Toxic Cure

c30

After showering, I went downstairs to continue baking. Nick too came down and began cooking his surprise dinner. When everything was done, we made the table.

Noticing the slight drool at my mouth, Nick said, "Not yet."

"Why?" I frowned.

He reached his hand out towards me instead of answering my question. With my eyebrows arched, I placed my hand on his palm, and he interlocked our fingers. It amazed me how even a small touch such as this had my belly twisting and turning.

He began walking without giving at least a hint as to where we were heading. He opened the door to a room I had never been in. Inside was large and filled with paintings. There were two chairs in the middle of the room, and in front each chair respectively were paintbrushes, paint palettes, a canvas, a rag, a jar of water, pencils, and paper.

"This is where my mother and I painted during the summer when we'd come here," he informed once noticing my curiosity. "This home was actually my summer home. My house was in the city, but from time to time, we'd come to town to enjoy the peace."

"You both painted all of these?" I asked in awe. He nodded in response, and I complimented, "They're beautiful. Nick, you should really be a professional painter."

"I don't know about that part," he let out a soft laugh.

"Why not?" I questioned.

"I used to paint because it meant time to bond with my mother. My parents were usually at work or in business meetings, but they always made summer great for me. With my parents gone, well....I guess I just felt no need to paint anymore. I have no purpose now," he answered.

"There was this time when I wanted to take an art class in the 4th grade. I had nagged my mom to let me take the class, but when I got there and the instructor told everyone to paint something, I sat in class with nothing on the paper. I just couldn't think of anything to paint, and I explained that to my instructor when he asked why I hadn't painted anything yet. Wanna know his advice?" I asked.

"Go ahead," he nodded.

"My instructor said in these exact words: 'Of course you can't think of nothing to paint! You paint with your heart and hands, not with your mind.' Then he walked away," I informed. "That feeling you got when you were with your mother- that's what made you paint. That's the feeling you need to find again. I think you're a great artist with and without your mother."

"I can never understand why you see so much in me- why you have hope in someone you barely know," he stated.

"And I can never understand why you don't," I said while pointing my finger at him. I poked his chest and said, "Deep down, behind those cold eyes and stony face, there's someone special. I just wish you and others could see it too."

I sat down on one of the chairs. I tied my hair up into a high ponytail and picked up a paint palette. I dipped the paint brush into the yellow and began painting.

"What are you painting?" Nick asked while taking a seat in the chair next to mine.

"One of the most beautiful days I cherish," I simply answered.

Nick took up his palette and began to paint.

"What are you painting?" I asked as I took a quick glance at the brown circle he painted.

"One of the most beautiful things I cherish," he smiled.
______________________________________

Dinner was amazing, and the appetizers I baked came out delicious! I wiped the corner of my mouth with my napkin and sighed happily.

"I'm stuffed," I yawned while softly rubbing my stomach.

"I'll cook for you every night if it makes you this happy," he smiled.

"As long as I get to help," I smiled.

"You know, some days you really make me feel as if I've never experienced what I have," he mentioned.

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"Back before I lost my family, I used to make goals and do activities. I find myself doing those with you, and it's something I haven't done in 3 years. You'd think the feeling must be foreign to me, but it feels...well, it feels damn perfect," he clarified. "....You're perfect. I never once saw myself as a man who'd pour his heart out, but with you, I could all day. I've never felt anything like this before. And-"

He let out an airy breath when I placed my hands on his. His eyes flickered to our enclosed hands and then back to my eyes. His dark, cold eyes seemed to have melted away, and all I could see was the sweet love in his chocolatey eyes.

"Who knew love could spark in just 3 weeks?" he slightly smiled.

"Who knew I'd give myself to a mafia leader?" I joked, earning a soft laugh from him.

"Soon to be ex mafia leader," he corrected.

"Will you really?" I cheerfully asked, leaning closer to him.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Do the others know?" I questioned.

He shook his head and said, "They'll know when the time comes."

I thought about how United the men were. It would be selfish of me to ask Nick to leave his second family.

"Nickolas, I know I've pleaded for you to quit, but these guys are your family. They depend on you to lead them," I pointed out.

"I know," Nick sighed, "but if I want a future with you, I can't have one with them."

"And why is that?" I frowned.

"Because I don't want my children locked up in the house because there's a threat," he answered. "If I had known we'd get this close from the first day my eyes landed on you, I'd never have done all those terrible things. I have many enemies plotting against me, and that isn't fair to you or our soon to come children."

"We all make mistakes," I noted.

He slid his hand from under mine and shook his head.

"Mine is much harder to fix," he pointed out.

I could see his stony expression forming again .

"Then we'll fix it together," I tried to comfort.

"What if we can't?" Nick asked.

We sat in silence as Nick continued to avoid my eyes.

"This future we talk about- what if we can't have that?" he sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," I half smiled. "You didn't know."

"That's not an excuse for not thinking wisely, though," he shook his head. "When you go away for vacation, I have to make sure that I take everyone down. It's the only way."

"That's like a thousand men!" I pointed out.

"If I took down a hundred by myself, my gangs and I can handle a thousand," he argued.

"I don't want you to go on a suicide mission," I noted.

"I can do it, promise," he said while finally looking in my eyes. "I'll come back for you."

"I believe you," I nodded.

I kissed his cheek and stood up. A knick sounded on the house door, so Nick and I went to answer the door.

My eyebrows raised in surprise at who stood in front of the door.

"Titan?" I frowned.