Page 46 of Behind Palace Doors (Hollywood 3)

If this was another woman...

Surely not. Those calls seemed to have either died down, or  Stefan was doing a good job of intervening before she knew.

She glanced over, noting the man was completely out—if his  heavy breathing meant anything. And he claimed she  snored? Reaching across him, she grabbed his cell and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Victoria?”

“Yes.” Not recognizing the woman’s voice, she moved away from  the bed and toward the balcony doors. “Who is this?”

The lady on the other end sniffed. Was she crying?

“This...this is Karina. Mikos’s wife. He’s been in a  rock-climbing accident.” Karina wept, and static came through the phone before  she continued. “I need Stefan to come home.”

Panic gripping her, Victoria looked back to her husband,  knowing when she woke him she’d have to tell him news that could possibly change  his life forever. This could not be happening.

“Of course,” Victoria agreed. “We’ll be there as soon as we  can.”

“Please hurry. The doctors aren’t hopeful,” Karina cried. “His  injuries are substantial. He’s in surgery now.”

A sickening pit in her stomach threatened to rise in her  throat. What would Stefan do if he lost his brother? He’d just lost his father.  Fate couldn’t be this cruel. Besides, Stefan and his brother were expert rock  climbers. What could’ve gone wrong?

“As soon as my pilot is ready we’ll be on the plane,” she  assured Karina. “Please keep us updated and try to be strong.”

Her sister-in-law said a watery thank-you and hung up. Victoria  stepped onto the balcony to call her pilot. Even at five o’clock in the morning,  he wouldn’t mind. He’d been a loyal employee to her family for years, and  last-minute things occasionally arose.

Once she had the pilot readying the plane, she took a deep  breath and bolstered up her courage to wake Stefan and tell him the news. She  needed to stay strong and positive and be there for him no matter what.

When she sank down on the edge of his side of the bed, he  roused and his lids fluttered. He flashed that sweet smile she’d grown to love  waking up to, and she tried to return the gesture, but her eyes filled with  tears.

So much for being strong.

“What happened? I thought I heard the phone ring.” He glanced  at the clock on the nightstand then back to her as if realizing early morning  calls were almost never good news. “Victoria?”

“Your brother was in an accident. We need to get back  home.”

Stefan jerked up in bed. “What kind of accident? Who  called?”

“Karina called and Mikos is in surgery. He was in a  rock-climbing accident. That’s all I know.”

Stefan closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I need to call your  pilot.”

She laid a hand on his arm, waiting for him to open his eyes  and look at her. “Already done. Now get dressed and let’s go.”

“Wait.” He grabbed her hand as she started to rise from the  bed. “You don’t need to go.”

Hurt threatened to seep in. “You don’t want me to?”

“Yes, I want you to, but you’re so busy here designing your  bridal collection, and your brothers may need you on the set.”

She’d drop everything without even thinking for the man she  loved. Didn’t he realize that?

“Do you think I’d choose any of that over family?” she  asked.

He studied her face, then nodded. “No, I know what’s most  important to you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.  “Thank you for making my family yours.”

“We’re a team, Stefan.” She came to her feet. “Now let’s get  changed and I’ll throw some things into a suitcase.”

They worked in a rushed silence to get out the door and to the  airport. By the time they boarded the plane, along with the guards, she could  tell Stefan was a ball of nerves. He hadn’t spoken, hadn’t even really glanced  her way. He was lost in thought and she had no doubt he was not only feeling  helpless, he was reminded of the fact that his mother was gone and his father  had just passed away eight months ago.

“It will be okay,” she assured him, placing her hand over his  during the takeoff. “Once we arrive and you can see him, you’ll feel  better.”

---