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.My father never shared too much information about him anyway.It was too sensitive a subject and we all had to keep it Top Secret, for his own good.”Suárez and Powell give me a knowing gaze and I'm able to see just how serious they are about this.Also, that they don't mean Steven harm and fear, as much as I do, that this could get out of hand real quick.“So you didn't actually know about the nightmares?”“We've trained to work with the fantasies, not the nightmares.”File that for later.“Who's with him now? Where did he spend the night?”“As I said, he was taken to a secret facility.They've assigned more people to safeguard him after what happened.”A knock on the room's door.Jeez.There's no space for any more people in here.Agent Powell opens the door and there are two men dressed in black suits on the other side.Ross is the first one to leap to his feet.“Miss Giana Armstrong?” one of the dudes in black asks and Powell nods my way.This is not good, or so say my knees, too weak to stand to the point that Ross pulls me by an arm with the aid of Wyatt.“Miss Giana Armstrong,” the guy repeats himself, shakes my hand.“I'm Agent Stewart and this is Agent Dagget and we're here to extend you an invitation from the President of the United States to meet with him at your earliest convenience.He realizes you've had a terrible last twenty-four hours but believes this situation should be dealt with as soon as possible.”“Wait.What? Who?”“The President of the United States wishes to meet with you due to your involvement with Steven Salvatore Waldorf.”Well, fuck me sideways!31The President of the United States of America could wait, though; I had to go see my mother first.Dad said she was doing better, but I beg to differ.To me she looks worse than ever.One thing is to be asleep and let your body do the living, a whole other thing is being awake and letting your mind push your body to its limits in order to stay alive.Her breathing is laborious.Hell, even glancing around seems to take every ounce of effort she can muster.And she looks so fragile, so pale.I smile and feel like an award-winning actress when she forces the ends of her lips to curve upwards in reply.“Giana.”“I'm here.”Sit next to her and feel my chest hurt when I crouch, but I want to be as close to her as I can.“You okay?”“Don't speak.It's not necessary.”Lots of things that were unnecessary before have suddenly become necessary.For example, the two police officers guarding the room's door to protect this woman that had nothing to do with the shit I've gotten myself into from the psycho reporters outside.“I'm good.I'm okay.”“Steven?” She asks the one thing I don't want her to ask since I haven't thought through what the hell I will answer to that.“He's okay.Home.Waiting for me.”She grins and it stabs me, right in the bruise.“He loves you so much.”“Mom, please, stop talking, you're using up your energy.”“Don't need it.”“What?”Her eyes turn back to me, her hand covering mine over the sheets.“He'll take care of you.”No.Stop it.There's no need to make a drama-filled scene.“You're not dying.”She scoffs.Coughs.Averts my gaze.I don't need a man taking care of me, Mom.As it turns out, it's going to be me taking care of him because God knows I'm going to do everything in my power to get him out of whatever strange place it is they have taken him to and away from all this crap even if that means living the rest of my life under a rock.As long as it's with him.“Simon told me you're selling the bookstore.”It was burned down by angry anti-Steven people, Mom.Nothing to sell anymore.“That's the idea.” Lies make everyone so comfortably numb and I've been spreading some of that over my loved ones as of late, haven't I?See she's turned back to me and there's hope in her eyes.“You don't need a man taking care of you, darling.”Finally!“No, Mom, I don't.Never needed one.That I choose to have one is another thing.”And what a controversial choice I've made.“That's my girl.”She shuts her eyes because she's heard what she needed to hear.I'm about to blurt something about knowing Steven had been visiting her, but she's drifted off and I'm not rousing her again.So I trudge my way out of the room, eye the two cops standing in the hallway and see Simon's also there.“Giana! Oh my God, Giana, are you okay?”“I'm fine.”“What happened? I saw the news and I went by the bookstore.”“They burned it to the ground.” As soon as the words escape through my lips a quivering takes control of my body and he holds me to him.“It's okay.The insurance will pay for it.”Ever the businessman.He pushes me off a bit so he can see my face, “Your insurance is up to date, right?”“I think, yes.I should call the accountant.”“I'll do it for you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]