"Wha..what are you saying? "
I choked back my desparation to have him say just what I desired and focused all my attention to his next few words as if my life depended on it.
His jaw firmed. "I am saying that I love you, Jo. That I have loved you for sometime."
I cried out a strangled oath at that before unthinkingly launching myself into his arms. His arms closed about me in a vice. Sealing me tight up against him. I didn't think I would be released anytime soon. But oxygen was necessary to go on and Eric seemed to have forgotten just that.
"Let the poor girl breathe," chuckled Nikki tauntingly behind me.
I immediately reversed my efforts from trying to release myself from his hold to latching him tight up against me.
He had murder in his eyes. And although I didn't know why Nikki did what she did, I certainly didn't want her to die for it. Not by Eric's hands at least.
I murmured soothing nothings to Eric trying to tame his beast but only managed to stiffen his arms back around me once more.
Nikki's laugh was rich and damn provoking as she skipped out of Eric's sudden lunging reach. I yelped frantically and twisted to wrap myself to his side. Pressing up against him to hold him back.
"Nikki!" I gasped pleadingly. She had to stop taunting him. Didn't she know just how much trouble she was in?
But she only laughed harder. Stumbling back over her own high heels as she nimbly moved out of Eric's reach.
"Darling, darling stop it," I cried out pleadingly, at Eric instead. His limbs stilled but the trembled in them showed his clear restraint. I had to get Nikki out and fast. Hesitantly, I peeled my body away from Eric's all the while staring at his face to gauge his reaction. I needed to be ready to intercept if he lunged again.
But he held his ground. His expression stony and his eyes still reeking murder.
"Nikki," I turned to face her. "You need to leave. "
But she shook her head simply. The laughter drained from her face and instead a look of fierce concentration clouded it. My own gaze droppedto take in the focus of hers. I was all but naked in front of her. My shirt hung apart uselessly in my shoulders.
I swiftly reached at the edges and brought them close. Buttoning up, I took a caution step towards her.
"You need to leave, Nikki." I said softly, before adding with a steely undertone," and never come back."
Her gaze shot up to latch with mine at that. She was swift to close the distance between us but I held my ground. The heat at my back told me Eric was pressed up against me too.
I tried not to lean into his strength. I needed to take care of Nikki on my own. She needed to know I was the one who ended this... so she could hate me for it.
