Part 31 (1/2)

Nat glowers at Nik. ”Don't you f.u.c.king dare, Nikolai! My sister would not have touched anyone unless it were necessary!” G.o.d bless Nat for sticking up for me. Unfortunately, in this case, she's wrong.

Asher adds calmly, ”I think we should give her some room and shut the f.u.c.k up.”

Max sounds frustrated. ”I can't help you if you won't tell me what happened. What did she do, Helena? Talk to me.”

Tina appears by our sides. ”What's going on here?” She peers over at me, stunned. ”Lena, honey. Your lip is bleeding.” I know it is. I can feel it throbbing like a b.i.t.c.h.

Mimi speaks from the sideline. ”I think Ash is right. Give her some room.”

But Nik is too p.i.s.sed to hear any of it. ”I'll tell you what. How about Helena tells me what the f.u.c.k happened, and then I'll leave her alone?”

Max stands and gets in his brother's face, jaw set. ”Shut the f.u.c.k up, Nik. You're not my boss. You better remember that.”

Nik's face distorts with anger. ”Your girl causes s.h.i.+t not ten minutes after I put my faith in her. Her f.u.c.k-up is your f.u.c.k-up.”

Nat, Tina, Mimi, and Lola all bite out, ”Hey!” at Nik's rude comment. I've never seen him so angry.

Tina approaches him and speaks softly. ”Honey, calm down. She'll talk when she's ready.”

Nik straightens and looks up into my eyes. ”She'll talk now. What happened?” Nik can be a seriously intimidating guy.

Nat cuts in, ”f.u.c.k you, Nik!”

Nik turns on her. ”Of course you're sticking up for her. I need to know what happened.” My gut coils.

Mimi steps in front of Nik. ”We're all friends here, remember?”

Nik sniffs, ”Some more than others.”

That was a cheap shot. My blood boils. I close my eyes as my chest heaves. Tina gasps in astonishment. ”Nik! What has gotten into you?”

He steps closer to me, angry eyes trained on mine. ”What happened?”

I open my mouth, but all that comes out is, ”I-uh-”

Nik grits his teeth and asks again, ”What happened, Helena?”

Max growls in threat, ”Take one more step towards her, Nik. I f.u.c.kin' dare ya.”

I close my eyes. My body thrums. My chest heaves.

Nik asks again, near yelling, ”What the f.u.c.k happened in there?”

I stand so fast my stool hits the bar with a bang. Hands shaking, I stand a foot away from Nik, looking up into his rage-filled eyes, and thunder, ”She called Ceecee a r.e.t.a.r.d!” I'm mortified as the angry tears trail down my cheeks, my body shaking with fury. I lower my face into my hands to hide my weakness and whisper, ”She called Ceecee r.e.t.a.r.ded.”

The silence is so thick you could carve it with a knife. Lowering my hands, I swipe furiously at the tears. I reach out with a shaking hand to take the gla.s.s of water into my hands. I sip at it, wis.h.i.+ng I could disappear into the darkness, but I know that's not a choice.

Breathing in carefully, I stand as tall as I can and speak softly through an exhale, ”I'm sorry for the trouble, Nik.” I remove the two-way from my side and badge from around my neck, placing them on the stool. ”No need to fire me. I resign. Sorry for spoiling everyone's night. I'm going home. Goodnight.”

Tina and Lola both plead, ”Helena, no!” and ”Stay!” while Nat orders, ”Don't you go anywhere. Not 'til he apologizes!”

I turn and walk away with what dignity I have left before I hear Nat scream to who I'm sure is Nik, ”You a.s.shole!”

I half-expect that Max will come after me, but he doesn't.

And once again, I'm left feeling how I felt when I first came to New York.

Completely and utterly alone.

Max Immobilized by blind fury, I blink as I watch Helena walk away, head held high. I've never seen her look more beautiful, fat lip and all. But as she walks down the stairs, out of sight, my gut churns. I swallow hard knowing that this might be it. This might be where Helena realizes it's too much work being with a man like me. But seeing her stand over Portia after she handed her a.s.s to her, defending my baby girl...s.h.i.+t.

I think I'm falling in love, but I don't remember it happening like this the first time round. Did love make a person feel like they'd hit the highest high and lowest low at the very same time? I never wanted this to happen. But knowing Helena as I do now, how could I have ever stopped it?

I should be used to people's offensive and rude comments. But at least when it comes from children, they don't know any better. When I hear adults using the word r.e.t.a.r.d, it just makes me want to smack a b.i.t.c.h. My daughter is not slow or stupid. She is an exceptionally smart and able person, regardless of her injury.

Nik stands there, hands on his hips, looking down at the floor. I feel the guilt come off of him in waves. Nat yells at him. ”You a.s.shole!”

Tina gives Nat a pleading look. ”Nat, stop.” She steps closer to him, placing a hand on his chest. ”Honey, you didn't know.” But he steps back. I've never seen him step away from Tina. Not ever.

He doesn't look up. Instead, he takes the discarded badge and two-way, and makes his way to the door by the bar, leading to the office. He walks out, leaving us standing here. But he doesn't get away that easily. I follow him.

Tina stops me by gripping my wrist. ”Max, don't, please. Just let him go.”

I look down at my sister-in-law and kiss her forehead in rea.s.surance. ”I'm not going to yell at him, Tina, even though he'd deserve it if I did. I just need to talk to him.”

I walk over to the door by the bar and scan my way in. I keep walking and don't stop until I make it to Nik's office. He sits at the desk in the throne he calls an office chair with his eyes closed, rubbing at his temple. I clear my throat and he raises his head, looking haggard. He looks to have aged ten years in ten minutes. He shakes his head and mutters roughly, ”I f.u.c.ked up.”

He looks as if he wants to say more, so I don't bother speaking. Sometimes, all you need to do for someone to feel better is just listen. Sitting up, he stands and paces behind his desk. ”I spoke to you the other day about how great your girl is, and I just tore her down. And I did it in front of everyone.” He puffs out a breath. ”The f.u.c.k is wrong with me?”

I utter quietly, ”No one's perfect. People screw up.”

Nik laughs humorlessly. ”Yeah, they do. I know that better than anyone, so what the f.u.c.k was that?” He groans. ”Oh G.o.d, she's gonna hate me.” Then he sighs dejectedly. ”The one girl I like for you and I bully her to tears. And all she was doing was sticking up for my niece.”

”Helena's surprising like that.”

Nik eyes me a moment before his brows narrow. ”What? You're not gonna tear me a new a.s.shole?”

I lean against the doorframe. ”You're doing a good job of that yourself. Doesn't look like you need help.”

He looks up at me, his eyes apologetic. ”I'm sorry, man.”

I nod, knowing full-well he is, but say, ”I'm not the one you should be apologizing to.”

He sits on the edge of his desk, head lowered. ”I know.” He looks up at me and promises, ”I'll make it right. First thing.”