Chapter 49
NIKOLAJ'S POV
I was well aware that Josh was being bullied. For some reason, she kept it buried; I wasn't sure if she was paralyzed by fear or simply terrified that speaking up would make the torment worse. Regardless, I wanted to give her the space to come forward on her own—I wanted her to realize that despite her status and family, she didn't have to suffer in silence.
"So, how was your day?" I asked, after we'd finished laughing about my bedhead.
"Oh, my day," she sighed, glancing around. Katsha and Michael were huddled nearby, discussing a restraining order, while Georgia and Michaela seemed locked in a conversation that looked intensely private. "Actually... I wanted your advice on something."
I raised an eyebrow. "Is this boy talk?"
She instantly clamped a hand over my mouth, glancing around with a shy, panicked smile. At fourteen, she often seemed younger than Rheia, hindered by a petite frame that made her look far more fragile than she was.
