Chapter 14
She'd had
enough.
Katarina stared at her reflection in the mirror furiously. Nick had
pushed her buttons for the last time. She went to the closet and pulled
out her suitcase. She didn't know where she was going to go, but almost
anything would be better than here. Home wasn't an option either.
Kris was
there.
Pushing him
out of her mind, her thoughts drifted back to last night and tears pricked her
eyes. Did he have to do it? Did he have to come to her room last
night drunk? Did he have to yell at her that he wished he'd never met
her? Did he have to press his vodka tasting lips against hers?
No.
He didn't have
to do any of those things. But he did. And what made things even
worse was that when his lips touched hers...she could still feel his soul
melting into hers, become one heart...one mind. And then he
pushed her away and turned his back to her.
"You
should leave. You don't belong here. And you never will."
It was then
that she realized that her Nick was gone. He was gone forever.
She'd wanted to bring him back so badly, but the harder she tried, the further
Nick distanced himself. Caroline had urged her to give him time.
Time to do what? Hurt her and hurt her and hurt her until he killed
whatever love she had left for the man she cherished more than her own
life? No...she won't let him do that. She won't let him take away
the fond memories of his smiling face, his cheerful laugh, his glimmering blue
eyes...and his warm lips. This was the hardest thing she ever had to do,
but she had to admit defeat.
The Nick
Carter she knew and loved really was dead...and there was nothing more she
could do to bring him back.
***
"Kevin,
why don't you just answer the phone and tell her to go away?" Kristin said
in irritation when their phone came to life again for the sixth time in less
than an hour.
He slammed
down his fork and stomped to the receiver and yanked it off the wall. The
incessant ringing immediately stopped. "There. Problem
solved."
Kristin smiled
and shook her head. "You do realize that you'll have to go out and
buy a new one?"
"I don't
care," Kevin returned her smile and took her soft hand in his.
"I promised you a day of romance and I'm going to keep it."
"But I'm
worried about this whole thing with Rachel, Kev. What does she want with
you?"
Kevin
sighed. "I'm sure she's just after cash Kris. Nothing
new." He hated lying to her, but he didn't want his wife worrying
more than necessary about Rachel sinking her claws into him. He'd walk
into a pit of fire before letting that woman get her hands on him and his cash.
"So...what
exactly do you have planned for us?" Kristin asked, changing the subject,
in a tone that sent shivers of pleasure down Kevin's spine.
He lifted her
from her chair and into his arms. "Well, I actually had quite a bit
planned for tonight, but I'd rather just go straight for the main
course." His lips lightly grazed her curved lips.
"I was
hoping you'd say that," she murmured while her fingers nestled into his
dark locks.
Laughing, he
lifted her into his arms and disappeared into their bedroom where they would
spend the rest of the day...
***
Brian put the
last of his clothes in the dryer and turned it on before retreating back
upstairs. It was a beautiful morning and he wished Leighanne were here to
share it with him, but she had left early this morning to L.A for an
audition. At least A.J was here for one more day. He wouldn't feel
lonely.
"Yo
Rok," A.J greeted when Brian walked into the kitchen and poured himself a
cup of coffee, "so I guess we're on our own today huh?"
"Yeah,"
Brian smiled lightly, "what kind of mischief you wanna get into
today?"
A.J
laughed. "A game of golf sounds good."
"I said
mischief man!"
"Nah!
That's your and Nick's department..." A.J's
voice faded away with the realization of what he had just said.
Brian's mood
instantly plummeted.
"Geez
man. I...I didn't mean..."
"It's all
right. Don't worry about it." Brian had the same trouble as
the rest of the guys. They always talked about Nicks as though he were
still here...still alive. This strong part of him still felt that he was
on the right track about Nick, but without concrete proof...
There was no
way of knowing. And it was time he let go.
"So,
how're the wedding plans comin' along?"
That put the
smile back on A.J's face instantly.
"Great. It's gonna be a wedding to remember Rok."
He
chuckled. "When it comes to you man, I believe that."
"Can it
dude! Anyway, Sarah was going to a fitting today before heading for the
studio..." his eyes grew dreamy, "she's gonna look so
beautiful..."
Brian
smiled. "I'm sure she will."
But soon
enough, the cheeriness in the room was gone when A.J's
face fell. "I just wish Nick could be there."
Brian sighed
and looked out the kitchen window at the bright sun and blue skies.
"So do I."
***
Caroline shook
her head as Nick took a sip of coffee and groaned. "This stuff is
gross."
"Well, if
you hadn't broken into my liquor cabinet last night, you wouldn't have to drink
it now would you?"
Nick glared at
her. "Why are you talking to me like that?"
She crossed
her arms. "Nickolas, your attitude last night was disgraceful!
I did not bring you into this house to make everyone else's lives a bitter
one."
"Then
kick me out. See if I give a damn!" Nick sputtered and stood.
"Nickolas!
Sit down NOW!" she ordered furiously.
Looking
stunned, he took at seat and kept his cold blue eyes on her. "You've
never yelled at me like that before..."
"I'm not
going to sit back and watch you destroy your life. Don't you see what
you're doing to Katarina and yourself? Do you
not see how much she adores you? Why do you insist on treating her so
crudely?!"
Nick stood
again, "I don't have to listen to this!"
"I SAID
SIT NICKOLAS!"
He did as he
was told.
"You need
to tell her the truth."
"No
way."
"She has
a right to know Nickolas."
"Why?!
Just because she 'adores' me?!" Nick scowled. "I don't think
so."
"Now you
listen to me. Unless you want to live alone for the rest of your
life, I suggest you get your fanny up those stairs and you talk to her.
Apologize to her. And tell her the truth! Don't shut out the only
woman in this world who has to courage to care for you the way she does."
"But
I--"
"I, I, I,
I! It's always I!" Caroline put her hands on her hips.
"For once stop thinking about yourself and think about that poor girl
locked in her room who's only mistake was to fall for you!"
Nick, by now,
was staring at her wide-eyed. "Fall...for me?!"
"Do you see
any other men in this house?!"
"But what
if..." his gaze moved to the floor, "what if she runs when she sees
me Caroline...I couldn't take it if she..."
"Dear,"
she approached him and cupped his chin, forcing him to look at her, "love
is about risks. If you don't take them, you're going to spend the rest of
your life wondering about what could've been. And that's no way to
live!"
Nick looked at
her for a moment before sighing. "I've been such a jerk
Caroline."
She
smiled. "You don't need to tell me that darling. I saw it
all. But now's the time to fix it. Now's the time to take the
risk. Are you willing to do it?"
***
A few minutes
later, Nick was standing outside Rina's door,
thinking of what he was going to say. He'd made a fool of himself last
night...and the night before that...
And the night
before that.
He had a lot
to make up for, but he hoped that Rina would give him
the chance to. He didn't know what he'd do if she turned him away.
He took a deep breath and knocked.
"Come in
Caroline. I'm just taking care of something."
He opened the
door and quietly slipped inside. He saw her bent over something on her
bed. He frowned. What was she doing?
"I hope
you're not going to be angry with me Caroline," she spoke up suddenly, her
voice laced with pain, "but I can't stay here anymore. I need to
leave before things get any worse."
His eyes
widened. She can't stay...? She's leaving!
"I just
hope you can understand. I--"
"You
can't go!"
Katarina gasped and whirled around. "Nick!"
His eyes moved
to her bed. She was packing her suitcase. "Why are you
leaving?" he asked, feeling that his heart was going to break at any
moment.
She stared at
him in bewilderment for a moment before her eyes narrowed. "Why do
you think?"
Nick shook his
head. Why did he ALWAYS mess things up? "I...I'm sorry Rina. I didn't mean to--"
"I don't
want to hear it Nick. I'm tired of hearing your excuses." She
wrapped her arms around herself. "You hurt me...so badly..."
"But I
wasn't thinking Rina...I didn't realize that I was
being a fool for treating you like I did. But I realize it now...and I
want to make things right."
"Nick,
how can you possibly do that?" she asked in exasperation.
He didn't know
how to answer.
She turned her
back to him. "You won't change my mind Nick. Not you or
anybody else.
"But--"
"Good
bye."
He had to do
something. He couldn't let her leave. Even though they spent the
last week fighting like crazy, she was still the only reason he felt like
getting up in the morning...the only reason why he wanted to live. Deep
down inside, he really was thankful that she had saved his life that day.
Because what could be worse than living a life without her to share it
with? He didn't want to find out.
He refused to
find out.
"I'm not
letting you go Rina!"
"You
can't stop me!"
Desperate,
Nick closed the distance between them, gently grabbed her arm and turned her
around. Her eyes flickered with surprise and hesitant desire when his
mouth hovered only an inch from hers. "Yes I can."
He silenced
her comeback with his lips.
***
