Chapter 191
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED NINETY-ONE
NICOLE
I smacked my lips closed and stared at Akio through the mirror as someone banged on the front door so loudly that we could hear it from his bedroom.
What is wrong with me?! He cleans me up, and I fall in love with him?!
Not only that … but I almost admit it to him?!
“What were you going to say?” Akio asked.
Turning away, I walked back over to the bed and searched for my purse. “Nothing.”
Whoever was at the door continued to bang on it like their goddamn life depended on it, and I glanced out the window and into his enormous backyard.
Akio had been returning the favor because I’d helped him the other night.
Nothing more.
Another bang.
“You should get the door,” I said.
Akio stared at me quietly for another moment, then slipped out of the room. When the door closed behind him, I slumped my shoulders forward and collapsed back onto his bed.
Fuck, that was close.
After lying back on the bed, I stared up at the ceiling and pulled Akio’s pillow to my chest, inhaling his scent. I closed my eyes and wished that I could get the courage up to leave Dad and go into hiding for good. I’d bring Akio with me.
It was only a fantasy because that could never happen.
I would always live in fear that he’d find me and take Akio from me.
With the pillow plastered against my chest, I pulled it even tighter and bit back the giggle that had been building in my throat. I thought Akio really liked me. I wasn’t sure, and maybe he didn’t, but nobody had taken care of me like he had last night.
Plus, no other guy would do that for someone that they didn’t feel something for, right?
Maybe?
Another giggle bubbled through my chest. I hoped so.
Once I played through the silly thought a few more times, I rolled off the bed and replaced the pillow so Akio didn’t walk in on me rolling all over his sheets like a madwoman just because I wanted him to become obsessed with my scent.
So much so that he couldn’t find it in any other woman.
“Nicole!” Akio shouted from downstairs. “It’s for you.”
For me?
After grabbing my purse, I exited the room and descended the stairs. I hopped off the last one and found my way to the foyer, eyes widening when I spotted Dad standing in the doorway with Akio and his mother.
“What are you doing here?” Dad asked.
I swallowed hard and glanced over at Akio, who was the reason why I was here. He had been out with Imani Abara yesterday, and I so desperately wanted to be the one who he laughed with like that.
“We are working on a project together,” Akio said.
“I’m sorry I didn’t text you,” I said. “I fell asleep.”
Dad smiled sweetly, the way he always did to trick people into thinking he was just a worried father who loved and cared about his daughter. But if he cared about me, he wouldn’t hurt me every single day of my life.
“What happened to your face?” Dad asked.
“That’s my fault,” Akio said without skipping a beat. “I had some project supplies out in my car. Nicole was helping me bring them in the dark, and she tripped over a rock on the front stairway and hit her head on the gravel.”
Damn, how’d he come up with that on the fly?
Akio had no trouble lying right through his teeth.
“Akio,” his mother snapped, grabbing his elbow, “what’s wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry,” Akio said to Dad.
“Is that true, Nicole?” Dad asked.
Mouth scorched, I nodded. “Y-yes.”
If he found out the truth, I feared what he’d do to me.
Dad placed a hand on my upper back, then slid it to my opposite shoulder and squeezed. “We should get you home to clean up before school. Don’t want anyone to see those gashes on your face.”
“Okay,” I whispered.
After nudging me toward the door, Dad held a hand out to Akio for him to shake. “Thanks for taking care of my daughter.” He flashed Akio’s mother one of his fake smiles. “Yui, you raised a good one.”
I wanted to shiver in disgust at how incredibly fake he was, but I held it together and exited the house without looking back at Akio once. I didn’t want him to see the fear in my eyes, the agony written in my skin.
A few moments later, the door shut behind us, and Dad caught up with me.
“What’re you really doing over here?” he asked, walking way too close to me.
“Getting you information,” I whispered.
Lie. Lie. Lie. Lie. Lie.
I didn’t have anything on Akio and hadn’t even tried to grab anything from his parents’ room last night or any other night that I had been over here with him. I really didn’t want to hurt him in the process. He had cleaned up my wounds, for fuck’s sake.
And had left me to sleep alone—though I wished he’d slept with me.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “What’d you get?”
“Nothing yet.” I crossed the street and thanked the Redwood gods that we were out in public because he wouldn’t do anything to me right in front of Akio’s house, right? I stopped in front of my car. “Akio is different. I’m just planting seeds right now.”
A low growl left his throat. “Well, plant them fucking faster.”
After I nodded, Dad finally left my side and walked back to his police car. I glanced across the street at Akio’s house and spotted him in the living room window, watching me. My heart fluttered, and I smiled softly at him.
He waved awkwardly, like he usually did, then disappeared into the room.
I slipped into the car and locked the doors, resting my head back against the headrest and giggling. I’d slept over at a guy’s house last night, and for the first time, I hadn’t had to have sex with him. Warmth exploded through my chest. And he’d held me so tightly.
Tighter than anyone ever had.