VALERIE

Eighty Seven

The world seemed to be crumbling on top of Nick and he could feel his own demise approaching.

He wasn't ready for the Ides of March.

But the gates of hell had been opening and his throne was awaiting.

He casually took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up. Aside from having to murder two men, Valerie hadn't been home that night and her phone would send him straight to voice-mail.

He had finally had enough, he put his recently lit cigarette out on her nightstand and sat up on the bed while he scanned the floor for the T-shirt he had taken off earlier when suddenly Valerie's bedroom door opened and then shut.

He quickly got off the bed and saw her as she stood there taking her black cardigan off.

"Yeah?" She asked him with a small glance his way before she continued to hang it up on the hooks behind her door.

"Where the fuck have you been?" He questioned desperately.

Valerie chuckled slightly as she crossed in front of him to sit down on her sofa, "I like it when you're aggressive." She bluntly commented with a small bite on her lower lip as she began to unlace her boots.

"I asked you a question." Nick restated annoyed by her nonchalant attitude.

She ignored this and continued to unlace her boots,"I want to paint."

"Answer my question." He practically growled at her. But all she did was raise her eyebrow and smirk rather condescendingly to which he noticed her needle point pupils, "You're high." He concluded.

"God just fuck me already." She teased, her eyes doing that specific thing she always did when she wanted to manipulate someone.

Nick shook his head, a dry laugh emerged from his parted lips, "Can't you see what you're doing to me? I was worried sick about you." He mumbled realizing how much this girl could destroy him.

Finally, someone actually had the power to destroy him. And it scared him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered folding her hands into her lap. He took a seat right beside her, only a few inches apart, "I can't have you leave and not tell me where you're going, it isn't safe."

"I know, I'm sorry." She replied softly leaning her head against his shoulder while she focused on their intertwining fingers. His palm tree was on the side of his index finger and at the sight of it she wanted to cry.

"Are you okay?" He asked through the miserable silence.

She inhaled slightly and nodded her head slowly, "What are you thinking about?" She asked him to which he shrugged, "Whatever you're thinking about." He replied pushing a tear away from underneath her eye with his thumb.

"They found us, Giovanni found Marco and me, I think Mia told him where I lived and then Vanessa gave him Marco's address." He suddenly mentioned to her, "What?" She seemed to asked baffled and Nick nodded, "We'll be okay as long as I help him with something."

Valerie began to cry, "I'm sorry. I fuck everything up." She sobbed backing away from him to drape herself over her knees to cry.

Confused he delicately grabbed her and held her against his bare chest so she could cry, "What's wrong?" He asked her stroking her long brown hair while she cried and left his skin moist.