Papa answered after the first ring. “Annika, I’m sorry, honey. Sacha told us about Adrik. None of us had any clue. Are you okay?”
I ground my jaw. Why were they asking aboutmewhen Adrik was the one who was hurting?
“Who are you sending as a replacement?”
“Pavel’s still working on it. Do you have any preferences?”
“I want to keep Adrik,” I admitted. “I really like him and I don’t want him to go.”
My father sighed. “Annika, this isn’t about who you like or don’t like. It’s about who can keep you safe.”
“But ItrustAdrik and I want him to stay. Iknowhe’ll keep me safe.”
“You don’t know that,” a voice came from behind me.
I whirled my chair around to see Adrik standing behind me.
“I’ll call you back, Papa.” I disconnected the call and dropped the phone back in the side holder.
“They’re right to let me go. What if something triggers me in a dangerous situation and I black out? How can I protect you then?”
My chest tightened. Adrik and I had avoided each other for the past few days. Me, out of embarrassment that I’d basically propositioned him. Him, I guessed because he believed I didn’t truly find him attractive and because he was afraid of what my family might do to him if he got involved with me. Though it had hurt to be away from him, a part of me had also been relieved that I didn’t have to face him after making a colossal fool out of myself.
Now, I was facing him.
Yet now, he was being sent away.
I don’t want him to go.
“It’s probably better this way.” Stepping past me, Adrik headed down the hallway to his room.
I hurried after him, finally catching up with him as he entered his room.
“Adrik, stop. Please.”
He halted, but he didn’t turn around.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about,” I whispered. “Won’t you turn around and look at me?”
Silence. Then, slowly, he spun to face me. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I don’t like dogs.” He lifted an arm and gestured almost wildly at his face. “Adogdid this to me. Adogturned me into the ugly beast I am today. I can’t be around dogs, or I have a panic attack.” His wounded gaze bore into mine. “I didn’t want you to see me like that. I didn’t wantanyoneto see that. I deserve to be fired, Annika. It’s a wonder that didn’t happen to me in front of anyone before now.”
I wheeled my chair forward, pausing directly in front of him. “It doesn’t make you any less human. We all have things that we don’t want others to see or know about. For the record, I don’t like you seeing me in this chair. But it is what it is.” I paused, my gaze holding his. “Will you tell me what happened?”
His chest rose and fell as he drew in a deep breath and exhaled, then collapsed onto the edge of the bed. “My dad used to own fighting dogs. Pit bulls. I got in the way of one once, and he ripped half my face off.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Adrik
Twenty-two years ago…
“Hold him tight!” Papa shouted. “Don’t let him go until I say so!”
My arms trembling, I clutched the dog’s collar, holding back the snarling beast with all my eight-year-old strength. “I don’t wanna do this, Papa. He’s so strong. I can barely hold him.”
“Just give me a few more seconds…” Papa dragged another dog out of his kennel in the basement where he kept and trained fighting dogs. I cringed back as the other beast caught sight of the one I was holding and let out a fierce growl, squirming to be free.
“Okay!” Papa shouted. “Release him!”