I can still remember the first day I ever met my grandfather. I had graduated college and had come home to my family home, to find my father and he in a heated discussion.My father was a lot like me, never one to share his past, to share his secrets. He kept that side of his life hidden from his wife and three children. To anyone looking in, my family had it all, wealth, success, and fame. My father was the top lawyer in his firm that he helped build from the ground up and my mother was by his side all our lives."What's going on?" I ask as I enter the home of my parents. I may have never met the man, but I had seen pictures. He was the man we didn't speak of. The man that boycotted my parents wedding because my mother didn't come from money. The man that never wanted to witness the birth of his grandchildren, because they could never live up to the expectations he had installed in my father. The man my father, never spoke of."Ah, you must be Bronson." My grandfather greeted me, a
To say my father was disappointed would be an understatement.My older brother and sister, Anderson and Clara, had found their passion. Neither was what my father wanted, but in his mind, neither had stabbed him in the back either. Anderson was a police officer, and Clara was doing well as an artist. My father hated that they didn't follow in his footsteps, but he still had one more child, one more person to get his claws into and to bring him aboard.He still had me."So, when I broke his heart and told him I wanted to not only get to know my grandfather, but to one day take over his business, he refused to speak to me. That was over four years ago."Nikki's eyes water as I finish my story. The bottle of bourbon half empty in front of the two of us on the coffee table. I had never told anyone my story before, and when my grandfather retired a few years ago, passing the torch down to me, I was well and truly alone."And none of your family has spoken to you either?""Not exactly.
Well sh*t.Listening as Bronson speaks of his past is daunting. His past is haunted, the ghosts are present, and he has no idea what to do with himself."I'm surprised you're still here." He states as I stare blankly into the fireplace. Bronson brought me in here to speak about his past and knowing that it is my favorite room in the house, besides the pool, I wonder if his goal was to make me not flinch at his story. It didn't work, I flinched, but it wasn't because of him. It was because of mine.We are a lot alike, in more ways than he knows."Where else would I be."He shrugs, then walks over and sits beside me. The kiss form earlier comes to the forefront of my mind, and I wonder as I watch him lick his own and stare into my eyes, if he is thinking the same thing as I am. "I told you how terrible I was in my past, how I had no problem destroying people's lives so that I could get ahead.""Bronson, you may have been a jerk, but I have no room to judge. I'm a criminal, and there is n
It's been a few days since the Clara surprise. Bronson has been working nonstop, leaving us no time to speak about how things stand between us. It's been a strained presence here in the penthouse, and to make matters worse, Bronson is still sleeping each night, wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, with his fiancé.I know we didn't end things well between us that day Clara stopped by, but to announce his feelings, only to have him recede them, is exactly why I couldn't give myself to him. But that doesn't exactly stop me from thinking about that kiss, about the way he spoke to me, about his feelings for me.To top things off even further, Mick has been trying to get a hold of me, making me feel nauseous each time I ignore his calls. I finally gave in last night and messaged him, telling him I've been attempting to get closer to Bronson, which is why I haven't been answering his calls.Rand has been all but obsolete here. Each time I see him, I give him a pleading look, but he merely nods his
My anger rises once again around this woman, but I shake my head freeing myself from it when I notice Nadia stalking over and placing down my plate and Cassandra's tea. Of course, the model does not eat breakfast."Thank you, Nadia.""My pleasure Miss Myers.""Nadia, I've told you, please call me Nikki." I smile and knowing Cassandra is narrowing her eyes in the corner of my own is making my smile even brighter. Nadia plays along and smiles back."Of course, Nikki. By the way, I took your advice and used hat special seasoning in last night's dinner.""I thought it tasted a little different. It was amazing.""Well I thank you for that advice." She states as she begins wiping down the counters from the breakfast. Cassandra stands and walks over towards the kitchen leaning her hips on the counter beside the stove. I don't move, already knowing she is up to something that she can just claim as an accident later. She seems to be running this house since Bronson is constantly evading it."It
I don't know how long I walk for. My feet continue to march but as the yards take me further and further away from home, I feel no better than I did when I was fighting.Fighting.I let Cassandra work me up, and in doing so, gave her full power over me. I hate this, hate this side of me, hate that I have to remain in the penthouse with the man I care too much for, and the disgusting woman he has no problem marrying. I no longer know what to do, and Rand, given all the information I have given him, has no news for me still.I stop when I reach a small cafe, one I have noticed before from their delicious aroma of baked goods. Before I can venture inside, I stop when someone's arm pulls me back. Looking up, I spot Rand and snarl, pulling my arm free and crossing them at my chest."Nikki, I know you're upset.""Upset? You know I'm upset? Rand, I don't know what to do anymore. I attacked the poor creature of the darkness, and here I am wondering how I'm going to face Bronson while fighting
A few blocks later, and I stop once again, feeling my phone vibrate in my pocket this time. I pull it out and nearly jump out of my skin when I see Brody calling. It feels like it's been ages since I've spoken with my brother and knowing how we left things between us the last time, I didn't think he would want to speak to me again anytime soon.I find a private spot just behind a pet shop and answer it. "Brody?""Nikki, hey." He sounds like his normal self, a self I have not seen or heard from in some time."Hey.... listen Brody I'm glad you called. I think we need to talk, maybe we can meet up somewhere?""That's not the best idea." I'm taken back by his words but don't let myself falter as I listen to him continue speaking. "It's bad here right now Nikki. Mick and the others, we've been getting a lot of raids and cops pulling us over for various reasons. Charles even got taken in the other day. He was released a few hours later, but it's clear we are on some kind of radar.""What?""
My fingers find my temple and I rub for the millionth time today. I've been at work all day, and much like the last couple of weeks, I have thought only of what lies at home.Nikki.She is the only constant thought on my mind, and knowing today is her first day of work, its an even stronger thought. I didn't see her leave, but by the time I woke this morning and went to her room, she was gone.Would I have said something to her? Would I have wished her luck, or offered her a ride on her first day? I don't know the answer to those questions. I have spent this past week ignoring her, ignoring this tension between us, because I couldn't face her after throwing my heart into hands, only to pull it back immediately.Why didn't I end things with Cassandra? Clara's visit has my mind constantly off, and even now, as I sit and listen on the third conference call of the day, all I can think about are my mistakes. Nikki didn't steer away at my past, but I couldn't continue to taint her with t