Curly black hair. Dark eyes.
My son.
“She has a child,” he whispered. “He’s six.”
My throat closed. My heart exploded in my chest.
“She didn’t list a father. But she’s been struggling, working double shifts. Sometimes skips meals so he can eat. She walks him to school. She’s received two eviction warnings.”
My hands curled into fists.
My mate. My child. and I wasn’t there.
“Bring. Her. To. Me.” I growled.
“alpha… I think we should***”
“I said NOW!”
***
LIANA’S POV
I was on my knees, scrubbing the tile on the third floor like I always did as if I had no other purpose in the world, when the static hiss of the walkie-talkie clipped to my hip made me jump.
“Liana. Report to Mr. Gregor’s office. Now.”
My hand paused mid-scrub, my chest tightening.
I sat back slowly, mop water dripping from my gloves. I wiped my face with my trembling sleeve, while my heart had already started racing. I didn’t know why, but I had a bad feeling, a really bad one.
I pushed the bucket aside and forced myself to my feet. My legs were shaking, and I didn’t want to go, but I had no choice.
I walked to the back corridor, the one staff used when we didn’t want to be seen, when we weren’t meant to be seen.
I knocked once and peeked in. Mr. Gregor was behind his desk. His face was blank, his eyes cold. He didn’t even say hello.
“You’re needed in Room 1904,” he said as he tapped his screen.
My voice was barely there. “R-Room 1904?”
He nodded once.
I blinked quickly, my voice cracking. “B-But I don’t clean that hallway. I***I only do the lower floors, the cheap rooms. I***I don’t go up there.”
He looked straight at me. “You’re not going to clean.”
I gripped the edge of the doorframe, my chest starting to hurt. “T-Then… w-why am I going?”
He shrugged, his lips curling slightly. “He likes you. He wants to see you. Be there by seven o’clock.”
I shook my head. “N-No. I can’t… I***I can’t go.”
His eyes narrowed. “Then be ready to hand in your uniform tonight.”
Just like that.
I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t speak.
I couldn’t breathe.
He meant it. I saw it in his eyes.
“M-Mr. Gregor… p-please,” I stuttered. “P-Please don’t make me. I***I need this job. I***I’ve worked here for almost three years now. I’ve never been late. I***I clean better than anyone else here. P-please don’t do this…”
I clenched my fists at my sides as I blinked back the tears.
I have a son. He’s just a little boy. He needs me to keep this job. He depends on me for everything, for food, for rent, for school shoes I can’t even afford. I didn’t care what I had to do. I’d scrub the entire hotel with my bare hands if it meant keeping this job.
Mr. Gregor didn’t blink.
“Please…”
“Then be there,” he said again. “Dress properly. Be neat.”
I nodded. I didn’t even realize I was nodding until my neck started to ache.
I stumbled out of his office, my hands shaking so hard I could barely hold the doorknob.
I didn’t dress properly.
I didn’t want to look nice. I didn’t want to be looked at. at 6:45, I went into the changing room and stared at my face in the mirror. I looked pale, so pale I could barely recognize myself.
I didn’t fix it.
I tied my hair in a bun, washed my face, changed back into my stained uniform. I left my cleaning gloves in the pocket. I didn’t put on perfume. I didn’t even touch my lipstick. at 6:59, I stood in front of Room 1904. My legs were shaking, my stomach felt like it was going to spill out of me.
I raised my fist.
I hesitated.
Then I knocked.
Once.
Twice.
The door opened slowly.
I looked up, and the breath in my lungs vanished.
My vision became blurry.
My lips shook.
My knees almost gave out beneath me.
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