Page 66 of Dissension

Scowling with one hand on the doorknob, Kara replies, “How do you know that?”

Claire places a fingertip at her chin in thought, looking upward. “Well, I don’t know, I suppose. I haven’t tried.”

“Exactly! Maybe someone should!” Kara snaps, slamming the door, chasing after Nick. She’s not about to let him escape this conversation. Not when she’s so close to a breakthrough with him, after all this time.

Running to the elevator, she looks to see where it went; down to the garage level. That sneak, he’s trying to completely drive off and leave the building!Urgh. Smashing the button, Kara waits for it to come back up, dashing inside, hitting the button to close the doors quickly. It feels like an eternity as it descends downward, down to the underground parking garage.

When she steps out of the elevator, Kara darts around, looking for that fancy car of his. Thankfully, it isn’t something that can be easily missed, being flashy and dark red. There’s the screeching of tires on pavement and Kara hears the car before she sees him.

Around the corner he comes, making the turn sharp and hard, showing his clear agitation. The engine purrs, the tires squeal, and Kara throws herself right in front of it, hands on her hips, daring him to fucking run her over.

The sportscar comes to a screeching halt.

Rolling his window down, Nick snarls, “Have you lost what little mind you have? Get out of the way, Kara.”

Her stubbornness intensifies. “I’m not moving. You can’t just run away from this conversation your entire life! I’m the person who wants to help you, Nick. I’m literallythe only personwho wants to pick you apart and fucking glue you back together! Don’t you get that, you ass?”

His lips press into a thin line, eyes hard. His hands are tight on the steering wheel. “I don’t need to be glued back together.” The denial is strong with this one.

“Oh,nice.” Kara’s tone takes on furious sarcasm. “You think you’re fine the way you are then? You like being the sort of man that normal women fear?”

“I alreadytoldyou I don’t enjoy being the way I am. But I do like that I can be myselfwith you.”

Quickly coming around to his side of the car, Kara leans into the window, just so he can’t blast off and avoid her. “See, isn’t that important? Itmeans something-”

“Christ, you and your fucking meanings,” Nick hisses, eyes nearly rolling out of their sockets. He’s still trying to push her away, but he’s not trying hard enough. Underneath his tough exterior,he wants her to save him.

He wants her to be the one to see into him and understand him.

“Hey. Hey. I get it. I’m the fucking underdog who just won’t quit. I know this is painful, I know this is a traumatic subject. All I’m asking is that you open up to me, just a bit.” She leans into the window and presses a kiss to his ear, uttering, “Please?” She doesn’t say please often, so he better appreciate the effort.

Staring straight ahead, Nick ponders his options, eyes dark and unreadable.

When he turns his face to meet her gaze, his blue eyes are like razors. “How’s this for fair play? We’ll go toyourplace and talk it out if you’re so eager to drag us both over glass.”

A flash of panic, bright and sudden. Kara feels her fingers clench on the window of his car door. “My place?” She’s never had him over, ever. Too afraid, too untrusting of him as a person. He took advantage of her in the limo,that’s how they met. He picked her up like a piece of candy from the street. He forced her to suck his dick. He got off on being rough with her. Then, after he got what he wanted, he paid her like a whore.Howcould she ever feel safe with him being able to come to her place whenever-

You felt safe enough to fuck him in dark alleyways, Kara.

But, I always had a place to return to, so I could lick my wounds in private. A place he couldn’t follow.

He can see her hesitation and goes in for the kill. “You really want me to open up?” Nick’s lip curls like that of a vicious dog. “Youfirst.”

Chapter 24

He drives to her apartment, jaw clenched tight, not saying a word to her.

She accepts that, and probably deserves it too. She understands on a very deep level that no one wants their hidden trauma brought up unannounced…but she also knows he was going to keep this buried his entire life. This dark horror, this terrible thing that made him into what he is. Twisted and shaped his desires until he couldn’t desire anythingnormal.

When they arrive, he quietly follows as she heads up into her building, chewing on her thoughts. How to even approach this? She can feel the heat of his eyes on her spine as they ascend towards her floor. Never did she ever imagine herself bringing Nicholas Havenwood-Calaishere.

This ishome. Home is supposed to besafe.

Home was never safe when you were a girl, Kara.

She fumbles getting her keys into the lock, nerves on edge. The tension is thick, weighing on her shoulders. After an awkward moment of struggling to get the door open, Kara finally functions like a human being and unlocks the path to her apartment.

“Here it is,” Kara says with a sweeping gesture. “My very humble abode. Nothing like you’re used to, I’m afraid.”

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