Never and Always

by Khardine Gray

  As he hit the ground, his hand opened up and her necklace rolled across his palm and onto the floor.

  She went to pick it up but Nick got to it first. Initially, he didn’t recognize it, but just as he was about to hand it over to her he did.

  She watched the recognition fill his handsome face and he held it up to the light to look at it properly.

  “I gave this to you,” he said, gazing deeply into her eyes.

  “Yeah.” She took it when he handed it to her and immediately felt embarrassed. Embarrassed for hanging onto a gift he’d given her when she was eighteen, and embarrassed for all that took place tonight. “Thank you, and thanks for saving it.”

  Mia turned around and walked back to the room; he followed.

  “Mia. Come back.”

  “No. How did you find me?” She couldn’t look at him, because she knew he was thinking about the necklace, and most likely what she’d said earlier about being confused around him. She shouldn’t have said that to him, and now she couldn’t take it back.

  “I’m a private investigator, Mia. It wasn’t that hard. Come back to the house with me.”

  “No.”

  What a disastrous night. Everything was such a mess.

  When she got back inside the room she walked over to the wardrobe and looked at herself in the long mirror as she tried to put her necklace back on. One of the links had loosened. She frowned, but knew she should be lucky the latch itself hadn’t broken. The link would still need fixing, just to be on the safe side, but for tonight she could do this.

  She held the link out and looped it around the next link that would complete the chain. Mia then squeezed it down so that it closed but was slightly bent. She’d fixed plenty necklaces like that in the past. Temporarily. Her favorite ones, like this with it being so special to her, made it to the jewelers to be fixed properly. She would go as soon as she was able to. For now this had to work.

  “I can’t believe you still have that,” he said.

  She glanced at him quickly but then turned back to her reflection.

  He walked over to her and took hold of her arms. The gentleness in his touch soothed her from the horrible encounter she just had with that creepy guy.

  He looked her over, but something in the way he looked at her had changed.

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “A little.” Her head hurt from where she was shoved into the wall.

  “Where, baby?” He held her gaze.

  Should she take note that he called her baby instead of babe like he usually did? Was that the same thing?

  “It’s okay. I’m okay.” She tried to fight back more tears.

  Mia felt like hell, as if she’d been chewed up and spat out. She was far from okay, so very far from it.

  “Give me the necklace.” He put out his hand to take it from her.

  She looked at his outstretched hand and set the necklace in the center of his palm.

  Her nerves scattered when he touched her waist, touching the bare skin where her top had come away. He turned her so that her back was facing him and stood closely behind her. She rested against the hard wall of his chest as he smoothed her hair to the side and set the necklace around her neck.

  He clipped the latch and then took a moment to look at them in the mirror.

  She did, too. They looked good together, really good, as if they were a couple. She watched his reaction in the mirror as he looked at them and she wondered what he was thinking.

  The image of them was highlighted even more so when he slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer, keeping his hand on the flat of her stomach. Now she could feel the rapid beat of his heart against her.

  “It looks just as good as it did on you back then. I can’t believe you still have it, and you wear it,” he said in a low voice.

  “You gave it to me,” she replied. “Of course I still have it, and wear it.”

  He must have known how she felt about him. He had to. There was no way that he couldn’t. She’d made it obvious and, despite herself, she knew she was doing it again now.

  Mia could have melted when he pressed his lips to her hair and kissed her head.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t write back to you, Mia, or keep in touch. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to.”

  She turned and looked up, gazing into those magnetic blue eyes of his. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask what he meant by that but she decided it didn’t matter. The compelling energy that pulsed between them made it not matter.

  “It’s okay. It’s in the past now.”

  He brushed his face against hers and stayed there, just inches away from her lips. “Come home and allow me to take care of you. Do not worry about Glenn. Baby, please just come home.”

  She continued to look at him, taking his words in, then nodded.

  He put out his hand for her to take when he stepped out of their embrace. She took it and held onto him.

  Something had changed between them in those few moments.

  Chapter 7

  Something changed in Nick.

  He could feel it. It sparked from the moment Mia confessed the confusion she felt when she was around him.

  But from the moment he realized that the necklace was the very same one he’d given her when she was eighteen, something he couldn’t quite describe changed within him.

  It was something that eradicated all the reasons not to be with her from his mind, and he no longer had that warning sign blocking his way, telling him that she was off limits.

  He took one look at her and saw this perfect being who cared enough for him to value a gift he’d given her just over twelve years ago. There was something significant to be noted about that, and he hadn’t been able to help himself.

  Glenn was right about one thing—when Nick was around Mia, he became a fool. A fool to the attraction he felt for her. While he could control it most times, tonight he’d allowed it to grip him and capture him within its claws. His brain turned to mush and he no longer saw Mia as Glenn’s baby sister.

  He saw her for what she was: an incredibly beautiful woman who treasured a gift he’d given her.

  He remembered the day he gave her the necklace. She looked beautiful then, too. At the time he’d been a Marine for a few years, on an income that would allow him to buy her something meaningful for a special birthday.

  Nick didn’t know at the time just how much it would have meant to her. In her desperation, she could have easily sold it. It cost him just over a thousand bucks. He knew that was crazy, but he felt she was worth it. It would have been worth a lot more now.

  He might have pushed back on his attraction and feelings for her all these years, but he wasn’t stupid or blind. All he had to do was look at her and see that she felt for him, too, and it wasn’t the crush or the phase he’d previously thought she’d grow out of.

  The question now was, what did he do about it?

  The question weighed down on him on the journey home, and even as he watched her go up the stairs to her room.

  He took his time admiring her perfect body and continued to watch until she reached the top and looked back to wave.

  He waved back and turned to go in the kitchen.

  Of all the women Nick had ever known, Mia had been the one to trouble him the most. For years he’d gone from one emotion to the next and had this pent-up attraction driving him crazy.

  Tonight had brought it all to surface, and now that it had he didn’t know how he was going to maintain any form of control.

  Glenn was inside the kitchen sitting at the table. Nick looked at him and reflected on the argument they had earlier. He still felt like punching Glenn, but the strength of their friendship bridled his anger. It always came back to that. Their friendship.

  It was that same friendship that stopped him from crossing the line with Mia. Just the thought of doing something he knew would anger Glenn was enough to stop him.

  That night when Glenn warned Nick away from Mia, he’d s
aid he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea about his behavior towards her. What Nick didn’t tell him was that whatever idea Mia had about him seeing more to their friendship wasn’t wrong.

  “Did you find her?” Glenn asked as Nick leaned on the counter. Glenn twisted around in his chair so that he could face him.

  Nick noticed how troubled he looked and that the annoyance he’d displayed over the last few days had lessoned somewhat.

  “I did,” Nick replied, not bothering to go into details, because what should have happened was Glenn should have gone with him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know she’d be out on the streets at night with no money.

  It was that same basis that he’d gone on when he followed his hunch and went to the motel. First he’d looked around the area hoping he’d find her, but then he headed straight into town and went to the first motel he saw, which also happened to be the cheapest due to the rough area it was located in.

  While he hoped she hadn’t gone there because he knew all kinds of stuff happened in the place, he took a chance and checked it out. He hadn’t been there two minutes when he heard her voice as she called out to the creep who stole her necklace. It infuriated him now as he sat with Glenn that Mia had to go through all of that.

  Who knew what else could have happened? He could have killed the man when Mia said the guy tried to force himself on her. That was Glenn’s fault for being so disgusting in saying that Mia had always disappointed him.

  What a shit thing to say. He didn’t know if he could speak to Glenn right now. It was probably best not to.

  Nick moved away from the counter, went to the fridge to grab some orange juice, and was about to leave the kitchen when Glenn started talking.

  “I know I was wrong to say what I said to her,” he stated.

  Nick turned back to face him. “I’m not the one you should be telling that,” he said firmly. “You know how much she looks up to you, and she seeks your approval in everything.”

  “I know, and it was cruel of me to tell her she’s always disappointed me. I just can’t seem to get past the whole situation. I could have been more sympathetic towards her losing her business, but the two million dollars and the paintings are another matter. We held those accounts jointly and she practically gave this guy our passwords.”

  Nick could understand where Glenn was coming from, and maybe his feelings for Mia were getting in the way of logic, but the way he saw it was that the problem had happened and now it was time to deal with it. Not condemn her forever.

  “She trusted the guy,” Nick offered. “He was her accountant.”

  “And she was involved with him.” Glenn looked annoyed again. “Look, Nick, I know I haven’t exactly acted like the overprotective brother you’re used to seeing, but the truth is this was like a grand slap in the face. I’m furious, really furious, because she took no extra care. And it’s because she has this vulnerability to any man who gives her attention.”

  Nick didn’t think that was true. He knew her, knew her heart and what she liked. He didn’t need to have spent the last few years with her to remember what he knew of her. To him this sounded like one of Glenn’s concerns and reasonings.

  “Glenn, does she look like the kind of woman that needs attention to make her happy?” He had to ask because he was sure that even Glenn could see that his sister was beautiful and didn’t have to grasp at any old person who showed her interest. That was how he was making her out to sound.

  “That’s not what I mean. I mean she’s vulnerable when it comes to men. I know she gets a lot of attention, but she’s not able to distinguish the good from the bad. So they take advantage, like this guy.” Concern filled his eyes, and suddenly Glenn transformed back into the friend that Nick knew. “That’s what I mean, Nick. She’s never been with anyone who didn’t. They all messed her around and I was the one who had to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. They all took advantage, and…you will too.”

  Nick felt his heart still within his chest and his breathing constrict. He wanted to check that he’d heard right but thought better of it when he saw the way Glenn was looking at him.

  “What do you mean by that?” He decided to ask that instead.

  “Nick, please don’t act dumb with me, bro. I see how you look at her. It’s always been the same.”

  “How do I look at her, Glenn?” he challenged.

  Glenn sighed and shook his head. “Like you want her. Please don’t even bother to deny it. You can save the denial for someone like Sawyer, or one of our other friends, but not me. I know you too much, and I am telling you that you look at her like you want her. And you make it obvious, too, by defending her all the time, even when she’s wrong.”

  “I don’t defend her when she’s wrong. If you’re referring to the other day, then I stand by my defense. You practically threw her out,” he lashed back, trying to distract from the fact that Glenn was right about Nick’s obvious feelings for Mia.

  “Okay, I’ll let you have that one. I was out of line again for doing that. But Nick, you always defend her. It’s great, but I know you. I know what you’re like with women.”

  “I’m no different than you.” That wasn’t entirely true. Glenn was wild, threw some crazy parties that always involved strippers, but on a day-to-day level he was average.

  Nick on the other hand was not, and that was why Glenn was now giving him a deep, cold, sarcastic laugh.

  “I won’t even answer that. You’ve always been the playboy showing off your military muscles and tattoos. The women flock to you in droves. I warned you once before, Nick. Years ago. I warned you before about not giving Mia the wrong idea, but I wasn’t as clear as I’m being now.”

  Nick couldn’t believe this. “Glenn—”

  “No.” Glenn held up his hand and cut him off. “I understand the fun you get from all the attention the ladies give you, and it’s cool. But not when it comes to my sister. I won’t allow you to treat Mia like that, especially since it would be worse with you.”

  Nick shook his head at Glenn. “Why?”

  “Because she feels the same for you. Even before you even noticed her, she’s always had a soft spot for you. So please, just don’t go there. Don’t encourage her, and don’t make me have to tell you to stay away from my sister. I will if I have to, because I won’t be okay with it. I won’t be okay with you being with her. I know that because we’re best friends it won’t go that far. I know you’ll respect my wishes.” Glenn kept his gaze on him as he stood.

  The clarity in his words stunned Nick to into silence.

  No, the first warning years ago was definitely not as firm as this one was, and honestly, it threw Nick off balance and made him feel empty. Being told not to give Mia the wrong idea was entirely different from being told that Glenn wouldn’t be okay with Nick being with her.

  The first warning had instilled Nick’s loyalty to Glenn, probably because it wasn’t as harsh and seemed a little more lighthearted. Just now felt more personal.

  Nick watched him as Glenn walked past and went through the door. It wasn’t until the door closed that he released the breath he’d been holding onto.

  Then he felt numb and torn. Last time Nick dealt with the warning, pushed it to the back of his mind because he thought Mia was still going through her phase. Tonight told him different, and the something that changed between them felt like some tangible life force that would make staying away from her a million times harder.

  Nick closed his eyes. In his mind, he recalled Mia pressed against him wearing the necklace. As he’d looked at them both in the mirror he thought they looked good together.

  He told her he’d take care of her, and he still would. But how would he control his feelings for her with Glenn’s warning?

  The only way he could “respect Glenn’s wishes” was to stay away from Mia.

  Nick would never take advantage of her the way Glenn thought he would. He would never. Not with the way he felt about her. He wouldn’t kid himself a
nd put it down to mere attraction. It couldn’t be just that.

  Glenn had done so much wrong over the last few days. He was the one that treated Mia like shit. But now Nick had been placed in the category of guys Glenn thought took advantage of her. How fucking absurd!

  Damn it, this was going to mess with his brain. It was simple when the ball was in his court. Simple when he just assumed there was a problem, but he didn’t realize how much he truly wanted Mia until he was told he couldn’t have her.

  Chapter 8

  She just didn’t understand it, and now she was beginning to wonder if she’d done something wrong.

  Two weeks had passed since that night Nick came to her rescue at the motel. Since then he was different.

  Mia couldn’t explain it, and she didn’t understand. It made her feel foolish for thinking that something had changed between them and there was a connection. But…she’d felt it. She was sure that she felt it.

  He didn’t even hang out with her anymore. Not even in the general sense, like having breakfast together or sitting around snacking while they watched a film. And he was always out. Always busy. She knew he was working on their case, but so were the police.

  How busy could he be that he didn’t have five minutes to spend with her? She really didn’t want to think he was avoiding her, but she couldn’t help it. And of course if he was avoiding her then the next question was why.

  Why would Nick be avoiding her?

  It was bad enough to be here with Glenn, who still wasn’t talking to her, but she thought she’d have Nick.

  The uncertainty and discomfort was starting to get on her nerves and she knew there was only a matter of time before it became too much again. At least her parents had softened up a little and gave her some money to keep her going. But it came with a caution, and a lecture she really didn’t need.

  She knew she’d probably been far too frivolous in the past in their eyes, but she’d more than taken her business seriously and had every intention of rising from the ashes.

  Maybe she’d go somewhere else besides Florida, as it had too many painful memories with all that had happened. Rebuilding was definitely on her to-do list, though.