“I nin’t ruhose,” he continues.
“What?” I ask.
“I didn’t ruhose,” he continues.
Poke. Another stab from Maddie has him squirming in the chair.
“She shet it uh,” Nico says slowly, trying to emphasize each word, but I have no idea what he’s saying.
I am enjoying watching him squirm, though.
Maddie looks to me and I wave heroff.
“Looks like you got lucky today. I was just getting started,” she says as she offers him the bowl to spit in.
He spits a large amount of blood as he scowls at her before looking to me.
“Cass, Carly set it all up. I broke up with her last night, she was really calm, like I told you. Then I came into the office and she was in there with one of my biggest clients. She told him we got engaged and photoshopped a picture and everything! Got it printed in a magazine and blasted online.”
“She also sent out invitations for your engagement party,” I fill in flatly.
Nico shakes his head in frustration as he stands from the chair. He tries to reach for me but I pull away. Hurt splashes across his face but he quickly buries it as he speaks.
“I promise, Cassi. I would never. I broke up with her, we were done and she just…didn’t accept it?” he laughs bitterly.
My arms are still folded over my chest as I shrug my shoulders.
“How am I supposed to believe you, I mean, that’s a pretty unbelievable perspective, Nico. And what’s the outcome? She forced you into an engagement so you’re gonna go through with it orrrr?”
“No, fuck no!” he practically snarls. “Of course not. She’s already invited all of my major clients. Half the fucking city. I can’t cancel it.”
“Why not? Just tell them she’s fucking crazy, which she is, and that you don’t want to marry her.”
“It’s not that simple, Cassi. Most of my clients care about reputation, about who they are associated with. If this isn’t handled right, my entire company could fold. Hundreds of people out of work. I have to play this carefully.”
I just stare at him for several seconds before I shake my head.
“Well, good luck with that.”
He frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, that sounds like a whole lot of nothing. If your business means more to you than being with me, that’s fine. If you think I’m going to sit back while you play fiancé to my sister, though, you’re out of your goddamn mind.”
Nico shakes his head as he reaches for me once more. This time, I allow him as his eyes are pleading with me.
“I’d never. She’s just…cunning. She knew this would tie my hands which is why she’s lining everything up like this. I promise, this will end soon. It just can’t end in a scandal.”
“Like the entire city of Boston finding out that you’re not actually engaged to your long term girlfriend, but fucking her younger sister instead?” I offer.
Nico grimaces but nods. My irritation tempers slightly because saying it out loud, I hear it. Sort of. I mean, it doesn’t paint either of us in a good light. I understand his industry has a great deal to do with reputation, image. I mean, if I was going to invest millions of dollars with a company, it probably wouldn’t be with the one whose owner’s sexual exploits are on the front page of the news. Which is what would happen, Carly would make sure of it.
“Just give me a little time to fix this mess. I’ll negotiate with Carly. Give her some kind of offering so she drops this ruse. I don’t know, but I’ll fix it. Please, believe me.”
I’m hesitant to. Maybe that makes me a bad person, but I see no good coming from this. No good coming from playing into her hand. It’s what she wants. To buy some time, to convince him to fall for her once more. Does it make me horribly insecure if I’m fearful that she may convince him?
“Nico, I don’t have time for this kind of drama. I shouldn’t have to put up with it. This…us…we were never supposed to be together. For reasons just like this.”
“Don’t say that, don’t diminish what we have, Cassi. Please. I know it’s fucked, but I promise, it will be fixed and we will get ourchance, babygirl.”
