Page 33 of Naughty or Nice?
Nate hacks out a cold laugh. “You’re tellingmeto have some respect? What about you?!”
“Your mother passed away nine years ago. You know how difficult it’s been for me to move on.”
“SO WHAT? You think that gives you a pass to nail my fiancée!”
“You dumped me!” I blurt out, taking several steps away from the dining table. “How are you acting like you’re innocent? I’m yourex-fiancée, remember?”
“We have things to work out.”
“Work out what? How your dick ended up inside your secretary?”
He stuffs both hands inside his pants pockets and releases another cold laugh. “You can’t seriously be comparing the two situations. The passion between Rosa and I was genuine. It was real. Whatever the hell you’ve got going on with my father’s nothing but bitterness. It’s payback because I told you I didn’t want to marry you.”
“I don’t want you, Nate!” I yell. “You dumping me was the best thing you could’ve done—it helped me see you were the wrong man for me!”
“You weren’t saying that when you were practically begging for me to take you back.” He closes the gap between us like I have, starting toward me. “Face it, Kendall. You wanted to trap me into a marriage and pop out some babies and ruin my life. When I told you I wasn’t with the program, what did you go and do? You slept with my father a few hours later like the slut you are.”
Nate’s words have their intended effect. They catch me off guard for the second that follows. A satisfied smirk comes to his face, pleased by the fact that he’s successfully put me in my place.
But it doesn’t last long.
Nicholas charges toward his son, gripping him up by the front of his shirt. He slams him against the wall, pressing his forearm into his windpipe.
“Don’t you dare call her out of her name,” he rumbles in a low, dangerous tone. “I won’t allow you to degrade her.”
“You mean like how you did last night? I saw it, Dad. On your ring cameras.”
“Oh my god,” I mutter under my breath. I cover my face with my hands and turn away from both of them.
It hadn’t occurred to me there could be ring cameras in the house, or that Nate would somehow gain access to them.
“I hacked into your account,” Nate boasts. “Because I didn’t buy your bullshit story about working late at The Tavern and sleeping overnight in your office. Call it a hunch, but something told me you were with her. Guess I always knew you couldn’t make a ho into a housewife.”
Nicholas draws back his fist and punches Nate in the face.
The two wrap their arms around each other, tussling like they’re in a wrestling match.
“Stop it!” I shout from the sidelines. “Don’t fight!”
But my pleas fall on deaf ears.
Nicholas and his son grapple back and forth ’til they’re dropping to the ground. Neither one wants to give up as they try to throttle the other.
I hurry over to pry their arms off, but their grips are too persistent and strong.
The horrifying reality of what I’ve done stares me in the face—this father and son are fighting over me. Their relationship is so fractured and it’s my fault.
I caused all of this.
I made a terrible mistake by sleeping with Nicholas not only once, but several times. My heart splits into two inside my chest, the twinging pain unbearable. How could I be so stupid to think this situation would somehow end up being okay?
“PLEASE STOP IT!” I yell over their grunts. “I don’t want either of you!”
Nicholas and Nate slowly stop grappling, going still as they look up at me.
Shuddering out a breath, I can barely repeat myself. “I don’t want to ruin your holiday more than I already have. I definitely don’t want to destroy your family either. So I don’t want either of you. Happy?”
“Kendall—” Nicholas starts.