Aliya’s POV

I couldn’t let Nick know how thankful I was to him for showing up when I had no one to save me. Those men almost violated me, and that would have destroyed me, but he saved me and never left my side.

I know I was being a brat, but letting my guard down again wasn’t something I was willing to do. Our relationship was clearly contracted. He worked for me, I paid him—it shouldn’t be that difficult, right?

As we drove into my dad’s mansion, my heartbeat quickened. I knew I shouldn’t care what they thought, but I still felt the need to prove that I didn’t...