Page 65 of Dreaming

The blonde nodded with a wink.

Removing the silencer, clicking the safety in place, Nia tucked both in her purse.

Without looking back, she said, “Goodbye, Nicole. I wish you the best.”

“N-Nia…? Wait.”

Pausing in the foyer, she turned and asked, “What do you want?”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, Nicole...that’s it. It would have taken so little for us to never stop loving you. You’ll be safe, I’ll foot the bills…but you’re no longer my sister and you won’t know my little girl.”

“I’m sorry…I-I really am, Nia.”

“So am I. You have no idea.”

Then Dennis escorted her from the house and into his car. They’d driven a mile when she whispered, “Why does it hurt?”

He lifted her hand from his thigh and kissed the back. “Because despite how horrible she is, you love her. It’s not easy to turn it off.”

“Thank you for finding the condo.”

“It’s not far from our estate. She can be happy there if she tries, Nia. You’re doing more than she deserves and if she doesn’t get it…there’s nothing else you can do.”

“I think…maybe she’ll do better.”

“She needs a therapist, perhaps medication, and you’ve started that ball rolling.” Nia nodded tiredly. “What do you want to do now, Nia?”

“I want to kiss our baby.”

Dennis grinned happily. “Thank goodness. We’ve been gone a while. I hope we didn’t miss anything cool.”

“You are…so adorable.”

* * *

Hours later, the house was quiet and Dennis lead Nia through the first floor to the studio.

“I love the new colors in this room…”

Nonchalantly, he told her, “I wanted to freshen it up, reconfigure it so there was a place I could make love to you in here. Hint, hint…the new couch.”

“Nice. I’m cleared for activity. I really need some…activity, darling. I love this piano.” She stroked her fingers over the top. “It’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” He tugged her down on the bench beside him. “I wrote an instrumental for you while you were gone. Would you like to hear it?”

Staring up into his face, she nodded.

He played for several minutes. There were words in his head but he didn’t sing them. He communicated how he felt in the notes.

Dennis could tell she was moved by the tears slipping over the soft skin of her face. He drew it to a close and she reached out to stroke her fingers over his.

“Dennis…?”

“Yes, Nia?”

Meeting his eyes, she told him tearfully, “Fuck me at once.”

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