Chapter 18
Noelle
It’s been a week since I’ve been forced into staying at Nik's condo. My world has turned upside down in a short amount of time. I’ve continued to research; I just can’t stop until I know what’s going on.
Because whatever it is, maybe I can help.
If there was something more that happened to him in college, if someone tried to end his career, we’re getting to a point where maybe I can uncover it.
We’re talking about a thrown game here, which only makes my assumptions that much clearer. Nik needs to come clean about what happened, whether right or wrong, or at least share his side so we can figure it out.
My sister and Sloane are asking questions, and honestly, I miss them both.
I just need to get out and be normal again, even if I’m dragging a bodyguard with me.
If I’m being watched, I still need to go about my life and do everything I was doing, so no one gets suspicious.
So while Nik is at practice, I convince Stone to let me go to Jingle Java and see my sister.
He agrees, but, of course, he has to escort me.
Pulling up out front, Stone parks three spots down from the cafe.
“Wait here.” He gets out, his head on a swivel, searching the surrounding area.
He walks down to the cafe non-chalantly looking in, then back past the car again, down behind us.
A moment later he comes back to the car and gets in.
“All clear. I’m going to go in first and do a sweep of the coffee shop.
I”l look for your sister. If I haven’t come out in two minutes, it means she’s in there and you can come in.
Don’t acknowledge me. I’ll get my coffee and come back out to the car and watch from here until you’re ready to leave. ”
“You don’t know who my sister is, though.”
He turns to me, eyebrow raised, sly grin in place. “Oh, I know who she is.”
My lips roll in, and my eyes narrow. “I don’t know whether to feel afraid or safe at this point.”
He chuckles. “Safe, Noelle. Always safe with me.”
He opens the door and gets out, and I wait two minutes. He hasn’t come out, so I open the car door and head into Jingle Java myself.
Walking in, I see Olivia at the corner table and wave.
She waves back, coffee already in place, and I head to the counter, standing behind the wall that is Stone.
I stifle a laugh as I hear the woman call out, “Iced Brown Sugar Oat-Milk Shaken Espresso, light ice, one pump of vanilla syrup.” He hears me giggle and gives me a sideways glance.
I stare straight ahead and order my coffee as he takes his and heads outside.
A moment later, with my caramel latte in hand, I slide across from Olivia, noticing her brows pulled together in concern. “Where have you been all week?”
“A bit preoccupied."
She looks at me, ready to strangle me. “You ditch me and Sloane at the club, and all I get is one text saying you’re fine and Nik is driving you home. Unless you’ve been having wild sex for the past week, there best be a damn good excuse. So, let’s hear it.”
I spin my coffee cup on the table, debating how to go about this.
I won’t tell her anything that could jeopardize her safety but I know I have to tell her about Nik.
I hate keeping anything from Olivia, but for her own good, I’ll keep it on the surface.
If she wants to make her own assumptions, I'll let her. For now.
“So?” she prompts.
“Okay, yes, I went back to Nik’s place after the club.”
“You little ho! I knew it! Wait until I tell Sloane.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s been nothing but a gentleman. A pain in the ass and won’t answer my interview questions, but he hasn’t tried anything.”
“Wait.” She puts her hands flat on the table. “You went home with him and nothing happened?”
“It’s a business relationship, Liv. I’m there to tell his story. That’s it.”
“Bullshit.”
I laugh. “I’m serious.” I have to give her a little more to keep her satisfied. “I will say he’s not the Mister Nice Guy everyone thinks he is, though.”
She rubs her hands together quickly. “Yes! I bet he’s got a whole other side to him. You’d better test that out and report back. He’s too good-looking and walks with that swag to be a dud in bed.”
“Is that all you’re concerned about?”
“Duh. He’s a young, flashy football star. That’s the real story. Oh my god, can you imagine if he sucks in bed? Or worse, has a small dick!”
“Olivia!” I shush her, as her excitability draws attention, but I can’t help but laugh right along with her. My sister is definitely a little wild and always speaks her mind, but I love her passion for life.
I clear my throat. “Well, I can tell you he doesn’t have a small dick, if that makes you happy.”
She slaps the table. “Yes!”
I shake my head. “And no, I didn’t see it, but he was walking around in sweatpants and well, you know.”
“Why don’t you think he’s a good guy, though?”
“I mean, he is. I think what we see on the field and all the charity work, that’s him.” I take a breath and speak lower, “But there’s another side to him. I’m just not sure what that is yet.”
I can’t tell her it’s the kind that comes with security guards.
“Well, I think he’s just what you need to take your mind off of work for a bit.”
“He is my work, Liv.”
“Okay, so when you take a break, or weekends?”
“You need to stop trying to pimp me out.”
“I just worry about you. I want you to find love. You’re not getting younger, ya know.” She gives a teasing grin.
“I’m happy just the way my life is right now.”
And if happiness is being forced to live in a condo with a rookie NFL player and a bodyguard, I guess I’m doing pretty good.
“Just don’t let your reporter brain get in the way of your common sense.”
I wave her off, and she tells me about her week, but my mind is dancing around, and I’m only half-listening.
I’m being scared into dropping this story, and I just can’t do that.
My stubbornness would never let me give in.
And right now, it’s just a story. If it becomes more than that, and really becomes a danger, then I’ll think about walking away. But until then, I’m in this.
“That big guy who ordered before you looked familiar.”
“Yeah, that’s Stone. He works at Club Trick; he’s a bodyguard.” I answer before I realize, and quickly cover it by gulping down my coffee.
“Oh, yes! I thought he looked familiar.” She pauses and looks at me. “How do you know his name?”
I swallow hard, then take another sip, trying to come up with a reason. “When they came to get me from the dance floor that night, he was one of the guys.”
I really hope she doesn’t remember he wasn’t the guy who escorted me, but was actually in the VIP room.
“Why did you have to go up there anyway?”
I shake my head. Fucking questions. “Nik saw me and wanted to go over a bit of the interview.”
“I thought you said he’s avoiding the questions.”
“Well, he is, but I guess because he saw me and–”
“How did he see you?”
“Jesus, what’s with the questions?”
She furrows her brows. “I’m just asking, damn, touchy.”
I close my eyes for a moment and breathe deep. “I’m sorry. I’m just a little on edge.”
“Shit, if I went home with the rookie of the year, I guess I’d be, too.”
I laugh at her. “There’s a window in that room, overlooking the entire place. He saw us on the dancefloor.”
She whistles. “This is some real gangster shit.”
You’ve no idea.
“Anyway, he’s a baby, Olivia. And a fucking football player. None of that is for me.”
“It could be for you.”
My mind swirls with possibilities. Dylan would have told me I was stupid for letting my feelings take over.
I remind myself that when I let my guard down with him, he screwed me over professionally and personally.
I tell myself I should be afraid of Nik, that what I saw and heard is more than enough to put distance between us, and that getting tangled up in emotions or physically with him would be the worst thing ever.
But to be honest, the closer danger presses in, the more I want to run straight to him.
I don’t know him, and I shouldn't trust him, but I want to. And it’s pretty terrifying that I can’t tell the difference anymore.