Balotelli Bale Series Book #5: The Other Man Part 2

Chapter 22: I Made Her

Nick's POV
"What are you doing Kei?"

She won't slow down. She is packing and she's doing it fast. Watching her clothes disappearing into the suitcase fills me with anxiety. I grabbed her wrist. She looked into my eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"Why did Tony have my underwear?"

I dropped her wrist. She held eye contact. "He got to it before me. I'm sorry. He was here, wasn't he?"

He couldn't sway me so he came to her instead. He picked the weaker link.

"He is right. I made a vow to Theo. He has been nothing but faithful to me so why am I doing this to him?"

She wiped her falling tears and continued packing.

"What are you saying exactly? You don't want me?"

"That's not what I'm saying. I am going home to my husband and my children. I shouldn't be here."

"Do you love him?" She paused to share brief eye contact. The uncertainty in her eyes is troubling. "Do you love me?"

"Yes, I love you."

"Then give me a chance to convince you that this is the right thing for us to do. Give me two days. Please. Two days."

"What will happen in these two days?"

"We will let nature take it's course."

Her hands cupped my face. "Two days... isn't it sad that our future has to be determined in two days?"

"What I have with you are stolen moments. It's just a fraction of time but I will make it worth your while cara mia. But not here. Not in France. I know of a quaint beautiful place in Portugal."

"Portugal? I can't."

"Mia amore, it's only a two hour trip. If we leave right now we can be there by noon."

"It's... fine. Let's do it." She spoke with hesitance. "Let's do it."

"I'll buy the tickets-"

"I'll just call my pilot." She shrugged.

That's right. She's rich! It's unusual for me not to be the one with the private plane.

"No offense, but I'm not boarding Sinclair's private plane."

"It's not his. It's mine." She zipped her bag. "Do you need help with packing?"

"No. But I'm not letting you out of my sight." I took her suitcase and used my other hand to hold hers. "You are mine for two days."

*
Lamego is a beautiful town in the northern part of Portugal. I cane across this town when Gio and I visited back when I was a teenager. We didn't spend much time here but I remember his fascination with an 18th century chapel. I began to love architecture because of Gio. Whenever he came across a structure that fascinated him, he had to talk about it.

Our trip was brief. We were passing through.

"Why this place?" She looked out through the small window overlooking the chapel. I joined her and wrapped my arms around her.

"It reminds me of who you used to be."

She raised her eyes yo meet mine. "Who was I?"

"A simple down to earth woman. Can you be the old you just for two days?"

"I'd like that very much."

"Lovely." I stole a gentle kiss from her. "Plus no one knows us here. We don't need to hide. We can be together out in the open."