Kian (Undercover Billionaire, #1)(31)

Without warning, the office temperature felt like it had climbed about fifty degrees and all the oxygen in the room had been sucked out. Her head grew fuzzy, and Roxie clutched her throat as she fought to draw in a breath. She began to tilt on her feet as the edges of her vision dimmed.

She heard her name called out as if through a long, dark tunnel. She tried to breathe, tried to stop the wobbliness, but she was no longer in control of her own movement. She was sinking into an abyss.

“Breathe, just breathe,” came the concerned words of Kian. She felt the pressure of his hand on her back, gently rubbing as he spoke in her ear. His chest was against her cheek as he held her in the safety of his arms. The buzzing began to fade, and the darkness receded.

“Breathe,” he repeated, his tone calm, his hand gentle. The last of the dizziness evaporated, and Roxie sucked in a much-needed breath of air. Tears fell down her cheeks, but the panic attack went away.

She stood there in the safety of his arms for a few more much-needed seconds, and only when she was sure she wasn’t going to slip down in a puddle at his feet did she take a step back. She was mortified she’d shown such weakness. She might as well hand over Lily now, because he’d never think her suitable enough to raise the child. She couldn’t even take care of herself.

When Roxie was able to gain the courage to look up at Kian, she thought she’d see smug awareness in his gaze, but she only saw worry in the tense lines of his forehead. He seemed ready to dart quickly back to her in case he needed to catch her again. She forced more breaths in and out. She couldn’t afford to lose control like that again.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry,” she said, tearing her gaze away from Kian and looking over at Sal, who looked frozen in place as if unsure what had just happened.

“Let me get you some water,” Sal said, and before she could stop him, he darted from the room. She didn’t want anyone to know what had just happened and hoped he wouldn’t say a word to Eden.

It was odd, but there was comfort in knowing time hadn’t changed Kian. He was still the man who’d be there to rescue a person, even if he didn’t like the person he was saving. He’d be the person in battle to patch up the wound he’d just been forced to inflict. She had to love him for that, even if she was mad at him, or even if she feared he was going to take her niece away.

After what she and her sister had both put him through, it would have been well within his rights to let her fall to the ground and writhe in pain and agony. No one would judge him for it. Well, she might judge him a little if she were being honest, and Sal would most certainly judge him, but they wouldn’t really have the right to.

Roxie just needed this meeting to be over so she could collect her niece and hightail it out of there. She didn’t think she was capable of going through anything more—not on this day. After she was alone, she could read the letter again and maybe get some focus on what was happening in her life.

As long as her head continued to spin, she wasn’t helping in any situation. She had to get away. Sal came back in and gave her water, and she gulped it down.

“The house is all yours now,” Sal said. “I know that’s the last piece of business, but I wanted to give you that reassurance.”

“Thank you,” she told him.

“Do you want to keep it or sell it?” he asked.

He didn’t turn and look at Kian as he asked this, and she was grateful. This had nothing to do with him. She felt him tense behind her, though. His reaction was great enough that it seemed to almost send out an electrical pulse through the air.

Roxie wanted to say she was going to sell it and take her niece and run far away, but she knew that would only start a war. There truly was no use in fighting Kian at this point. The only thing she could do was try to work with him. Then at least she’d have a shot of getting to keep her niece. It was a small shot, but at this point she’d take it.

“I’m keeping it . . . at least for now,” she said.

There was an audible sigh behind her. She wasn’t sure if it was stress release or what, but for now there was a semitruce in the room. She couldn’t offer more or ask for more. The battle between Kian and her had only just begun.





Chapter Twelve

Relief. Sweet, blessed relief was what Kian felt at Roxie’s words. He hadn’t even realized he’d been holding his breath, but it escaped from him in a beautiful rush as she told Sal she was keeping the house, not putting it on the market. She and Lily were staying. He couldn’t miss any more of the firsts in Lily’s life, and he wanted her to know who he was and how much he loved her. He’d just met this beautiful girl and already she owned his heart.

If he didn’t bring her into his life soon, then she’d never realize how much she meant to him or how much he wanted her. Yes, Roxie would be able to see Lily anytime she wanted—within reason—but Kian was well aware that wasn’t the same as waking up with the child every morning, or tucking her into bed at night, or having access to her company each afternoon. No, this was going to be very difficult for Roxie.

On the other hand, he reasoned, she seemed perfectly capable of walking away from those she said she loved. Maybe he just thought it was going to be hard on her, but maybe she was planning on the freedom this was going to afford her. Who was Kian to decide what was and wasn’t difficult for the woman he’d never stopped loving?