by Ace Gray
The trip made me overly winded; my knees wobbled, and my heart thundered. I didn’t know why, but my neck and shoulders tensed too. They were so tight I thought they might snap.
But in the end, I made it.
Dr. Chambers read my heart monitor after the lap and got worried all over again. He ran what had to be a thousand tests, taking a million more measurements and bringing in two specialists. I wanted to whine, You said I could go home but I kept my mouth shut and endured every little bit.
In the end, I was rewarded with a thick stack of discharge paperwork. As soon as I signed the last sheet, Nick’s arm wrapped around me. He was pulling me into his arms when a wheelchair arrived. A snarl rumbled in Bryant’s chest when the staff insisted I be pushed rather than carried out. He relented, plopping me down, only to snatch me back out the second we breathed fresh air.
I hadn't thought of the press or what had been reported in the days I’d been unconscious. When we walked out of a service entry, I knew something extravagant had made the papers. I couldn't bring myself to care. I couldn't find the strength. I didn't need to. Nick had enough for both of us and he put it to good use, carrying me as he barreled through the press to the front door of One Madison.
We were in the bedroom before he set me down. I chewed on my lip as he rolled down the covers. I gingerly made my way underneath as he disappeared into the closet. Part of me couldn't believe I was even remotely tired, let alone exhausted down to my very bones. Part of me didn’t give a damn and stood at attention when Nick came back dressed in soft pajama pants and nothing else. I let out a deep, loud sigh.
In that moment, I decided that was the way I liked him best, forget the power suits, tailored tuxes, and perfectly fitted jeans. His golden skin rising from his low hung, soft sweats as he slunk toward me, made me smile, and my heart shudder. My wide grin wasn't lost on him, and his answering one was beautiful. It had a certain sadness that mixed perfectly with tenderness.
When he climbed in, I let him pull me to his chest and then with one finger, he lifted my chin. He kissed me firm and full on my lips. Despite my utter exhaustion, my body reacted immediately. My hammering heart was completely manageable as he rolled on top of me and kissed me over and over. It was comforting to be wrapped up with him, firmly back where I belonged.
He pushed and pulled on my lips until they throbbed. Only when he pulled away did I notice how bad my jaw and throat ached. My back and head too. I couldn't help the pitiful whimper that escaped. The sound made Nick pull back to study my face. I sagged into the bed and let my eyes close.
After just a moment, he rested his forehead to mine, and I forced my arms to tighten around him despite the throb it sent shaking through my bones. Nick slid down beside me and picked up his familiar circles on my skin. I shifted so I could rest against his taut chest. I kissed the hard muscles under my lips as I went. Nick let his hand on the small of my back wander down between my thighs. I couldn't help that my hips arched up to meet him. Nor the pathetic sound that slipped from my lips immediately after.
"Sweets?" He hesitated long enough to question me, his voice a mix of worry and frustration.
Sorrow seeped into his eyes. He didn't want to stop; he wanted to be inside me, relishing my body as our familiar rhythm reassured him that I was okay. That I was alive and unharmed. It had always been the way we communicated best. And I wanted sex for the exact same reason.
But I just couldn't. My head throbbed so thoroughly I couldn't force my body to follow through. I curled into a smallish ball against Nick in a gesture of defeat.
"Can I do anything?" His lips brushed against my forehead.
"I just need to sleep." I was already dozing off when he started to gently play with the ends of my hair.
It was then that Nick started speaking.
17.
“I don’t know when Christopher decided on vengeance. I don’t even know what he thinks he’s getting revenge for.”
I wouldn’t have stopped Nick, even if I’d had the strength to do so.
“My heart stopped when I saw him standing next to you at the gala. I told you once I never believed in something bigger before you. Even after, I was unsure what I believed in.” He let out a heavy breath then bent to kiss my shoulder. “But when he was there, smirking at you, I prayed. I prayed that I really would be able to protect you.” Nick was snarling, and though my heart pumped painfully at that sound, I kind of enjoyed it.
“You’ve said that once or twice.” I smiled and let my hands wander over his skin.
“This time I needed it to stick.”
My heart beat its new erratic, startling beat.
“Kate, you don't know what he’s like. You couldn’t have known, and that was my fault.” Nick’s fingers leisurely traced along my spine. “He’s been watching you for a while. And I mean watching very closely. Just like Piper said.” Nick sighed. “And why wouldn’t he watch you?”
I let his question hang in the air.
“Everything about you piques his interest. You’re powerful, smart, sexy as hell, and worst of all, mine.” Nick’s voice broke. “Laura said she told you about the photos. What she didn’t tell you is that there is set after set. Graphic pictures. Close up pictures. When you stood up to him I knew why he’d taken them. He knows what you can take and he likes it when women struggle. He made up his mind to have you, when you sparked in front of him at the Gala, I saw it."
Nick’s fingers stopped circling, and just dug in instead. I made sure not to flinch.
“My world crashed down around me, Kate. I died a little knowing what I’d brought on you. All my selfishness went out the window and I knew what I had to do.”
His voice seemed to stick in his throat.
“You had to leave me.” There wasn’t a question in my voice.
“Tried to.” He adjusted so he could look me in the eyes.
After a moment, his lips brushed against my forehead and his fingers started back into their circles. “I was going to follow through, then, at the last moment, I saw the photo. Your body highlighted by shadow, given freely to me, completely and for forever… All the memories slammed into me. The good, the bad, the sexy, the sweet.” His fingers came to mine and wove in.
“That’s when you put my ring back on.”
My words slipped out.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Sweets…” Nick’s grumbled warning rattled against my ear.
“I was awake when you were leaving me. Or not quite awake. I was…I don’t know. I thought I was dreaming, I was untied, ring missing. I tried to say something but just…couldn’t. I tried to reach out for you. It was surreal.” I shook my head at the memory. “I mean why would you leave me? How could you leave me?”
“You were so pissed. I could tell the moment you stepped out of the building that morning, hair whipping around, dark lipstick, and that look.” Nick chuckled. “When I couldn’t follow through I kept hoping your temper would get the better of you and you’d take my ring off.”
"What do you mean?" My temper threatened to get the better of me now. "You wanted me to have some sort of tantrum and break it off?" I tried to push away from him.
“Yes, I counted on it." He held me in place and let a small smirk cross his face.
Asshole!
"I opened the paper everyday hoping to see the headlines,” he said honestly as I struggled harder, feeling my heartbeats soar. Hadn’t he gone on about it not just being a symbol but being a promise?
"Well I'm incredibly sorry I disappointed you,” I growled. "I'm sorry that I stayed faithful just as I fucking promised!"
Ouch.
Sparring literally hurt my heart; it labored both furious and wild. I clutched at my chest as it constricted then shuddered.
“Shhh, Sweets. Please.”
Nick’s brow crumpled when pain shot across my face but he started to rub up and down on my arm. I took a few steadying breaths and closed my eyes as my heart started
to slow. His big hand left my shoulder and cocooned mine. I fought it at first but then he bent and kissed my engagement ring.
"I was worried when my plan didn't work, but I was over the moon that you didn’t waiver. It meant more to me than I can possibly say. I was so scared, but I knew I had you."
“Always.” I was still short of breath. “But if you’re really interested in forever, this shit can’t happen anymore. You have to treat me like your partner. You have to fill me in.”
Nick sighed and buried his head in the pillow. “I know you hate to hear it, but I am trying.”
“Try harder.” I laughed a little bit, certain I didn’t want any kind of a fight right now.
“It isn’t funny, Kate. He watched us fuck. He watched you sleep. He was in here and I can’t figure out how,” Nick roared but this was purely a scared sound.
My hand instinctively went back to my chest and Nick swallowed hard. I made sure my free one found its way to his chest and rubbed soothingly. Nick sighed and let his hand cup mine.
“I lost all confidence in myself to protect you. I resorted to figuring out a way he might lose interest.” Nick gulped; his distress pulled on my heartstrings. "I had to pull everyone to make it look real. He obviously knows our lives intimately."
“In that case don’t try harder, be smarter,” I said softly. “I would’ve taken it off. I would’ve made a scene. If you’d asked, I would’ve done anything.”
I couldn't help but weave around him and kiss him passionately, hoping my affection would ease his pain. When he hummed into my open mouth and rolled me on top of him, I knew I’d succeeded. Eventually Nick rolled me again, this time depositing me back on the bed and innocently pulled the sheets back up.
“Hell no.” Nick snarled as he walked into the closet bathed in morning sunlight. I didn’t even flinch. I just opened my jewelry drawer to look for accessories. “Kate, I said no.”
I turned to look at him, my hands immediately coming to my hips. “No, what?”
“I don’t know why you’re getting dressed. You sure as shit aren't leaving this apartment.”
“Nick, I feel fine and the product launch is in a matter of days."
“You’ve been in the hospital, mostly unconscious for a week” His voice rattled the furniture as he balled his fists and clenched his jaw. My heart started to race but I didn’t let it affect my face. “The doctor said time and rest.”
“Nick,” I turned and started digging in my drawer. “I’m…”
“No. There is nothing you can say, nothing you can do. You are resting and that is final.” My heart twittered a little more but it wasn't too painful. Yet.
“Actually, I’m not.” I found my giant faced gold watch and matching gold hoops. I shut the drawer and yanked my hair back to a ponytail before turning to face him. Bright, sparkling blue eyes greeted me despite his pinched face. “I know you’re worried baby, but I’ll be okay. Really.” My heart shuddered a little but I kept talking. “Going to work isn’t a health hazard. I’m going to be fine.”
He stared at me hard, drinking me in from head to toe. His brow was crinkled as he evaluated every inch. An unspoken tension built between us but I stayed firm. His eyes hadn't stormed and that was my saving grace. I wouldn’t break on this one unless it was going to break him.
Nick took two powerful steps toward me. I did my damnedest not to flinch but couldn't completely contain it. He noticed and smiled just before bringing his hand to my heart and letting it rest there. I flushed under his touch and my heart did pick up pace. He arched an eyebrow.
“You do that to me. You always have.” I sat patiently under his hand.
When I saw his eyes swirl, I ducked out from under his hand and dove for a pair of crisp white ankle boots and scampered out of the closet before he could object.
Nick humored me, even holding the door as I click-clacked across the sidewalk to the waiting Bentley. We sat silently in the backseat, both attending to our BlackBerry’s, but it was a comfortable quiet. His hand came to my thigh at some point and started circling. Slowly but surely his circles got more firm.
“Ouch, Nick,” I mumbled without taking my eyes off my screen.
His hand fell away immediately and he sharply inhaled.
“If that hurts you shouldn’t go to work.”
“It hurts because you’re digging in not because of my heart.”
“I don’t like this, Kate.” His antagonistic growl filtered back into his voice.
“Noted, Nick.” I shot him a sideways glance.
He studied me, tension obvious in his lips, his shoulders, even radiating from his frame.
“I have to go to the Venture Group first thing, but I’ll be at Vesper as soon as I can. Don’t get on a spin bike. Don’t yell at Elena or Brennan. Behave.” He started circling on my leg again. “Kate, I can handle a lot of shit, but...” His voice changed again; it had a lump forming in my throat.
“Nick, baby…”
“No, don’t Nick or baby me. I’m allowing you to work, you will allow me to finish a sentence.” I put my phone down, crossed my arms. and waited. “Good girl.” He watched me roll my eyes. “I just wanted to say, I can handle a lot of shit, but losing you is not one of the things. I can barely deal with your heart hurting.”
Sarcasm bubbled up but he was so earnest, the words stuck in my throat. He smirked when I sucked in a deep breath. He leaned in to kiss my forehead, but I straightened up and went straight for his lips. Of course, my heart reacted to the spark that was Nick.
“I said behave,” he spoke against my lips.
I simply smiled, leaned my forehead against his, and took two deep breaths.
In one of his oh-so-smooth movements, Nick slid out of the car before I even knew he was gone. He reached back to pull me out. He scanned the crowd but tried to cover his motion with a smile shot back in my direction. Christopher’s smile inadvertently flashed into my memory and I blanched. Nick pulled me into his chest, and I let him, unconcerned with what the paparazzi caught or printed anymore.
He kissed me at the revolving door and left me smiling as I pushed into Vesper’s lobby, relishing his tenderness, and letting my heart get ever so slightly out of control. I was rubbing my chest gently when my name boomed across the lobby.
I froze.
18.
The voice was familiar but off. It made my skin crawl. The normally smooth buttery sound of Kevin’s voice, usually punctuated with laughter, was now scratchy, raspy, and downright furious. When I turned, a truly haggard man stood before me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, incredulous.
He was the last person on earth I expected to see.
“What the fuck are you doing, Kate?”
My heart thudded but I managed to narrow my gaze all the same.
“No need to make a scene." I walked toward him but Jaime stepped between us, his hand already on his holster. “Jaime, it's okay, he's not going to hurt anyone.”
"Yeah, she's the only one that goes around abusing people."
The amount of venom in Kevin's voice surprised me. It went against every memory I had of him, of his soft, gentle support when I’d seen him in Portland.
"He's not supposed to be here.” Jaime cleared his throat, his gaze shifting from the entrance to the elevator and back again. I sighed.
“Noted, Jaime.”
Ugh, my heart.
“But I'm overriding. I'll deal with Bryant later."
An exaggerated scowl overtook Jaime’s face but he nodded.
“Kevin, let’s go upstairs.”
“No.”
My heart thunked against my rib cage when his voice echoed off marble and stopped people passing nearby in their tracks.
“Look, Kevin, we’ve got fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. And that's if Nicholas made it very far."
"He's going to drop everything and run over here because of me?" he sneered. "Doesn't he have better things to do?"
“He’s going to drop eve
rything and run over here because of me.” I pointed at my chest. “Good to know how highly I rate with you these days though.” My voice dropped to icy.
"I never took you as the type of girl who needed her boyfriend to deal with an ex. You want him to kick me out? You want him to cut me down to size? Or do you just want to hold his hand while you deliver the final blows?"
"Jesus Christ, Kevin!” I shouted, banging my fist on the lobby chair next to me and sending my heart soaring; suddenly the damn thing felt like it was going to explode. I hunched a little. "I will not be spoken to like that. I get that you're pissed, but you're delusional if you think I need a man, even Nicholas Bryant, to do my dirty work."
Kevin hadn’t noticed my labored breathing, and couldn’t tell that my fingertips were going numb. I certainly should have taken note, instead I railed on.
"It just so happens that my fiancé is a tad overprotective, and he'll want to make sure that you're not here being a prick. So far, I'm guessing he's going to be sorely disappointed." I let out a strangled cry as I completely doubled over still desperately trying to steady my heart and ease the shooting pain.
"Kate…I…" His anger and defensiveness deflated and he stammered, “Are you okay?”
Jaime appeared at my side and protectively threw his arm around my shoulders. He snarled a Bryant-worthy snarl at Kevin.
"Sit down.” I gasped loudly for air. “And tell me what you came here to say."
He sat as directed but kept shifting toward me. Jaime’s position prevented him from reaching out for me.
“He will be here shortly, Kevin.”
When he finally spoke, it was a defeated pout. "You're going to marry him?"
I held up my left hand, showing off my ring.
"Really?" he groaned.
“Yes, Kevin. Why wouldn't I?" I had to look uncomfortable as I wheezed; I couldn’t calm my heart. I tried to soften my tone to be sympathetic, but I couldn’t catch my breath.
"Oh I don't know?” He cocked an eyebrow and pulled attitude with me. "Maybe because he's going to hurt you? Maybe because he'll walk out on you the second you need him? Maybe because you can do better?"