Tony angrily reached out, dug his fingers through her hair and yanked her up with enough force that Ellie winced.
"Don't goad me into doing something I'll regret." He said irritably, capturing her jaw in a tight grip. He forced her to look at him. "I'm sorry for hitting you. But you should've known better than to have bitten me."
Ellie’s attempt to remain calm proved difficult, but she managed while her mind worked, trying to figure a way out of her current situation. She knew she shouldn't have trusted the two-faced snake. It was stupid of her for giving him the benefit of the doubt. Now that mistake could prove to be her last, if she didn't quickly think of something. Ellie forced her animosity down and looked at him, finding it hard to believe that she'd once found his obsidian gaze mesmerizing.
"I didn't mean to bite you, Tone, but I didn't appreciate having your tongue down my throat." She said evenly. "I understand you want us to be a family, but you have to understand that you can't just show up out of the blue and expect everything to be perfect between us. I'm glad that you stopped using, but it's going to take so much more than that for us to be a family." His grip slackened somewhat for which Ellie breathed a sigh of relief.
"I know baby, I know," Tony's hands framed her face, the pads of his thumbs simultaneously caressing Ellie's cheeks. "I know it takes time and I'm willing to stick around to make this work. But you have to stop looking your pretty nose down at me." The hands tightened enough to make a pucker out of Ellie's lips.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Ellie raised her knee and smashed it into Tony's solar plexus, hastily shoving him away when he doubled over in pain. Armed with a butcher knife, Ellie hedged towards the phone hanging on the wall and grabbed the headset. She pressed the "speak" button and heard the dial tone beeping back at her.
"Put the fucking phone down, Ellie."
Ellie pressed the first two digits of 91, "Get the fuck out of my house before I have the cops swarming this place, I'm sure they won't be too happy if they saw that in your pocket." She pointed with the butcher knife at the syringe playing hide and seek from Tony's pant pocket.
Raising his hands in surrender, Tony slowly grinned. "Alright, I'm gone. But I'll be seeing you real soon, Ells, believe that."
"Get the hell out!"
Ellie followed him, butcher knife firmly in hand; she didn't breathe until she slammed the door behind her, setting the locks and door chain for good measure. Sophie's fervent cries pulled Ellie from her temporary state of shock and too soon she was taking the stairs two at a time.
Sophie was standing in her crib, her hands holding tightly to the wooden bars. Her cries increased in volume until Ellie gathered her in her arms. Gently, Ellie lowered Sophie's head to her shoulder and rubbed her back in soothing circles.
"Shhh, it's Ok, Sophie, Mama's here now, it's Ok baby, shhh..." Ellie softly cooed as she bounced Sophie up and down.
Having come to depend on Gabe's silent strength, Ellie wished he were there now instead of out with his friends, but instantly admonished herself for her selfishness. Gabe had practically murdered his social life for them. It was a wonder he even had friends left. For all the things he's done for them, Gabe deserved some time for himself.
Releasing a shuddering breath, Ellie blinked away the tears. Her nerves were frayed and she had to get herself under control, if she had any chance of soothing her daughter.
"Ok, sweetheart, how about you and I go downstairs and get something to drink, hmm?" On their way out the door Ellie stopped to wipe at the tears on Sophie's cheeks.
"Nicky...want Nicky."
Ellie sighed at those hiccupped words. This wasn't exactly the first time Sophie had voiced her need for the dark haired man who had become so much more to them both. Just earlier today, she had had to quell a temper tantrum when Sophie had demanded that Ellie call Nicholas over so they could have playtime. That had been around seven in the morning and Ellie hadn't been the least pleased.
But she really couldn't blame Sophie for missing Nicholas. Ellie missed him too, so much that it was becoming a problem. She'd definitely fallen for him, so hard, so fast and so unexpectedly. Nicholas was under her skin now and Ellie didn't know how to get rid of him. Despite what her mind said, her heart refused to believe there was something sinister resting beneath that alluring smile.
The sound of the doorbell drew Ellie from her musings.
"Nicky!" Sophie cheered, lifting her head from Ellie's shoulder. She joyously clapped, her tears forgotten as she bounced off her mother's hip.
"It's not, Nicky." Ellie stated firmly, her overzealous child naturally ignored her as they made their trek to the first floor. She hoped it wasn't Tony either back for a second round. Just to be sure, Ellie grabbed the phone from the last step, where she dropped both the phone and knife in her haste to reach Sophie.
Cursing the fact that they didn't have a peephole, Ellie vowed she'd drill one before the week was out. She took a fortifying breath before she unlocked both of the top locks, leaving the chain in place as she opened the door.
"Nicky!" Sophie squirmed, attempting to free herself even while Ellie stared at her in amazement. "Mama!" It seemed Ellie wasn't moving fast enough for her, so Sophie closed the door and struggled with the chain.
"Ok, Ok, relax monster I'm getting to it." Ellie pulled the chain from its slot and reopened the door. "Soph!" Nicholas easily caught her and laughed when she hugged him.
"Hey there, kiddo." He dropped a kiss on her forehead. "Did you miss me?"
Sophie vigorously shook her head. "Miss, Nicky."
"Missed you too, babe."
The scene evoked thoughts in Ellie that she wouldn't dare entertain. They weren't really even dating yet, for Christ sakes!
Ellie shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Are you hungry?" God! She sounded like a housewife.
As if aware of her internal battle, Nicholas looked down at her with those unnerving stone grey eyes and wittingly smiled at her expanse.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Ellie nodded. "Uh, come in, I was just going to grab some milk for Soph and then tuck her in."
"Mind if I help?"
"I don't think you have much of a choice." She said leading them first to the kitchen to grab Sophie's sippy cup and then upstairs to Sophie's room. Nicholas set her down in her crib and with a fleeting run of his fingers through her hair, stepped away, allowing Ellie to kiss her daughter goodnight. They exited soon after and made their way back downstairs.
"She's been crooning for you all day; I think you've made her exceptionally happy just by showing up." Ellie said with a smile. "She missed you."
"I missed her too," Nicholas took hold of her arm and turned Ellie to face him. "I missed you too." He said poignantly then lowered his head to plunder the treasure that was Ellie's lips.
Ellie's eyes fluttered shut, welcoming the kiss. Nicholas gathered her close, his arms spanning her waist and Ellie's hands settled on his shoulders, fingers trailing effortlessly to the hair at his nape. The kiss was achingly gentle, so sweet that Ellie felt the goose bumps forming across her skin. Nicholas' tongue brushed lightly against hers, a lover's caress. It whispered along her lips and left her wanting more. The sensual thrill had her lightheaded and when Nicholas finally permitted Ellie breath, her knees buckled and she would've fallen, had it not been for his unrelenting hold.
"Don't look so cocky," Ellie chided sighting that damnable smirk.
"I would never." The cocky smirk belied his words.
Nicholas instantly noticed the the burgeoning bruise on Ellie's cheek with a frown. "What happened?" Ellie winced as Nicholas brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek and watched as his frown deepened.
"Tony happened, that two-faced junkie, I knew I shouldn't have trusted him."
Proud of how well he reined in his anger, Nicholas asked, "Are you alright?"
Ellie nodded, "I'm fine. He just caught me by surprise. I just feel so stupid for thinking he'd changed."
&nbs
p; "Did you want him to?' he asked carefully.
"Well, yeah. Despite our history, I do wish him well. It's just---I don't know, it would've been nice to see him clean, you know? Start a better a life for himself so he could finally be a part of Sophie's life." Ellie wearily sighed, resting her head against Nicholas's shoulder. "I'm just glad you're here. Stay with me?"
"You couldn’t keep me away." He kissed her on top of her head, holding her close.
Nicholas’s fingers sifted through her hair stopping every now and then to soothingly scratch her scalp. Ellie happily sighed. This was the most relaxed she'd been in a long while. The fingers in her hair, the gentle circular motion of the hand at her back and the sound of Nicholas's steady heart beat beneath her ear, lulled Ellie into a quiet sense of serenity.
The flickering scenes from the muted television screen cast shadows in the darkened living room. Content in the comfortable silence, Ellie and Nicholas basked in the other’s company, speaking only when absolutely necessary. The subject of Nicholas' family arose a while ago and Ellie had listened attentively while Nicholas vented, providing an input only when he'd asked for it.
"Something else is bothering you." Ellie said a little while later, sensing the tension in his body. She toyed with the silver pendant hanging from the chain around his neck. "I can feel it. Talk to me, Nicky."
The Bet. The dreaded thought smashed against the walls of Nicholas's mind like a deathly blow and he winced. Several times over the last few weeks he'd tried to come up with the best way to tell Ellie about the Bet, but none of the scenarios he'd conjured had been pleasant. Now Nicholas was forced to tell her and he didn't know exactly how to go about doing that.
Ellie sensed Nicholas’s agitation. She immediately rose and stared at him, concern in her expressive hazel eyes. Guilt and sorrow had him on tenterhooks, bile skimmed the back of Nicholas' throat and he had to swallow a few times to rid himself of the bitterness. He pulled away from the hand that reached out to comfort him, knowing that he didn't deserve her comfort.
"Nicky---"
Nicholas held up his hands, cutting off Ellie. With growing concern, Ellie watched as he raked his fingers through his hair. He sighed heavily, the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders. Ellie made another attempt to touch him but was taken aback by the forceful "No." that followed Nicholas's abrupt rise from the couch.
"Don't…just don't…" The anguish painted on his face had Ellie on her feet.
"Nicholas," she hedged closer, taking his hands in hers when he allowed her close enough. "God Nicky, you're shaking. What is it? You're scaring me." He was usually so composed and grounded, so to see him this way unnerved Ellie.
The fear on her face didn't help matters at all. Nicholas blew out a sigh, hoping that an ounce of the misery flooding his lungs would escape with it.
"I've done some pretty fucked up things in my life and I've have never, ever felt the need to repent for them. I've purposefully hurt people to make them feel as horribly as I felt inside." He pulled away from her, knowing he wouldn't be able to withstand the revulsion that would inevitably come, once he'd explained his misdeeds.
"What are you saying?" Ellie asked, watching him as he paced the length of her living room.
"I'm saying that I intentionally slept with people, made them fall in love with me and destroyed them in the worst possible way. You were my next conquest. I took a bet out on you, Ellie, vowing that I'd get you in bed within a month and get proof of the deed, all for a goddamned bike."
It would've been more effective had he reached into her chest and yanked out her heart with his bare hands. Breathing was a challenge, forming words was nearly impossible. The fact that she even managed to take a step back from him as he reached out for her was a feat.
"Ellie please…please…"
"A bet?" she asked softly, voice sounding strange to even her own ears.
"Only for the first two weeks, Ellie, I swear it to you." Ellie took another step back as Nicholas took one forward.
"That's supposed to make it better? I let you get close, Nicholas...let you get near my daughter and you took a fucking bet on me? You deliberately set out to hurt me?" She sounded incredulous. The notion of his betrayal seemed inconceivable.
Nicholas could've settled for her enmity, even if she'd threatened bodily harm he would've been able to withstand it. But this---this raw hurt frozen over glassy hazel eyes was just too much.
With lightening quick reflexes Nicholas gathered her in his embrace, his grip unyielding, holding steadfast in the face of her struggles. With the passion of a thousand fools in love, he declared it so. "I'm a selfish, cruel and possessive guy, have been for all my life. But the very moment I'm in your presence, the very moment you smile at me, I want to be a different man. I become a different man." His words were fever hot against her ear and when he pulled her away, Nicholas anchored his gaze to hers, needing her to understand the depths of his emotions.
He needed her to understand the drastic changes his soul was undergoing. It was all for her, because of her. "I can stand here and tell you how much I regret taking on that bet, Ellie, but I can't do that. Meeting you, getting to know you, being around you has been the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Their foreheads and bodies pressed achingly close together that it barely left room for anything else. "It physically hurts me to know that I've hurt you like this and I'm so sorry, Ellie. Please…please forgive me." Words provoked tears, blurring her vision.
"Why should I believe you?" she croaked glaring up at him despite the tears that fell.
"Because I love you." He emphatically replied. "I love you so much that it scares me, Ellie. But life isn't life without you. I'm a better me because of you."
What exactly was a girl to say after all that? A declaration of undying love from a man who didn't even seem capable of understanding the depths behind those words. Yet, here he was, the venerable reincarnate of Casanova himself surrendering his heart at her feet and had Ellie not seen it herself, she would've never believed it possible.
The depths of his emotions were written across his face, the intensity in steel grey eyes so daunting that Ellie had to look away. If Nicholas was lying to her, then Ellie truly had to give it up to him because no one could fake that depth of emotion.
"Did you call it off?" She was dying to speak the three letter words pinching at her lips, but first Ellie needed to understand a few things.
"Yes."
She pulled away from him, but still allowed him to hold her hands. "And Maddie, she was part of your games, wasn't she? That's why she didn't want me to be around you?" God, poor Maddie. The pain she must've felt.
"Yes."
She'd expected it, but the answer still felt like a punch to the stomach.
"Am I the last?" Nicholas's grip on her hand tightened to the point where Ellie feared for her fingers.
"I swear it." He said fervently.
Her smile was slow in coming, still wary. She tentatively wound her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Good." She said simply, incapable of saying those three little words in her current mood.
Realizing he'd been given a second chance, Nicholas held her tightly, praying to whatever deity that was looking out for him that he wouldn't screw up this time.
Chapter Nine
Her grandmother sat in a near apoplectic state of shock. Maddie sat across from her, toying with the frayed sleeves of her hooded sweater. She nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand came to rest on her shoulder, remembering suddenly that they were not alone.
Her concerned "friend" at her side. Tony sat on the armrest of the loveseat Maddie was in, tenderly caressing her neck and Maddie was filled with the need to shrug off that hand. But she wouldn't dare, Tony would cut her off.
“Pregnant, Maddie? How…how?"
She'd always believed her a sweet little girl, virginal…saintly. Maddie inwardly scoffed at that, wondering how her grandmother would react if she told her she'd partic
ipated in her very first orgy only last night? Three guys, one girl. Tony had rewarded her pretty damn well after that.
Summoning enough tears to the surface, Maddie wrung her hands, bit her bottom lip and put enough tremble in her voice to make it believable. "I was…I was raped." Just like they'd practiced.
Tony inwardly grinned. Like a marionette being pulled along on invisible strings, the decrepit hag ran to her granddaughter's side and began to anxiously drill her about what happened. "Who raped you?"
Yes, everything was falling into place. With everyone playing their parts so perfectly, he wouldn’t need to do a damn thing. It would only be a matter of time before he had Ellie again.
"Are you sure about this? I could just stay home…"
Gabe sighed and glared at his goddaughter. "For the last time, Ellie, go. Soph and I will be just fine without you here for the weekend. Go have fun, be a teenager for once."
Ellie lugged the duffel bag over her shoulder. "You do realize this trip is going to be a bunch of teenagers alone in a mountain cabin for two days…unsupervised...me and Nicholas..."
"Do you want me to forbid you to go? Is that what you want to hear?"
"No, but I am wondering why you aren't going ballistic on me knowing that I'm going to be with Nicholas. You just don't seem too phased by this."
Gabe shrugged. "I trust you. You're a smart girl. I know you won't let something happen that you're not ready to let happen. I may not trust Nicholas, but I know I like him a hell of a lot more than I like Tony."
"Thanks Gabe, I know how difficult it is for you to accept him and I love you for trying." Their embrace was cut short by the sound of the doorbell. Ellie's excitement had Gabe rolling his eyes as he followed her to the door.
"Nicholas." Gabe acknowledged, Nicholas nodded in turn then took Ellie's bag away from her. "She comes back pregnant, I'll rip your throat out."
Beautiful Disaster (The Bet) Page 14
