Casey pulls out his phone, taps at the screen and holds it up to me. A video of a slim brunette and I are standing on a kitchen table belting out “Rehab” by Amy Winehouse. The song ends, some hip hop starts playing, and just as I begin to sway my hips, Nick pulls me down followed by Aiden grabbing her. Giggling, we hang on to each other as we’re set on our feet.
“You’re practically my sister-in-law!” I yell over the music.
“Sisters for life!” She throws her arms around me.
Eyes shining with humor, Casey pulls his phone back as the video ends. “Somebody likes college. I knew there was a party girl under that dark front.”
“Delete that.” I pick my coffee up and take a drink. Apparently, I decided I was embracing this new life last night. “I mean it, Casey. I better not see that shit posted anywhere.”
He just smirks.
Chapter 12
Nick and I are a few minutes from Nora’s when my eyes widen because Graysen completely slipped my mind. That’s not completely true. I skipped away to my brother’s college to avoid my problems and get shit faced. Time to face my fucked-up reality. “I have to tell you something.” I slip my fingers from Nick’s and turn to better see him. “Graysen’s at Nora’s.”
Nick glances at me. “What?”
“Yesterday after you guys left, Graysen came in and Nora said he was staying.”
The car slows and someone behind us honks.
“What the fuck? Did she say why?”
“Don’t freak out,” I say, and Nick gives me his full attention when he should be watching the road. “Maybe you should pull over.” I should have waited to tell him when we were safely off the road.
He grips the wheel tighter. “That bad?”
I nod, and he curses, pushing on the gas pedal. He takes a few sharp turns, guns it down the straightaway, flies down the driveway, and then we’re pulling into the garage.
“You have to swear you won’t tell Aiden or John.” I frown. “Nora said I couldn’t tell them... but she didn’t say anything about you telling them. Or did she say they couldn’t find out?”
“What are you talking about?”
I lick my dry lips. “You can’t say anything to anyone. And don’t freak out because I have a plan.”
“Tell me.” The vein in his neck bulges as his jaw tightens.
“Nora wants me to do something. She said if I don’t, she’ll fuck with my dad. I’m not going to do what she wants me to do, but I’m letting her think I am.”
His eyes narrow to slits. “What the fuck does she want you to do?”
“She wants me to…” Fuck, he’s going to lose his shit. “Don’t lose your shit.” I study his face, hoping to see him relax, but his jaw seems to be tightening even more. “Fuck. She wants me to marry Graysen.”
“Da fuck?” He looks disgusted. “And what the fuck does Graysen say about this? Does he know?” And he’s back to angry as he flies from the car before I can answer.
“Nick, stop!” I race after him, managing to stop him right before he opens the door that leads inside. I grip his arm. “My dad, Nick. You say something to Nora and my dad pays for it. I pay for it.”
“I’m not gonna say shit to Nora. I’m gonna kill Graysen.” He throws open the door and storms through.
Dammit. I should have told him back at the townhouse. It would have given him time to process. I chase after him as he barges into the kitchen and sigh in relief that it’s empty.
Nora and Liv round the corner, and Liv’s eyes widen, her cheeks wet and eyes red.
“Nick!” She runs toward him, and he scoops her up as her little body shakes with her sobs. “Tell Mommy not to send me away.” She wraps her arms around his neck, clinging to him tightly.
“What’s going on?” Nick snaps at Nora.
Nora flinches at his tone, but then her gaze moves to me and turns to ice. “I think it’s best that Liv attend boarding school. Anna’s not a good influence, and Liv’s picking up bad behavior.”
My mouth drops open. She can’t be serious. She’s using me as an excuse to send her five-year-old away.
“Nora,” Nick says calmly, readjusting Liv to get a better hold on her. “Have you talked to John or Aiden about this? Don’t you think Liv’s too young—”
“Don’t tell me how to raise my daughter, Dominick,” she hisses. “I don’t have time for this. And Liv wants to go. She knows it’s best, and it’s only for a little while.”
I lay my hand on Nick’s arm. “Liv will be fine.” Looking confused, he turns to look at me and I give him a look, saying “play along.” Nick frowns but subtly nods. “Why don’t we help Liv get ready to go?”
Liv whines a drawn-out, “No.”
Nick whispers something to her and she settles down, nodding her head against his shoulder.
“Fine,” Nora says, wringing her hands together. “Her and Sophia’s tickets are on the table by the front door. Sophia’s on her way here now.” She runs a shaking hand over the top of her head and then steps closer. “It’s the best thing for you, Liv, and it’s only for a little while.” She takes a deep breath and blows it out. “Stay strong. Mommy loves you.” Nora crosses her arms, her eyes moving to Nick. “Is Aiden here too? Don’t you two have orientation today?”
“I’m—”
“Aiden’s not here, and Nick finished orientation early,” I say, cutting Nick off because she’s clearly forgotten he’s taking the semester off, and I don’t want her remembering. She sent one of my sisters away, and now she’s trying to send the other. I don’t want her trying to do something crazy like ban Nick from the house.
“Make sure Sophia and Liv leave within the hour. They can’t miss the flight.” Nora narrows her eyes and lays her hand on Liv’s back. “Be a good girl. I’ll see you soon.” Lines crease her face as she looks like she’s about to cry before shuffling past us, heading toward her room, no doubt to take a dose of pills that render her unconscious.
“That was weird,” I say. “It was like she didn’t want to send Liv away. She looked...”
“Scared,” Nick says. “She looked scared.”
I rub my hand soothingly over Liv’s back. “I was thinking she could stay at Aiden’s. They have all of those extra rooms and the nanny to help.”
“Want to go stay with Aiden and Casey for a little while, Liv?” Nick asks, and she nods her head, a small smile forming on her little face.
“Can Sophia come with me?”
He tickles her side. “Of course Sophia can. Let’s go tell her the fun news.”
***
Nick buckles Liv into her booster seat in the back of Sophia’s car. Sophia was relieved not to be dropping Liv off at boarding school. I can see she loves her. But I also see the way she looks at Nick, and I don’t like that.
“See you soon, Liv.” Nick closes the door, and I lean into him, resting my hand on his chest as he faces Sophia who’s been ogling him from where she stands by the hood. Nick chuckles and laces his fingers through mine. I smirk as Sophia’s eyes dart to our hands and then back to Nick’s face.
“Why don’t you wait in the car with Liv while I talk to Aiden,” Nick tells Sophia. “He’ll be out any minute.”
She silently does as she’s told. We called Aiden to let him know what was going on as soon as Nora left the room. He arrived fifteen minutes ago and went straight to Nora’s room.
“Do you think he’s trying to talk her out of it?” I ask Nick.
The garage door that leads into the house slams, and Aiden shoots toward us, his face red and his hands balled into fists. “She’s dead set on Liv getting the best education at boarding school,” Aiden says. “She won’t fucking hear anything else.” He blinks like he’s finally seeing me and Nick. “Where’s Liv? She okay?”
“She’s in Sophia’s car, packed and ready. They’ll follow you to the house.” Nick runs a hand over the top of his head. “We need to talk about Nora. She’s getting worse, Aiden.”
“You said s
he looked scared. Maybe—”
“She was going to send your baby sister to a boarding school in Wisconsin! She wants—”
I squeeze Nick’s arm, reminding him not to tell Aiden about Graysen.
“She’s not right, man. I saw her with Hayley, and it’s like, she hates her.”
Aiden shakes his head. “She was just having a bad day. She’ll probably be fine tomorrow.” Aiden turns to me. “Right? You guys had the girls’ day and shit yesterday.”
“She doesn’t like me. She wants you to think she—”
“It’s not just a bad day. I think you should call your dad. Maybe send her somewhere for help—”
“Fuck that, Nick.” Aiden’s eyes cut to me and then back to Nick as he clenches his fists. “You know what happened last time.” He steps around us. “I don’t have time for this. Sophia’s following me to a furniture store so Liv can pick out a bed.” He climbs into his car, honks the horn, and then whips around, waiting for Sophia to pull out and follow.
“He refuses to see Nora as anything but what he’s imagined her to be in his mind. What happened before?” I ask Nick.
“A few years ago, Nora flipped her shit. When she wasn’t sleeping days away, she was having fits, tearing the house apart. Liv was only a year old, and John was afraid Nora might accidentally hurt her, so he had Nora committed.” Nick stares down the driveway. “Nora attempted suicide when she was there. It really fucked Aiden up. I think he doesn’t want to acknowledge she needs help because he’s afraid she’ll attempt it again.”
We both turn around as someone clears their throat. The blond asshole by the door doesn’t look nearly as nervous as he should.
Nick steps forward, tensed and ready. “You have a death wish, Graysen?”
I step in front of Nick, laying my hand on his chest. “Graysen doesn’t matter,” I say, trying to get him to look at me. “He’s nothing.” As much as I’d like to see Graysen get his ass kicked, I don’t want to deal with the fallout it will cause.
Graysen leans against the doorframe, all casual-like. “You’ve known her for what, a few weeks? You’re not telling me you and her are serious, are you?”
“Her being with me has nothing to do with it,” Nick growls. “She doesn’t want to marry you.” Nick takes two steps forward, and I move right along with him.
Fuck. He’s going to fight.
Graysen sighs. “She doesn’t even know me. If she spent some time—”
“Fuck off, Graysen. Go home,” Nick says, eyes intense and tone deep and gravelly.
Graysen runs a hand through his hair, seemingly unaware that Nick’s moving closer, stalking him like prey. “You know how my dad is, Nick.”
“You’re not a kid anymore, motherfucker. Tell him to fuck off.”
Graysen’s gaze darts to me and then back to Nick. “It’s complicated, and Nora wants this too.”
I step in front of Nick again. “This conversation is pointless. Nora can think I’m marrying him, but I’m not going to.”
“It’s not that easy,” Graysen says, an edge to his voice.
I pin him with my glare. “Yes, it is.”
“It is that easy, Graysen. Back the fuck off,” Nick says.
Graysen crosses his arms. “I won’t touch her unless she wants me to. But I’m gonna hang around a while. Do you really think you’re good enough for her, Nick? I could offer her everything, and her family would be happy for us.”
I grab Nick’s jaw. “Fuck him, Nick. Walk away. Doing anything to him would only have Nora doing something to me to retaliate.”
“You don’t even know me, Hayley,” Graysen says. “Just give me a chance.”
Nick lunges, throwing two consecutive jabs into Graysen’s ribs before landing a right hook to Graysen’s jaw. Graysen lands on his ass, stunned as hell. I don’t see how he didn’t see that coming, and he didn’t even attempt to fight back or defend himself.
Breathing heavy, Nick grabs my wrist and pulls me into the house with him. “Fuck!” he shouts. “I couldn’t… I tried to hold back… Fuck.”
Nick’s turbulent energy has me on edge. I don’t know what to say to calm him down.
Nick stops me once we climb the stairs by grabbing my arm and then pushing me against the wall with his body. “Tell me you don’t want him,” he growls. His hand moves into my hair, his fingers tugging until my neck is craning to look up at him.
“I want you,” I say, breathlessly. “Only you. Fuck Graysen.”
Nick grins, dipping his head to run his tongue over my bottom lip at the same time his hand moves between my thighs. “Get that pretty pussy in the room so I can lick and fuck what’s mine. I need to relieve some tension.”
Hell ya.
***
The next morning, I wake up with Nick’s mouth between my legs. I never realized that accepting my new life could feel so good. I arch my back and grip his hair as my orgasm pulses around his thick fingers. Oh, my damn.
Coming down, I melt into the mattress. Nick crawls up my body, trailing kisses until he’s lying next to me.
“Have I told you how much I like waking up next to you?”
An airy laugh bubbles out. “Every morning you show and tell.”
“You taste so good. Sweet like oranges or maybe pineapple. How the fuck is that possible?”
I laugh lightly, my cheeks slightly blushing. “I have no idea.” I sit up and run my fingers through my hair until I hit a rat’s nest. It’s fucked and only going to be salvaged by conditioner. “You okay?” I ask. We didn’t talk much last night.
“I’m pissed, but I know Graysen’s a little bitch. I’m not worried about him. I just hate that you’re in this situation. Nora’s completely lost her shit.” He kisses my shoulder. “I say we avoid the house as much as possible. Hang at Aiden’s.”
I nod. “Sounds good to me.”
Nick stands and stretches, his bare torso making me lick my lips. “I’m gonna call my mom, promised her I would. Won’t take long. Breakfast downstairs after?”
“Yep, I’m starving. Shower first.” Nick smacks my bare ass, sending pleasant tingles to my core as I get to my feet. He knows that shit turns me on. I slowly move toward the bathroom, hips swaying, teasing him a little.
Biting his bottom lip, Nick tilts his head, his boxers tenting even farther than they already were. I love that I have that effect on him.
I hear him groan when I close the bathroom door behind me. I take my time washing my hair and letting the conditioner sit for a few minutes. After that, I scrub my skin and then let the water rinse me clean.
“Hayley?”
I freeze, holding my breath because I swear, I just heard Graysen. I pull the towel down from the bar and wrap it around myself before stepping out.
“Hayley?” Graysen calls again, this time closer.
Holding my towel tight, I swing the bathroom door open and glare. “What?”
His eyes widen for a second and then he smiles, showing his perfectly straight white teeth. “Sorry, didn’t realize you were showering.”
He doesn’t sound or look sorry. I arch a brow. “What do you want, Graysen?”
“To talk. I can wait outside your room while you change.” He takes a step toward me.
I narrow my eyes and grip the doorknob in case I need to throw the door in his face. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
His nostrils flare as he takes yet another step forward. “What do you see in him?”
My lungs feel tight. I try telling myself it’s from the steam pouring out of the bathroom, but deep down, I know it’s the situation. I don’t like that Graysen’s so close when I’m physically vulnerable, naked, and barefoot against wet tile. One shove from him, and he’d have the upper hand while I was trying not to slip. I give my head a small shake as Graysen stares me down, waiting for an answer to whatever question I forgot he asked.
“What?”
“Nick Cabot,” he all but barks. “He has a record and a temper. His longes
t relationship only lasted a few months, and they rarely saw each other. You’re a princess, Hayley. Nick is nothing. He has nothing. His family might be rich, but he isn’t.”
“Graysen, I don’t care about any of that. Plus, I’m not planning on marrying Nick. I’m nine—eighteen.”
“You’re royalty, Hayley. Who you date affects your family. Can you give me a chance? I really think we could make this work. Do you know how many woman would kill to have me as a husband? I’m an Anderson.” He takes the last steps to me quickly, placing his hand on the door just as I move to push it closed.
I look him directly in the eyes despite the small sliver of fear I’m feeling. “I’m not interested in you.” I hold my breath and wait for him to make a choice. I know my words cut him. I can see it in his eyes. I let a breath out when his eyes soften. I might have let unwarranted fear in for a moment because I didn’t like the situation, but my first instincts of Graysen were right. He’s not hard. He’ll try winning me over with his words rather than threats or force, and that works in my favor.
“I can provide for you. My father is one of the richest men in England, and I’m going to be—”
“Graysen, that doesn’t fucking matter to me. You could be the richest man in the world, and I would say the same thing. I don’t want an arranged marriage, and I’m not interested in dating you,” I say, even though I know my words won’t sink into his entitled little brain.
“You heard her, Graysen,” Nick says, coming up behind him, jaw and fists clenched.
Graysen spins around. “Nora wants this marriage, Nick. What do you think she’ll do when she finds out that Hayley’s fucking you?”
“Nora’s unconscious five days a week,” Nick says. “And if you run to Nora, crying like a little bitch, I’ll make your life hell and fuck you up so bad you can’t walk.”
“So, play along, Graysen,” I say. “Or run back home.”
“Get the hell out,” Nick says, stepping around him to get between us.
Face red, Graysen glares but leaves the room.
“Well, that was interesting,” I say, letting out an aggravated breath.
Nick’s intense eyes are focused on me. He licks his lips, gently tugging my towel until it’s at my feet. His body is stiff, and his jaw clenched tight as he lifts me in his arms and carries me back to bed.
Amorevolous: (Savage Princess book 2) Page 9