.Rise And Fall.

.Rise and Fall. (54)

|Chapter: 54|

"Mm-hmm." I kept listening to his mumbling. Ever since we woke up this morning with legs tangled together, his face buried in the crook of my neck and arm drapped around my stomach; we are still in the same way.

"I hate him for treating me as a mistake my whole life. You, only you make me feel safe and good about myself", he whispered with his eyes still closed like he was talking in his dreams. I played with his hair as I look at his face. I knew well enough he doesn't hate him but maybe hurt by him, I heard it in his voice.

"You're not a mistake but the best thing ever. To me at least." I kissed his hair. I felt his smile on my skin.

He told me everything last night. When his mom, Ariella was pregnant with Jade they came to Lockswood. Rayden Black, Nick's father decided to cut himself off his father's business life and live like a normal family. They were happy just as they dreamed to be. After three years when, Ariella got pregnant with Nick, Rayden was at cloud nine for the arrival of the new member in the family until he found out it wasn't his baby growing inside his wife but her highschool boyfriend Lucian Miller, Nick's biological father. Lucian left Ariella just after he found out about her pregnancy, he was afraid of the power Rayden had.

After years Rayden forgave his wife because he loves her too much to hate her forever but not the lovechild she raised. Nick was always the odd one out of the family, punished for something which completely wasn't his fault. Two years ago, Rayden's father passed away and all the responsibilities of the numerous companies were handed back to him, the reason why they left Lockswood. But Nick stayed back to finish his school as he said. Hard to believe when he didn't give a damn about school.

"Rena let's get out of here before they come." He lifted his head from my neck, looking all serious and like knocked out of his dreamy world.

"That will be disrespectful. They are coming here just to have lunch all the way from the States. We cannot run away", I tried to make him understand.

He sighed. "I know its not just lunch. Black surely has something planned. You don't know him."

"Then I want to know him", I shot back, surprising him. I want know why suddenly after two years he wants to meet Nick. Why now after all these times when he didn't turn his back once to see how he was doing all of his own? Then I remembered something. "Oh wait, no!" I abruptly sat down.

"What happened?", he panicked.

"I don't have a dress. I cannot wear your clothes in front of them."

He rolled his eyes smiling before pulling me back in his arms. "We can arrange that", he said and took my hand to kiss the palm.

But my heart soon accelerated when his eyes lingered on my wrist. The bruise that Stella left on me. I was surprised how it was still there and so clear. What do I do? I tried to pull my hand away but he didn't let go and kept staring at it silently.

"What is this?", he asked slowly, trying to tame his anger.

"Nothing I just got hurt.."

"By what?"

"Like I said before nothing. Can we please go and have breakfast? I'm hungry."

"Don't change the subject Rena. Is it your mom because I swear..."

"Nick my mom will never hurt me.." I thought for a while. "Not physically at least."

"Then how?"

"I did myself. Happy?" I was annoyed of his questions by now.

"Why would you hurt yourself?!" Now he was yelling at me and that made me kind of mad at him. But fighting is the option I'd never go for. Not for all these small reasons, they cannot just tear us down so easily. Pulling myself out of his hold, I get off the bed and walked towards the bathroom.