Love Me One More Time (Nick and Alaia) novel Chapter 28

Nick

“Kathe,” I called my assistant to my office. I sent my car for repairs, but I still hadn’t found out who had scratched it, and I forgot to ask about it.

“Sir,” my assistant entered.

“I haven’t received information about the person who scratched my car in my building,” I declared.

“Mr. Willian said he would handle it. He went to the security floor that day and asked me to leave everything in his hands,” she explained quickly.

“Find Will,” I asked.

“I will,” she nodded and left my office.

I continued searching for information about T–World and Alaia on the internet, but there was very little about them in this country. On business pages in the UK, there were more photos of them, but they only talked about the companies, no further information. I wanted to know what happened to them over these years; their disappearance took me by surprise, just as their return has.

“Primo,” Will entered with a broad smile on his lips.

“Do you have information about the person who scratched the car?” I asked as he approached me.

“Here it is.” He showed me a USB drive, and he seemed amused by the situation.

He inserted the USB into my computer and opened the file to play the video. My cousin looked at me with a big smile and then turned back to the screen.

The images played, and I saw nothing until I noticed two people approaching. I recognized

Alaia and her cousin; the first walked to get into her vehicle, and I saw her purse brush against the door of the Rolls–Royce.

Will replayed the movement repeatedly, making me look at him with annoyance. He laughed again and let the video continue. I saw Alaia laughing heartily while her cousin approached to see what had happened. They both enjoyed the moment and, once again, I couldn’t get angry.

Seeing her laugh like that brought back memories of when she laughed without complications while we were married, when there was nothing and no one between us; when it was just her and me.

“The little wild sss ruined your car,” he said when the video paused, showing them leaving.

“What will you do?” he asked, walking to get a drink from the fridge.

“I’ll send her the bill,” I said, replaying the video.

“Nick, come on, the cost of that repair is nothing for people like us,” he affirmed, drinking from a soda can.

“I know,” I turned to look at him, and he squinted at me.

“You’re crazy,” he said, leaving my office.

I called Kathe and asked her to send the repair bill to Alaia. I left my office, and when I got home, I looked for a suit to wear tomorrow. It had been a while since I attended such events, but my impulse to go was stronger than the hatred Alaia always showed when she saw me. It seemed that she hated me with the same intensity she once loved me.

The next day…

I went down to the yard to see my dogs, who were with the person in charge of their care.

“Good morning,” greeted the boy Marshall hired.

“Good morning,” I replied. My dogs ran towards me as soon as they heard my voice, wagging their tails. I greeted them by touching their furry heads. They walked around me, touching my legs and standing on their legs.

“I’ll have a spa day with your mother, and in the evening, I’ll go out with my friends since you decided for me regarding tonight’s gala,” Barbara spoke behind me, and my dogs started growling at her. “Stop those beasts,” she said from where she stood, and I distracted them so they wouldn’t approach her.

“You know why I don’t want you to go to the event. You can live without attending to one,” I continued, petting my dogs, who had now laid down on the grass, waiting for me to scratch their bellies.

“I see you now, and it seems like you’re a man with feelings, but no, you don’t have them. Strangely enough, the only ones who receive affection from you are those dogs.”

I turned to look at her from where I stood.

“I’ll see you later,” she adjusted her purse and left the house.

I spent a little more time with my pets until it was time for lunch. I ate alone and then went out to look for a new tuxedo. The ones I had no longer fit my arms and back. I found a suit, got my hair and beard done, returned home, and finished getting ready until it was time to leave.

I entered the grand hall. Its decorations indicated the amount of money invested in the celebration. A girl led me to my assigned seat, which was at the table set for my family, including my grandfather. Unbeknownst to them, the Russells had the enemy in their midst.

“Son.” My mother approached to kiss my cheek.

“Mother.”

Will greeted me with a fist bump.

“I thought Barbie was joking when she said she wouldn’t come.” My mother looked behind me.

“She wasn’t,” I said curtly. My mother didn’t respond to my tone, but it was clear she didn’t like that Barbara wasn’t there.

“Son.” My grandfather patted my back. I nodded in his direction before looking for a new place to sit. I couldn’t stand being at the same table as my grandfather and my mother, who would surely waste no time reminding me that Barbara should be there.

I walked and thought I saw a couple of faces I hadn’t seen in years.

“Alex?” I questioned upon seeing him smile at a girl with delicate features.

“Nicholas,” Alex was the first to see me. “How are you, man?” He gave me a handshake and patted my back.

“Nick,” Sebastian greeted me with the same enthusiasm as Alex.

They introduced me to their companions, Sebastian, to his wife Aithana, and Alex to his partner Elizabeth. These were the women who managed to conquer them as I could see. They both looked completely in love.

“We haven’t seen you since we graduated from high school,” mentioned Alex after the introductions. We were part of the school’s football team.

“William, take care of your cousin,” he said to Will, who approached and sat beside me.

“You can go. I’ll handle it,” he told Asher who already left.

“We should go. You’ve had too much to drink,” my cousin said to me.

“I’m not leaving,” I said, drinking another shot and watching her from a distance.

The evening ended, and Alaia was the first to leave with her family.

“Let’s go. She’s gone,” Will and I walked out of the hall.

“Nick,” I heard my grandfather’s voice as I was about to open my cousin’s car door.

“What do you want?” I said, feeling consumed by rage.

“Alaia Russell,” he said, and I turned to look at him. “You didn’t tell me about her, and I assume you already know who she is.” He descended the stairs slowly.

“I didn’t have to tell you about her,” I replied and opened the door.

“I want her and her family out of the project. You must remove them.”

I laughed without humor.

“No,” I said firmly, turning to get in.

“You will do as you’re told,” he said through gritted teeth, grabbing my shoulder. I grabbed his suit collar and slammed his back against Will’s car.

“What the hell, Nick?!” Will ran around the car to reach us.

“Do you forget that you gave me control of the company, Grandpa? Now, I make the decisions.”

I pushed him against the car again.

“Let me go, Nicholas, or else…”

“Or else what? You no longer have power, and I won’t do anything against the Russells, understand?”

“Nick, let him go, damn it!” Will pulled Killian from my grip.

“Don’t make me remove you from the company.” Killian pointed at me, adjusting his suit.

“You can’t take what’s mine… Grandfather,” I emphasized the last word.

“Let’s go,” he told his men, who had just arrived. “You’re a bunch of useless idiots,” he shouted at them as they walked to the SUV.