Page 64 of Dissension

The blood drains from Kara’s face and she debates turning and running away. God.Claire is over. What is Nick thinking?!

As much as running is looking attractive right now, Kara is no coward. She’s not one to walk away from an awkward situation, no siree. Taking in a deep, calming huff of air, Kara turns the knob and steps into the perfect condo, instantly being bedazzled by how perfectly white and modern it is, smelling clean and fresh, as if the cleaning staff already came.

In the doorway, she politely takes off her shoes and puts them to the side, mentally trying to prepare herself for this unexpected drama.Fuck. How is she going to bring this up with Claire around? The madwoman is probably going to hover around them obsessively- and Karacan’t blame her.

Claire is sitting in the main room on the couch, typing away on her laptop as the television plays some high-definition scenery from a tropical country. She doesn’t even look up in acknowledgment. “Kara. So nice to have you come over. Nick and I do getso boredwith each other.”

The strange calm in Claire brings Kara’s nervousness down a notch. She moves past her mortification quickly, looking over at the refined woman and her midnight locks. “Um. Hi, Claire. I didn’t know you were, I mean, I’monlyhere to talk with, it’s nothing, nothinglike that-”

Great, she sounds like a blithering idiot.

Claire waves her words away as if they’re an annoyance that she cannot stomach. She calls out towards the bedrooms, “Nicky, your guest is here! Do collect her. She’s beingawkward.”

Kara feels her left eye twitch at that. Oh, please. As if there’sanythingnormal about this situation.

The sound of soft footsteps reaches her ears as Nick comes into view from the hall. He’s dressed in the dark grey sweatpants and form-fitting black shirt that Kara always liked seeing him in. Casual and down-to-earth, but somehow completely attractive and commanding. His broad shoulders, the taper of his waist. The sight of his thick biceps, just at the sleeves-

His eyes catch on her face and he laughs. “Being awkward, is it?” He tilts his head, gesturing for her to follow him. “Come on. We can talk in my room.”

Splendid. They can chat right near his bed.Ugh.

Leading the way, Nick turns back towards the set of bedrooms down the hall, Kara swallowing thickly as she stares at the expanse of his back. This is not optimal, this situation. Dread fills her.

Claire turns her head briefly to look at them, her icy blue eyes without any form of ill-will. “When you’re done, you can come over and sit down by me, Kara. I need an opinion on my new clothing line. You lack fashion sense, I can see that, but I’d be curious to see what you think anyway.”

Kara blinks at her, not fully comprehending.When we’re done with what, what is she insinuating?“Your clothing line?”

Bringing out her large, noise-canceling headphones from a bag beside her-why is she doing that?!- Claire looks at Kara as if she’s exceptionally dim-witted. “You think I sit around and look pretty all day? I run my own fashion brand. Bit out of your reach, but I can probably get you a purse or two someday.” When she sees Kara’s slack, confused expression, she makes a frustratedsound. “JonDe’Mare? Ring a bell in that twisted little skull of yours?”

Claire JonDe’Mare. Oh.Oh, lord. When her thoughts come back together, Kara blurts indignantly, “Why the hell are your jeans like seven hundred dollars? Do they make you shit gold? I mean,really.”

“Pish posh,” Claire replies waving her hand vaguely, perfectly done French nails flashing. “I do vaguely like you. Go see Nicky. I have my headphones; I won’t hear you.”

Red-faced, Kara hisses, “I told you, I’m not here for that!” This woman is insane! Is she literally that uninterested in Nick? How is that evenpossible?But then, she remembers how Claire told her she has other men in her life, and Kara just…can’t even cope with how Claire treats her relationships.

She can’t cope with how Nick treats relationships either, but Kara hopes she can change that about him.

The headphones go on and Claire winks at her before settling back to her work on the laptop.

“Unreal,” Kara mutters harshly under her breath, heading into Nick’s bedroom, where a terrible conversation awaits.

At least Claire won’t hear it.

“I honestly can’t believe she’s real,” Kara tells him, faintly appalled, jerking her thumb to the open door. “She’s marrying you and she’s just like, ‘oh, go in there with my husband-to-be. Do your freaky shit, maybe I’ll give you a six-thousand-dollar purse in payment.’ I’m literally insulted.”

The best part is that Kara doesn’t think she’s supposed to feel insulted. Claire was being genuine.

Nick is sitting neutrally at his desk, traditionally handsome in that stone-cut way of his. The scent of his cologne fillsthe room, tangling itself into her senses deliciously. She loves how he smells. Expensive and mysterious. Sophistication and ruggedness, mixed with danger. It brings back memories of dark nights and sinful events. Skin and teeth, exquisite pleasure. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. It’s an arranged marriage.” He drawls with one eyebrow cocked. “What do you expect?”

Spluttering, Kara replies, “Some…some…dignity! At the very least.”

There’s a soft laugh, a smirk on his lips. His eyes are warm and Kara hates herself for having come here to bring up something truly dark, something darker than anything they have ever shared together. Something abhorrent.

He isn’t prepared. There’s no preparing someone for this conversation. Her insides are ragged and spikey, but if she doesn’t do it now, she never will. And she’ll never knowthe truth.

“Why are you hovering in the doorway picking at your fingers?” Nick drawls, eyebrow raised.

Kara stops picking at the skin around her nails. Crap, she’s already giving away her anxiety. “Um. A momentary malfunction.”

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