07.

Nicolas’s POV

I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing on my temples. It had been two days since the incident, and I was still trying to piece together what had happened.

Ryder, my head of security and main bodyguard, stood a few feet away from me with his arms folded to his chest.

"Mr. King, can you tell me what happened the other night? I mean, how did you get shot?”

Rydar asked, his voice low and gentle.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. "It was Giovanni's people," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Rydar's eyes narrowed. "Giovanni? What does he have to do with this?"

I sighed, feeling a wave of betrayal and anger wash over me. "You know He's been working with my grandfather for years," I explained. "He was his most trusted friend, or so I thought."

Rydar's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

I shook my head. "Giovanni has dirt on his sleeves. He's been playing dirty for years, and my grandfather was blind to it. He thought Giovanni was loyal, but it turns out he was just using him to get what he wanted."

Rydar's eyes widened. "What did he want?"

I let out a grunt. "He wanted the company. He thought my grandfather had willed it to him, but he found out he willed it to me instead, so he killed him, and now he’s coming for me too. With me out of the picture, he gets to have the company.

Rydar's face darkened. "So Giovanni killed your grandfather and tried to kill you too?"

I nodded, running a hand through my hair. "Yes. He's been trying to take control of the company for years, and now he's willing to do whatever it takes to get it. With my grandfather out of the picture, it’s just me, and he’s stupidly mistaking me for a gullible person."

“What do we do now?”

I let out a sigh, “I don’t know.”

“Your time to tie the knot with Miss Shay is tomorrow. By Monday you should be able to take over as the CEO of the company.”

I let out a growl. I know my grandfather to be adamant, but I didn’t think it’d get to this. He purposely stated in his will that I had to be married before taking over, leaving me with no other choice.

“Where is she now?” I asked about memories of the incident that happened the other night.

She never ceases to take my breath away.

Riley is an addiction that could be the end of me. I’ve always wanted her, and the feeling grows day by day.

Having her for that one night, I knew it was time I claimed her exclusively mine.

“She’s asking so many questions and has asked to leave—“

“Make sure she doesn’t step foot out of this house, and for now don’t tell her anything; I’ll talk to her later in the night,” I ordered.

“Yes, Mr. King,” he responds.

“Your mother has been trying to get—“

I cut him off yet again, “Make sure she doesn’t find out about the incident.”

He nods, “Yes, I’ve told her that you’ve been busy dealing with taking over the company and—“ He paused, making my brows furrow.

“And?”

“She’ll be arriving in three hours, as well as your sister for the wedding,” he informs his head, clinging to his feet.

I cursed under my breath; my mother had always been one step ahead of me. It’s like she has her eyes and ears on me; no information stays hidden from her. It takes a great amount of effort to hide things from her, this incident included.

“You may leave, Ryder; also, make sure the wedding gets broadcasted, but Riley’s identity as my wife should remain hidden; I can’t risk her safety too,” I warn.

“Even from your stepbrother?”

My jawline tightened at the mention of Asher, Riley’s ex-husband and also my stepbrother.

My father's infidelity was a painful reality I faced at a young age. Six years after I was born, he cheated on my mother with a colleague from work. I had never been proud of him, and his actions only reinforced my feelings.

He was an abusive husband to my mother, partly because she came from a middle-class family. The night I discovered his affair was etched in my memory forever—it was my sixth birthday, and I had just celebrated with a party.

But the festivities were short-lived, as I caught him in bed with his colleague. That moment marked the beginning of a two-year nightmare, in which I watched him continue to abuse my mother.

Eventually, my grandfather intervened, giving my father an ultimatum: choose between our family and his mistress. He chose the latter, and my grandfather severed all ties with him as well as us.

After their divorce, Mum was pregnant with Anna, but we made sure he never found out about her and vice versa too. My sister shouldn’t have to live with the pain as well.

Now that I have Riley next to me, I am willing to protect her and make sure she never finds out about the deal.

I let out a breath, getting up the slight pain in my abdomen piercing.

I walked out of the office, deciding to grab a bottle of water before proceeding to my home office to finish up some important paperwork before Monday.

I didn’t expect to walk into Riley in the kitchen warming leftover food.

She hummed as she waited for the microwave to ding, unaware of my presence.

A slight smile played on my lips as I watched her hips sway. I took slow, deliberate steps towards her, and just as I reached her side, she twirled around, her body brushing against my shirtless chest.

For a moment, she teetered on the edge of balance, her eyes locking onto mine as she steadied herself.

She shrieked, her eyes widening in horror, “Mr. King?”