Page 84 of Dissension

A half-assed smirk shapes his mouth as he scoffs. “I’m glad someone is.”

Placing a hand on his arm, Kara nods in understanding. She knows what going against his mother means for him. Going against the person responsible for so much of his past suffering. “Sometimes it’s hard to pull away from one’s abuser.” She thinks of her father and blinks the image away. “Especially when we love them.”

Nick’s jaw clenches and unclenches visibly with emotion.

Speaking of dealing with one’s abuser-

“God, and now Gale won’t be dealing with my father’s legal issues.” Kara groans miserably, realizing this. “I’m going to have to deal with him. I’m going to have to face him again.”

“I can help you,” Nick tells her. “I’m quite the catch in the courtroom, you might have heard.”

Kara laughs, a part of her wanting to cry. She doesn’t know if she’s happy or sad. Or all of it, all at once. “I’ve heard you’re quite the slimeball in court. But that you dress sharp. Nice shoes and flashy ties. And the judges seem to swing your way. Unfairly, I might add.”

A sly grin shapes his mouth, chasing the sorrow away. “All I’m hearing are the complaints of someone who loses in court.”

“Youmade me lose the Debra Mills case!”

“Semantics.”

They wrap themselves in a close embrace, soaking in the simple comfort of human contact. The sort that doesn’thurt.

“Ask me to stay with you,” he breathes against her hair, sucking her into his lungs as if she’s the only air he’ll ever breathe. “Tonight. Every night. I’ll let you try to fix me. I’ll try.”

Kara inhales sharply, heart pounding. Is he saying what she thinks he’s saying? “Why would you want that though? You don’t…you never cared about committing and-”

“I never had someone I wanted to commit to,” Nick replies without shame. “But it’s important to you. And I want you, everything about you.”

“I’m still…I mean,look at me. Do I look like the sort of individual you want to be involved with?” Kara says bitterly. “I’m all sorts of messed up. I was involved with afreaking sociopathand I-” She can’t say the words. She can’t admit that a part of her nearly loved Dietrich Bittinger.

Nick gives her a tight, pained smile, nodding his understanding.

"You accept me for the shit I am and you aren't afraid. And you aren't afraid ofwanting to help me. No one has ever wanted that for me." There’s a certain tightness around his eyes and Kara knows he’s thinking of his mother, the power-hungry woman that she wishes she could make disappear.

Kara wishes she could make his dark past never be, wish away all his deep-seated trauma, but she can’t. The same way as she can’t wish hers away. But together, maybe they can find ways to heal and cope. Maybe, there’s a way for them to make something better from their shared horrors.

Perhaps there’s hope for them after all.

“Say something.” His voice is subtly a plead.

Carefully, she curls herself wordlessly into his side. Melding them together, so that their bodies share heat. The world outside vanishes, leaving just two people embracing in comfortable silence within the safety of her apartment.

“Stay with me. Tonight.” Her voice is soft, hiding the excitement within her heart.He wants to be hers.

“Just tonight?” He presses, being a hint of an arrogant shit.

“Every night,” Kara replies. “Except the nights I’m sick of you and your ridiculous arrogance.”

He throws his head back and laughs, the sound genuine and beautiful to her ears. He enfolds her in his strong, familiarembrace, his lips brush her ear and he whispers, “I’m sorry he hurt you, sweetpea. If I can, I’ll make sure he won’t again.”

Somehow, those are the most perfect words he’s ever spoken to her.

Chapter 31

There’s nothing in the world like traveling.

Except for the fact that Kara hates theactualtraveling part. The plane. The people. The stress she doesn’t need.All of it.

She’s exhausted by the time she lands and deboards the plane. Nothing, and she meansnothing, is more irritating than boarding and deboarding a plane, waiting in line like some sort of kindergartner.

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