew it'd be nice to do it myself, helps me to relax a little. Plus no one touches my gaming systems. I have a very particular way I like them set up. I even brought a few pieces from my home collection to make life a little easier in the small moments of downtime. I also need to get with dorm maintenance so I can sneak into Illeana's room and get cameras set up if possible. Nothing in her bedroom, just one or two in the main living suite area so I know when she is coming and going, a sort of alarm system since I'll be next door and not in the same room.

So much to do and so little time. Tomorrow morning, Illeana's life is going to change and I have a feeling she is going to see me as the demon in this situation. Usually, I would disapprove of that title, but this time around, I'll accept it. Just from seeing her picture earlier, I know she is going to be trouble. The more she hates me the easier it will be to get this job done. Or at least I hope so.

“Illeana,” my father's voice calls out from the other side of my bedroom door as he knocks three times. "Please come downstairs and meet me in my office."

Rolling over, I hit my nightstand until my phone lights up to show me the time. Five in the morning. Ugh. My alarm is set to go off in forty-five minutes, should be enough time to get back to campus before classes start this morning.

Rarely do I come home during the week, due to the three-hour commute, but my father didn't give me a choice. Senator Granger says jump; the only appropriate answer is how high. The last thing I want to do is talk to him this early in the morning. We were supposed to talk last night, but of course, he was held up at work with some sort of crisis. One thing I learned years ago is that our family will never come first. We operate on the Senator's time even if it interrupts our plans.

Knowing that if I'm not downstairs in the next five-ish minutes, he will come back up here and force me out of bed is all the motivation I needed to get up. Thankfully, I don’t need to pack a bag to go back to campus since I only stayed the night. Sluggishly walking into my ensuite, I brush my teeth and splashsome water on my face to look more awake than I feel. Grabbing a hair tie off the counter, I quickly pull my long brown hair up into a ponytail, making sure I smooth out any fly aways.

Even in my own home, my father expects me to always look presentable. Something about not wanting the staff to talk, which I find absolutely ridiculous. Only my younger sister Grace is able to freely walk around how she would like, within reason, though I'm sure that is going to change soon.

Moving from the bathroom, I hurriedly change out of my pajamas and into a pair of black jeans with a white long-sleeve turtleneck sweater. Can’t be too revealing. Grabbing my phone off the nightstand, I realize I have a minute before my father comes looking for me again, and this time he won't be nice about it. "Shit!"

Knowing I'm out of time, I rush out of my room, careful not to slam the door behind me. I don't want to wake my sister, who is still sleeping just down the hall. She needs all the sleep she can get, or she is a grouch. Walking in the opposite direction, I head toward the stairs. I prefer this small back staircase meant for the staff to use over the large flashy one that leads to the elaborate foyer. This staircase will bring me just outside the kitchen and it'll only take a few extra steps to reach my father's study, but that's okay.

When I reach the dark brown wooden door, I knock once and wait for my father to answer. Listening carefully, I hear some shuffling of papers before he calls out, "Come in."

"Good morning, father," I state as I open the door and step inside. His study is exactly how you would picture an office to look in a large, stuffy mansion. Dark wood built-in bookshelves line the left side of his office. Opposite the bookshelves sit two windows that face the front of our property, though it's still too dark outside to see much. Opposite my father's desk, directly in front of where I walk in, is a small sitting area with large brownleather couches and two armchairs facing a wooden fireplace. My father's desk is large and covered with papers in front of him. He's leaned back in his chair with his hands resting on his stomach. His brown hair, littered with gray, peeks through in disarray. If the dark circles under his eyes are anything to go by, I’d say he hasn't slept yet. I suppose if he wasn't sleep-deprived, he would be considered good-looking to some. It's not like he sits on his ass getting fat.

"Take a seat, Illeana," his rough voice states, leaving no room to argue. It takes me six steps before I drop into a small armchair opposite him. I keep my back straight, folding my hands in my lap as expected, while I wait for him to begin. "I'm sorry we couldn't talk over dinner last night, but something important came up. Now, I've kept this quiet because I didn't believe it would be an issue. However, circumstances change and now you need to know. When you return to school this morning, you will have a meeting with Dean James to introduce your personal security guard."

"What?" I screech, cutting him off. The outburst earns me a glare, which makes me swallow my next words knowing the consequences aren't worth it. My father is dead serious about this.

"There have been some serious threats made and I don't want to take any risks," he explains calmly. "Be happy your security detail only consists of one person. I could have insisted on a whole team, or," he pauses and watches me closely, "if you hate the idea of having security, then you can come home until we settle this matter." His pointed look tells me I don't have a say. He has me trapped, which is exactly where he wants me. The options are to give up school and graduate late, or accept the security and lose my freedom. Either way, I lose. "Which would you prefer, Illeana?"

"Are you sure?" I whisper, trying to find a way out. This can't be happening to me. I've taken every step possible to distance myself from my father while attending school. I didn't want any special preferences due to my last name.

Wait, that's it!

"I'm registered under mom's maiden name. No one at school knows I'm your daughter unless they've seen me in the press with you, though I've not appeared in many photos with you since I started school. So wouldn't having security give me away?" I ask, hoping to whatever god is out there that this will go in my favor. Rarely does reasoning work with my father when his mind is already made up.

"No," he states coldly. "There are pictures of you on campus and at events. Whether you like it or not, you are high profile too, despite trying to deny your connections to me."

"I'm not denying anything, Dad," I explain, raising my voice slightly. It is way too early to be arguing over this. "I was only trying to understand. You agreed that going to college under my mom's maiden name would help me to have a true college experience. I did what you said."

"Be that as it may, you are still in danger. That fact doesn't change, no matter what name you are registered under. You will have a security detail whether you want it or not. The other option is to put school on pause and come home until this settles. Those are your options."

"But," I attempt to interrupt, but he holds his hand up, stopping me.

"This isn't up for negotiation," he sighs, exasperated. "You will have security and you will do what they say!" His voice rises with every word. "I am tired of repeating myself, Illeana."

"I understand," I reply, my voice coming out more clearly than I expected, as I fight to hold back the tears. I'm furious that he is pushing this on me. I understand being concerned,but our family always receives threats. Why is it different this time? There really isn't a need to hide things from me. I graduate from college next semester. I'm old enough to make my own decisions. I don't need protection the way Grace does.

"Do not give your security hell. I expect you to listen and do as you're told. You represent me and our family. Act like it," he demands before rising from his chair.

I take that as his sign of dismissal and rise from my seat as well. I doubt he's going to give me any more information. Maybe another day he will explain more to me, but it sure won't be today, which just frustrates me more.

"Before you go," he pauses, waiting for my full attention. "Make sure you don't tell your sister anything. I don't want her scared."

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