Chapter Twenty-One

It all happened so fast that neither of them had the chance to stop one another: She pulled him to her level, forcing him into a kiss. "Calm down." Nick chuckled during the kiss, doing his best to keep up with her. "Ellis might be around..." To be honest, that's just what he wished. He wanted to be caught. He wanted to give the kid a reason to hate him.

"I hope he's with Coach." Rochelle sounded out of breath as she pulled away, "I hate to admit it, but I really want you right now." She blushed, holding onto his shirt tightly.

"I'm fine with that." Nick leaned down, kissing her gently, "Just slow down." He said between kisses. He hated to do this to her, to use her. In the past he would have been able to play with someone's heart with ease, as long as it meant he got what he wanted. But now, it bothered him. And as he kissed her he closed his eyes, telling himself this would be right. Why couldn't he open himself up again? But why did he feel it was easier to do so with Rochelle, and not Ellis?

"Ah..." Rochelle whined lightly, "Why so rough suddenly?"

"For a minute there, I forgot you were pregnant." Nick smiled, though it was more like he figured out why he was too proud to be with Ellis. Nick was a man, and to him, Ellis was just a kid, completely different from what he was used to.

"Come on." Rochelle grinned, grabbing onto his pants by the belt and pulling him into the room. She felt guilty for wanting to sleep with him while she was pregnant, but the doctor told her this wouldn't be bad for the baby, that it would actually help. So she did her best to forget; she would save feeling guilty for tomorrow.

Nick smirked. He knew Rochelle was a flirt from the start, but he never pictured her acting this way. It made it easier on him. He could look at her and want her without feeling any guilt at the moment, but as soon as he would face Ellis the next day, he knew he would feel it.

'Don't do this Nick.' He kept hearing himself scream in his head. Since when did he have a conscience? 'You only needed to win her over enough to convince her, just stop.' But he couldn't: He felt her soft lips against his, her smell, her touch. He didn't know if he wanted her specifically, or if he wanted something that he had gone without for a long time. Either way, they were now in his bed, hands roaming one another's body, mouths desperately searching for more places to kiss.

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Ellis had been in the kitchen when he heard the door. He went silent when he saw the two kissing and heading to the bedroom. He fell back against the wall with his hand on his chest, "I'm such a fool." He choked out. He knew Nick was a con man, and telling lies was like breathing air. He was good at it, and he didn't once break his poker face. He wanted to be angry, but he just felt confused, praying that it was her he was lying to, that he had a reason for embracing her and kissing her the way he had to him. "Idiot." He dragged himself to his room, holding onto the sheets as he fell into the bed, covering his face and cursing into the pillow, hating himself for wanting to forgive the man, for wanting him.

"Where are you now, Keith?" He could feel his voice starting to brake as a warm sensation dripped down his face. "Shit, guys don't cry." He curled up into a ball, looking out the window. All he could think about was Nick's touch, kisses, and the faint smell of whiskey on his breath.

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"Are you sure?" Nick pulled away, catching his breath. He looked down at her. Of course she wanted to continue; she probably had gone without practice as long as him. But hopefully she saw this the same way, as two friends helping each other during a desperate time.

"Yes..." She looked up at him. He was being so gentle and careful that he almost felt like a stranger to her. She moved her hand onto his cheek, running it up to his hair and down to his neck before pulling him down into a kiss.

Nick smiled, making sure he wouldn't press against her abdomen in fear of hurting her. And as he ran his hand down and onto her stomach, he felt guilt. There was only one way to end this while continuing with his plan. "Are you worried about the baby?" He asked, "Being born infected, there is a chance it may."

"I really don't want to think about that right now." Rochelle put her hands on his chest, trying hard to get him to start kissing her again.

"It's going to be a hard life, running from the law with a child. It may be best that if born immune, we place it with a family." Nick took her hand and kissed it, "Then with more time we could start again."

She looked up at their hands; she had never realized it, but Nick still wore his wedding ring. And now with her fake one on, it felt like she belonged with someone. "Well yea but..."

"We can find a family who desperately wants a child to pay us, and we could use that money to get further from Savannah. We would be safe." Nick said quietly.

Suddenly she understood. Why would she think this man could possibly change? "You want me to sell my baby?" She pulled her hand away, "Were you...Were you trying to seduce me so I would give into your idea?" She gasped out, "I can't believe you! This is low even for you, Nick." She glared at him, "Get away from me!"

"Rochelle, please, the child won't be safe with us. I'm doing what I think is best." Nick continued to speak in a calm tone.

"No! This has always been about you; you never even cared about this pregnancy!" Rochelle cried out.

"Calm down." Nick grabbed her hands, not wanting her to stress out to the point where it would be bad for the baby.

"Let go of me!"

Ellis had started to fall asleep when he heard a muffled noise. He pulled the pillow off his head and sat up, "Ro?" He wasn't sure what to think of this, but as soon as he was out in the hall he could hear her screaming, "Let go!"

"Please calm down, we don't have to do that. It was just a thought, I never agreed on it in the first place." Nick said desperately, now starting to worry about his decision. Not once had one of his gambles in life gone so wrong.

"And who were you agreeing with?! Me or those sick men?" Rochelle jabbed at him with her fist but couldn't get him off.

"What the hell Nick?!" Ellis ran into the room, grabbing onto Nick's shoulders and pulling him off. "What's going on?" He pinned him down, ready to attack if Nick attempted anything. He looked down at Nick, searching desperately for a reason not to hit him. He wanted to hear an excuse that would fool both him and Rochelle.

"He was going to sell the baby." Rochelle pulled herself up, though staying sitting, too exhausted to get to her feet.

"You wouldn't?" Ellis looked down at Nick, who just turned his face to the side, looking away. He felt ashamed to even have brought it up, to have gone this far. "Dammit Nick! Talk!" Ellis tightened his hand into a fist.

"I-" He opened his mouth, "-I was never going to agree to it, but the more I thought about it..." Ellis suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt, shaking him.

"We're good enough for that baby. We've come this far Nick!" Ellis wanted to hit him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"It's going to take a lot more then a shopping day for me to forgive you Nick." Rochelle looked at Ellis, "Let's go Ellis."

Ellis got off Nick, going over to help Rochelle up. "You go with Coach and calm down, alright? I want to talk with Nick... Maybe-"

"There is no maybe! I don't want to ever see him again. I can stand his comments, and sometimes the way he acts, but this just went too far." Rochelle stormed out of the room, fighting back her tears.

"Coach is going to kill me." Nick said after she left, laughing nervously as he looked at Ellis.

"Not funny man." Ellis shook his head, "No time for jokin'. Now you tell me what made you think of telling her something like that before I kill you myself."