Her Older Sheikh (Sheikh Breaks My Heart #9)

One

I step out of the school clinic, and the first thing I see is the gorgeous Greek billionaire waiting in the hallway.

Shit .

"Hello to you, too," Nik Alexandropoulos says dryly.

I blink up at him in total innocence. "I didn't say anything."

"True...but you did think 'shit' when you saw me. Didn't you?"

How did he know that?

"Thought so."

Grr.

People often think I'm lucky to have a billionaire like Nik as my former legal guardian, but that's probably because those same people tend to have the hots for him. But when you only see said billionaire as your big brother from another mother like I do—-

"Low profile, Nik. You promised ."

But all he does is shrug, and I mentally roll my eyes when the mere movement of his shoulders has the other girls sighing like crazy.

Ugh.

Nik motions for me to start walking, and a lot of giggling ensues as they snap photos of pseudo-big-brother walking past them like some beautiful, cold-blooded god.

Double ugh .

Now that other students have become aware of my connection to the billionaire, it's probably only going to be a matter of time before most of them start being extra nice or hateful again. That's how my high school life went from ordinary to crazy in a heartbeat, and I doubt St. Francis College is going to be any different.

Either way, Nik's ass showing up makes it official: my hopes of staying low profile are now absolutely nil.

Nik glances at me at that moment, asking, "You don't have any classes left, do you?"

Is this my chance to escape?

I clear my throat. "Actually—-"

"Don't bother lying. I know your schedule inside and out—-"

Argh.

"—-and it's already been decided you'll be moving over to my place while Io's away."

"What the hell?"

Nik glares at me.

"I mean, what the heck ?" I struggle to contain my frustration as I try to make Nik realize he's taking my clinic visit way too seriously. "There's no need to make a big deal out of this—-"

"You had elevated blood pressure," Nik interrupts coolly, "and you were given medication for your headache."

ARGH.

"How do you know that?" Like, seriously. How the hell did he find out, when I've only been in the clinic for under an hour?

"If you hadn't skipped freshmen orientation, you wouldn't have to ask."

"Orientations are boring," I say loftily.

"But necessary and informative," he counters in a mild tone. "It's your college's SOP to contact next of kin if a student has any medical concern."

"And they contacted you? Not Io?"

"Naturally."

Ha!

There is nothing natural about Nik's involvement in Iolanthe's life, much less mine. All Nik just happens to be is this wealthy dude that my older sister used to work for and fell in love with.

But because I was desperate and penniless a few years back...

Nik is now a part of our lives, for better or for worse.

And right now, it's the latter.

Halp, God.

The interrogation begins as soon as his limo cruises out of campus, and Nik and I are facing each other in the backseat.

"How long have you been having these headaches?"

"Weeks." It's been months actually, but what's a couple of days, right?

"And you never bothered to get a checkup?"

"It's just a headache ."

Nik's gaze narrows, and I fight against the urge to squirm like I have something to hide...which I do.

The two of us might butt heads all the time, but that doesn't make me any less aware or grateful for all that he's done for Io and me. He's the reason my sister's still alive, and that's why I can't ask him for anything more. It's time I learn how to stand on my own feet, even if he doesn't agree with it.

"There's something you're not telling me," Nik says finally. "Isn't there?"

Shit, shit, shit.

"Can you give me a week?" I ask stiffly.

"For what?"

"To get my shit together."

I hold my breath when Nik studies me in pensive silence. The billionaire isn't one to make snap decisions, but neither is he the type to go back on his word. I know his overprotective ass is dying to force me to accept his help, but all I'm asking for is a week. Just one week for me to at least try solving my own problems—-

"A week then. But if I don't like what I see in a week..."

The warning in his tone isn't lost on me, but I'm too relieved to care.

You da best, God.

A week is not much, but it's still something, and I can't afford to let this something go to waste.

If I don't get my shit together in a week, Nik will take over like he usually does, and since the billionaire is big on honesty, that likely means letting my sister know about my headaches.

My sister, who's finally stress- free...because she now happens to be cancer -free as well.

And for her to stay that way, I need to make sure I don't give Io anything to worry about.