The Maison Series: Book 1

Chapter 5

Niko rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking at a clock. The blue numbers glowed 2:18 A.M.

"Ugh." was the only noise made when she got up. Her stomach lurched and she ran for the nearest bathroom. Niko rinsed the rancid taste of puke from her mouth and drenched her sore neck in the cold faucet water. The light shuffle of feet made her turn in surprise and she clipped him in his muscled jaw.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry. You okay?" she immediately bent to help him. He laughed a bit and she realized it was Matt. Niko frowned and instantly ignored him and what she had done.

"You do know you've just so happened to trespass into my bedroom, right?" he flashed a smile at her. Niko rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. How long was I out?" she walked past him to leave but he quickly pushed her back and locked his door closed. Niko knew the situation could get worse.

"Two days. It pains me to see that I had failed in killing you with strangulation." he took two steps toward her and she backed up. Niko was cornered almost instantly and Matt had used his arms to block either side of her to detain her chances of escape. His eyes went from hardcore lust to a softened look that always took Niko's breath away.

"I don't wanna have to hurt you." she said with much forced nonchalance. Matt's laugh filled the messy room.

"I don't plan on hurting you. Not anymore. I wanted to sincerely apologize for my obstreperous behavior and unkindly actions towards you and Joey." as he said Joey, Niko's heart began to hurt.

"Matt, I forgive you. For everything. Would you let me leave now? I should probably tell Ray that I'm not dead so he doesn't kill himself." Niko gave him a pleading look and batted her eyelashes, knowing it was Matt's one weakness to always give in to that expression. Matt's deep brown eyes narrowed and his cute crooked smile crept on his face. His hands slid to his sides and he unlocked the door.

"Thank you Niko. I feel a lot better now." he hugged her and kissed her cheek before stripping to his boxers to sleep.

"Ray, you awake?" she peeked into his bedroom. She saw a figure in the bed and went to sit next to him. She moved the blanket to find it was his pillow. A shadow had suddenly lunged for her and Niko got up and twisted the person's arm up, around, and finally behind his back.

"Glad to see you're all better." Ray's voice held a pained tone and Niko released him.

"Then you shouldn't have snuck up on me, you naughty little boy." she teased.

"I'm not a little boy! I just got new big boy undies for nighttime, jeez." Ray's little kid accent was almost perfect. He layed down in the bed and opened his blanket for Niko to climb in.

"Ooh me likey the strip tease." Ray watched her take her shirt off to reveal a tank top.

"You, Mr. Ray John Maison, are such a guy." she knew it irritated him when she used his full name in a teasing manner. She giggled as he threw her into the bed.

"Maybe I should punish you for being so sexy." he bent her over his lap and playfully spanked her until she giggled and squealed. Niko got free and layed on top of him, getting comfy although she felt him against her.

"God Niko, you've got a deliciously great body." he kissed the crest between her chest.

"Oh Ray. Stop that!" she giggled and laughed as he tickled her. Letting her guard down, Ray jerked his body and he was soon on her, pinning both her wrists in one hand and sliding his finger along her body with the other. Niko bit her lip as he drew circles around her waist and lower thighs.

"NiNi!" the twins came scrambling into the bed and jumped on her. Ray pouted.

"You waked up! Yay! We thwoed away the cowors acause they payed a joke and made your neck purple and boo." Sergio and Tyler talked simultaneously. Niko laughed and hugged the both of them and planted kisses on their foreheads. They both squealed and ran away, trying to rub off her kiss.

"They are so crazy." she said, getting up and pulling her jacket on.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Home. It's been a few days, I don't want my mom to worry." she said as she closed the door behind her.

"Joey, it's cold out, please appear so I at least won't be alone." her words allowed her to see her breath.

"Who said you were alone?" his warm arms materialized around her, pulling her close. Niko's grin grew wider as she turned to face Joey.

"I'm still waiting for you to become human, ya know." she made a face at him and his warm, familiar laugh filled the cold night. Joey immediately stopped and whirled around to see five drunk men following him and Niko.

"Niko. Do not look back. We're being followed. Just trust me and go where I go." he started to walk hastily down an alley. Niko followed and she heard the sound of feet scraping the cement.

"Joey, I'm scared." she clutched at his arm in fright.

"Just trust me baby girl. Get against the corner." he pointed. Niko did as she was told and he then pressed himself against her.

"Kiss me. Don't ask. Just do it." Niko kissed him and Joey had made the two of them fade and they watched as the drunken men looked around and left in irritation at finding their night fun gone.

"Thanks Joey. I owe you one." she had broken the kiss and came back to the reality of the world.

"Let's go home." he said and took her hand.

"Mom? You here?" Niko opened the door and Joey closed it and headed upstairs. They both looked around for two hours, searching outside first, going back when they saw the car, until Niko heard Joey's voice from her mom's bedroom while she had been in the kitchen.

"Niko! I found her!" she ran up the stairs in earnest and saw her mother's body in her bed as if she had been sleeping. Niko collapsed on the floor and started crying. Joey took out her cellphone and he texted Ray.

Help me. At my house. He sent it while Niko cried with her mother's cold hand in hers and Niko's face buried in her nightgown.

"Not my Mama. Please not her too. Mama! Wake up! Please Mama! Open your eyes!" she cried to her mom's lifeless body. Ray came in and he carefully came up to see her.

"Mama! No! Come back Mama! Please!" it broke his heart to see her with tears running non-stop down her face and her gently shaking her mother's body as she cried. He decided to speak to her after standing there for a solid three hours. Not moving, not talking, just watching with a sharp pain in his heart to witness his girlfriend's instant breakdown, cradling the last family member she had that she knew of.

"Niko, come on baby. It's time to go now." he placed a gentle hand on her shaking shoulder.

"No! I gotta be here for when Mama wakes up!" she clung to the unmoving body like it would save her life. Niko cried louder when Ray had to pry Niko from her mom and carry her out kicking and screaming.

"Ray, I don't feel good." she said before she threw up and then passed out on the wet, sprinkler soaked lawn.

"Poor baby girl." Ray kissed the top of her head before picking her up piggy-back style and carrying her back to his house, which would be her new home as soon as she got everything she would need from her old one. Ray put her gently into his bed and he took the couch after kicking Leo off it. He knew he would have to have all his strength for the storm that would happen tomorrow.