Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 97

NICOLE

When Mason arrives, I’m waiting for him outside with my arms folded while Roman is leaning against the door frame, watching the car approach.

I can see his confusion even through the windshield. I’ve applied some makeup to my face, but some of the injuries are still visible. I force a smile, but Mason’s frowning and he looks pissed as hell.

After he climbs out of the car, he slams his door shut.” Nicole?”

I gulp. “Hey, Mason.”

He closes the distance between us and grabs me by the arms. “You lost weight.”

“No, I didn’t.”

His fingers are under my chin and he’s tilting my head this way and that way. Roman watches us silently. Even I’m nervous at this point, because he’s being aggressive and I already know how bad things get when my brother’s in this state.

“What’s this?”

I sigh. Why’s my heart beating so fast? “What’s what,

Mason?”He narrows his eyes at me, and then looks over at Roman-with a look that could kill. “What the fuck did you do to my sister, you piece of shit!?”

He tries to step toward Roman but I shove his chest. ”

Mason, calm down! Roman has nothing to do with that!”

“Fuck that!” he exclaims. His Face is getting redder with every word he utters. “You were trying to act like everything was okay on the phone and then you come out looking like this!”

“It’s not what you think!” | argue uselessly because he’s not even listening to me anymore.

Mason points a finger at Roman. “You could’ve done whatever you wanted with me and I would’ve taken it with no complaints! Anything at all. You could’ve sent guys to fuck me up. You could’ve bribed my boss to make me lose my job. Hell, you could’ve even ran me over. But messing with my sister? Beating her up?”

“He didn’t beat me up!” I shriek. “God, Mason. Are you even listening to me!?”

“Nikki,” Roman says from behind me. He approaches us and places a hand on my shoulder. Mason slaps it away.

“Don’t touch her!”

“We’ll talk and I’ll explain everything that happened,”

Roman tells him. His gaze then slides to me. “Nikki, would you go inside?””My sister’s not going anywhere.”

“Roman, you don’t have to do this.” I don’t understand what he wants to say to Mason exactly. We both know how irrational my brother can be and I don’t want the two of them to fight right here. That would be a terrible ending to all of this.

“Yes, I do, and I’d appreciate it if you trusted me, atright?”

I stare into his eyes. The sad and devastated look hadn’t left his face. I look back and forth between him and my brother, then sigh, giving up. “Alright, I’ll do it. But if I hear the two of you fighting, that’s the end of it.”

Even as I say these words, I’m not confident at all that I’m making the right decision.

I head inside, looking back on my way to the door. Though they’re facing each other, they don’t say a word until I’m gone. Roman even tells me, “Close the door.”

The command annoys me, but I do it anyway. The quicker they talk, the quicker this whole situation can end. I linger in the living room, hoping to hear something, but moments later, I’m distracted by the sound of my phone ringing.

Who could it be? Nobody ever calls me.

I stare at my phone anxiously. Katie. She was so positive, but the last time I saw her, she was more run-down than usual. I place my hand on my chest and try to imagine her in a hospital, surrounded by all those people. Strangers.

It reminds me of when Ma passed. That was such a difficult moment in my life. Before I know it, tears are trailing down my cheeks.

Sebastian sends the address, and type a thank you, then decide that I probably shouldn’t say anything. I have to visit her as soon as possible. I’d go today if-

Suddenly, I remember Roman and Mason, and I decide to hurry into the living room to check on them.

Unfortunately, I have no way of spying on them because I don’t have windows facing the front of the flat, and the door has no windows either.

press my ear to the door and hear murmurs of a conversation, but it’s civil. They’re not shouting at each other.

Guilty, I decide to step back and give them the privacy they need. I head into the living room and absentmindedly sit down on the couch. I chew my thumb for the longest time, thinking about Katie, Sebastian’s call, and the conversation happening right outside.

It then occurs to me that Katie will probably see my face, but that’s not what’s important, right? If I don’t go see her and she dies, I’ll never forgive myself.

At last, the door opens, and Roman walks into the living room. I stand up anxiously and stare at his face. He doesn’t seem hurt, so that’s a bonus, but I don’t like the way he’s looking at me.

“İs everything okay?” I ask quickly. “Where’s Mason?”

‘ “He left.”

I close the distance between us. Peering into his eyes, I repeat my question, “Is everything okay?”

“We need to talk, Nikki,” he says, sounding so defeated that it makes me want to cry.