"I mean it." He says menacingly in Luke's face as he walks off, leaving Nick and I unable to contain our panic as Luke watches on in confusion.
"What's up with you two?" Luke asks, surprisingly calmly, as he clutches his shoulder, clearly in pain from Jamie's brothers harsh grip.
"Nothing," Nick quickly tries to reassure him as I keep quiet, still unable to say or do anything.
"I didn't do it by the way, in case you were wondering." He says slightly aggressively towards me, clearly misreading my expression.
"I wasn't." I simply answer back.
"Course not, he's just crazy, alright? I mean I thought Jamie was bad but this Aaron seems like a nut job." He says as Nick and I just look awkwardly at each other, a mixture of fear and worry across our faces.
"You guys do believe me, right?" He says as he once again, misreads our actions.
"Yeah Luke, don't worry about it. We've gotta go." Nick excuses us as he grabs my hand and we head over to the flat, knowing that we couldn't both spend a day at work trying to pretend everything's normal after finding this out.
The long walk to our flat is silent and remains that way until we are both sitting next to each other on the sofa and I decide I need to break the silence.
"How?" I simply ask him but he doesn't answer, he just stares forwards as I am, not knowing the answers himself yet alone being able to explain everything to me.
"You told me he was dead."
"I thought he was."
"How could you get that wrong? How?" I ask him angrily. I know it's not his fault. I know I shouldn't be blaming him and yet I can't stop myself.
"I'm sorry." Nick tells me.
"Me too." I answer as there's another silence, nothing but our erratic breathing can be heard.
"Everything is going to be okay, we-" he starts to reassure me as I interrupt him.
"No Nick, everything is not going to be okay! You can't just keep on saying that and hoping it will come true because it's not the truth!"
I can see he's stunned by my outburst but I don't stop.
"Now he's out there and he can do anything and there's nothing we can do to stop him." I tell him quietly as we both look at each other.
"Maybe he won't try anything." Nick tells me but it's clear he doesn't believe the words he's saying.
"He is alive, Nick. And he knows that we left him for dead. He could do anything. Maybe revenge, maybe go to the police." I worry.
"He won't go to the police, he'd have to tell them what he tried to do and there's no way he's going to do that." He tries to tell me, thinking it would settle me but it just confirmed my worst fear.
I'd rather he went to the police. I'd rather I be put in jail. I'd rather anything than have to come face to face with him again if he wants revenge.
I know I wouldn't be able to handle it.
I just know the next time he sees me, he'll kill me.
"Nick, can you just leave please?" I ask him calmly, knowing I need to be alone before I get angrier and end up saying things I'll regret.
"You can't push me away." He tells me.
"I'm not." I say. "I just need some time to myself, please?"
"Okay." He reluctantly agrees after a long silence as he gives in. "Promise you'll call me if you need anything. I'll just go to work then and you'll call me or text me or come and get me if anything happens?"
"Yeah."
As he leaves, I slump down onto the sofa before searching the cupboards, in desperate need of the only thing I feel can maybe, just maybe make this situation better... in my head at least.
I look. I look. And I look.
None.
Quickly, I grab my keys as I leave the flat, hoping that I could find somewhere that sells what I want at this time.
Leaving Dev's corner shop, I quickly tuck away the bottle of vodka in my bag as I walk back to the flat.
I know it's wrong. I know I should just go to the bistro but I can't. I just need to forget.
Walking down the street, my mind is so focused on getting drunk that I nearly miss my name being called. As I turn around, I find myself coming face to face with Robert.
"What do you want?" I ask him, tired of his constant empty threats of what would happen if I didn't convince Nick to let him buy half of the bistro.
"I was just going to say that times up." He says casually before beginning to walk off, towards the bistro.
"What do you mean?" I quickly ask him even though I know exactly what he means. It's the moment I've been dreading.
"I've given you far more than 24 hours Carla. I'm going to go and ask Nick one last time to let me invest in the bistro. If he says yes, then everything's fine. If not, well..." He pauses, leaning closer to me and lowering his voice. "He'll find out your dirty, little secret."
I barely have time to think as he runs quickly over to the bistro and I know I have to stop him or do something, anything. Anything to stop him from telling Nick.
As I rush over, I trip slightly, hurting my ankle in the process as I'm forced to stop and lean against the wall until I'm able to continue towards the bistro.
I know there's no time. I know I'm too late. I know he will know by now. He will hate me by now.
I push open the bistro door as I slip through.
I look towards where Robert and Nick are standing by the bar and I can't believe what I see.
No.
This can't be happening.
He wouldn't.
My mind is overrun with so many different thoughts all at once as I approach them.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I ask them both.
"Well... I believe Nick here is just making our new business deal official." He says, waving the contract in his hand at me as I stand, unable to believe what I'm seeing.
"Nick? Please tell me he's joking." I look at him as he looks down, almost ashamed.
"Afraid not. You're looking at the new owner of 50% of the bistro."
Thank you for reading. Reviews would be very much appreciated. I hope it's all understandable and you liked it. Thank you if you've left a review on any of the chapters so far! They make my day!