Page 75 of Lethal Infatuation

He caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. "I know it's difficult to let go of trauma, but it's imperative that you try your utmost best. Those negative words that were uttered to you aresimply not true. Do you understand that, my love?"

When I didn't answer, he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and held the side of my face. "Tell me you understand, sweetheart."

"I want to understand," I sighed.

"Is law still something you're passionate about?"

I nodded, leaning in to his touch. "Yes, very much so, but I just don't know if I'll be able to pursue it anymore."

"Why not?" I thought of an explanation as to why, but there was none. "Seems like you don't have a valid reason, which means you're still harbouring those negative feelings."

"Are you a therapist now?" I joked, making him smile.

"No, but I know how it works because my therapist has been drilling it into my brain since my first session," he scoffed. "Did your mother contact you again today?"

"Yes, she asked me for money."

"Did you send her any?" he asked with a scowl on his face.

"No." I frowned. "I refuse to send her anything. She hasn't spoken to me since the day my father blocked her from my phone, due to the disgusting messages she constantly sent me, and that was almost ten years ago. Then when she does make contact with me again, it's for some cash? That's so heartbreaking."

Nicolas eyed me and I could tell there was something he wanted to say. "I'm not going to comment on that. It's your choice, but what I would like to discuss is you studying for that degree. If it's something you're still interested in doing, I'll help you."

My heart skipped several beats and all I could do was stare at him. "What?" I asked softly, unable to comprehend what he was saying, or maybe I was just in disbelief.

His throaty laughter filled the air. "I said—"

"Wait." I chuckled. "I heard what you said, I just couldn't believe what I was hearing." I smiled. "You'd do that for me?"

"I thought we already established that I'd do anything for you, Gabriella," he murmured. "I don't like knowing that you've ever felt worthless or doubted yourself. You're a smart woman. You're beautiful, funny, hard working." He leaned in. "Too sassy at times, but that's something we can work on."

"Are you going to help me work on it?" He brushed his lips against mine.

"Oh, definitely. There are many other ways we can use that mouth of yours."

I squeezed his shoulder, making him wince. "You're filthy, you know that?" He only smiled in response. "What about your parents? Are you close with them?"

Nicolas' smile slowly faded and he cleared his throat. "They're no longer alive." The way my heart sank made me clutch my stomach.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's okay. You didn't know." He grabbed my hand, placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. "They were in a car crash when I was eighteen. My younger brother was thirteen at the time."

Instinctively, I held onto him, rubbing soothing circles against the back of his head. "When I first heard the news, I was devastated because both of them died on the spot. It was a head-on collision with a truck."

I frowned, wanting to say something, but knowing nothing I said would make a difference. "It forced me to be independent and to ensure I looked after my brother. It hit him the hardest, because he was more in tune with his emotions than I was."

"You don't have to share this information with me if you're not comfortable. I know it's a sensitive topic," I said softly.

"I want to. I need to." He smiled. "Family members provided us with help for the first few months, but after that, we were basicallyon our own. I had to get a job and finish school simultaneously, which wasn't the easiest task but I did it. My mother would've been proud of me."

I nodded, smiling brightly. "Extremely proud."

Nicolas' eyes sparkled with an emotion I couldn't decipher. "Thank you for listening to me." He leaned closer. "I've never shared that information with anyone. Not even my friends."

"Then I'm honoured." I smiled. "What's your brother's name?"

"Christos," He said.

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