Page 78 of Tarnished Queen

That thought alone is what carries me through. It’s my anchor in this storm.

Because I’ve never had anyone to depend on. It’s always beenmemaking the calls,memuddling through,memaking a mess of everything. But now, there’s Nikolai.

I don’t know when or how, but he became the person I can trust. And right now, that’s the only thing I have to cling to.

So I squeeze him tighter and decide to never let him go.

24

NIKOLAI

The elevators open to the Zhukova Incorporated lobby, and I immediately regret coming into the office today.

Bridget is looking at me, her teeth worrying at her lower lip. But I’m focused on the man sitting in the waiting area behind her.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Howard?”

He stands up, flatting the lapels of his jacket. “I needed to see you. Can we speak in your office?”

“Instead of that, how about you get out of this city before I bury you beneath it?”

Howard glances at Bridget, expecting her to show some kind of reaction. But Bridget is a consummate professional. She’s seen me do a whole lot more than make threats.

He takes a deep breath and straightens to his full height. “I’m not here to be disrespectful, Nikolai, but… well, I’ve waited too long and come too far to leave now. I want to meet my child.”

I snarl as I sweep past him down the hallway towards my office. I don’t invite him to come along, but he does. It doesn’t piss me off as much as it should.

I can’t help but respect his dedication. Most men would have slipped away the moment I raised my voice. But the fact Howard stood his ground shows some kind of loyalty to his daughter.

I, of all people, can admire a father who cares.

“Your child isn’t in my office, so I’m not sure what exactly you hope to gain from coming here.”

“I hope to gain your trust.”

I unlock my office door and push it open. Howard followed me down the hallway, but he hesitates at the threshold. With a sigh, I wave him in and point to the chair across from my desk.

“Showing up at my office unannounced is a bad way to do that. So far, all you’ve done is make my pregnant fiancée cry and tear open a rift between the women living under my roof.”

His mouth turns down in a frown. “Are they fighting? I told Elise to take it easy on Belle. None of this is her fault.”

“Well, congratulations, then. You’ve earned your first parenting badge,” I tell him. “The ‘My Daughter Doesn’t Listen to a Damn Word I Say’ patch. Because Elise is blaming Belle for everything.”

He curses. “When Elise called me, I thought Belle must have given her my number.”

I shake my head. “Elise stole it and called you behind her sister’s back.”

He pushes a hand through his red hair. “Well, fuck it all. She hates me, I’m sure.”

“Elise? No. If she did, you’d know it. She’s not one to hide her emotions.”

“I meant Belle.” Howard says her name with concern etched on his face. “I thought maybe we were getting somewhere, but if Elise is disobeying her to talk to me, that can’t be good.”

The man is irritatingly hard to dislike. There’s something almost noble about him. His persistence, his stubbornness.

Arslan was the same way.

The thought of my best friend hurts like a knife in the gut. I set it aside and focus on the sorry bastard in front of me.

---