29.

"I need you." Nick breathed. I looked to him with wide eyes. My heart was beating, finally, with happiness. I had Nick back and it seemed as if everything was fine again. I willed my excitement to calm down, but it was just no use.

"Nick." I said his name with relief and victory before scrambling forward and rocketing in to his arms. He caught me, he always did. His arm was like a blanket, it was safety and everything I needed.

"Steady on." He warned, but his arms grasped my body tightly as if he was scared I was going to vanish any second now. He sighed as he laid his nose in my hair. My face was squeezed against his body and literally, I didn't want to be anywhere else.

We stayed in that embrace for what felt like hours but in reality it was only a few minutes. I wanted to stay in his arms forever and never let him go. Him leaving only showed me that I loved this man more than anything and I was never prepared to let him leave me again.

And I meant it.

Forgetting Xavier and Emily were still in the apartment, reality came flooding back to me once I heard a small giggle coming from Emily's mouth. I opened my closed eyes and saw her and Xavier standing before us, smiles on their faces.

"This is the best day ever." Emily gushed.

"Have you forgotten about our wedding day?" Xavier grumbled in reply, but his eyes were a light with humour. Emily only giggled but the loving look she gave her husband told us everything we needed to know. Their day was magical because she was marrying the love of her life.

Would Nick and I ever marry? It was still too soon to be thinking of that but one day I kind of wish we would.

I couldn't really ever imagine my life with somebody else. Not after Nick, not after what he has given me.

The four of us moved from the kitchen and made our way in to the living room. Over coffee, we all talked as if nothing had happened previously. It felt surreal but the hurt was still there, deep inside my bones. I wanted to get over it now I knew what had happened and why Nick did what he did but I just couldn't make sense of it all.

Did he really get someone to kill the man who raped me? I didn't even know he had that streak in him. Was it something I could even live with?

I tried to shake away all of my thoughts. I had Nick back and I didn't ever want to let him go. Ever.

My head was a mess and a lot had happened in the last few days. I felt as if my world was spiralling out of control whilst it was trying to piece itself back together again. I was now in some sort of bitter sweet bliss and I didn't know what to make of it all.

When did life start to become easier?

"Nick, you were so stupid to let her go in the first place." Emily's voice pierced through the air like a knife and we all turned to look at her. She sat there, her face a mixture of happiness but also annoyance at Nick.

Nick didn't say a word. He couldn't. He didn't want to tell his family about what he had done and also about my own back story. We were both hiding things and it didn't necessarily feel good.

"Come on, Cathy, I'll take you home." Nick got up from the sofa he was perched on, his body a mass of lean muscle and sexiness.

"But-"

As I was speaking, Nick gave me a glare to tell me that he wanted me to follow him. Emily stared his way but Nick didn't pay any attention to it. I followed him out of his apartment and I followed him down to his truck on the driveway.

"What's up?" I asked him. He looked to me as he sauntered forward.

"I didn't want to be the bad guy." He stated quietly as his eyes searched mine. "I know I broke you when I promised myself I wouldn't." He sighed. "I didn't think I could."

"You did what you had to do to protect me and besides, you're back now, aren't you?"

"Emily's looking at me as if I killed her dog."

"She cares for you, Nick. They both do." I exclaimed. They did care for him and I'm glad he had family that did.

"And they care for you too, especially Emily."

"They want to see you happy."

Nick sighed again before leaning against his truck. It was like he was all out of energy, all out of run. I watched him lean his head against his truck. Even like this, he was hot.

His facial hair was out growing and his messy hair looked unkept.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" He lifted his head to look at me as he asked the words.

"What about Xavier and Emily?" I asked.

"They have a key to my apartment. They can let themselves out."

"Are you-"

"I'm sure Cathy. I just want to be alone with you." He answer was blunt but it fired a light inside of me. "And you can get that look off your face this instance."

"What look?"

"The look you always give me when you want me. I want you, too, Cathy, so fucking much but I want to wait for now. We have all the time in the world, don't we?"

I was hoping he was right.

And yes, I did want him. It had felt so long being without him and I wanted nothing more than to have him, to know he really was mine again. The connection had been lost and I needed it back.

"Yeah, we do."

********

Nick and I decided to go back to my dads house. Well, mostly I decided. Nick was a little hesitant on the idea once he found out I had told my dad everything.

Nick and Glenn were bestfriends, I hoped they would sort themselves out and not start something out of nothing. I knew my dad was protective over me and he couldn't help that.

"He's going to hate me, you know?" Nick mentioned. I looked to him as he parked the truck in the driveway.

"He won't hate you, he's-" just as I was about to continue, I heard the front door open from my opened window and once I looked, I saw my father storm out of the house in a hurry.

He rounded his way up to the truck and looked at Nick with glaring eyes through my opened window.

"What have you got to say for yourself?" He snapped. Nick looked at him, his face not giving away anything. You wouldn't have known how he was feeling.

"It's all in control, Glenn." He tried to brush the whole thing off. I internally laughed, as if that was going to make my father okay again.

"It's not in control, Nicholas. You've broken my daughter's heart and yet here you are. I will literally kick your ass."

"Glenn, don't push it." I could tell Nick was becoming agitated but Glenn was right. Nick had broken my heart and he did deserve a verbal thrashing from my father.

But then again, Nick had told me everything now. I understood exactly why he did what he did and I had no right telling him it was the wrong thing to do. All he did was try to protect me.

"Dad, everything's okay again." I said to him, trying to give him my sweetest smile. I wanted him to feel as if I was protected again. From the bags under his eyes to the tiredness slouch he now possessed, my father was evidently tired and worn out. Because of me.

The thought was sobering.

"I'm okay, Nick's okay. I'm safe." I grabbed my father's hand and squeezed gently. He squeezed it back before sighing and closing his eyes tightly.

"Glenn, I am so sorry for what I did to your daughter. I didn't mean to leave her when she needed me the most, the truth is, I fucking love her and I'd do anything to protect her. You have to believe me." Nick's outward affection was shocking.

Nick had never been in to public affection really. We kissed in public and had held hands before but when it came to words, they were reserved for the two of us.

To hear him say the words to my father was a shock. I wanted him to tell the world just who he loved so the more he said it, the more I believed him.

"Of course I believe it." He looked to Nick intently. "I know a man in love when I see one."

"So I'm forgiven?" Nick asked. I looked to my father and his lips twitched in to a small smile.

"You are forgiven." He stated. "But you're on your last warning."

"I got it, boss." He tipped his head but the smile was evident on his face. I knew it was a relief for Nick to know he had my father on side again. It meant a lot to me too.

Just as my father was about to move away from the truck, Nick caught his attention.

"Glenn, can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked. Glenn nodded and Nick got out of the car.

"Can I know the secret?" I asked out of the open window. Glenn smiled but Nick shook his head.

"Sorry, babe. It's boy stuff." He waved me off and I huffed in annoyance. "Don't look cute, it's not going to work." He chuckled slowly and my toes curled in my trainers.

God, Nick.

I watched Nick as he walked with my father. Their lips were moving but the more I strained my ears to hear them, the less I could. I huffed again. It was useless and I was just being too curious.

I saw my father smile and then Nick smiled in relief afterwards. With that, they shook hands, clasped each others back and Nick sauntered his way back to the truck.

"Everything okay?" I asked. He looked to me and smiled.

"It is now." He clasped my knee and turned the ignition on again.

"We're not staying?" I asked.

"I thought we could go back to mine. Emily and Xavier should be at their own house by now and I have other things on my mind." He looked to me with a wicked look.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" I gave him a small smirk but the fire was already lit inside of me and I was just fit to burst.

It had been so long and I needed him. It was evident.

"You're just going to have to wait and see." He winked before turning back to the road and getting the vehicle in motion.

Feeling playful and extremely happy, for a change, I grabbed his knee. His eyes flickered my way for a second but I didn't look at him.

Once his eyes were back on the road, my hand slowly moved further up along his leg. He stiffened beneath me and a growl left his lips.

"What are you doing?" He asked. I didn't say a word, I just moved my hand along his leg until I was close enough for him to stiffen even more. "Don't." He let out a strangled moan. "I'm driving."

"I bet you wish you wasn't." My voice was husky as I spoke. Oh, I was so ready for him.

"I will literally stop this car." He warned. "Please don't push me, you don't realise how much I fucking need you."

"I think I do." I exclaimed. "I love you, don't I?"

"Baby." He groaned. "You're pushing me over the edge."

"Good." I looked triumphant and I hoped he saw it. The shit he put me through lately, he was supposed to feel over the edge. He was supposed to feel at least half the way I did.

Maybe he did? I mean, if what he was saying was true then it must have been a shit time for him too.

Finally, however, we were nearly back at Nick's apartment. I was so excited I could barely contain myself for the night ahead. I couldn't wait to get Nick all alone.

But as soon as Nick's truck rounded the parking lot outside of his apartment, we both knew something was wrong almost straight away.

A police car was evident outside of the apartment complex in all of its fearful glory. I took it in, my heart beating a mile a minute at the sight of it and this time not from the excitement.

Why was it here?

Once the figures saw us approach, they got out of the vehicle and made their way up to the truck. Nick didn't say a word, his body looking relaxed and not in the worst bit frightened. Me, however, I was a nervous wreck.

"Nick." I whispered his name but he gave me a reassuring look. He took hold of my hand and squeezed before letting it go gently.

"Don't panic." His words did nothing but make me panic more.

The police officers went to Nick's side of the truck and Nick rounded down his window.

"Sir, can we ask you to leave the vehicle please?" A deep voice came out of a very tall man.

"Derek, what is this all about?" Nick obviously knew the man before us.

"We need to ask you again to leave the vehicle." He was adamant.

Nick sighed before opening the door. I looked to him with wide eyes and I opened my truck door quickly to be beside him.

What the hell was going on? I was shaking.

"I'm sorry to say this, Nick, but we are arresting you on suspicion of murder." The other man's voice came out and I collapsed to the floor at the words. I didn't hear him say anything else.

Nick stood there, his posture calm but his eyes fixed directly on me. He was shouting my name as they handcuffed his hands behind his back but I couldn't hear him.

This was going to break us if he was found guilty of this charge. He was going to spend years in prison. How did they find out he was involved in this?

Just as soon as I had him back.

"Cathy!" Nick shouted again. This time, I heard him and I looked up to him. I was in shock, I had to have been. "It's going to be okay, I promise you."

"Nick." I said his name. They started pulling his body to the police car and I stood up and ran with him. "Nick, please!" I was scared. I was so scared.

"I'll be out before you know it, Angel." He said, his voice so calm. How could he be so calm?! "I love you. I love you so fucking much."

"Nick, no." I sobbed. "Don't go."

"Say it back, Cathy. Tell me how much you love me." He demanded gently as he was pulled. They opened the door and they pushed him inside.

"I love you!" I shouted as they slammed the door shut behind him.

His face in the window was one that would haunt me forever.

I was sure of it.