Page 18 of One Twisted Christmas

"He can't talk! Fabian, you are killing him!" calls out a voice from the back, concern for Nico that was absent for Helena.

“Then he should make haste with his apology.” I grit but I loosen my grip a tad.

"Sorry," he chokes out, tears streaming down his cheeks even as he claws desperately at the hand on his throat.

“Enough, Fabian. Jesus, you have made your point!”

Not quite, but I am about to. I will make an example out of Nico so everyone in my family thinks twice before they start poking at Helena.

Chapter Eight

Helena

The first time I saw Nico, I thought he was the most good-looking guy I'd ever met. He was tall with long midnight black hair he kept mussed up and deep brown eyes. In my teenage-wired brain, I daydreamed about the kind of boyfriend he would be. We never got to that point because he revealed his true colors earlier and it was more than just the bet that changed things.

The idea of being with the hottest kid in school sounded cool in theory but when his attention shifted to me, I realized the idea sounded better than the reality.

There was no connection between us, but I desperately wanted there to be one. So much so that I had myself convinced that I had feelings for him. If that were true, I might have overlooked the bet thing. I would have wanted to be with him in spite of it.

Just like I want to be with Fabian in spite of his connection to the criminal world. No, Fabian is nothing like Nico. They don't compare in physical strength or looks and in the way he makes me feel.

With Fabian, I feel cherished and protected.I feel loved. I like the way his hands feel on me. I crave them on me even when he's next to me. My feelings for him run much deeper than the superficial feelings I held for Nico.

I love him.

And now looking at the Nico pressed to the wall, face red and eyes bulging out in panic, I feel a sick satisfaction at the sight. It’s twisted and I would never revel in anyone’s pain but then I am reminded of the hurt Nico has caused me. All the rumors he spread about sleeping with me while I was hurting from my father’s accident.

To see him experience wrath from a person so much stronger than him is a healing balm to my heart.

“You need to stop him, Helena,” Aria whispers from beside me, her voice panicked. “I’ve never seen Fian this mad before. Please, he’ll kill him!”

Right, we can't have that. Not because I care about Nico's well-being but because I don't want Fabian to get arrested because of someone like Nico. Because of me.

“Okay,” I whisper to Aria, patting her hand reassuringly before rounding the dinner table to Fabian. My hands are shaky as I grab his arm. “Let go, Fabian.”

“He needs to apologize to you!”

“He can’t if he is dead,” I offer soothingly. “Please let him go.Please.”

"Fuck!" he growls, glaring into Nico's face before releasing his hold. Nico slides down the wall and drops to his knees, gasping and sputtering for air with everyone silently watching him. "If you don't want back on that wall then you better start apologizing for being rude to our guest."

Dark hateful eyes look up at Fabian before shifting to me and if possible, they darken. “I’m sorry, Helen.”

“Get her fucking name right!”

“Helena, Jesus Christ!” he shouts before breaking into a fit of coughs that take ages to fade but Fabian is patient if nothing else. “Helena and I… we never dated. We only went to prom before she left.”

“There’s more,” Fabian grits but before he can do something to force the words out of Nico, I wrap my arm around his and pull him from the coughing man on the floor. He’s made his point. From the looks everyone keeps tossing our way, Fabian has more than made his point.

"It's fine," I whisper, slowly tugging him away from Nico. I look around the mess we've created, feeling sorry for ruining this family's Christmas dinner but oddly satisfied that I finally got to see someone wipe the smirk off Nico's face.

"Let's get out of here." Fabian finally says taking my hand and people move out of the way as he walks us to the entrance.

I catch Aria's words on our way out. "Christmas dinner is ruined, thanks so much, Nico."

A twinge of guilt hits me and I turn to look up at Fabian afraid that he might blame me for bringing chaos to his life. We haven’t even known each other for more than a day and so much has happened already between us.

"I'm sorry," I whisper and the man stops in his tracks. I still expect him to burst into a rage about how he never should have brought me to the Christmas dinner but instead, he wraps his arms around my shoulder and pulls me flush against him, burying his face in my hair. "Fabian?"

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