If someone would have told Niko that G would have ever allowed a man to speak to her in that tone, to treat her that way, he would have told them they were smoking crack. But she was. Niko didn’t like it. He wondered what would happen if Tiana did speak to her and warn her. Would she listen?
The next class started, and Niko stayed on. They ended up teaching all four classes together, and Niko couldn’t remember the last time he’d had that much fun. Watching Tiana teach, seeing how much her students loved her, and seeing how much she loved her students back. Plus it was fun seeing people he hadn’t in a while, including family. Yaya came in for Wise Warrior Flow and was surprised to find her grandson co-teaching. He loved seeing her face light up. And she wasn’t the only family member he’d gotten to surprise. Frankie and his soon to be sister-in-law Poppy had taken hip-hop yoga.
That was what Niko missed after being disconnected for so long. He’d gone from living in a one-bedroom caregiver’s cottage with his twin brother, little sister, and mom on the Sterling’s property, where he was raised with Liam and Tristan, who were like his brothers, to living alone in Southern California, having no family at all, and traveling nine months out of the year. He spent his entire adult life never feeling like he had any roots.
He wanted to randomly run into family and neighbors. Like at the trivia night, he was able to recruit Deacon. He wanted roots.
When the final morning classes ended and the last student left, Tiana sighed as she closed the door.
“Thank you for, you know…” She hesitated, then shrugged in a way that said she hated needing help but was determinedto be gracious about it. “Saving me from an internal nervous breakdown.”
Niko grinned. “Anytime you need a buffer from the evil assholes, I am your man.”
A smile spread across her face. “Is that what we’re calling Brock and Gianna?”
“Oh no, that’s just Bartlett. G is a lot of things, but evil or an asshole she is not.”
Tiana’s phone alarm sounded, and she jumped as if it surprised her. When she checked it, her eyes widened. “Shit, I have to go.” She grabbed her bag, and after she quickly set the alarm, they headed out.
“Thanks again.” She started walking away from the SUV.
“Where are you going?” Niko asked.
“Golden Years,” she said over her shoulder, not breaking her stride.
“Okay, I’ll take you.” He pressed the fob.
“No, I’m good. I want to walk.”
Niko jogged to catch up with her, but she stopped and turned towards him, holding up her hand. “No! I don’t want you to…I don’t need you to go.”
“Sorry.” He stepped back and held his hands up. It was clear she did not want company, maybe even specifically his company. “I was just…”
“I just… I can go to Golden Years alone, I don’t need a babysitter or a bodyguard. I just want to go visit Pops, okay, I need space.”
“Right. Sorry.”
She closed her eyes and exhaled, and it looked to Niko like she regretted snapping at him.
“No, it’s…I’m sorry.” Her phone beeped again. “Thank you again. For everything. I have to go.”
As he watched her walk away, he had no idea what her change of behavior was about. He’d clearly triggered her or crossed a line. He realized he knew from the moment he turned around on the dance floor and she told him about her ex coming to town that he would do anything to protect her from Bartlett, hell, he’d do anything to protect her from the world. What he hadn’t expected was that he might someday need to protect her from himself.
18
Tiana walked awayfrom Niko looking confused and hurt, knowing she was the one to make him feel that way. The man was being nice and helpful, and she was a bitch just because she was feeling nervous and insecure, and instead of being honest and saying that, she lashed out.
When she got the alert that she had her meeting with Dr. Best, it freaked her out for two reasons. The first was that, before Niko, she would never have forgotten such an important meeting, and it had totally slipped her mind. Second, she was terrified Niko would somehow find out about her financial issues with Golden Years and ask her about it. She knew they’d be discussing payment since the surgery wasn’t covered, and she absolutely did not want Niko privy to that information about her. She didn’t want anyone privy to that. Because she knew if they were, the questions would come.
Why wouldn’t she just use her ex’s money? No one would understand why she couldn’t. Only someone who has lived with Brock would understand the power that would give him, even if he wasn’t aware of it. She just couldn’t use it, not for herself, andso far she hadn’t had to use it for Pops. If there was no other way, she would. But so far, she’d been able to figure it out.
When she walked into Golden Years, there was quite a group assembled at reception. Cindy was busy with potential residents, so Tiana gave her a quick wave and smile as she signed in. After getting buzzed back, she double-timed it down the hall. She couldn’t help but feel the guilt rise in her at how she’d spoken to Niko when all he’d done since the moment he’d entered her life was try and make it easier, safer, happier, better, and how did she repay him? She’d been a total asshole.
Armed with the knowledge there was nothing she could do about that now, she decided to focus on Pops. That was all that mattered. He was all that mattered.
She walked into Pop’s room and asked how he was doing.
“How are you feeling?”
