Chapter 58

Nickolas

I stride into my uncle’s office. The sight that greets me isn’t far from what I expected. Aunt Ava sits rigidly in her chair, her foot tapping an angry staccato against the polished hardwood floor. Uncle Leo, in contrast, appears outwardly calm, his expression inscrutable as he waits for me to take a seat and explain the situation.

Steeling myself, I sink into the chair opposite Uncle Leo, acutely aware of Ava’s seething presence beside me. The tension in the room is palpable. I can see this talk going very horribly, but hopefully, with my life and Amelia’s safety on the line, it won’t.

“Why the hell did you bring that animal into my home?” Ava snarls, her voice dripping with venom.

The word ‘animal’ sends a sharp pang through my chest, my jaw clenching with the effort to bite back a heated retort.

“Because you need to protect her,” I reply evenly, rubbing my temple in a futile attempt to stave off the headache I can feel building behin