Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
How will she ever forgive me for this especially after we just got over the Honey Hurdle?
Fuck this shit.
CHAPTER 11
See this is what I don’t want. The constant attention. The scandals and the cameras in my face. I am a freaking scientist for fuck sake. I should not be covered in a jacket, being ushered into a vehicle, trying to hide my face from paparazzi. “Shit,” Nick says beside me while he walks me to where I have no idea. I can’t see shit since he told me to keep my head down. “Back the fuck away from her, asshole,” he shouts to someone. I hear what I think is a bit of a tussle but before I can raise my head, he is ushering me into his car. I am grateful for that since his windows are tinted with dark glass.
The door opens and closes on the driver's side, and he gets in. His hands hit the steering wheel over and over while he curses and shouts to anyone and no one. My heart begins to break for him, for the first time recognizing how hard it must be to live your life in a fishbowl and try to have a semblance of normalcy.
I ache for the obvious pain he is in on the inside, but more frightened that if he doesn’t stop he will injure his hands. I touch his shoulder and say his name, hoping it makes him look at me. “Nick. Nick, please stop,” I say attempting to put my hand on his. He inhales and exhales a few times before turning to me. His eyes are red with rage, but wet with emotion. “Is your hand ok?'' I ask him, subconsciously rubbing it.
“Don’t worry about me, baby. I am worried about you. Are you okay? I know this was scary and not something you are used to. I swear to you I will do everything in my power to protect you and our baby.” His thumb rubs my cheek, but his eyes are on my stomach.
“Kind of hard to protect against something that is your life.” I don’t mean it to sound so snarky, but it is the truth. As a famous athlete he is always being followed, photographed, and written about and such. How do you protect against that?
“That part might be true, but for right now, I am going to take you home with me,” he says it like it is final and starts the car.
“Wait! What? I have to go to back to work, Nick. I can’t just stay…” Leaning over he successfully shuts me up by kissing me. It’s chaste but effective since anytime he is touching me, my mind is not my own. When he pulls back he smirks, knowing he just won this round. Pouting, I cross my arms and sit back.
“Now that you are listening. I know you have a life and work, Petal. But, right now, they are going to follow us everywhere. Do you want them to know where you work right now or where you live? I mean to be fair; it is only a matter of days before they figure out who you are and then all of that will be a moot point, but by then I will have security in place for you and our baby. So, while I get it all worked out, you are going to stay at my house in Hinsdale. It’s a fortress.”
He is not lying. I remember seeing the Cribs magazine, athlete edition, and when they showed his massive mansion, it looked just like a fortress. A beautiful fortress, but fortified with spiked fences and an armed guards station. During the interview, the reporter asked him why he needed so much security and most athletes say something funny or give a scripted response like ‘why not?’ but not Nick. He looked her in her eye and said something that didn’t ring half as valid then as it does right now. He said, “I may be a celebrity, Barb, but I am also a person. A human with a life, friends and family who should be able to come see me without worrying about their own privacy. I am entitled to have a space that is mine and cannot be infiltrated by people who only see me as a commodity and when I finally have a family of my own, so will they.” Ha! Who knew that would be sooner rather than later and with me?
“Car, text Bolton. Tell him to meet me at home, ASAP!” Oh crap. That means he is going to bring Sassy, which means the jig is up. The car ride is quiet, but comfortable and calming. His fists, which are still red and gripping the steering wheel like he thinks it is going to fall off, still look angry, but his shoulders have relaxed. I have a million questions going through my head, all of which I should have asked before fucking him again, but right now, I want to enjoy the peace.