He shakes his head, smoothing out my hair as he presses a kiss to my temple.
“I’m fine, babygirl. If you’re safe, I’m fine.”
Chapter Thirty Six
Cassi
Nico is meeting with the board today. After the incident with Alec, we waited in the parking garage for the police where they took my statement. Ironically enough, it was the officer who got their nose broken by my sister. As soon as he saw us, he shook his head and cursed under his breath saying, “I would love to stop seeing you two.”
He took down my statement as well as pulled the surveillance cameras the company has in the break room which confirmed the altercation and led to…well, Nico’s altercation. Just as Jake predicted, as soon as Nico had me press charges, Alec pressed them against Nico. Everything has gone to shit lately and though I know I should feel regret, that I should look at the common denominator of the chaos in my life, ie, my relationship with Nico and run fast and far. I don’t want to. I don’t want to because in the midst of all of this, he’s remained by my side, steadfast and unyielding.
Does that make me dumb? Probably. Does it make me happy? Absolutely. Do I still hope to god that this is the end of the fights and police reports and fucking drama? God help me, I fucking NEED it to be.
Legal matters aside, Nico is under review from the board because it doesn’t matter if you own the company, people don’t really like a boss that beats the shit out of their employees. Even if said employee deserved it. The meeting today will determine whether he is taking a leave of absence or…god I don’t really know what all can come from this, honestly.
I’m still in shock that it happened at all. My sister freaking out, that was expected. Alec, though, he was a wild card I never saw coming, which is dumb of me because he was always insanely jealous. I was in the wrong, too. I led him on, I played on his feeling because it was a suitable distraction and then I just…disappeared. He was right to be pissed with me.
I know that Alec has a lot of trauma around death and loss and abandonment. His grandma going had to of triggered more than a little something inside of him and I have no doubt he feels survivor’s guilt for his parents’ accident. Still, I can’t believe he would do that. That he would scream, that he would hit me. He’s never hurt a fly the entire time I’ve known him. I know it was the grief talking and acting, the betrayal but fuck. I’m not afraid to admit that I was absolutely terrified of him in that moment. That he morphed into someone who I didn’t even recognize, one that I had no clue what they were capable of.
Shaking my head, I focus on the walk ahead of me. I’m bored to death in the house all alone and I need to get out and do…something. So, I decided to walk down to the cute coffee shop Nico first took me to. I don’t expect to find a familiar brunette standing before me, timidly looking to me.
“Hey, Cass,” Carly says quietly.
I’m on edge immediately, but I try not to let it show.
“What do you want?”
She looks down at her feet for a moment before looking up at me.
“I wanted to apologize.”
I raise a disbelieving eyebrow to her as she continues.
“Mom and dad said you were staying in Boston and I know how much Nico liked this place,” she says as she looks up at the building.
“I’m not interested in anything you have to say, Carly.”
She nods her head like she understands, and that has my brows furrowing because since when has Carly been able to put herself in anyone’s shoes? Since when has she apologized or tried to atone for her words or actions?
“I just…I’m really sorry. I wanted to talk and I…I realize how dumb that sounds,” she says, her voice tight and choppy as a tear falls down her face.
Goddamnit. I hate myself. I hate myself so fucking much. I hate that I can’t flip her off and walk in the other direction without losing a wink of sleep. The truth is, though, despite all of the fighting and bullshit that’s gone on…well, forever, between the two of us, she’s my sister.
“Five minutes,” I grit through clenched teeth.
Carly looks up at me with surprise before nodding quickly.
“Yes, yeah. Thank you. Do you want to talk inside or?”
“I’m going to the coffee shop down the road, c’mon,” I say as I move past her and head down the road.
She tries to keep up with me but my legs are much longer and therefor, keep me firmly ahead. When we step through the door, comfort from the familiar smell fills me before I see Tammy. She was the barista that helped Nico and I the first time we came in here, and our schedules seem to line up perfectly because she is here literally every time I come in.
“Good morning, Tammy,” I smile.
“Hey! What can I get you?”
“Let me get it,” Carly says, wedging herself between me and the counter.
