OLIVIA BURNS

My hands were still shaking when I closed the door to my room jerkingly behind me.

“Hell, that was close,” I heaved, snatching off the pearl necklace I had thrown on to look presentable and damned near snapping my neck to look back when the rap of knuckles on the door reached my ears.

I felt my heart climb to my mouth as I wondered whether Nikolai had changed his mind and decided to see me after all!

“Yes? Come in!” I moaned, struggling to calm the raging in my chest as I watched the door creak open ever so slowly and saw a woman’s face in the...