The Beginning

Tess

It wasn't hard to believe the things that Nate had said about Nicky. The night Dale's lecherous ways got the better of him, yet again, Nicky looked ready to kill right then and there. His eyes are set, his nostrils flared, even his hands were balled into fists at his sides. It wasn't until his gaze fell upon me that he softened, turned into a different man almost.

I couldn't deny that there was a part of me that warmed to the lengths he'd go to protect me. Butterflies even began their rapid ascent in my stomach at the idea that he cared at all; that he wouldn't allow a predator in our community to run rampant.

How stupid. How pathetic. How weak.

Though my coarse behavior was rectified with an apology, I wondered if it was even owed to him in the first place. If I had never given an apology perhaps, he wouldn't have taken it into his own hands.

My eyes fell to the message. "Hey beautiful, are you hungry?" His love language, above all else, was to make sure that I was fed and pleased. But what did I say? The obvious answer was yes. I hadn't eaten. I finished my paper, went back to edit and was disrupted by an off-putting conversation with an ex that hadn't spoken to me since he packed all his things and left.

Why now? I guess that was an easy solve. In Nate and Lexi's world, I didn't deserve happiness or any of the perks that came from the De La Cruz family. Though, I couldn't stay with Nicky out of spite. No, I needed to decide I could accept and what my absolute dealbreakers were. Did I have any of those? After becoming a people-pleasing doormat, I wasn't sure where to start.

The garage door rumbled open and a few moments later, Nicky burst through. His head tilted to the floor. His legs carried him briskly across the kitchen into the living room where I sat on the couch.

I stood to meet him, to confront him, then I saw the bruise that formed on his left cheek. His bottom lip had been split open and a knot formed on the back of his head. Wordlessly, he turned his face into the crook of my neck and wrapped his arm around me. He held me tighter than ever before.

Taken by surprise, one hand moved slowly to the back of his head and the other crossed his shoulders. "What happened?" I asked.

Nicky shook his head and grumbled, "Santi's a bitch."

I couldn't stop the breathy laugh that escaped. "Do you want to elaborate?"

"No." As though he could get closer, Nicky nuzzled further in.

"That's okay." I murmured, holding him tighter to me. Thoughts of Dale were pushed far from my brain. The knot on the back of Nicky's head became my main concern. "We need to get some ice on this." I tried to pull away, but his arms constricted further

"In a minute." He bargained.

I turned my face to plant a kiss on the side of his head. "You can have hours if you let me clean you up first." I promised.

He reluctantly pulled back. Looking defeated and irritated, Nicky walked briskly into the bathroom. He returned with cotton balls, alcohol, bandaging, and antibiotic ointment. He placed them on the marble countertop and sat down at the island. He lifted his bloody knuckles and sighed with distaste.

I watched him carefully as I cleaned up the blood with alcohol-soaked cotton balls.

Nicky didn't even flinch. He simply watched me work.

"I'm sorry." I broke the silence.

"Don't be." He bit.

I released his hand to catch his cheek in my nondominant hand. "You're not mad at me, right?"