Chapter Twenty
024
Two months later
 
 
 
 
The doorbell rang, shocking Nicky out of a sound sleep. A quick glance at the clock revealed it was barely six in the morning. Who in their right mind would be stopping by for a visit at this hour?
Maybe it’s not someone in their right mind. Maybe it’s him, maybe he was finally released from the hospital and he’s not in the mood to obey the restraining order.
Nicky vaulted into a seated position. She hadn’t called to check on Derrick’s status in a few days, but surely he couldn’t be ready to go home yet. His stroke had been massive and the doctors said he’d need months of physical therapy before he was anywhere close to his old self. They’d also promised to call her before they released him, since they knew about his history and the restraining order in place keeping him from seeing his ex-wife or child.
The bell rang again, making her heart leap into her throat. “Just a second,” she called out, jumping out of bed and taking a quick peek in Abby’s crib. She was still asleep, thank god. Nothing could wake her until she was ready to get up, so hopefully she’d snooze straight through whatever madness might ensue if it really was Derrick at the door.
One thing was for certain, no one was ever going to take Abby from her again. She was going to make damn sure of that.
The gun was out of its shoe box on the top shelf of her closet and in her hand in seconds. If Derrick violated the restraining order and tried to hurt her or Abby again, she’d shoot him and deal with the fallout later. Even standing trial for murder in self-defense would be better than letting him take Abby away. The past two months alone with Abby had only made her love for her daughter fiercer than it had been before, and she knew she’d do anything it took to keep her safe.
“Who is it?” Nicky asked once she was at the door, buying herself a little time as she peered through the peephole and saw the last person she’d expected.
“It’s Christian,” he said, the words barely out of his mouth before she threw open the door. He took in her rumpled hair and pj’s with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the early hour.”
“Um, no, it’s fine. Come in,” Nicky said, opening the door wider, scanning the stairs behind him, a foolish part of her hoping she’d see Jackson.
But she should know better. Jackson hadn’t even called to say hi since he’d left for Miami. He didn’t want anything more to do with her. He’d made that abundantly clear.
“I’m on my way to Hawaii and only have a six-hour layover. I’ve got to jet back to the airport in just a few— Nice gun. You bring that to the door to greet all your visitors?”
“Only the ones who show up unexpectedly at insanely early hours who I think might be my ex-husband.”
“That’s pretty tough of you. I’m impressed.”
“You do what you gotta do.” Nicky shrugged and turned back to the closet to put the gun back in its hiding place. That was the good thing about a studio apartment, everything was in easy reach. “Can I get you some coffee or something?”
“No, like I said, I’ve got to run in a few. I just needed to talk to you. In person.”
“What about?” Nicky asked, her mind immediately imagining the worst. “Is Jackson okay? He’s not hurt or anything, is he? I mean, he’d probably have to be a lot worse than hurt for you to come all the way out here, but—”
“He is. A lot worse.”
“Oh, god.” Tears sprang to her eyes and she barely made it to the couch before her knees gave out. “What happened? Just tell me fast and get it over with.”
“You happened.” Christian took the armchair across from her, settling in like he’d visited a hundred times before. He certainly had a gift for making himself at home in his surroundings. “The man’s a complete wreck.”
Nicky didn’t know whether to be relieved or pissed that Christian had scared her half to death. “What do you mean he’s a wreck?”
“He’s a mess. He can’t concentrate on his art, he’s a cranky asshole to everyone we work with, and he acts like Miami is the seventh level of hell, not one of the most happening cities on the planet.” Christian sighed and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. “I swear to god, he’s lost his mind. He’s even grown a beard, if you can imagine. He looks like some sort of psycho serial killer.”
“I didn’t know you smoked,” Nicky said.
“I don’t, I just started.” He flicked a cigarette from the pack and placed it between his lips. “Got some women trouble of my own.”
“Sorry to hear that, but you can’t smoke in here.”
“That’s cool, I’ll just hold it. Almost as good and a lot less cancer-causing.” He stared at her over the coffee table, an expectant look in his eye.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Say you’ll take this.” He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a plane ticket, which he handed over. “And use it.”
Nicky picked up the ticket and glanced at the destination. “You want me to go to Maui with you?”
“Oh, god. No.” He snatched the ticket back and fished around in his other pocket. “This is your ticket. Sorry, I’ve been up for two days. I’m a little off my game.”
“Miami,” Nicky said, not even touching the ticket this time. Abby took that second to start snuffling and squirming in her crib, signaling her imminent waking. Thank. God. Saved by the baby.
“Yeah, Miami. You should go. He needs you. Believe me, I’m not the type to say that kind of thing unless it’s true,” Christian said, his voice absolutely sincere. “I’m really worried about him. It’s like he’s losing his mind or something.”
Nicky opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, knowing she looked like a fish out of water but unable to help herself. She had no idea what to say. A part of her wanted to take the ticket and go to Jackson, but the voice of reason wasn’t buying. Jackson had made it very clear he didn’t want a future with her, and he wasn’t the one who had shown up on her doorstep. If he’d really changed his mind and was that miserable without her, wouldn’t he be here himself?
“Mama. Maaaammmmaaa.” She smiled, knowing she’d never get tired of hearing that little voice first thing in the morning.
“Just a second.” Nicky vaulted off the couch and across the room to the tiny kitchenette area to start fixing Abby’s bottle.
The pediatrician had suggested Nicky start buying the soy formula for toddlers, but she still couldn’t bring herself to put Abby’s milk in a sippy cup instead of the bottle. She wasn’t ready to let those baby bottle days go just yet, especially considering Abby was probably the only child she’d ever have. She didn’t want to have another baby on her own and she couldn’t imagine ever getting married again. . . unless it was to Jackson.
She shoved the thought away as she picked Abby up from her crib and checked her diaper. Still dry. They’d had a diaper change at around four a.m., so she wasn’t surprised.
Of course, that was just another reason not to go to Miami. Jackson hadn’t expressed any interest in being a father to another man’s child, especially a high-maintenance infant type of child. He’d held Abby only a few minutes before pushing her back into her mother’s arms and fleeing the hotel room like he’d seen a ghost, not held a baby.
“She’s beautiful. Looks just like you,” Christian said, smiling as Nicky settled back in on the couch with Abby on her lap.
“Thanks.” She frowned as she handed the bottle over to Abby. She liked to hold it herself now that she was an entire year old. “I have to tell you, Christian, I’m a little surprised to see you here. I didn’t get the feeling you liked me that much.”
“I didn’t. I thought you were using Jackson to get your kid back.”
“But now you’ve changed your mind?”
He sighed, crushing the cigarette in his hand. “I’ve changed my mind about a few things. Especially where matters of the heart are concerned.” He paused, meeting her eyes. “You love him, don’t you?”
“More than anything, except Abby,” Nicky said, not seeing the sense in hiding her feelings. “But that doesn’t mean—”
“It does mean. It’s all you need to know, because you can be damn certain Jackson loves you more than anything in the world. He’s got it in his head he’s no good for you or something stupid, but I swear he’s the best man I know. He’s all heart under that big scary act.”
Nicky felt her throat grow tight and a bubble of hope expand in her chest, making her dizzy. “I know he is. But if he doesn’t want to—”
“Listen, I know you guys have got this kinky dominant and submissive thing going on, and I can respect that,” Christian said, the tone in his voice making clear he did nothing of the sort. He thought they were both freaky perverts, which made Nicky smile. “But even the ‘boss’ needs to be told what’s what sometimes. Jackson is all mixed up. So just take that ticket and go down there and tell him to quit being an ass. You three belong together, I feel it in my gut.”
He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and set it on the table next to the plane ticket. “These are directions to the shop and Jackson’s condo. I also took the liberty of having an extra key made to his place in case you decide to make yourself right at home. He’s been working the early shift at the shop, twelve to eight.”
Nicky bit her lip, trying to fight the excitement making her heart beat faster, but found it impossible. Christian wasn’t a hopeless romantic, he was a practical man, even a cynical one, she would have said if judging from their first meeting. If he was here, insisting Jackson was lost without her, she had damned well better believe it.
“Let me ask you one question,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“Is that ticket one-way?”
He smiled. “It sure is.”
She returned his grin. “Good. If I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right.”
“Fabulous.” The warmth in his dark eyes finally made her see why this was a man who made women swoon. Christian really was a gorgeous human being when he let his own softer side be seen. “A woman after my own heart. Though I did get a roundtrip ticket to Maui. Two, actually. I’m planning on bringing someone home with me.”
“Is this the woman who inspired the change of heart?” Nicky asked, happy for the man.
“Yeah. She’s got the stupidest pink-streaked hair and all these crazy feminist ideas and I was pretty sure I hated her.” He frowned as he crossed the room to throw away the remnants of his cigarette. “Amazing what you learn about yourself when you hear someone’s eloped with another man.”
“Oh, no, I’m so sorry.”
“That’s all right. I’m going to get there before the ceremony, so no worries.”
Nicky raised her eyebrows. “Okay.. . .”
Christian laughed. “Yeah, I’m crazy, but I heard kidnapping is the new way to prove your undying love. I figured I’d give it a try.”
“Right. Assuming the woman doesn’t press criminal charges.”
“Of course. I’ve got to run in a few, but do you want me to help you pack anything before I go? The next direct flight leaves at eleven o’clock this morning. I assume you’ll want to be on that one. No sense leaving that man down there to suffer any longer.”
Nicky glanced around the room at the rented furnishings that came with the studio and the very few things she’d managed to bring with her and Abby when they left Derrick the first time. She wasn’t going to be the slightest bit sad to leave the place that had been their home for the past two months. “No, I think I can throw our clothes in a couple of suitcases and box up the rest of the stuff before we need to catch a cab. There’s not that much here.”
“All right, then, I guess I’ll be heading out.” He crossed to the door, pausing before he left to turn and catch her eye. “You’re really going, right?”
“I am.”
“Thank you,” he said, a vulnerability in his eyes she’d never seen before. “And don’t let him tell you no.”
“Thank you. . . I won’t.”
As she watched Christian leave, she knew she’d never meant anything more.