Page 27 of The Fall of a Promise

“Well, technically, the only way out is death, so...” Kai answers.

Tao elbows him in the gut. “Bro, you are seriously no help.”

We share a look and burst out with laughter before taking another shot.

“This is just a rough patch. Force him to listen—and don’t forgetyouare the prize,” Lili declares with so much conviction.

“Haveyou brought these feelings up to Nico?” Tao asks.

“Not in these exact words. I haven’t had the chance.”

“You’ve got to talk to him. Rip that bandage off,” Lili says, pulling me into a side hug.

A cough erupts from around the corner as if we conjured him up, and my husband enters, looking at me with puppy-dog eyes.

Chapter Seven

NICO

She left in the middle of the event. Of course she did.

“Nico!” my mother calls out as I make it back to the ballroom.

“Not right now, Ma.”

She stops in front of me. “What do you mean ‘not right now’? There’s someone I want you to meet. Where’s Anya?” She looks over my shoulder.

“I’m meeting her downstairs,” I fib. “She wasn’t feeling well. I just came to tell you we’re leaving.”

My mother opens her mouth as if she’s going to say something but only nods. “That’s alright, dear. Go tend to your wife. Tell her I hope she feels better, and I’ll send something over in the morning.”

“Thanks, Ma.” I lean in to kiss her cheek before heading out.

I have a lot of explaining to do, starting with my regret of asking her to continue engaging with the press. She’s right—it is a point of contention and, frankly, not worth it.

The minute she dropped the wordfinelast night, I knew I was on thin ice. I told myself I was going to make it right when we got back, but somehow, I made it worse. The plan was to talk to her about it tomorrow, when we’d have more time to actually address the problem, but I guess now’s as good as any. That is, if she’ll hear me out.

Hopping into my SUV, I pull up her location with my phone. She’s heading to her damn penthouse that she won’t give up. It was the first place she bought when she moved out of Jetand Nora’s, her adoptive parents, so she feels sentimental over it. Now she wants to keep it as an investment property, which is understandable. I hate the place solely because she’s brought other men there.

On the way over, I tell myself we’re going to be fine and that it was just the heat of the moment. We’ll get through it. This is nothing.

The elevator doors spring open, and two men nod to let me pass. Using my key fob, I enter her penthouse.

“I’m afraid of failing him. This marriage. And saying it out loud makes it seem so final.”

My wife’s voice travels down the hall, and my stomach twists at her words.

Tao says something, but my mind is too busy reeling to pick up what he’s saying.

“He just does so much for me, and I pay him back by giving him a hard time,” Anya argues.

I’ll give you the whole world,I think to myself. I had a speech prepared, but I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut as I listen. Fuck me.

I shouldn’t have put this off for so long, and I definitely shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but there’s more she’s not telling me. I can’t blame her because, again, she’s right. I haven’t been listening. The more she elaborates, the more I feel like a piece of shit.

Anya could never disappoint or fail me. I haven’t done my job as her husband, and that’s protecting her, making sure she always feels valued and wanted. If anyone has failed here, it’s me.

She’s been begging for help, while I just told her to suck it up. It feels wrong to listen any longer, and I want this resolved with my wife sooner rather than later.

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