Chapter Nine
Nine
Nico
T hey didn’t waste any time, I’d give them that.
We were whisked off to a posh resort and checked into our swanky rooms, given a couple hours to unpack and eat lunch, then there was a loud knock at my door.
I knew who it was. She’d warned me she’d be there promptly for my first session. But it still grated that I had to be there at all. It also didn’t help that as I slowly strolled to answer the door, I’d swear I could still feel the heat of JJ’s hand in mine. I was seriously losing it.
I swung open the door and leaned against the frame like I had all the time in the world. “What’s up, Doc?”
Prissy had changed from her casual travel clothes into her usual work battle armor—in her case, a loose-fitting dress the color of fresh limes and glasses to match. “Hi, Nico. May I come in?”
I swung the door open wide and she stepped inside, bringing with her the scent of coconuts.
I followed her to the living area of my suite, where she sat in one of the chairs and looked me up and down. “How are you feeling?” She tipped her head toward the seat opposite hers.
I sat down and my fingers began tapping my thigh. “Peachy.”
Her eyes tracked the rhythm of my thumbs. “Feeling the need for a drink?”
My gaze snapped up to hers. “What?”
“A drink.”
“I heard you. I just don’t know why you’d ask me that.”
“Sure you do. We discussed your possible addiction before this trip.”
“We didn’t discuss shit,” I spat, the tapping becoming faster and more erratic. “You accused me of being something I’m not. There’s a difference.”
She nodded as if we were discussing the weather. “Is there? Then tell me, Nico, what did you do first when you got to your room? Unpack? Eat lunch?” She tilted her head and lifted a brow. “Or did you maybe check out the mini bar? Were you disappointed when you found it empty?”
Heat roared through my veins that she had my number so damn easily. “You don’t know anything about me,” I growled, hating both of us in that moment.
“Then let me get to know you.”
I shook my head, my fingers now clenching my thighs painfully. Fuck this. Fuck all of this. There had to be something to drink somewhere on this resort. She couldn’t keep me from all of it.
“Let me help you, Nico. It’s the only way.”
Her voice was so quiet, so calm, everything in me stilled. I looked up and her expression was open, practically begging me to trust her. But I didn’t even trust myself. “The only way to what?” I managed past the rocks in my throat.
“To save yourself.”
Fucking Dave somehow managed to make the entire resort dry. No booze. Not even a beer. They also put me on a curfew—back to my room no later than ten p.m.—like I was some kind of kid. My life quickly became a monotony of up at eight, breakfast, workout, fake therapy with Prissy, lunch, more bullshit therapy, dinner, free time, curfew. I tolerated it for the first three days, but it was torture. The only thing I looked forward to was seeing JJ at dinner and coming up with new ways to give her shit and make her blush. Honestly, the woman was way too easy.
But tonight, something had JJ rattled. She showed up in the sweetest curve-hugging jeans and a blue sweatshirt that only made her eyes bluer, which was almost impossible, except she wouldn’t meet my gaze, and she wasn’t reacting no matter how I teased.
I finally dropped my fork with a clatter. “Seriously, college girl, what has your panties in a wad?”
She finally looked up at me.
“What?” I demanded. “You’re acting like someone kicked your puppy. What happened? Did someone die?”
“What? No. It’s just... work. Nothing for you to worry about. You just keep focusing on your therapy so we can get home.”
I frowned. Something in her voice just didn’t sound right. “Hey.” I reached over and touched her hand. “If you need to get back to LA, I’m sure it’s fine. You’ve been here a few days. That’s longer than any other chick has stuck around.” I tried to be lighthearted about it, but even I heard how screwed up that sounded. “Nobody will blame you for bailing on me.”
“That’s just it.” Her eyes were big and emotional as she studied me. “They think...”
“Who? Who thinks? What are you talking about?”
She sighed and pulled out her phone, scrolling then offering it to me.
Another member of Zero Energy bitten by the love bug?
Is Nico Santorini engaged? See our exclusive!
Cupid strikes the rock world again!
They all focused on photos of us at the airport for this trip—me with my hand at her back, her in that white sweater, both of us all smiles as we headed off to a private destination. Of course the press would speculate.
I handed her the phone back. “That’s bullshit. Ignore it.”
“I can’t! It’s my job to not ignore it!”
“Well, what exactly is the problem? You came here as my pretend girlfriend. They bought it and upgraded you to my fiancée. Is that so terrible?”
Her cheeks flamed pink as she stared at me, wide-eyed. Without a word, she stood up, ignoring her uneaten food, and walked away.
Guess it was that terrible. Good to know.
I waited until well past eleven, until I was sure everyone would be asleep, then I slid on my boots and snuck out of that prison of a resort. I was not a child, and I would not be treated like one. Plus, I needed a drink and to talk to someone who didn’t look at me like they felt sorry for me, wanted to fix me, or despised even the idea of being linked to me.
I pushed out a side door into the cool night and pulled my hood over my head. I tucked my hands into the pockets of my hoodie, walking a fast clip down the gravel drive toward where I remembered the main part of town was. There had to be something open this time on a Friday night or this was not a resort town.
A couple of miles later, I spotted the twinkling lights of a bar, the faint sounds of laughter drifting my way. I picked up my pace until I reached the door and pushed inside, where I was greeted by the scent of beer and nachos. It felt like home. Music and a football game sounded in the background as I made my way to the bar and slid onto a stool.
“What can I get you?” asked the weathered bartender who looked like a pudgier version of my dad in about twenty years.
“I’ll take a shot of Jamison. Leave the bottle,” I said.
If he was surprised by my order, he didn’t say so, just nodding and leaving me to it after I gave him my credit card for the open tab.
After that first swallow hit my belly, it was like a thousand worries melted from my shoulders and I relaxed for the first time in a week. I poured myself a second generous shot and took it like a dose of medicine, barely breathing before I poured the third. I was on a mission to forget, and this was my antidote. By pour number five, I was sitting numb and pretty.
“Hey there.”
I glanced over at the soft feminine voice, my vision pleasantly blurred around the edges as I took in the brunette. “Hey, yourself.”
Almond-shaped green eyes slid down to my shot glass, then back up to my face. “Gonna offer a lady a drink?”
For some reason, JJ’s face came to my mind like a lightning bolt, making this barfly come up way short. “Sorry,” I said, making me wonder who the hell had taken over my mouth. “Drinking alone tonight.”
She frowned at me and huffed before flouncing off, leaving me to toss back another drink.
“Sure you don’t want some water to go with that?” the bartender asked, concern etched in his weathered face.
I waved him off. “I’m good.”
I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket, but I ignored it as I poured again, but this time, I just stared down at the drink on the bar. I was beyond buzzed, hitting my sweet spot. My phone vibrated again. I let it roll to voicemail as I contemplated finishing the bottle. Instead, I closed out my tab, grabbed it, and headed out into the dark with a wave.
The world was spinning, but my mind was blessedly numb. I stumbled as I sipped directly from the bottle, nearly tripping into the road.
“Fuck!”
I righted myself and moved closer to the tree line as a wave of nausea overcame me. I stopped and leaned against a tree trunk for support as I sucked in a few gulps of the crisp night air. Everything was fuzzy, except I could clearly recall JJ’s emotional eyes when I asked her if it was so terrible the press thought she was my fiancée. God, I was the disgusting failure my father said I was. She saw it. They’d all see it eventually when the truth came out.
I hit my knees as nausea and shame rolled through me like a tidal wave, sucking me under.
Cold grass and sharp gravel hit my face as I curled onto the ground, clutching the half-empty bottle of booze, wondering if tonight was the night the pain would finally kill me.