Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SOPHIE
It was already bedtime when Viktor called.
After I’d asked Ms. Hale not to tell him about Rafael’s visit and she muttered apologies, I’d been waiting for it. Not that I wanted to keep secrets, but I didn’t want to make Viktor worry while he was abroad.
Besides, I had managed to pull myself back together. After five years, I should have mastered at least that much. So when Ms. Lind arrived at the end of the day to help with my questions, I had reviewed a few more divisions.
“Sophie.” Viktor’s calm tone made my whole body shiver.
Okay, maybe I wasn’t fully a master at handling myself. Because all the emotions I’d thought I’d managed to keep under control washed over me the moment I heard my name.
“Viik.” I hadn’t intended for my voice to crack. Thankfully, it wasn’t a desperate crack; more like relief.
Viktor exhaled heavily into the phone, and I could imagine how he’d opened his mouth ready to say something. Maybe even those three wrinkles had appeared between his brows, like every time he was having a hard conversation.
“I missed you,” he said finally.
I couldn’t resist a smile. “I missed you too.”
“How was your day?”
A light chuckle escaped my mouth. “As if Ms. Hale didn’t already report to you.”
“Partly, maybe. But I wanted to hear it from you.”
My heart ached at the care in his voice. And because of that, I felt a hint of guilt when I said, “I don’t want to talk about it. Not like this.”
“Okay,” he said. “Do you want me to come back?”
“No! Yes. Wait!” I said in one breath. “I mean, of course I want you to come back. It’s boring without you. Even with all the interesting reports you left for me.”
“Never in my life would I have thought someone would call those reports interesting.”
“They are! At least for me. But… What I was saying—ah! I’m fine! Ms. Lind also came today, near evening, and we managed to have a good time. But I suppose she also reported to you?”
“She actually didn’t.”
“Really?” My eyes widened.
“I told you she’s your assistant, not mine.”
“Oh.” A strange feeling fluttered in my stomach. A good one.
“So, do you feel better now?”
“Yes. You don’t need to worry.” I twisted the cable around my finger before adding, “We actually didn’t fight or anything, just had some emotional sibling conversation.”
“If you say so.”
“And I also scolded him for what he did on Monday. And I know for sure Papa also scolded him.”
He hummed. “You don’t need to worry about it. Besides, it was such a small inconvenience I’ve already forgotten it happened.”
“Have you? Is that why you didn’t tell me?” My tone turned sharp.
He let out a laugh. “I like that tone.”
“Viik!”
“And I like when you call me that way.”
“Stop!” I put my hand on my cheek, trying to cool the heat from it and not let a sound escape my mouth. When had I started shortening his name? “Don’t you have work tomorrow?”
“Oh, is this your way to say I am tiring you?”
“Not at all. But I believe you should be tired.”
“Hearing your voice makes me feel better,” he said, making my heart ache once again. “Do you mind if I call you tomorrow as well?”
“I would be more than happy.”
“Good. Then go get some good sleep, Sophie.”
“You too, Viik.”
When the line went quiet, I kept the phone to my ear for a few more seconds, feeling the warmth of it in my hand.
He was caring about me. It was clear as the sky. And while I told myself not to expect anything more than mutual respect and care… how could I not, when there was so much warmth in him… in his eyes, in his voice… in all of him?