Page 48 of Wine & Whiskey
Max nods and clears his throat. “We went for Juan, but he’s gone. No one has been able to track him.”
Fucking shit! Nick drives his hand through his hair. This is supposed to fucking end tonight. “Where the fuck could he be?”
“He’s coming for you, isn’t he? He’s coming here to kill you.” Shae’s face pales as her eyes grow wide, her voice a sharp shriek. “That’s why I can’t marry you. I know I’m going to lose you.”
Nick cradles her against his chest, scooping her up as her body weakens, no longer able to withstand the relentless fear engulfing her. His heart aches at her heaving breaths blowing on his neck, his shirt twisting around her small hand curled into a fist. He carries her up the stairs and lays her down, climbing in behind her, covering them with the blankets.
“W-will you take m-me to see Jacks t-tomorrow? I-I have to m-make sure he’s okay,” she asks through chattering teeth, her body’s response to the turmoil inflicted upon her tonight.
His arms tighten around her, trying to calm the trembling, hoping to quell the panic growing within her as she tries to make sense of the chaos surrounding her. “He’s fine, I promise. Now, go to sleep. It’s late. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
She snuggles in even closer against him, not allowing any barrier between them.
He presses against her back and drapes his arm across her, entwining their fingers as her hand lies on the pillow. “I love you, Shae.”
After a few minutes, her body relaxes and her breathing slows. Exhausted from anxiety, sleep claims her surprisingly fast. An unexpected blessing in a night from hell.
A tidal wave of emotions washes over him as he holds her in the darkness. He’d been a fucking fool to underestimate Juan. His mistake put the only woman he’s ever loved at risk. He never meant for her to be exposed to his corrupt world, destroying her innocence and possibly her feelings for him.
The irony is not lost on him he has her back but may still lose her. His obsessive love pushes her limits. He dives too deep, craves too much. The dangerous reality of his world could be enough to drive her over the edge and away from him. He closes his eyes, unable to imagine life without her.
All he can see is the terror in her eyes when she stepped out of the limo. The pain on her face when Juan wouldn’t release her hand. Her frantic search to find him in the crowd of people. His heart screams against his rib cage. He promised he wouldn’t leave her. Otherwise, he would be out of this bed, and that motherfucker would be dead.
* * *
When she’s on stage, the excitement of the crowd drives the passion she and her backup dancers have for performing. Any lingering nervousness vanishes from the deafening roar when the arena plunges into sudden darkness, and they descend from the rafters amid the pulsing lights. They draw their energy from the thousands of eyes watching their every move. Yet, the dark blue pair trained on her now as she stretches on the deck twists her heart. Nick’s pensive stare almost looks right through her, unable to stop blaming himself for what happened with Juan.
All night he held her close and made her feel safe, his arms curled around her, his soft but weary voice in her ear reflecting his anguish when she woke in the early morning darkness. Yet, he can’t release his own guilt. Never has she known a man to be so hard on himself, so full of self-torment he doesn’t deserve.
Her head lifts from the last yoga pose at the creaking of the French doors. He returns her smile, but the sentiment falls short of genuine. Dark circles under his eyes and creases across his forehead reveal his worry. His finger loops through the drawstring on her shorts and tugs her closer, their bodies not quite touching. Tingles rush through her at the intimacy of his grip on her clothes as well as her heart, her body shivering at his need to keep her close.
“Marta said breakfast will be ready soon.”
She leans forward and gives him a soft kiss, confirming her desire for him, welcoming his touch. “Good, because I’m finished, and I’m starving.”
“You seem better this morning.”
“I am.” She takes his hand and leads him to her favorite spot on the deck, the soothing rhythm of the rolling waves helping to calm her mind and her nerves. She must prove to him she’s okay. And convince him of her plan. Even if it hurts him. “Stay with me for a few minutes.”
After sitting down, she pats the cushion in front of her. His eyes crinkle in amusement as he smirks, a hint of lightheartedness breaking through the melancholy. “I’ll crush you.”
“It’s fine. I’m tougher than I look.”
Some of the tension humming in her body releases as he lies back against her chest, nestled between her legs. Uncertain about everything except her feelings for him, she wraps her arms around him and rests her head on his shoulder, a contented sigh escaping her lips. The turmoil whirling around them is unable to diminish the peace he brings her, and she’s hopeful she provides the same comfort to him.
“I know. It’s one of the things I love about you.”
A goofy smile must cross her lips. Of course she wants to hear what makes her lovable. “What is?”
“Seeing you work out this morning reminded me of when we met. I had just walked into the gym and saw you doing yoga while you waited for Jason. You were so calm and peaceful, I couldn’t stop watching you.”
Her heart swells at the wistfulness of his voice. An unexpected insight into his attraction to her, unwittingly confirming he knows the real her, loves her for who she really is. Even more telling, he reveals what he craves as well, a quiet refuge from the chaos of their world. Exactly what they give to each other. “I never knew that.”
His body stiffens under her arms, his hands covering hers as if trying to shield her. “Then that asshole was bothering you, and I couldn’t walk away, leaving you alone and scared. But after a few minutes, you were fine. You challenged me with that plank move you like and that’s all it took. I fell in love with you.”
After all this time, his anger remains fierce over an incident long forgotten, his protectiveness never wavering. She runs her fingers through his hair before kissing his temple. “Love at first sight, huh?”
“Yes.”
