She answered almost immediately. His eyes flickered over her in concern. She still wore her clothes from work, a narrow black skirt, black pumps, and an emerald green silk blouse. His gaze lingered for a moment on her elegant, pearl-entwined neck. He couldn’t quite fathom how Niall always managed to convey a sense of timeless, classic beauty and at the same time seem so earthy . . . so utterly touchable. Despite how lovely she looked to him at that moment he noticed the paleness of her cheeks. Her lips trembled slightly as she smiled. Vic stilled an overwhelming, and increasingly familiar, urge to enfold her in his arms and shield her. From what, precisely, he couldn’t say.
Neither could she, and therein lay the problem.
“Hi,” she greeted him huskily before she moved back in the doorway. “Come in.”
Vic didn’t speak as she closed the door and led him into the living room.
“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked brightly when he sat on the couch.
Vic scowled. “I didn’t come over here for a social visit, Niall.” He called himself a foul son of a bitch when he saw her smile fade.
“Shit. Just . . . come here, baby,” he muttered as he reached for her. She felt so good wrapped in his arms. He pressed her head beneath his chin and inhaled the familiar light, fruity scent from her shining hair. His eyes closed tightly for a few seconds as he absorbed her into him.
“Are you okay?” he asked gruffly when he finally loosened his hold and she straightened enough to look up at him. Her large eyes shone with tears and something else . . . something that radiated from within.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so sorry about last night.”
Vic winced slightly. “Why do you keep apologizing, Niall? Just—”
She held up her hand. “I know,” she said softly. “Just tell you why I get so jumpy sometimes. The thing is, Vic, it’s not all that simple for me . . . or that easy.”
Her head fell forward as she inhaled as if for courage. Vic felt an inexplicable weight press on his chest and a tightness in his throat as he watched her struggle with her emotions. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it for reassurance.
A knock resounded down the hallway from the front door.
Niall’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I wonder who that is,” she murmured as she stood. “Meg, maybe? She was in town to have lunch with Anne . . . but surely security would have called first.”
“Mom,” Vic heard her exclaim in surprise a second later.
“I had to come, honey. Something amazing has happened.”
Vic stood as Niall returned to the living room with Alexis Chandler at her heels.
“Oh . . .” Alexis started when she saw him. Her beautiful face stiffened. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
“Mom, this is Vic Savian. Vic, I’d like you to meet my mother, Alexis Chandler. I never got the chance to introduce you two before . . .”
Niall paused shakily. Something indefinable passed across Alexis Chandler’s face as she looked at him that reminded Vic of a cloud quickly moving across the sunlight. But it was gone in a millisecond and her icy, impenetrable expression was back in place.
“Mr. Savian,” Alexis said with a cool nod. “I’m afraid I need to speak with my daughter privately.”
“Mom . . .” Niall interrupted, obviously uncomfortable with her mother’s brusque dismissal.
“It’s okay, Niall,” Vic said quietly. He crossed his arms under his chest and met Alexis Chandler’s stare calmly. He didn’t want to make things difficult for Niall, but he didn’t care for her mother’s bitchy attitude, nor did he appreciate the way her presence made Niall’s face rigid with anxiety. He wasn’t going to throw Niall to the sharks so easily this time.
“Your mother hasn’t been caught up on things. She just doesn’t realize that whatever she needs to say, she can say in front of me.”
Alexis’s eyebrows rose slightly in surprise at his challenge. Her glittering blue eyes moved over him rapidly, as though she was taking his measure.
“Is that true, Niall?” Alexis asked. Vic cringed inwardly when he saw Niall’s face. It looked like it’d been bleached. Even her lips were tinged with white. He opened his mouth to apologize then and there for his cockiness. It obviously wasn’t helping Niall any—
“If it’s true that you want this man to hear about what’s happened with Stephen, then I’ll respect your wishes,” Alexis Chandler continued.
“Who’s Stephen?” Vic asked.
Alexis Chandler laughed shortly. “Niall’s husband, of course.”
Vic squinted at the woman who stood just feet away from him, as though he couldn’t quite bring her into focus.
“Niall’s husband,” he repeated flatly. He glanced over at Niall, a grin of disbelief starting to curve his lips.
His smile was aborted when he met Niall’s eyes.
“I was . . . I was going to tell you . . .” she whispered.
He felt as if he hadn’t quite heard her because of the strange noise in his ears like rapidly rushing air. “You were going to tell me what?”
He saw her throat convulse with difficulty as she swallowed. “About Stephen,” she tried to continue in a choked voice.
“He’s been very ill,” Alexis stated bluntly. “That’s why I came by tonight. I got a call from Evergreen Park just an hour ago. Get your things quickly, Niall.” Alexis’s brilliant smile at her daughter pierced the daze of Vic’s shock. “It’s nothing less than a miracle. Your husband has recovered, darling. And he’s asking for you.”