I wait impatiently for him to dismiss me. Another thing I’ve learned in my twenty-four years in this house is that you don’t leave the room until my father dismisses you. That goes for me and his entire staff. The only person I’ve ever seen break that rule is Marlena. She’s pretty much free to come and go.
“That’s all,” my father says, excusing me.
I nod once, letting him know that I’m on board. Everything we talked about will remain between us, and I’ll do what he asks to learn the ropes. I’m not looking forward to it, but it isn’t until I’m safely back in my suite that I start to panic.
What in the hell am I going to do? I don’t think I have the stomach to run such a large operation. What if I make a mistake? What if someone dies? What if the police find out and I’m sent to jail?
I think about Sofia and how much I want to get to know her. Will my new position within my father’s organization affect our romance in any way? Will she accept me the way Marlena accepted my dad? Or will she turn tail and run as soon as I explain to her what’s going on?
But then I remember that I’m sworn to secrecy. I couldn’t tell Sofia even if I wanted to. I have to decide whether to continue pursuing her or let her go. The last option feels like mercy, but it hurts to even contemplate.
I can’t figure out what to do with myself. Realizing that I’ve left my backpack in my father’s office doesn’t help. I can’t go back now to retrieve it. He’s probably already in a meeting with someone else.
I guess I’ll wait an hour or two and then go back and get it. But between now and then, I’ve got nothing to occupy my time. I’m too wound up to watch TV, and I don’t want to drag out my bodyguards just to go for a run. I pace, but I’m having trouble breathing.
The room spins. My face feels like it’s on fire. I can hear my heartbeat like a stampede of elephants in my ears. I crouch, reaching for the sofa before I tumble to the floor. It feels like I’m having a heart attack, and I don’t know what to do.
Pulling my phone out, I force myself to concentrate long enough to dial a number. It’s not 911 because that’s not an option in my home. Instead, I call the only person who I know outside of the family, the woman whose future with me is undetermined: Sofia.
CHAPTER 12
SOFIA
I’m sitting in the library at the microfiche machine. There are stacks of coaster-sized reels that are lined up on the right side of the machine, and a smaller stack of reels that I’ve already been through on the left. The screen in front of me displays newspaper articles from forty years ago imprinted in black and dirty yellow. I twist the knobs to move back and forth, zooming in to read some of the text before zooming out to skip to the next issue.
My phone rings. I’m not fast enough to get it, and the librarian gives me the stink eye. I smile apologetically, rising from my seat so I can step outside the silent reading room. In the library’s lobby, I’m free to take the call. It’s Frankie, and even though we have nothing planned, I don’t want him to think I’m ignoring him.
“Hey, Frankie?” I ask.
“Sofia,” he croaks. “Something’s happening to me.”
I almost think he’s talking about becoming a werewolf, or having some kind of alien in his stomach. There’s that level of panic inhis voice. But I know that this is the real world, and whatever he’s going through can’t be all that bad.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I can’t…I can’t breathe,” he replies.
“Have you called 911?” I prompt.
“No,” he insists. “I can’t do that. I don’t…know…what…”
“Okay,” I decide, taking charge. “Where are you?”
“In…my…room,” he answers, gasping for air.
“Sit down,” I instruct. “Can you do that?”
“Yes,” he replies.
“Is there anyone there with you?”
“No,” he says, on another gasp.
“Okay, close your eyes,” I suggest in a calm and soothing voice. “I want you to focus on the sound of my voice. Think about a time we were together. Maybe our date at the park. Think about the water running over the rocks in the stream and the sound of the birds in the trees.”
I hear him exhale, so I know that he’s concentrating.
“Think about the feel of the picnic blanket beneath our feet, and the taste of the lunch that you packed,” I continue. “Just inhale.” I can hear him following my instructions, so I wait a beat before speaking again. “Now exhale,” I command.
