However, the highlight was the rather short conversation I had with the older man whom Isabella later identified as a congressman. All my anger and hatred for Viktor couldn’t stop me from feeling grateful to Viktor for cutting into the conversation. I totally had no idea what I would have said in return to his subtle threat.
Yet my gratefulness changed to anger at him. He put me in this situation, after all.
The congressman was damn right about my being in danger. The simple realization cooled my insides with dread.
If my dad’s debt put me in danger before, marrying Viktor, a mob boss, put me in double danger.
I’m not safe.
Viktor’s enemies would have me as an easy target, while my dad’s rivals would also be looking to harm me just to hurt him.
And where the hell is my dad?
Grabbing a pillow, I screamed out my frustration.
I dropped the pillow on my lap as the tears slid down my face.
“It’s been days,” I cried, my voice low. “Am I that worthless to him? His only child?”
I slid to the floor with the pillow in my hands. I screamed into it until the tears couldn’t be held back again.
“Is this how my life ends?” I whispered to myself amidst sobs.
I didn’t hear the sound of the door opening. I just looked up, and Viktor materialized through my blurry vision.
“Emilia,” he uttered as I wiped my face with the back of my hand.
Refusing to answer, I threw the pillow to the side and rose from the floor to sit at the foot of the bed.
“Emilia,” he persisted, coming closer to the bed. “Did anything happen?”
“You happened, that’s it,” I lashed out, craning my neck to look at him.
“What…” he started with a slight frown before I interrupted him, jumping to my feet.
“You came into my life and ruined everything!” I declared. “But I guess that’s nothing new for a criminal of your caliber. Now, both your enemies and my dad’s rivals have me as a target. I’m exposed in front of the whole world, and everyone with the tiniest reason to harm me now knows who my dad is and who I married. I’m in danger, even by your side!”
“Emilia, I won’t…”
“And my dad!” I went on, cutting him off again. “He goes on with his life without doing anything to the man who has his daughter. He discarded me like I was never worth…”
I practically choked on the sobs that stopped my words.
When he came closer, I had expected Viktor to tell me to my face that this was my life now and I should suck it up. Whichexplained why I froze for a second as he wrapped his arms around me.
My chest heaved with reinforced sobs as he pulled me into his chest.
“Stop wasting your tears on a man who does not care about you or your well-being.”
I couldn’t hold back. I cried against his chest, and he did nothing but hold me firmly against his body.
It was an unexpected but much-needed comfort, and I took it with both hands. My hands entwined around his lower back as he stroked my hair that had come down from the half-updo the makeup artist had fashioned.
There was no sane explanation for the possibility of his really caring for me. I was collateral, he never stopped reminding me.
So, why does this warm me up from the inside?
I didn’t know how long we remained like that: his steady, almost imperceptible breath slowing my raging one until we were in rhythm.
