"You know I really don't like the idea of leaving you here by yourself." Joe said as he watched Nessa pack some of his things.
"I know baby but I already told you that it's just going to be overnight because a friend of mine is flying in from out of state to stay with me."
"Yeah and I don't understand why you can't tell me who this friend is." He growled and she sighed, sitting down on the bed beside him.
"I told you that it's complicated but I promise once you get back I'll tell you everything. Please, just know that I love you and that I'm going to be safe. You do trust me, don't you?"
"Of course I do. I'm just trying like hell to understand all of this."
"All in time baby, all in time." Nessa whispered, leaning over to kiss him. Their kiss was broke apart by the sound of a car horn. "There's your cab." Part of her didn't want to let him go but another part of her wanted to hurry him out the door so she could get this whole thing straightened out.
"Going to walk me out?" Joe asked.
"You know it baby." She wrapped her arm around his waist to allow him to rest some of his weight on her and she helped him down the stairs and outside to the cab, pulling his luggage behind her. "I'm going to miss you, you know that right?"
"I'm gonna miss you too babe. I'll call you as soon as I can to let you know I made it all right."
"You better." They kissed each other again and he climbed gingerly into the cab. "I love you Joe."
"I love you too Ness, I'll be back before you know it." Nessa watched the cab pull away, waving until it was completely out of sight. She walked back into the apartment which was eerily quiet and sat down on the couch, picking up her book off the end table. "This is going to be a long night." She muttered out loud. Nessa sat reading for a while, lost in her book until the phone started ringing. "Dammit." She laid her book on the couch beside her and plucked the phone off the table. "Hello?"
"Aness? Good, you still have the same number."
"Nicky? Why are you calling me tonight?" Nessa asked.
"Well...I kind of caught an earlier flight out and I'm standing outside your apartment building, at least I hope I am. You haven't moved have you?" He questioned, laughing.
"You're WHAT?" She jumped up and ran out the door, completely ignoring the strange looks from her neighbors and ran outside to see him standing by his car. "NICKY!" Nessa yelled, jumping into his arms. "I can't believe you're here! My god you look great!" She said, running her fingers through his long brown hair that was falling over his shoulders.
"So do you Aness. I think we should go inside and discuss what we are going to do about this whole situation." He stated and she nodded.
"You want anything to drink?" She asked once they were inside.
"Beer's fine." Nick replied. Nessa walked into the kitchen and grabbed two beers out of the fridge, taking them back in and handing one to him. "All right, now about this whole thing..."
"Nicky before we start that, there's something that I have to tell you."
"Okay...what is it?"
"When I broke it off with you I didn't only do it because of Monty." She said, preparing herself for an explosion.
"Why else then?"
"Because...I fell in love with you and I felt like I was betraying you since I couldn't give myself to you completely." Nessa admitted and she heard him sigh.
"I fell in love with you too. That is why it hurt me so bad when you broke it off between us."
"So, what are we going to do about Brandon and Monty?" She questioned, wanting to change the subject.
"The only logical thing we can do...tell Monty about our affair so Silvestry has nothing to hold over your head." He explained and she looked at him shocked.
"Are you insane? No wait...don't answer that, I already know the answer." Nessa giggled and he chuckled.
"Look at it this way...would you rather tell him and face the consequences or do as Silvestry wants and turn your back on Joe?"
She knew he was right but hated the thought of telling Monty about the affair. "We'll tell him."
"Good. You call him and get him over here while I bring my stuff up from my car." Nessa nodded and hesitantly picked up the phone.
Nick reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. "Everything will be okay, I promise Aness." She watched him walk out of the apartment and dialed Monty's number.
"Monty? It's Nessa."
"Hey Nessa! How are you?"
"I'm good, I was wondering if you could come over for a while? There's something that I need to talk to you about." She said.
"Yeah, sure. Give me about twenty minutes." They both said goodbye and she hung up the phone.
"He coming over?" Nick asked, walking back into the apartment.
"Yes. He'll be here in twenty minutes, bring your stuff and I'll take you up to the guest room." Nick nodded and followed her up the stairs.
"So, how long have you lived in this apartment?"
"Not too long. Joe and I moved into it when we decided to move in together, the one I had wasn't big enough for all of our shit so I talked to the landlord and he had this one left...here's your room." She stated, pointing to a door. "My room is right there incase you need anything." Nessa said, pointing to another door directly across from the guest bedroom. "I'll let you have some time alone before he gets here if you want to do anything. I'm going to go down and start dinner, are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Good. I'll see you in a little bit then." Nessa gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and made her way back downstairs. She went into the kitchen and turned on the CD player, turning up the volume as the 'Bloody Kisses' album from Type O Negative began to play. About time I get somebody around who I'm not afraid to listen to this music in front of. She thought, giggling as Peter Steele's deep voice slowly calmed her nerves and she swayed seductively along with the music.
"Still have a thing for Peter Steele I see." Nick spoke up and she jumped, turning around to face him with knife in hand.
"Dammit Nicky! You scared the hell out of me."
"Sorry, I was just enjoying the show. How often do you get to listen to them?" He asked, raising himself up on the counter so he could watch her as she cooked.
"Not nearly as often as I would like. No one around here would understand my listening to their music, which is another reason I'm glad you're here." She said, turning her attention back to trimming the fat off the two steaks she was getting ready to prepare for them.
"They still think you're little miss innocent huh?" Nick questioned, his voice full of amusement.
"Of course, you're the only one who knows the truth." Nessa admitted, blushing as she thought back to the first time he discovered that she liked rough sex and being told what to do.
His cell phone rang and he sighed. "Hello?...Hey man...Yeah I'm here...Third...Why you want to talk to her?...All right, hang on." Nick held his phone out to Nessa and smiled. "It's Kelly." She smiled brightly and took the phone from him.
"Kelly!"
"Aness! How are you my dear?" He asked.
"I'm doing good, how are you?"
"Tired. Did Nick tell you?"
"Tell me what?" Nessa questioned, looking at Nick oddly who just tried his best to look innocent.
"He didn't then. Go open your front door." With one last look at Nick she walked into the living room and opened the front door only to find Kelly standing there with a smile, holding his cell phone.
"KELLY!" She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and hugged him tight. "Oh my god! What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't let Nick come see you without me, now could I?" He questioned, hugging her back just as tight.
"I can't believe you're here, come on in!" She slipped from his arms, grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. Nessa was just about to shut the door when something stopped her, she opened it back up to reveal Monty standing there. "Monty! Come on in." Nessa whispered, looking back at Nick who just nodded reassuringly.
"Nick? Kelly? What the hell are you guys doing here?" Monty asked, shaking hands with both men.
"We just came for a visit, thought it was about time we checked up on our favorite girl." Nick lied.
"Kelly...could you go out and get another steak ready for me?" Nessa questioned and he nodded, knowing that she and Nick needed time alone to talk to Monty. She watched him walk into the kitchen and whistled teasingly causing him to shake his ass and she giggled. Nessa turned her attention back to Monty and sighed. "Have a seat Monty."
He looked confusingly between Nick and Nessa but sat down anyway. "What's going on?"
"Monty I've got something to tell you that I've been keeping hidden from you for a long time."
"Okay..."
"A week after you introduced Nicky and me...we started having an affair that lasted for six months." Nessa admitted.
"You son of a bitch!" Monty yelled and lunged at Nick.
"Monty stop!" She begged him, watching in horror as he kicked and punched Nick. "Kelly! Help!" Kelly came flying into the room and pulled a struggling Monty off of Nick. "Nicky? Oh my god! Are you okay?" Nessa asked, kneeling down beside him.
"You slut! I gave you everything and this is how you repay me? By spreading your legs for this freak? You deserved all Silvestry gave you and more!" Monty screamed, trying like hell to get away from Kelly.
Nessa stood up and walked over to him. "Monty it wasn't like..." Her words were cut off by him spitting in her face and kicking her in the stomach causing her to fall to the floor.
"You stupid motherfucker! That was the biggest mistake of your life!" Kelly growled, turning Monty around and punching him squarely in the jaw.
"No, the biggest mistake of my life was marrying that bitch!" He hissed, pointing to Nessa then he stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him.
"Aness are you okay?" Nick groaned, crawling over to her.
"I'm fine." She wheezed, trying to catch her breath. "Well, I think that went well." Kelly helped her up then held his hand out to Nick and helped him up. "I'm going to go fix dinner now. Why don't you guys come in and sit with me?"
"Are you sure you'll be able to?" Kelly asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine...I promise." The three of them went into the kitchen where Nessa fixed dinner then they spent some time in the hot tub before going to bed.
