Page 146 of Modern Romance March 2025 (5-8)

“I’m getting him a hotel, but I can only afford a few nights.” Elijah had a little more influence over their father because he was a son and that earned him a shred more respect than the women in the family, but Elijah only worked part-time because he was in an accelerated engineering program at the university. “I can’t keep him from coming back tomorrow when I’m in class.”

“I’ll book the hotel and put it on my card.” Stella got a discount because of her job. It only worked if the affiliated hotel had a vacancy, but it made it more affordable. “I’ll cover his rent if we can find a place for him. You and Beate search, too.” She didn’t bother mentioning it should be far enough away that Pappa would need to take a train or bus to get to Grettina. They all knew what was best.

“He’s talking like he did last time. Adamant he should stay with his wife and children. Sanctity of marriage and all that,” Elijah said grimly.

Grettina was too kindhearted to argue that “for better or worse” didn’t mean she had to put up with his worst.

“I’d come to help but… That’s the other thing. Paparazzi might turn up asking about me. If Pappa talks to them…”

“He won’t. I’ll get him to the hotel tonight,” Elijah promised. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“No. I’ll book the hotel right now and send you the details. Give everyone my love.” She ended the call and hissed out her breath. Then she took a big gulp of wine and tapped to book the room.

She had her own rent to worry about, but she didn’t let those worries creep in. She sent the confirmation to her brother and told him to let her know when their father was at the hotel.

With heavy steps, she carried her phone and empty wineglass back to the kitchen. It was spotless. Maybe Atlashadwashed a dish or two in his life.

He stood in the corner, hips leaned on the heavy desk. He set aside his phone when she appeared.

“What happened? That sounded like a family emergency.”

“A small one,” she downplayed. “I’ve dealt with it, but I should warn you. My father isn’t online so he won’t know anything about this…” She set her wineglass on the island and waved at the ceiling. “I doubt any reporters could find him since he’s going to a hotel, but if they did approach him…” She shook her head. “He has strong opinions.”

“How do I manage him?”

“The minute I figure that out, I will let you know,” she grumbled, and hugged herself, already hearing her father’s berating tone.Tramp. Sinner.

Aside from one moment of poor judgment, she had lived like a nun most of her life, yet her father took every chance to look down on her. A brazen, selfish girl. A disobedient runaway. A thief.

She was starting to think she might as well live the life he accused her of living, since he would never believe how chaste she really was.

Maybe that was a rationalization for something she longed for, though. She swallowed, but the sting of culpability remained in her throat.

“He’s the reason you ran away,” Atlas surmised.

“I don’t want to talk about that. Tell me how you think you can protect me. Because I need my job.” If he brought up an affair again…

His cheeks hollowed as he regarded her, then he reached for the drink he’d refilled and left on the desk.

“The most obvious way would be to find you an apartment with better security. It only took me two tries to walk into your building. You would need a detail of bodyguards, too.”

She released a humorless laugh. “You’re prepared to pay for that? And this bodyguard sits in the lobby while I go about my workday? The hotel will love that.Iwill.” She gestured at herself facetiously. “That sounds very normal. Sign me up.”

“I can find you a better place to work and live. What’s your end game?”

“Career-wise? To earn my way up to managing my own hotel, not achieve it through nepotism.”

“It’s only nepotism if you’re bad at it.”

“It doesn’t matter whether I’m good or bad! Having you support me does not convey to people that we only kissed once. I’m really angry with you, Atlas.” There. Her conflict resolution classes were good for more than bolstering her CV. “You have put me in the impossible position of having to rely on you when my independence is very important to me.Very.”

“Understood. I’m angry with you, too.”

“For what?” she cried.

“For sticking in my head as unfinished business.” He set aside his drink and let his hands rest on the edge of the desk beside his hips. “And you, Miss My Independence Is Very Important to Me, wouldn’t have come here with me if it wasn’t the same for you. We both feel this need to see where things could go. Let’s acknowledge that and talk about a more realistic approach.” His voice was a steady rumble in his chest that she felt like a vibration through her skin and into her bones. “One where I can protect you very easily because you’re with me.”

“You’re serious. You want to have an affair.” Her insides swooped and swirled as though she was strapped into a roller coaster. “We don’t even know each other. We don’tlikeeach other.” What if she was bad at it?

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