A Little Too Late

Chapter 4

"Oh," Nicole looked shocked, "Ok, well let me get you a tip then."

"Already been taken care of as well," She shook her head. "Would you like for me to call you an Uber?"

"No thanks," Nicole shook her head, "I've got the app. Thank you." The waitress walked off and Nicole headed out to her car.

"You better not think about driving."

She turned to see the Blackbourne Toma group standing by their cars. She rolled her eyes. "Where's your girlfriend? Shouldn't you be more focused on her?"

"She's not our girlfriend," Luke shook his head, "She's a business associate."

"Whatever you want to call it," She shrugged as she unlocked her car. Seconds later her keys were snatched from her hand. "What the fuck, Yevgeny?"

"No drink drive," He growled.

"I fucking wasn't!" She shouted. "For being smart you sure are stupid!" She shoved him. "I was getting some stuff out of my car before I called an Uber you fucking asshole. I'm smarter than that! Erica engrained it in my head of the consequences of drinking and driving. Quit jumping to fucking conclusions you stupid ass Russian!"

"Oh," He said taking a step back. "Sorry."

"Language," Owen said frowning.

"I can say whatever the fuck I want, Mr. Blackbourne," She glared at him. "You aren't my boss or my boyfriend. You don't control me or get the privilege of telling me what to do."

"You need to calm down, Nicole," Silas said softly. "We are just trying to look out for you."

"Yeah, whatever," She rolled her eyes. "Give me my goddamn keys." He handed them over and she turned her back on them. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out then grabbed her work bag and computer bag. She locked her car and pulled her phone out of her jeans.

"We can take you home," Sean said watching her.

"Hell to the no," She shook her head as she worked her phone.

"Why not?" Luke asked. "You used to call us all the time to pick you up. It's not a problem."

"I'm not a stupid teenager anymore," She rolled her eyes. "I don't need you coming to my rescue over every little thing. I'm a grown adult now."

"We know," Victor nodded. "We were just offering."

"Well, I don't need it," She glared as a car pulled up.

"Are you Miss Cattell?" The guy asked stepping out of the car. "I'm the Uber driver."

"Thank you," she smiled as she got in the backseat, ignoring the looks from all the men watching her.

"What is her problem?" Nathan asked watching the car drive off. "I mean, she just got into a complete stranger's car instead of with one of us, someone she knows and trusts."

"I don't know," Luke shook his head, "but I don't like it one bit."

"Maybe Jess knows," Kota said shrugging. "We can ask her tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

"Sorry Boys," Jessica shook her head as she ate her breakfast, "I haven't heard from her so I don't know what to tell you. She has a point though, she is a grown adult and can make her own decisions. Maybe she just didn't want to be around all of you last night. It sounds like you were treating her like a child and making decisions for her before finding out what was really going on. I would be pissed too being treated that way."

"Can we have her number to apologize and make sure she got home safe and sound, please?" Axel asked and Jessica shook her head.

"I'm not giving out her number without her permission. Besides," She looked up at the clock, "she is probably working right now so I wouldn't get a reply even if I reached out to her."

"Will you just reach out anyway and let us know when you do hear from her, please Sis?" Kota asked. "We just want to make sure she is okay."

"Why does it matter now?" She asked, "She's a grown adult, we aren't annoying little kids following you around anymore. Let her make her own decisions."

"She got in the car with a stranger after drinking," Sean shook his head. "That's not safe."

"It's not just some completely random stranger," Jessica pointed out. "It's through a legitimate company that does background checks and tracks every transportation service. I use it all the time when I don't feel like driving." She shrugged, "You need to accept the fact we aren't little girls anymore that need you for everything, Boys. Since you've been gone, we've learned how to take care ourselves and not depend on anyone anymore. We've grown up."