Love Me One More Time (Nick and Alaia) novel Chapter 54

Alaia

We approached the house, searching inside, but all I could see was smoke and the water from the fire hoses the firefighters were using to put out the fire.

“Mommy, Ik?” Noah said, looking around.

“He’ll be back soon,” I said, feeling worried, more worried than I could ever have imagined.

“Miss, we looked for her, but we couldn’t find her.” Gus walked towards us.

“I was helping to collect what little the girls were able to salvage,” I explained as I looked at my cousin.

“Keep helping the women, make sure they all get on the bus, and if any of them or the children are injured, make sure they are all taken to the hospital,” my cousin ordered, and he nodded.

“I told them you had left the house. I knew they would try to get you out if they found out you went in for our girl,” Ash said, and I sat down. “The things they do…” Ash said, looking at the house, at the door to be exact.

Seconds passed, and we continued to wait for everyone to come out: Nick, Will, Jenn, and her baby.

“Oh my God, I hurt my hands.” Finally, we heard Tino’s voice again. He seemed to be in shock. “That was like a movie; I almost died,” he said sadly. He looked at his hands again, and we stared at them. The cuts he sustained have already healed.

“You’re okay, honey. The important thing is that you got out okay and that you took good care of the little one.” Ash stroked his cheek, and Tino looked overwhelmed with emotion.

After about five or six minutes, which seemed much longer, we see the firefighters come out with Will, who was holding a small bundle, and Nick, who was carrying Jenn. They took them to one of the ambulances. They were attended to immediately, and we decided to wait for a report. Both men have taken off their suit jackets and shirts, wearing white T–shirts. They were wet and dirty, and Nick has a long cut on his upper arm.

The three of us stared at them in silence.

“Holy crap! Are you guys seeing what I’m seeing? Those two men are exuding testosterone from every pore! They came out of that house like superheroes. Look at the way the wet shirts cling to their bodies and their muscles are defined. Have you ever seen anything sexier in your life?”

Ash and I continued to stare at them without saying a word.

“Mommy, Ik!” Noah pointed at him. Nick heard him and approached us. Will stayed to check on Jenn and the baby. Nick’s cousin signaled and got into the ambulance where the girl and her son were being taken.

“It’s like he’s moving in slow motion,” Tino said, and I had to admit he’s right.

“Are you okay?” I asked after a short silence in which I had witnessed what Tino mentioned.

“I am,” he affirmed, caressing the children’s cheeks.

“How did you get here?”

“I told you I was looking for them, and today they found them. I came to get them.” He pointed to some small mini–buses. I sat down and said nothing.

“I had nothing to do with this, Alaia. I won’t deny that Killian had his hand in this,” he admitted, and I think of the miserable old man. Of course, he’s behind this, and although I don’t want to admit it, I have to accept that if Nick hadn’t risked his life this afternoon, I would still think he was involved, too.

“I’ll have them investigate what happened. If your grandfather was involved, I’d make him pay,” I said.

“I’ll be in the front row to see you do it,” he said.

“You’re bleeding,” Ash pointed out, looking at his arm.

“Let’s get you checked out,” I said, walking towards where everyone else was.

“We need to get them to a hospital; you were exposed to the smoke for too long,” a paramedic said. “The cut needs further examination,” he said, pointing to Nick.

We do as he asked. I gave Alice all the information so that those who were not injured could be taken to the house while we went to the hospital.

***

The sun had already set, and it was nighttime when we arrived. We were quickly admitted by several nurses.

“They are very brave children,” the doctor told my children after they had finished examining us and informing us that we were all fine.

They allowed us to leave. We left the room, and I waited for news of the others.

When we got to the waiting room, we saw my mother, my father, Elise, and Loli.

“My daughter!” My mother ran to hug me. “How are you?” She looked me up and down and approached the children. The others came over to greet us.

“We’re fine, Mom,” I said, smiling slightly.

“I don’t understand why you went to that place,” she said, slightly annoyed.”

“We found Alicia and the girls. Killian took them to a house outside the city. I don’t know if the fire was arson.” I looked at my father.

“We’ll find out, honey. He puts a lot of people at risk, even the children who carry that family’s blood.” He puts his arm around my shoulders.

“Thank you, Dad. I think you should take the kids. They didn’t want to eat the hospital food.

Take them to a nearby restaurant, please,” I asked my parents.

“Of course, we will. Aren’t you coming?” my mother asked.

“I need to make sure everything is okay with the women and children they brought. Nick was also injured saving one of the girls and her son,” I told my mother, and she was surprised.

“He’s out of this, isn’t he? He’s Killian’s grandson.”

“We’ll take you,” I said, and they both looked surprised. “I think it’s the least I can do after what you did for us.”

Nick looked at me in silence and, after a few seconds, nodded. We get in the car and drive in silence. Nick asked his cousin to go to his apartment, so we stopped by the building and dropped him off.

Once we were at the entrance to Nick’s house, I noticed that he was having trouble getting out of the car. I got out and helped him down. I also opened the door to the house.

“Will you be alright?” I asked before turning to leave.

“I will be. Thank you.”

I nodded and turned around, but I noticed he was having trouble taking off his shirt on his way up to the second floor. I think about it for several seconds, then I close my eyes and hope I don’t regret what I’m about to do.

“I’ll…help you,” I said, clearing my throat. He stops when he reaches the top of the stairs on the second floor.

He turned around, and I went up to follow him to his room.

We enter, and I see that everything is in its place. He was always very organized. He leaves his phone on the nightstand and turns around. I approached him and began to lift his shirt. It is inevitable not to see his torso. I look at his face and notice that his eyes are fixed on me. I finish taking it off, and he takes it, brushing my fingers with his. I feel a tingle in my hand and pull it away. The man in front of me tosses the shirt aside, and I proceed to cover his wound with a waterproof bandage.

“I won’t be long,” he said and went into the bathroom.

I looked around the room and noticed that the drawer of the dresser was open. I walk over to it, and something inside sparkles, catching my eye. I pick up the picture frame and see that it is a picture of our wedding in Las Vegas. We couldn’t have looked happier; our smiles gave us away. My mind brings back memories of that day. I don’t know how long I’ve been lost in thought until I hear footsteps inside the bathroom. I put the picture back in the drawer and stepped back, moving away from the furniture.

Nick returned. He had changed into pajama bottoms. I helped him by removing the bandage.

“Are you going to put on a shirt?”

“No, I’ll sleep like this.” He looked at his torso, and I mimicked his action.

“I should go,” I said, tearing my gaze away from him.

“Stay,” he said, stepping closer to me. I feel his breath on my face and realize that I reacted unexpectedly.

“That will never happen.” I looked into his eyes, and he grabbed my back, pulling me to him. I put my hands on his chest, and he looked at my engagement ring.

My heart raced.

“Do you love him?” he asked, looking into my eyes. I remained silent for a few seconds, confused by my body’s response.

“Yes,” I said quickly and broke free of his grip. No, I couldn’t respond this way, not for him, not for the person to whom I once gave the keys to my heart and trusted not to destroy it, but he did.

I walked out of the house and got in the car.