16.

As soon as the food was done on the barbecue, I followed Emily over to where the rest of the group was sitting. I cuddled in to the open side Nick had given me, his arms wrapped tightly around my body as soon as I got close.

Nick continued to talk to Xavier even though his eyes flicked down to my awaiting body. He held a beer in one of his tattooed hands and he was a hard slab of muscle beneath my finger tips.

When Xavier left Nick to help Emily with the food, Nick turned to me.

"Alright, baby?" He asked, his bright eyes focused on me. I nodded.

"I love your family." I said with a smile. "They're very welcoming."

"Of course they are, I've never brought a girl back to meet the family." He smiled my way, blowing me backwards at the sight of it. It had the ability to make any woman a panty dropper for him.

When did I ever get so lucky?

"Then I must be special." I replied back, humour dripping from my voice.

"You have no fucking idea." Nick muttered. He then turned from my body as he smelt the food coming our way. Nick took two burgers off of the tray and gave one to me with a small smile. I took it off of him gratefully.

With a burger in one hand and a beer in the other, he looked so appetising it hurt. I took his form in, drinking him in like a dog on heat. I tingled.

"Stop." I heard Nick's strangled voice come out from beside me. My eyes latched on to his in surprise. "Stop looking at me like that when we're in public. You don't want to be bent over the table in front of my family, do you?"

"I wouldn't mind being bent over." I shrugged as I smirked. He shook his head with exasperation before eating the remaining part of his burger. He then laid down his bottle on the table before grabbing my burger and putting it beside the half empty bottle.

Nick proceeded to grab my wrist before pulling me indoors. We met Emily on the way.

"Where are you taking her?" Emily asked Nick. Nick didn't stop in his tracks and Emily had a large smirk on her face, as if she knew exactly what was happening.

I didn't blush, I didn't need to. If Xavier was anything like Nick, she would have understood.

"We won't be long." Nick let out as he took me through the renaming parts of the house. However, just as we got to the front door, it opened. A man I had never met before entered the house which caused Nick to stop dead in his tracks.

As soon as the two men caught sight of each other, they both bristled with tension. Nick stood before me, his body stiff and unforgiving. I looked between the two men, really not sure what was happening.

The man before me was tattooed and had a ruffled dirty blond hairstyle. He was handsome, in his very own way. He didn't top Nick, I didn't think anyone would.

His eyes suddenly flickered down to mine, he smirked. Nick moved to the side to cover my body as he continued to stare the man down. It was clear to see these two men hated each other with a passion, what for? I didn't know.

Nick took hold of my hand behind him. I squeezed him tight.

"We've got places to be." Nick stated, his voice deep and menacing.

"Where are you going?" The man asked back.

"None of your business." Nick snapped. I heard the deep chuckle resonate across all walls. Nick stiffened.

"Why don't you stay? Introduce me to your girl, Nick."

"Fuck off." Nick growled.

"I'm just trying to be friendly." He feigned innocence, it didn't sound genuine.

"I've told you to fuck off."

"Introduce me."

With a huff, Nick took a hold of my hand and stormed off in the opposite direction, back out in to the back yard. He mumbled childishly under his breath as I struggled to keep up with him.

As soon as we got outside, Nick let go of my hand and stormed up to Xavier who was holding Emily tightly in his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me Michael was going to be here?" Nick hissed their way. Xavier patted him softly on the back as guilt was evident in his eyes.

Catching sight of me, Emily left Xavier's arms and made her way over to me. I was grateful somebody was going to save me, or maybe to tell me what the hell was going on.

"I'll just let them boys talk." She said sheepishly. I looked to her, one brow arching.

"Who's Michael?"

"An old pal, I suppose." She shrugged. "Nick and Michael don't get along, at all." Emily laughed nervously.

What is it she wasn't telling me?

"Why not?"

"They're similar people, personality clash and all that."

"Are you lying?" I asked. Emily looked to me, a piece of hair in between her finger and her thumb. She couldn't look at me, she wouldn't.

"No." She huffed. "Yes." She turned to me and whined. "Don't tell Nick I told you, please, you've got to promise me." Her hands came across to squeeze my shoulders as she pleaded.

"I won't." I replied. "I promise."

"Right." Emily took hold of my hand until we were seated in the living room, away from prying ears. She sat down beside me. "Michael is a bit of a man slag, just like Nick."

I looked to her, she spluttered.

"Not anymore!" She shrieked. She calmed herself down before continuing. "What I mean is-"

"I know what you mean." I replied, to urge her to continue with the original story.

"Anyway, they've always been in competition with each other, especially when it comes to the women they sleep with. They've had each others sloppy seconds, so on so forth-"

"Gross." I scrunched my nose up in disgust. The jealousy moving inside my body was painful, it twisted around my heart and pulled. I didn't want to think about Nick and his activities with other women. I tried to forget about it, so it wouldn't effect me. But truthfully, it hurt more than anything.

"Yeah." Emily sighed. "That's all there really is to it."

"Is that it?" I asked. There had to be more to it than that, their hatred for each other rolled off of them in waves.

"That's it."

"Then why wasn't I allowed to know?"

"Nick is very clear that Xavier and I are not to tell you personal matters. I kind of agree with him, he's always been so reserved and I suppose he would rather tell you himself." Emily stated. "It's not nice hearing things from others when it should be from him."

"You're going on like they're all bad things."

"Most of them are, I'm sure he's told you something, right?" She looked to me, her eyes on mine with intensity. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. No, Nick hadn't told me anything about his past or who he was before I met him.

Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Shouldn't he have told me something by now? What was he keeping from me?

Shit, I had all these questions running around my head but no answers. The only person to give me the answer was the man outside, going rampant because his frenemy had entered the building.

"By the look on your face, he hasn't told you anything has he?" I shook my head in reply. "That's okay, it takes time, it's a hard thing telling someone else about your past."

It was hard, I knew that first hand. I had laid myself open to Nick and he hadn't even bothered to meet me halfway.

Irritation started swimming around in my veins.

"It is hard." I repeated. It was fucking awful, the worst thing I ever had to do was to tell Nick about my scarring past.

With that, I got up from the sofa with a quick smile to Emily. We were going to get along so well.

"You're the best." I stated her way.

"Don't have to tell me twice." She smiled back. I gave her a quick hug as a thank you. A thank you for telling me something Nick should have told me and a thank you for letting realisation dawn on me.

I needed to know more about Nick. Would he be open to tell me? I didn't know, but I had to find out.

I left the living room and made my way back outside. Now, Nick was sat on the table with a sulking expression in his face. I went over to him.

"Hey." He wrapped his arm around me.

"Hey."

"Are you sulking?" I asked. He looked to me and smiled.

"I guess I am." He shrugged before taking another swig of beer.

"Aren't you driving?"

"We could always get a taxi." He shrugged again. Simple. It was always that simple with Nick.

"I need to ask you something." I stated. His brow arched as he looked to me. "Why haven't you told me anything about your past?"

Suddenly, Nick stood up straight.

"What's Emily said?" He asked, his eyes setting in to panic but his lips going straight. He didn't look happy, not one bit.

"Nothing." I let out quickly. I didn't want her getting in to trouble, not when she hadn't done anything wrong. "I was just wondering why you haven't told me anything."

"There's nothing to tell you, that's why." Nick let out. "I had a boring childhood and a boring adult hood."

"Nick-"

"Enough." He snapped. His eyes were swimming with irritation.

"Nick-"

"I said enough." His voice took on a menacing tone.

Jesus, I was just asking, he didn't have to speak to me like that.

With that, I huffed his way before turning my back to him and stalking forward.

"Cathy!" He called after me. I ignored him. "Shit." He whispered.

I continued to walk forward until the next thing I knew, I was stalking forward in to a hard chest. The wind was knocked out of my body as I crashed.

"Woah." The voice came out. "Watch out, sweetheart." I looked up and found myself face to face with Michael himself. He really was handsome, but he did nothing for me.

His tattooed arms came out to steady me. I couldn't help but flinch away.

"You should watch where you're going." He smirked my way, his eyes alight with humour. I turned my head but Nick was not in his current position. No, he had gone, disappeared just like that.

"You should watch where you're going, too." I stated. "It takes two to tango." I pushed past his body and made my way in to the kitchen. I grabbed a drink from the counter.

Michael followed me in to the kitchen until he was leaning against one counter. He watched me.

"You seem pissed off." I took hold of my drink again and took a swig. Oh, he was observant. Of course I was pissed off, I had every right to be. I didn't mean to pry, I would never do it to be nosy, I just thought he'd tell me something, lay a little bare just like I had to him. In fact, I was all too quick in telling him my dirty secrets.

When I ask about his past, he talked to me like some little child. I wasn't going to stand for that.

"I am." I stated back. I had no shame.

"What's he done this time?" He smirked.

"That's none of your business." God, I was starting to sound exactly like Nick.

"Well, if you're not happy with him-"

"I'm more than happy, thank you." More than anyone would ever know. Nick made me forget things I've always wanted to forget. He made me happy, made me feel things. I had never felt so alive. This man had a nerve.

My irritation was growing by the second.

Suddenly, Michael stalked forward. I walked back until my back hit the back door. He continued to stalk my way.

"What are you doing?" I questioned, warning in my voice.

"You're Nick's girl, but I'd happily make you my girl." He smirked. "Tell me, have you had sex yet?"

"Get the fuck away from me." I spat.

"Come to me when he dumps you on the street." He said. I couldn't swallow past the lump in my throat.

"He's not going to leave me." I said confidently. "We like each other. We're together."

"He's amped things up a bit, has he?" He mused. Michael took a piece of my hair in between his fingers. "That's not like him."

"I'll kick you in the balls." I threatened. Michael chuckled.

"I love how feisty you are." He said my way.

"You think this is a joke?" I questioned. "Nick's my boyfriend, so get the fuck away from me."

"I can give you more."

"No-"

"Yes." His stubborn voice came back out. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Leave me alone." I punctuated every word.

"Cathy, you know he's not worth your-" before he could finish his statement, Nick had him by the throat.

I gasped loudly as I took in their figures. Michael was held against the pillar in the kitchen whilst Nick's hand was wrapped around his neck. He held on so tightly, Michaels face went red almost immediately.

"She's mine." Nick growled. I stood still, in shock at the sight of them.

Fuck, Nick would kill him, I knew he would.

"Get the fuck off me." Michael wheezed. Nick let go of his throat, but before Michael could move, Nick laid a hard punch to his face. Michael fell to the floor.

"I gave you all my sloppy seconds, you could take them, I didn't give a fuck, but this girl's mine. Touch her again and I'll kill you." Nick spat.

"I want her, too." Michael let out.

"She's fucking mine!" Nick roared. He laid a kick to his rib cage, Michael groaned out.

"Jesus, Nick." I gasped, not knowing what to do or how to stop this. Nick's knuckle was bleeding from the impact, but he didn't seem to notice the pain.

As if they could hear the noise coming from the kitchen, Xavier and Emily came running in to the room. Xavier took a hold of Nick as soon as he saw the scene. Emily stood with her hand across her chest.

"Nick, I swear to God, this kitchen is new." Emily moaned. "There's blood everywhere." She looked distraught at the mess.

It was clear to see that Emily was used to the fights that went down in her life. It was also clear to see that none of them had taken place in her kitchen.

"Lay another hand on her, mate, and I will fucking kill you." Nick growled. "She's not just another lay, she's my girlfriend and she's fucking mine. Go and find someone else to play your mind games with because this girl is taken."

"Nick, that's enough." Xavier let out.

"She's mine." Nick said again. His eyes were wild with panic and anger as he looked to the man beneath him.

"I know, Nick, I know. Come on." Xavier tried to get him to move, but he was still out of control. His chest heaved as he stood there. My heart broke just looking at him, he was so distressed.

"Nick, move away, baby." I said. I moved forward, Xavier looked to me with warning but I ignored him. Nick was my boyfriend, he needed me.

I took his face softly in to my hands and waited until his eyes finally flickered my way. As soon as he took me in, he sighed, relief evident throughout. Without another warning, Nick smashed his lips down to mine with violence and roughness.

I didn't care about the people around us, not when Nick needed me the way he did.

"Don't you miss the passion, Xavier?" Emily asked dreamily. I couldn't hear her, not when the blood was rushing around my body with need.

"I give you passion, Angel." Xavier mused. "You know I'm still waiting for baby number two."

"Before you get excited, I'm going to check on our first spawn." Emily sighed. "All this noise and my baby's probably still sleeping." Emily left the scene before her.

My arms wrapped around Nick's neck as I pulled him tighter to my body. The anger and irritation of the last hour was evident in the way he kissed me. I loved it, loved the need and passion he exerted in to it. It got me all kinds of hot.

"Come on." I heard Xavier grunt as he picked up the body on the floor. He carried him out of the kitchen and took him else where. Michael groaned as he was moved.

"Nick." I moaned against Nick's lips as soon as we were alone.

"I'm sorry." He took my face in to his large hands. I sighed at his touch. "I'm a mess, I have been since I've met you. Everything you do makes me crazy."

"You know you're not the only one."

"It's easier when you know how much you deserve."

"And you don't?" I asked. I searched his eyes for something, anything, but he was blank. All I saw was the affection shining my way.

"I see you in my dreams, kissing men who are not me." He whispered. "I see you finding what you deserve."

"Nick, I only want you, why can't you see that?"

"I wake up gutted, gutted that I know I'm not what you need. But, I'm happy, happy you could see your way past me. I'm fucking selfish, Cathy, I'll keep you because I don't want you to go, even when I know you're better off without me."

"Don't be fucking stupid." I snapped. "You're everything I needed, you're everything I have ever wanted."

I loved him, why couldn't he see that?

I admit it now, I fucking loved him.

And there was nothing I could do about it.

"You fight for me, and that means a lot to me." I mentioned, just as realisation had hit me like a ton of bricks. It scared me, but I reveled in the way it felt.

"You deserve to be fought for."

And even though I couldn't quite believe him, I took his face in to my hands and kissed him again.

"Nick, do you believe in magic?"

He replied, "No." against my lips.

"Okay." I smiled.

"That was random." He stated.

I shrugged but I didn't say another word. I looked to him, stared right in to his soul. I wish he could feel the way I felt for him, I wish he would know without me having to tell him and scare him off.

He looked right back at me, his eyes almost searching my soul in return.

I love you, Nick.

He blinked, but he didn't say a word.

_____

Just to be clear, Cathy did not say she loved him out loud, she said it in her head to him, wishing he would see it without her having to say it a loud.

Anyway. Hope you all enjoyed:)

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