A Perfect Match

THIRTY FOUR

Closing the door back to Nate's room, I had never felt like my life was nothing but a roller coaster.

From having the best night of my life with my new fiancé that I would never get tired of seeing everyday and every night, to the worst once morning fell and I had learned that my best friend had been shot by I'm sure one of Santos's men—most likely Moon. That odd bird always hated our guts, and his friendly reminder that he could take out anyone within minutes was very compelling.

Still, my emotions were everywhere. But one thing had just made it even more unbearable to deal with.

With Victoria now knowing about my past, my biggest problem still wasn't over yet.

The truth in telling her all of my hidden secrets. Especially about the whole reason of why I even took the job of her assistant. Why I was really a writer after all and I had been lying to her face ever since we saw each other again, in that aspect. And how I could become a household name to the world if I just made Gregory happy.

Even if I had gotten all the proof toward Jack and Jake for a story, it was still my idea to even suggest digging up a terrible and incriminating scandal on her.

Where would I even begin to explain that? She had already thought the world only wanted to use her for something that would benefit only them. And here I was, about to do the same.

But for right now, I was also concerned for Nate.

"How much does she really know?" I suddenly heard him ask me.

Shyly turning to him, I shook my head shamefully. "About what?" I tried to play dumb.

Although judging by his expression, he wasn't buying any of it either. "Oh come on Danny. I've been shot in the back, for crying out loud. Don't play mind tricks on me now. Ya know exactly what. She said something about us and the men we used to deal with–which means she knows our skeletons in our drawer thanks to ya. But with that ring on her finger that looks strangely familiar that just happened to get there somehow...does she really know?"

I knew he'd ask me that. But I didn't know how to protect him, her from Jack. So how would I also be able to now protect her from the honest to God truth without her hating me forever?

"No..." I weakly let out. He sighed, distressed himself and nodded. "Look Nate, you don't need to be worried about what's going on with me. What about you?! Victoria was right. What you did was the stupidest thing I've ever seen! I told you not to go back to them! You could've been killed!"

"I know! Which is why I wasn't going there to do another drop, Danny. I went there to cut off all ties with them for good." He blurted out. I eyed him in shock. He snickered. "It's true fella. I saw how much stress and anxiety you were in. And for me practically begging you to do something I knew you wouldn't just to make us rich...I felt awful after a while and decided that you were right. We don't need to do all that illegal stuff if we can make it on our own—like we initially agreed to do anyway. Relying on Santos to make me feel secure, I really didn't want to do it anymore either. So I went to him directly to end it. To make sure he left me and you alone for good..." He trailed off, looking down to his lap.

"And that's when you got hurt?" I asked firmly.

He slowly nodded. "And when I saw it was taken care of already. I'm tellin' ya Danny, I swear. I didn't do anything wrong. I panicked. I tried to run...but someone shot me from behind. I don't know who. But...if ya trust me enough still to let me assure you that I will never go behind your back again on something like this, I promise it'll be worth it. You're my best friend and I would do anything for ya. And now that some deeds have been done, our past can stay exactly what it is now. A past. I just want ya to be happy with Victoria again fella without anyone else getting in the way of that. But I can't take a bullet for ya on everything." He then joked toward his last sentence.

I chuckled and agreed, knowing he was right. "I gotta go into work soon and try to get the new scoop approved again. Are you sure you'll be fine here alone for a while, until I come back?"

He simply smirked. "Are ya kidding? There's many sexy little skirts around here attending to my bed. I'm definitely fine." I shared another laugh. "Ciggy?" He now snuck out a few from his top drawer from a folded up napkin.

"Ah no thanks, I've quit." I blurted out casually. But as the room grew quiet and Nate's eyes looked toward me widened as I shared the same reaction...I smiled. "Wait a minute...I've quit?"

"Is that a question or a statement?" Nate chimed in, chuckling.

It was surely a statement. Now that I thought more about it, I hadn't had one in weeks. Seemed like being around Victoria had the opposite effect of my urge to do it. I was truly amazed.

Though telling her the full truth of who I was, was going to have to be my own shot in the dark. I just prayed and hoped for the best that she'd understand and somehow forgive me.

🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥

Ohhh, I wonder who this 'who' may be!

So sorry for such a shorter chapter than the rest, but then again, aren't ya happy about that too? Haha...but don't worry people, this information will be VERY key in a *wink, wink* later book of mine after the next one of this series. Look, I'm trying to make some Avengers type multi universe stuff here, leave me alone lol