Page 88 of Until Now

“Nick didn’t say anything to me. Why would he?” I was confused. Was there something Nick knew? Was this what he had been trying to tell me before? “This has nothing to do with him. You tried to sleep with me in Haven. It’s pretty obvious you’re fucking around on her.”

“Nina, please. I want you. No one else. Seeing you with him, it made me realize you were the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t stand the thought of you with someone else. Especially not him.”

“That’s when you realized?”

“I wasn’t the best boyfriend, I know that, but I can do better. I want to do better, for you.” Before I could protest, Lee crashed his mouth to mine in a bruising kiss. I tried to push him away, but his fingers tangled in my hair holding me steady.

“Lee, stop,” I said against his lips and pushed him away. I wiped blood from my lip where he had bitten it. “What is wrong with you?”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Nina.”

“Go home, Lee.” I stopped him when he tried to say something else. “I said, go.”

“We can make this work. We can—”

“Lee, if you don’t get the fuck out of my house, I will cut your dick off and feed it to the alligators in the lake. And, if you ever come here uninvited again, this,” I picked up the knife. “This will be the least of your problems.”

Lee’s jaw locked, he squared his shoulders and took a deep breath puffing his chest. Neither of us had any intention of breaking the stare, neither wanting to be the first to give in. But, after a few moments, he finally did. The key clattered to the ground near my feet when he threw it. A moment later, the door slammed echoing around me.

Chapter Fifty

“You’ll never guesswho came to visit the other day.” Elizabeth sits in the chair across my desk.

“Let me guess.” I rest my chin atop my bridged fingers pretending to think. “Was it Jack Skellington telling you what to get me for my birthday?” Elizabeth rolls her eyes. “No? Hmm, Santa Claus checking in to see if you deserve to be on the nice list this year?”

“I’m always on the nice list.”

“So, not Santa then?”

Elizabeth rolls her eyes ignoring my question. “We invited Nick over.”

“I see why you’re always on the nice list. Your charity work is out of this world.”

“You’re insufferable.” I duck when she balls a Post-it note throwing it at me.

“I love you too.”

“Sheyenne showed up,” Elizabeth continues her story. “I was hoping he’d come alone, but I guess she heard him talking to me the night before and made sure she was ready to go when he left.”

“Sounds like a personal problem.” My focus remains on my email where plans for a new build await approval.

“You didn’t tell Nick you’ve been sick?”

“It’s not anyone’s business, is it?”

“He seemed pretty worried when I brought it up.”

“Can’t be too worried, he hasn’t said anything to me.” I finally tear my attention away from the computer. “Elizabeth, I’m fine. I went to the doctor like you asked, okay? They said it’s just stress and fatigue. Gave me something to help me sleep because apparently that’s important.” She doesn’t seem convinced. “I’m fine. I just have to take it down a notch.”

“You’re not pregnant, are you?”

She cannot be serious.

“It’s not that far-fetched. You guys slept together. You could be! I mean, you’ve had the worst mood swings and you’ve been throwing up! You have all the symptoms and—”

“Elizabeth, I am not pregnant. Mother Nature called about a week ago.”

“You’re sure?”

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