These Different Times (Nick Clark FF)

38.

"Nick, you know I hate being blindfolded," I huffed, placing my hands on his which were on my shoulders.

"I do," he whispered, bringing me to a stop, "But I really think you'll like this."

"What is it?" I asked impatiently, "Where are we? It's warm."

I felt his fingers at the knot of the shirt which was tied around my head and once it had fell and my eyes had adjusted to the change in brightness, I had a look around.

We were in a small trailer; a bed pushed up against one of the walls with a desk and bookcase on the other side of the room.

"Where are we?" I whispered, looking over my shoulder at him.

"A trailer. Alejandro says it's ours if we want it."

"Ours? Like to stay in?"

He nodded.

"Why? What...we haven't done anything."

"Oh come on now, Tay. You know that's not true. You've been helping him with the infirmary." Nick said, sitting down on the bed while I moved towards the bookcase, "And I've been-"

He stopped and I turned, looking at him with raised eyebrows, "Yeah, Nick. What have you been doing with him? I hear you both upstairs but whenever I ask him about it, he tells me to ask you."

And honestly, it was infuriating. He would help Alejandro all day then disappear with Luciana, leaving me here to worry about what he was doing and if he was safe.

He flicked the lamp on and moved so he was resting against the headboard, patting the space beside him but I stubbornly shook my head, "Not till you answer me."

"I'm gonna," he groaned, grabbing hold of my wrist to pull me down anyway and once I got comfortable, he sighed, "You know how there's that grocery store we go to?"

"To give those people medicine?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "Well, I had an idea that would help us and this place in the long run. That place, it's full of junkies, addicts that are going through the same withdrawals that I went through. So I told Alejandro that I could help."

"Help with what?"

"I offered to cut the OxyContin pills, which is what we were giving them, with powdered milk to increase their drug supply. I showed him how to crush a pill, mix it with dried milk and create a new one.

"You've been messing around with drugs?" I whisper, leaning away from him but he quickly shook his head.

"No. No, no," he turned his body so he was looking at me, his large hands resting on my cheeks, "Taylor, you have to trust me. I am not taking them. Okay? All I'm doing, is diluting the pills to help us meet their demands."

"Promise?"

"Yes." he said firmly, looking me straight in the eye and seeing no signs of him lying to me, I nodded, resting my hands on his.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise. Don't you ever apologise for being worried about me." he whispered, resting his forehead against mine.

I licked my lips, eyes closing as I debated on whether or not to bring up the next thing that was troubling me and sensing my hesitation, I felt his lips brush my cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"I...is there something going on between you and Luciana?" I asked meekly, opening my eyes to see his brow furrowed.

"Is that what you think?"

"I don't know," I admitted, "It's just..."

"Just what?"