I could tell Jaxon was on fire with rage through the bond even though he was miles away, and from his reply.Fuck your job. You're ours.
Luca’s text read,That's not helpful, Roarke.
With a sigh, I sent one last reply.I'll call you after. I love you both.
Instantly, they replied almost in unison.Love you too.
I answered Emma's call with a shaking hand.
"Reina. My office. One hour." Her voice was clipped, professional, cold.
“Mrs. Burns, I can explain..”.
"One hour. Don't be late."
She hung up.
I sat there staring at my phone, my heart racing. This was it. This was the fallout Luca had been afraid of. I drove to NIHL headquarters in a daze, my mind racing through a thousand possible scenarios. None of them good.
The building looked the same as always. Massive glass and steel structure, gleaming in the afternoon sun. I'd been so proud the first time I walked through these doors. So grateful for the opportunity.
Now it felt like walking into an execution.
I took the elevator to the top floor. Executive level. I'd only been up here once before, the day Emma hired me.
Her office door was open. She stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, her back to me, looking out over the city.
"Reina. Come in. Close the door."
I did, my hands clenched into fists at my sides.
Emma turned around. Mid-fifties, elegant, powerful. She'd always been kind to me before. Professional but warm.
There was no warmth now.
"I'm sure you know why you're here," she said.
"The photos. The news."
"The conflict of interest." She moved to sit behind her desk. "You're bonded to not one but two of the players you're supposed to be photographing objectively."
"I've never let my personal life interfere with my work," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Haven't you? You've been photographing the Frost Kings and Steel Wolves almost exclusively for weeks."
"Those were my assigned games."
"Assignments you never questioned. Never requested to be changed."
Before I could respond, the office door opened behind me.
I turned, and my entire world tilted.
My mother walked in.
She was perfectly dressed as always, perfectly composed. Looking at me with those cold, judgmental eyes I knew so well.
"What are you doing here?" I managed to choke out.
