I Am Keeley

Chapter 30: When He Comes For Me

Keeley's POV

I nearly cried the moment I flopped onto my bed, Gus jumping up right after me and nuzzling into my side. It had been an unbelievably long twenty-four hours and the cushion and familiarity of my bed made me realize just how exhausted I actually was.

I maybe got three hours of sleep last night, or this morning I should say. Luca and I stayed up till the early morning with our friends, making sure to prolong our time together. I would never have imagined that, only some few-odd days ago, saying goodbye to Luca's friends would be so hard, but it was.

I already missed Ilaria and her spunky personality, and how she made my stomach cramp from laughing too hard. I missed shit-talking and fighting with Emile. I don't know who else is going to help me prank Luca or mess with him if it's not Fergus. And Diangelo talked with me in a way nobody had in quite some time.

I got along with Luca's friends better than I ever had with other people, well outside Brady of course.

But, alas, I did miss my house and playing fetch with Gus in the backyard. I also missed the darkness and comfort of my room and the quietness of the house. The reason I wasn't so happy to be home was simply Nick.

We hadn't talked since he called me a whore exactly one week ago. He didn't come to greet us when we all walked through the door, nor did he check in like the rest of my brothers had while I was away. Nick and I had been slowly working to build a relationship, and just like that, it was gone.

I groan as reluctantly stand up and begin unpacking my stuff. Ilaria was right, she did make sure that all my stuff had gotten on the plane. What surprised me though was that none of the things I had purchased except for one shirt had been damaged in the shoot-out. Ilaria's car, on the other hand, that's a different story.

By the time I'm finished unpacking and getting everything sorted, I'm starving. I haven't eaten much today, and the idea of food has my stomach growling. I change out of my stuffy clothes and into sweats and a tank top before leaving Gus to sleep and heading down to the kitchen.

I'm relieved to find the kitchen empty as I wander over and stare at the fridge. This only shows me that apparently nobody but me is capable of going grocery shopping as there's close to nothing in the fridge. I try the pantry and am relieved to find pancake mix. I know for a fact we have at least an egg in the fridge, so I guess this is my meal.

I just have the batter ready and am scrounging the kitchen for chocolate chips when a pair of voices travel into the room. Their conversation pauses as I go rigid and slowly turn around. Nick and Julia stand in the doorway, the former looking shell-shocked and the other fidgeting in anticipation of the awkward encounter that is bound to happen.

I clear my throat before finally spotting what I needed and grabbing them.

"Nick," I speak turning my attention to the pan on the stove. I don't talk to him again as I watch it heat up. I don't know why the hell it's taking so long.

"Keeley," he states matter of factly as he and Julia move further into the room. Julia moves to grab a couple of waters from the fridge as Nick shuffles in his spot across the island. I could feel his eyes boring into my back and glancing at the puffy cut along my cheek. Ilaria was right when she said it was some Frankenstein shit. It wasn't hurting too bad, but I knew it was going to join with the others in creating a mural of angry lines across my skin.

He spoke up again just as I began to ladle the batter into the pan.

"How are you feeling?" I could tell he was trying, trying to make amends, but I'll be damned if I let him in only to hurt me so badly again.