Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 55

NICOLE

My disdain isn’t enough to keep Roman away from me, though.

No. Despite all the ugly things that were said, he still follows me.

Grabbing my arm once more, he forces me to whirl around and face him. This time, he has the audacity to look angry. “Running away from me doesn’t change the facts, Nikki. I never hurt Haley. She’s been lying to both of you this whole time.”

“Oh, and I’m supposed to believe you!?” I ask hysterically. “You, the pathological liar? Over Haley whom I’ve known for years and is going to marry my brother?”

“You don’t know her as well as you think you do, Nikki, because I never touched her. I’ve lied about a lot of things in my life, but not this. I’m not lying about Haley, and I’m not lying about the way I feel about you.”

I shake my head and cover my face with my hands. At this point, it feels like I’m losing my mind.

Roman releases me. I should turn around and put as much distance between us as possible, but for some reason, I can’t move. I’ve never felt more tired in all my life than I do now. This whole interaction was just about the most draining experience of my life.

And it’s not even that I believe a word he’s said. No–only a fool would believe Roman.

He’s an expert liar. That’s all he does.

Lie, lie, lie.

“Nikki-”

“Don’t call me that!” I snap, finally looking at him. “Stop. Stop the fucking pretending! Jesus…what more do you want from me? How far do you want this to go? Do you want to have a chance to crush me again? Don’t you have anything better to do with our time?”

“That’s not what I’m trying to do,” he insists, stepping close to me once more. “I’m just trying to set things right. I know that the damage I’ve done is irreparable, but I want you to know that if you give me the chance, I’ll set things right.”

Suddenly, the space between us has disappeared, and I’m looking right into his eyes. His hands are on my shoulders before moving down my arms, and the look on his face is unmistakably haunted.

“I would give anything to have you back,” he whispers. “I’d do anything for a chance to prove to you that what we both experienced was real, even if the intentions behind the whole thing were fucked.”

The look I give him is a bewildered one, because that’s how I feel. I shake my head at him in disgust and back away. I think about all he’s done. All I went through. The miscarriage. It all races through my mind and leaves me breathless.

This time, he doesn’t try to stop me when I move away from him. “You disgust me, Roman.”

And I’m disgusted at myself, too, for standing there and listening to that shit. What’s wrong with me? I’m so angry at myself that I start to cry.

I walk around aimlessly for a handful of minutes before I realize that I should be looking for Esmeralda here. Despair takes hold of me, but a moment later, it dissipates when she calls my name. “Nicole?”

I race toward her and because of my speed, I end up crashing into her. I wrap my arms around her tightly and say, “I was so worried, Esmeralda! I thought something had happened to you! Where’s Armand?”

It’s my turn to scoff. “Fuck you, Esmeralda! You’re in no position to judge me! And he lied to me! The whole time-”

“It doesn’t matter! You could be lying!”

I’m shocked as I stare back at her. “What the hell is this about? You’re with a married man. I never once called you a whore for doing it! I…I always supported you!”

Esmeralda claps. “Wow! Gee. Thanks for being such a great friend.” She sticks out her middle finger. “Here’s your fucking award.”

Esmeralda storms past me, and I admit that my mind nearly splinters. What the hell? What the actual fuck was that? I look over my shoulder at her and she doesn’t look back once. What on earth is wrong with her? I don’t understand it at all.

We’ve never had an argument this huge before, and it’s precisely at this moment that I realize that I can’t stay here for another second. I have to go.

This trip is over. Done. I had this feeling earlier, but now? I’m absolutely sure. I start toward the exit. I have to get out of here. This night turned out to be an awful one–and it’s one I’ll always remember. Roman. Garith. Esmeralda. Their words refuse to leave me. More tears gather in my eyes but this time, I swallow the knot forming in my throat.

I can’t and won’t give in to my emotions.

Not anymore.