Coming Back To You

~Thirty-eight~

5 months later

Bella's POV

I've been doing this for two hours and I haven't made any progress.

"One more and then you can stop."

I nod and focus on my breathing. In. Out. In. Out. And before I know it, I'm at the end of the rails.

"You did such a good job!" My therapist says as she brings me my wheelchair.

I immediately sit down and sigh in relief. I've been going to physical therapy for almost 5 months now and I've made progress. I've been really stressed and frustrated, but Nick was always there when I needed him.

If I was hungry, he'd make me food. If I was thirsty, he would go out and get me a special drink. If I was stressed, he would give me the best neck massages. I just wish I was able to walk. I don't want to cause him any trouble doing these little errands for me. I'm sure he's busy trying to track down Mikayla. It was 2 months before that we caught and tortured her little partner, but she's a tough case. She's been hiding, but I believe we'll find her. She never was good at hide-and-seek.

As I sit in the lobby, waiting for Nick to come pick me up, I get a text from him.

Nick❤️
I'll be there in a few minutes

Okay

Nick❤️
Is everything okay?

Yeah, why?

Nick❤️
Your texting is dry.

And?

Nick❤️
Why is your texting so dry?

idk

Nick❤️
Why not

idk

Nick❤️
You'll know once I get there and drag your cute little butt back to our house, right?

I guess

Nick❤️
Good girl

I blush as I turn off my phone and wait for what feels like 20 minutes when in reality it was probably only 2.

Nick walks in in all his muscular, handsomeness glory and beelines towards me.

I was shorter than him when I was standing, but sitting down, I feel like a dwarf.

As I crane my neck up to look at him, he smirks and leans down to kiss my cheek. Then he walks behind me and pushes my wheelchair out of the lobby and to his black Lamborghini.

On the way home, he rests his hand on my thigh, although everything feels a little tingly.

"How're you holding up?" Nick glances at me.

"Okay," I mumble as I fidget with my hands and watch as the world passes by us.

Suddenly, I feel the car jerk forward to a stop and Nicks hand engulf mine.

"Bellissima, what's going on with you?"

I shrug and look at his hand and the tattoo peeking from under his hoodie sleeve, "I don't know, I guess I'm just sort of frustrated that I can't even walk correctly."

"It takes time, bellissima. You'll get it, I promise, just be patient."

"How can I be patient when you're doing all of these small things for me that I can't even express the need of paying you back?!"

It was at this exact moment I decide to break. My chin wobbles and my hands come up to my face, only to be pulled away by Nick's gentle ones.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't get upset. We'll get through this together, bellissima. I promise. And plus, I don't mind doing these little things for you, it benefits us both. I feel like I'm repaying you for your years of good deeds towards me, and you finally get the gratitude you deserve after almost everyday of your life. So don't be upset, take it as a way of taking a break, you're always so on edge, trying so hard every single day to please people. Let me be the people pleaser now, but only for you."

My breathing calms down at the sound of his words. I close my eyes and lean into his welcoming arms, slowly breathing in his relaxing scent.

As he strokes my hair, I wrap my arms around his torso tightly and stuff my face into his shoulder, soaking the fabric in my tears.

"I'm sorry," I manage to get out.

"You have no reason to be sorry, bellissima."

"Yes I do, I'm sorry for worrying you and wasting your money on things I don't need." I pull back and cough from crying too hard.

He immediately pulls me back into his arms as soon as I'm done coughing.

"Bellissima, I wanted to spoil you as an apology for getting you into this mess. I should be the one who's sorry." He laughs, but it has no humor to it.

"Come on, bellissima. Let's go home." He tilts his head to the side, looking at me with a silly smile on his face. I try to hold my smile back but fail and he chuckles and gently grabs my chin to pull me into a soft yet meaningful kiss. I sigh into the kiss and wrap my arms around his neck while his wrap around my torso, not seeming to get enough of each other.

"I missed you today, bellissima."

I smile and give him one last peck on the lips.

"I missed you too, Nick."