Have you ever felt like something was to come up? You couldn't put your finger on it, but you knew it was coming. It's like you could almost see it in the air but you didn't know what it was going to be, the only thing you knew was it was going to be big. That's how I've felt over the past two days.
Talking about Nick and me, yes we had gone a step further in the names context. We've been on more dates since that evening. If he was super sweet before, he'd become a whole freaking confectionary shop now. He'd become that part of my life, I never knew I wanted but needed. I loved him but I was scared.
I was scared to come into a relationship with him in actuality. I didn't want to be the centre of attention again. I didn't want myself to be imprinted on the pages of gossip newspapers again. I didn't want to be in the spotlight just because I was dating one of the richest people in the town.
My anxiety shoots up even imagining myself again in that situation. I don't want to be tabloid fodder again; I don't want myself to be the centre of attention just because I'm with Nicolas Arnold. I don't want to be the number one topic of conversation just because I'm dating a high profile man. I don't want to be called a gold digger by people just because I'm with someone who makes more money than I'll ever see in my lifetime, just like how his father did.
But my respect for him increased once again when I shared my insecurities with him. He didn't just listen to my fears, he understood them. He didn't make me feel like I was being irrational for being nervous about a relationship that was still developing. I still can't help but feel warm when I remember the words he said to me," I'd never force you to rush into anything, Amore. We'll take one step at a time." I was so thankful to have someone who understand my fears, was willing to work through them with me and was there for me.
I glanced at him who was looking into his laptop with his whole focus. Kia was sleeping in the room he'd customised for her in his office, where I babysit her.
HIs left hand was busy playing with his oval black magnets, a clear sign he was under stress. I sighed as I walked over to him. "What's wrong?" I asked, placing one hand on his shoulder. He turned to face me and his eyes were tired.
"It's nothing.", he sighed as he pulled me closer. He rested his head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around him."You can talk to me you know that."
"I know, Arielle. But I'm fine. I'm just tired." Everything in me knew he was lying but I didn't pry him. I knew if he wanted to tell me, he would.
He pulled back and concentrated back on his laptop. I sighed, this was the third time in two days he'd been like this. He was working so much, I wasn't sure he was taking care of himself. I had wanted to talk about him with Mama but she herself was acting weird. She had lessened her visits and the weekend plans had gone negligible. Things were taking some weird turns.
His phone rang pulling me back from my thoughts. He looked down at the screen and frowned. As soon as he received it, his face lost all its colour. The frown deepened on his face as he heard what the person on the end spoke and then hung up. He closed his laptop and sighed. I was about to ask what the problem was but before I could get a word out there was a knock upon the door.
"Sir.", Ryan opened the door and glanced at us for a moment before looking at the floor. "I'm sorry to bother you but..." before he could complete his statement, he was pushed aside by someone coming into the room.
Evans' cousin.
I groaned, the hell is he doing here?
Nick looked annoyed. Already due to that one certain call, I could feel the anger radiating off him in waves. "What are you doing in my cabin, Luke?"
Mr Carter chuckled but it was full of mirth and not amusement. His eyes were dark, almost black. "Oh come on Nicolas, you can chill out a little man. I was just here to have a little chat." He gave me a long look and I felt my face go numb. I didn't like the way he looked at me."Didn't know you'd the treasure over here."
My insides boiled in anger at his words. Nick's hands clenched into fists at his sides. I feared what he'd do next.
"Uh, I'll be back." I quickly excused myself and started walking out of his cabin, but I heard Mr Carter's voice as I turned around. "Wait, Ms Summers. I came here to invite you and Nicolas to a party tonight on the occasion of my cousin's wedding."
I turned to face him, my brows furrowing in suspicion." It'll be fun." He smirked as he spoke those words, making my blood run cold. I didn't trust him for a second. I knew he was up to something. That smirk on his face told me that he was up to something.
"We'll see, Luke.", Nick dismissed him as he exchanged a look with me.
"Oh come on Nicolas, it's the wedding of your best friend. You can't leave any event. You're the best man.", he said. He looked at me and I couldn't help but notice the glint in his eyes.
Nick's phone rang again and his whole attention went to it. He took a few steps back and turned so that he could listen to the other person clearly.
"I'll see you in the evening, Miss Summers," Luke said as he turned and left. He seemed devious, cunning and suspicious to me.
But before I could think about his intentions more, Nick's voice boomed in the cabin.
"I don't give a damn, Daniel.", He shouted all of a sudden. He slammed his hand down on the table. "You told me he was not here. How the f*ck did he get to know about Kia? He called me.", he paused briefly and then again yelled at the Daniel dude."Who do you think I'm? I'm not a fool Daniel. For what did I employ you, huh? I gave you all the time, but you couldn't do anything... I hate backstabbers... Shut the hell up." He yelled and threw the phone across the room. I swear, the phone flew across the room and hit the window frame before it fell to the ground, breaking into pieces.
I heard light footsteps from the other room and it was Kia. She rubbed her eyes as she looked around the cabin." Ari?" she mumbled walking closer to me." Nicky uncle is okay?" she asked looking at his back.
"Yeah, he's... he's fine Kia. It's just that he's a bit stressed out about the work." I lied as I held her small hand in mine and moved to Ryan's cabin. "You go and eat something, I'll talk to him, okay?" I smiled and looked at Ryan who gave me a reassuring nod. I could see the look of concern on her face.
She was really growing fast.
I took a deep breath and walked inside his cabin again. I closed the door behind me and looked at his tired self, where he was sitting on the couch, his right hand rubbing his temple while his left hand still fiddled with the pair of oval magnets. I walked to the side table and filled a glass of water for him.
I sat on the couch next to him and handed him the water. He shook his head swatting my hand away but I wasn't taking it, I forwarded it in front of him again." I don't want it, Arielle." he grunted.
"Take it.", I insisted and this time he pushed the glass away and it fell on the floor. I glared at him," You're a stubborn man." I bent down to pick up the pieces of the glass but he held my hand stopping me before I could touch them. I raised my eyebrows in a question to him."You'll hurt yourself."
"I'll not." I rolled my eyes, my plan going in the right direction. I picked the glass piece and purposely held it from the wrong side. The glass pierced my skin making me hiss.
He went into panic mode as he saw my palm bleeding."What the hell are you doing?" he yelled as he grabbed my hand and made me sit on the couch back. He pulled out the medical box from his drawer but before he could take a look at my hand I pulled back."F*cking hell! It's bleeding, Arielle."
I clenched my hand tightly."It's nothing."
"No, it's not nothing. Show me.", he grumbled pulling my hand but I didn't open my fist.
"You tell me what's bothering you first."
"It's not the time to barter, Arielle. You are hurt."
"So are you.", I sighed as a tear dropped from my eye.
I pulled my hand back from his grip and stood to leave when he pulled me back and I landed on his lap. I turned my head away from him as I looked down to my left but before I could do anything he pulled me closer. "Why do you always hurt yourself for others?" He asked softly, I felt his lips touch my forehead."Why hurt yourself deliberately?"
"You're also hurting yourself by bottling everything inside you." I looked at his steel-grey eyes and the pain in them as he kept his forehead against mine. "You've got to get it out. I know something has been troubling you for the last two days."
He tried to grab my hand but I didn't open my fist again. He hesitated before sighing, "It's Alexander. Kia's father and my brother." He pushed his face in my neck."He wants his daughter back." My breath hitched in my chest at the last part. "He wants to take her away from all of us."
"I can't..." he whispered as he placed his hand on my thigh. "I can't let him take her away."
"Mama knows about him?", I asked as I felt a tear on my neck.
"She does."
"He won't be able to take her away from you." I whispered." No one can take Kia away from you. We'll figure out something. I promise." He didn't say anything, he grabbed my hand and this time I let him see my wound.
"When will you learn not to hurt yourself?", he grumbled as he cleaned my hand and then wrapped it in a bandage.
"Why were you shouting on your phone?", I asked him, his eyes turned hard."It was Daniel, my private investigator but the bastard betrayed me." I could see him trembling with anger." All these five years he'd been conning me. He was deceiving me with Alexander. F*cking bastard!" He clenched his fists and his eyes became like a stone."I trusted him with the most important thing in my life. I trusted him and all the time he was screwing with my trust. I let him in and he stabbed me in the back."
I sighed, I know how it feels to be backstabbed. I got off his lap and grabbed his hand pulling him out of his cabin, "Come with me."
"...haha Ray lost." I heard Kia giggling as I neared Ryan's cabin."No no Kia winner... Ray loser."
"What is happening huh?", I raised my eyebrow at Kia who was nibbling on a bar of chocolate. Her eyes lit in delight as she saw her uncle with me. Without a warning, she gave a loud shriek of excitement."Nicky uncle."
Nick's stressed face turned into a pleased one once he had Kia close to him. He picked her up in his arms and smiled when she rambled on how she defeated Ryan in a game.
She is his daughter and I won't let anyone take her away from him.
***