CHAPTER 16

FACTS OF OUR LIVES

"I heard about your fight with Bella."

Nora snapped out of her thoughts, looking around the table, noticing her parents on the other side. Her mother's eyes landed on hers for an instant, the expression on her face darkening once she received a smile from her daughter. That hard, distant face made a pang shoot through her heart again, the sophisticated dress she was wearing not having the desired effect.

"I'm sure she told you all about it, Vee." She rubbed her sore shoulder. "No need for me to repeat it."

She had always been close with her sister, even after she had left with Patch and her parents forced Vee to choose sides too. She chose hers but for some reason her parents couldn't let go of their oldest daughter. That's why she wasn't eyed like her, with the disappointed look or the disapproving frown; instead they treated her like she was the only child they had ever had. It never bothered her, she knew it wasn't her sister's fault, but she couldn't help but to notice that from the moment she had started dating Scott, there had come a tiny crack in their bond.

"She's just worried about you." Vee grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "She doesn't want to see you get hurt and neither do I."

"Vee, you grew up with Patch too," She shook her head at her in disbelief. "You know he'd never do anything to hurt me."

"Not on purpose." She turned her body towards her, her green eyes boring into hers. "But you want more and he's not able to give you that."

"I think you and Bella should stay out of this." She pulled her hand out from under hers, grabbing her glass of wine. "I know you want the best for me, but I'd be a lot more miserable without Patch."

"You think you can forgive us?" She used her puppy eyes on her, blinking her eyelashes. "Because I have to ask you for a favor."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I want you to help me pick out a ring."

"Scott proposed to you?" Rixon popped his head in front of Nora, leaning over her lap. "Why did I not know about this?"

"Shh." Vee hushed him, slapping his shoulder. "I want it to be a secret."

"I have a class in the morning, but maybe we can have lunch after and look for a ring." Nora shrugged, pushing Rixon back in his seat next to her. "Then we can talk about where you're going to get married because knowing you you'd get married in Vegas by Elvis."

"I'm not that bad." She gave her an offended look. "I've watched enough chick-flicks to know I'm not supposed to do that."

"I'm happy for you." She squeezed her shoulder, giving her a smile.

"Thanks Nora." She leaned forward over her lap and slapped Rixon's arm. "Hey Rix, we want you to be the best man."

"You sure?" Rixon arched his eyebrow at her. "The last time I was supposed to be the best man, the wedding got canceled."

"Because Dabria was a fucking whore!" Nora clasped her hands over her mouth as every pair of eyes in the room was suddenly staring at her, her parents looking at her in shock, Rixon biting his lip to hold back his laughter, her sister's lips pulled up in a small smile, her grandmother giving her a look that was amused and annoyed at the same time. It took her a minute before she had the nerve to let her hands drop to her lap, her eyes moving to the white table cloth.

"At least Dabria knew her place." Blythe's furious eyes locked on hers. "It was with her family and next to a man she'd give up everything for."

"She cheated on him, the only thing she was giving up was her body and she was using him to get everything she could while giving him nothing back but a shattered heart!" She threw her napkin on the table, her eyes wide open. "She found her place underneath another man."

"And it was not your place to tell Patch." Blythe gave her a stern look. "It was Dabria's obligation to; maybe if she had done so instead of you then things would be different now."

"Yes, then they would be married and she would still be cheating on Patch and he would be taken for every penny he had and left with empty dreams she would have refused to fill."

"Nora!" Her mother shouted, making Rixon jump in his seat beside her. "You do not know what sacrifices it takes to love a successful man, Dabria knew that. She knew Patch's needs would come before hers when he took over the family business."

"There's only one woman in this room that knows what it's like to love a man more than yourself." Clista gave Blythe a pointed look and turned to Nora. "Where is Patch, sweetie?"

"Working." She sighed, falling back in her seat. "The meeting from this afternoon got rescheduled and he had to be there."

"Shame." Clista picked on her dessert, looking around the table. "At least he'd have some dirty stories for me."

"Hold on to that thought."

Nora turned around in her seat, finding the cool black eyes locking on her cool gray ones. She shook her head in amusement as she saw the familiar smirk plastered on his face, his eyes devouring her from where he was standing in the doorway. He still wore the black suit he'd pulled on to go to work, the jacket draped nonchalantly over his shoulder, the gray shirt hugging his muscles. It wasn't until Clista coughed that the black eyes moved away from hers and focused on the hostess. Her parents sat silently in their seats, giving Patch's the evil eye, clearly still choosing his parents' side over his.

"Patch Cipriano." Clista crossed her arms over her chest. "According to etiquette you're supposed to greet the host first."

"I make it a habit to greet the most beautiful girl in the room first." Patch shrugged indifferently, smirking at Clista. "That's why you'll be second and Rixon third."

"I heard that."

"Didn't expect anything else little brother."

Nora's eyes watched him as he slowly came towards her, throwing his jacket on the couch mid-way. The smile on her face only grew wider as the smirk on his grew with every step, her heart skipping a beat, her skin already anticipating his familiar and welcome touch. And as she stared into that pool of midnight sky, she knew why she'd defend him each time, why he'd always come before anyone else. He was her partner in crime, the one she relied on, trusted with each of her deepest secrets, he was her steady rock and at the same time he was the wild-fire that rushed through her life. She'd never be anywhere really present until he was, because no one can ever be fully present if a part of them isn't in the same room.

"Hi beautiful."

A giggle escaped her once his warm arms wrapped around her from behind, his warm breath against her skin. He rocked her softly from side to side in her chair, hugging her tightly to his chest. Her fingers grabbed his arm that was draped over her breasts, her nose nuzzling against his cheek to inhale his smell. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as he pressed a kiss against her temple, taking her away from the room that was filled with the people watching them.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." She kissed his cheek, reveling in his touch. "I'm glad you could make it for dessert."

"You look absolutely stunning." He whispered into her ear, his breath tickling. "Do you mind if I have you for dessert later?"

She rolled her eyes at him as he slowly let go of her and made his way to where Clista was sitting. He kissed her on the cheek, making Clista's eyes light up, the older woman's cheeks turning crimson red. Nora couldn't hold her smile back as Clista forced Patch to sit next to her, her grandmother's hand resting on top of Patch's arm.

"Patch." Clista squeezed his arm, her eyes begging. "Tell me a story."

"Babe, tell her about the hookers." Nora clapped her hands, excited. "You know, about the pimp that wanted you to set-up a marketing campaign for him."

"That's certainly sounds interesting." Clista winked at the both of them. "Tell me."

"This pimp came in my office one day and asked me to develop a marketing campaign for this new bar he was going to open, you can all guess what kind of bar." Patch lifted his shoulders, lost in thoughts. "I told him that before I can promote something I always have to know what I'm selling, so I have to test the goods."

"The pimp let him fuck all the hookers." Nora threw her hands in the air. "For free."

"My job was never more satisfying nor exhausting as that day."

"And now he's still waiting for the results of his HIV-test." Nora mock glared at Patch, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm waiting for the day when he comes home with an STD just so I can torture him for years."

"I'm pretty sure if I catch it, you'll get it too."

"Well, we do share everything you own."

"What?" Blythe's eyes went wide, her arm punching Harrison Grey mid-way. "You two... you two...no."

"I think it's time for us to go." Patch leaned closer to Clista. "We've clearly overstayed our welcome."

"You just got here." Clista squeezed his thigh. "She'll calm down in a sec."

"It's not for me."

Both their gazes landed on Nora who sat glued to her chair under her mother's furious look. Her tiny body started trembling, after all those years still afraid of what they might think of her, knowing the pressure that rested on her shoulders since she was a little girl, one of the founding families, being perfect was never enough.

"I expect the two of you for brunch next Sunday." Clista pointed her finger at him and cocked her head to the hallway. "Get her out of here."

He squeezed the older woman's shoulder and got up from his chair, feeling Nora's eyes on him. He walked to the couch and grabbed his jacket, practically running back to Nora's chair. Blythe's eyes stayed glued to him while she kept shouting words he didn't want to hear but he knew for sure were ripping through Nora like a silver blade.

"Come on." He pulled her up from her chair and draped his jacket around her shoulders. "We're leaving."

"Get your hands off my daughter." Blythe stomped around the table. "Right now!"

"How much did you have to drink?" He adjusted his jacket on Nora and pointed his eyes sternly on hers. "Can you drive?"

"I had one glass of wine." She shrugged, watching her furious mother approach. "But I didn't even finish it."

"Here." He pulled the keys for the black Audi from his pocket and placed them in her hand. "Get out of here."

"What about you?"

"I'll take a taxi."

"Patch..."

"Get away from her." Blythe pushed against Patch's chest, her eyes wide open. "I'll sue you."

"For what?" He arched his eyebrow at her and pushed Nora towards the hallway. "For giving her orgasms?"

"She's my daughter!"

"Then why did I raise her?"

Blythe's expression went blank once the words escaped his mouth. A pregnant silence lingered in the room until they heard the roaring engine of the Audi, the car driving off Clista's driveway. Patch locked his eyes back on Blythe's, noticing the thoughts swerve through her head, the forbidden words spoken. The image of a seventeen-year-old driving her daughter to school every day, not once did she put any effort in it to do it herself. The fifteen-year-old tucking the little girl into bed at her grandmother's house, her parents nowhere to be found, she stopped asking for them the second he came into her life. Nora running down the terrace, stumbling over her own feet, screaming his name while the tears ran down her cheeks. Holding her and rocking her and whispering words of comfort as best he could when the night terrors had started and he was just eleven-year-old boy forgoing his sleep any day, anytime of the night because no one should ever have to be that scared alone. That's how it had always been, he had replaced the parents that weren't present in her life; while he should have been out partying, he was watching cartoons with the sleeping girl tucked under his arm. He made her pancakes in the morning, helped her do her home work, helped Clista organize her birthday-party. Their parents cared about nothing but image, their well-behaving children at the founder's parties. But in the bottom of their heart they knew, they had never raised their daughters. Their little girl became who she was today because she was raised by someone who was only five years older than her.

"You and I are going to have a talk."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Good." Patch cocked his head to the side, smirking. "Because it's my intention to get you to listen."

He despised this woman, felt every emotion that came close to hatred for her. Yet, he could never bring himself to really tear her down to the ground, to get her on her knees in front of him, sobbing, aching, crawling. Because he had seen her daughter suffer too much to really destroy any chance of them reconnecting again, of taking the girl he practically raised for her mother, destroying Nora's dream of ever having a bond again with the woman who gave her life.

"The only thing your daughter wants at this point is to have an actual conversation with you." He lifted his shoulders, his eyes watching Blythe's face. "She doesn't want your money, she doesn't want you to buy her a new pair of shoes, she just wants to talk to you about her school and her life. Hell, at this point she'd even settle to talk about the weather or that huge pimple on your ass."

"I don't have a pimple on my ass." Blythe crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "How would you know that?"

"The fact that you choose to comment on that instead of on the things that really matter just proves my case." Patch rolled his eyes at her. "Listen to me, I don't give a shit if you have a pimple on your ass because I don't give a shit about you. What I do give a shit about is the girl who had the unfortunate displeasure of being born as your daughter and what makes her happy."

"The trash that disgraced his family will not tell me how to treat my daughter." Blythe pointed to herself, her mouth hanging open. "Nora made a choice and we told her there would be consequences; if she had made the right choice then she would have never had to deal with them."

"Your problem is with me!" He roared and threw his arms up, his black eyes flickering with rage. "You chose my parents above your own daughter because I didn't marry the girl they wanted me to marry and I didn't step into the business like they wanted me to."

"Yes, my problem is with you." Blythe spat at him. "Because you can't keep your hands off my daughter!"

"Nora doesn't seem to have a problem with my hands on her." He smirked slightly, pouting his lips together. "On the contrary, I think she enjoys it."

"I should sue you." Blythe lowered her tone. "A seventeen year old sleeping with a twelve-year-old girl in the same bed, I think the cops will find that as suspicious as I do. The only reason why I never did it before is because you're Cipriano's son, but a teenage boy so close to a girl who's five years younger, that just isn't right."

"She snuck into my bed because her parents weren't there when she had her recurring nightmare that her parents were too proud to get her help for, or when it was storming outside. It was me she called or text on a phone I bought and paid for her so when she couldn't make it to my house I could come comfort her at yours, no matter how young or old I was it was me who was there and not you, her own parents" Patch eyebrows knitted together, his heart drumming in his chest. "And for the record I never touched your daughter inappropriately, so the only one in this room that should be sued is you for neglecting your children for so long."

"How do you dare talk to me like that?" Blythe's eyes went wide open, glancing in Clista's direction. "How can you let him talk to me like that in your home."

"Oh, don't worry." Clista waved a hand in front of her, slightly amused. "I'll correct him the second he's wrong."

Patch glanced over his shoulder, smiling gratefully at the older woman who gave him an understanding nod. Her eyes shining with the same knowledge he had, she and him sitting at the breakfast table at Nora's first day of preschool, trying to calm her down, getting her to eat the cereals in front of her. Together they drove her to school, hugged her in front of the school gate, waved as she disappeared into the crowd. She had glanced multiple times at the children that were being dropped off by both their parents, but she never said anything about it, instead she had hugged Patch tighter, burying her face into his chest, hiding the hurt that hid behind those big gray dove eyes.

"Patch." Clista stood up, stacking his and Nora's plates. "Not even someone as smart as you can talk sense into someone as dumb as her."

"You're right," He let out an exhausted sigh. "They say people become smarter as they get older but she's still the same brainless bitch I met twenty years ago."

The gasps in the room reached his ears before his eyes noticed Rixon and Vee still sitting at the table, both their mouths hanging open. Harrison sat on the other end of the table, his eyes wide open, startled, staring at him like he was a rare species. The only one that was able to laugh at his outburst was Clista, her eyes sparkled in joy, her lips curving up in an amused smile. While the woman in front of him just stood there, acting like a goldfish that came to the surface to breathe, her mouth opening and closing again but her voice producing no sounds.

"Now that's how you end a conversation that's going nowhere." Clista patted his shoulder, standing straight next to him. "Pass the kitchen on your way out, I had my maid pack yours and Nora's dessert."

"You know you're a godsend, right?" Patch pecked Clista's cheek, squeezing her shoulders. "Happy Birthday, Clista."

"Don't be late for that brunch on Sunday." She pointed her finger at him, her eyes shimmering with mischief. "Or I'll take you into the basement to my torture chamber."

"I know you tried to make us believe that when we were kids, but there's nothing but bottles of wine in that basement."

"There's a secret door."

"You watch too much television." He tapped her nose, chuckling. "Get yourself a hobby."

"You..."

Their heads snapped up as Blythe's voice suddenly interrupted their bickering, her brown eyes furiously staring at him, her hands clenched together into fists next to her sides. Apparently the words had made their way through her body, leaving anger behind in every nerve of her so she stood now trembling in front of them.

"You..."

"Shh, Blythe. This is a private conversation between Patch and I." Clista held her hand up, silencing her, making her even more angry. "Like I was about to say before you so rudely interrupted me. I do have a hobby, it's worrying about my grandchildren."

"Find a hobby that involves getting laid." Patch winked, biting his bottom lip. "Get your old ass spanked."

"Now you mention spanking," Clista grinned at him. "Nora was going to lend me that Fifty thingies book."

"Fifty Shades?"

"You don't like it?"

"Nora read me a scene last weekend, she didn't even make it halfway through before she lay underneath me," He rolled his eyes, lifting his shoulders. "The role-playing was an adventure not to be missed. You get the picture. Seems Nora inherited more from her grandmother besides her beauty, brains, and winning personality" He winked at Clista.

"Maybe I want details."

"You are way too invested in our sex life, lady." Patch arched his eyebrow at her, shaking his head in amusement. "I'm getting out of here before you ask if you can join us."

"We all know you wouldn't be able to keep up with two Greys in your bed."

"Mom!" Harrison hid his face in his hands, shaking. "Please, stop talking like that."

As opposed to Blythe, Nora's father usually kept himself in the background, only appearing when his lovely wife commanded him to. Harrison has never felt the need to rub everything he thought about him into his face, he left that task to his wife or to his parents who gladly reminded him as to why he wasn't part of the family anymore, why Nora wasn't recognized anymore; because he took her down with him. They didn't seem to realize that he was never the one that chose to walk away from them, it was them who pushed him away, thereby guaranteeing the loss of Nora because long before then people knew where you would find one you would surely find the other, she would never let him leave and not follow.

"I'm embarrassing my son." Clista rolled her eyes at Harrison and turned back to him. "Doesn't he realize I did the nasty so he could be born?"

"This conversation is getting out of hand." Patch pouted his lips together. "I'm going now."

"Don't you dare forget about our brunch!"

"I would never do such a thing." He looked at her with mock offense. "Besides, I love my life too much."

Clista reached for him as he was about to turn around, squeezing him in her embrace for one last time, silencing Blythe who tried to open her mouth. Patch chuckled softly as he pulled away, placing a kiss on her wrinkled forehead. A few words were exchanged with Rixon and Vee before he stepped past her and disappeared through the door again, leaving a silence behind.

"Now you." Clista turned to Blythe, grabbing the woman's arm. "I have a few things to say to you."

Blythe tried to struggle her way out of Clista's grasp as she dragged her down the hallway, the memories of her and her grandchildren flashing through her thoughts. Patch coming home with an A for English for the first time in his life, unable to hide the satisfied grin on his face, Nora running after him into the kitchen to break the news to their grandmother. Rixon and Vee drawing on the wall, Patch and Nora watching them in horror, four pair of eyes widening as she walked into the room. Her four grandchildren in the pool while she lounged on the terrace, the teenage boys keeping themselves busy with the plastic ball, Nora bobbing around on the big crocodile, their parents nowhere in sight; they never were.

"First of all," she loosened her grip on Blythe's arm, staring daggers at the woman. "You do not make accusations like that against my boy in my house."

"He's not your boy." Blythe's brown eyes bored into hers. "He's the Cipriano's boy."

"Oh, please." Clista huffed, shaking her head. "Before I came along those boys were raised by nannies so don't you dare tell me that's not my boy."

"He ruined our family and you let him get away with it."

"You ruined your own family." Clista put her hands on her hips. "If you had known anything about your daughter, you'd have known she'd choose Patch. They've been choosing each other since she was five and discovered he was the one she could always count on instead of her own parents just like he said Blythe!"

"He put her up to it." Her brown eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. "She was barely eighteen years old, god knows what he promised her if she went with him."

"She went with him because he was the only person she could always count on." Clista spat, her body trembling with rage. "It wasn't you or Harrison like it should have been, it was always Patch who was there for her like I just told you. He's done an excellent providing a life for her that makes her very happy without promising her anything. Hell, you parents left them practically homeless and starving and he has built everything he has knowing she was still his responsibility when he didn't have to. When it should have been all of you! Nothing you can say or do will ever turn me on my boy or all he has done for my grand-baby. He is what makes her happy and if you don't see that you've been blind as we knew you were for the last twenty years."

"Harrison runs a successful business and I have a very active social life." Blythe took a deep breath, composing herself. "It's only normal that we had less time for our children than regular people."

"My husband ran a successful business too, excuse me, he built up the successful business that Harrison now runs and he still found time to spend with his son." Clista turned away from her, straightening the curtains. "As for having a busy social life, I don't think organizing benefits and going to the spa with women who only want to borrow money from you should come between you and your children."

"I have a life!"

"You bought yourself a life." Clista's hands clenched into fists. "You think you got it all and still you're not happy. Let's not even bring up why you were even married into the family or where you came from."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you think I don't see what you're doing?" Clista threw her arms up, her eyes boring into Blythe's. "You claim you want nothing to do with Nora, but you can't leave her alone. Every time you see her, you have to make her miserable because you can't let it go. Either step up and be the mother she deserved her whole life or get the hell out of it permanently, stop dragging her heart through the mud. Even at her age you know nothing about your own child, not even a hope or dream she has. Who do you think listens to all that and supports her and actively listens and is excited for every little bit of success she has in working hard for those dreams! Not you Blythe. Never you."

"I lost my daughter." Blythe spat, clenching her fists like Clista had done before her. "And it's all because of that man-whore that couldn't keep his hands to himself."

"It's because you forced her to choose." Clista crossed her arms over her chest. "And you're not going to get Patch out of her life, he'll always be there and if you ever want a relationship with your daughter, you'll have to accept him. They will always be a package deal, they always were and always be in the future wither you like it or not. They are consenting adults and she is plenty capable of choosing what type of relationship with him she has. Patch never promised her a thing and tells her all the time she deserves better. What part of she will always choose him is not sinking in?"

"At some point he's going to break her heart." Blythe shook her head, biting her lip. "And then she'll come back to us."

"He's not going to break her heart; I know it's hard for you to believe, but Patch loves her." Clista shrugged, keeping her arms folded in front of her chest. "He has loved her since they were little kids, they grew up as brother and sister for Christ's sake."

"That's exactly my point!" Blythe yelled, throwing her arms up. "She's sleeping with someone she sees as her brother."

"I know what you'll try to do and let me tell you something, it won't work." Clista chuckled, lifting her shoulders. "If you try to make Patch disappear out of her life, you won't just go up against Patch. You'll go up against Nora too because maybe it doesn't seem like it, but she's the strongest of the two, she's the one holding him up, and they haven't seen each other as brother and sister since before her school prom, and you saw them win that dance contest which was anything but brotherly or sisterly, anyone with eyes could see that, their not blood related and both and are consenting adults like I pointed out. Had you and Harrison not interfered with Cipriano's by introducing him to that two timing, money hungry whore than you would have your daughter and they would have their son and more than likely they would have given each other the lives they both wanted and you would have ended up with very happily married children and grandchildren, not that you've done anything to deserve any that either."

"She's not going to ruin her life by waiting for someone who will never want her."

"You don't get it!" Clista's eyes burned with fire. "The only way Patch will disappear out of her life is if he chooses to and if you had ever been around long enough to know them or watch them together since the moment they first met, you would know by now that Patch won't leave her because she IS his life just like Nora won't ever leave him for you because Patch is HER life."

"Jevvvviiiiiii!"

"We talked about that nickname when you were twelve."

His midnight black eyes narrowed as they landed on her form sitting on the ground, her back resting against one of the wooden pillars in the open loft. Her bare legs lay stretched out in front of her, a set of black panties and one of his blue shirts the only thing covering her. The unbuttoned blue shirt showed her perfect flat stomach, the swell of her breasts, the beginning of her long throat. Her nipples peeked out from under the fabric as she brought the bottle of scotch to her lips.

"Great." He dropped his jacket on the ground, kicking it to the side. "You're drunk or in the process of getting drunk."

"Don't you like me when I'm drunk?"

"I always like you, Nora." He placed a kiss on top of her head, removing the watch from his wrist. "You're my Angel. Always have been, always will be."

They were words that would never be untrue. She'd always be his Angel because no other man would be able to top him, not in her eyes. He was damaged, he was aching and suffering, fighting the world on his own, fighting the memories of his broken heart. He'd heal at some point, she was sure of it; it would leave scars behind, but at some point in the future he'd smile again just because a new day had started and he was happy to wake up to it. But for now, he was at war with himself, his own fears his enemy. Nora would never let him enter that battlefield on his own; she'd be the army on his side, guiding him through the toughest battle of his life. But in the end the only one who would be able to defeat the opponent was him, and maybe then, when he was whole again, he'd use the confidence gained by that victory to become fully hers too.

"Do you remember the first time I got drunk?" She took a swig from the bottle, chuckling. "You were so mad at me."

"I wasn't mad because you got drunk." Patch looked down at her, grabbing the scotch out of her hands. "I was mad because I always told you to only get drunk when I was there to drive you home and protect you from hormonal drunk boys and the one time I'm not with you, you and Shadow decide to get wasted."

Even if her mind was clouded at the time, it was still a vivid memory. Her classmate's birthday party was supposed to go by without any alcohol; of course with no parental supervision, the boys had quickly found the hidden alcohol bottles. Shadow had been her date and dragged her into the drinking games with her, their fourteen-year-old selves hadn't known their limit and it didn't take long before they had to lean against each other to stay upright. Shadow's mother suddenly didn't seem like an option anymore to bring them home; instead she had a slurred phone conversation with Patch who appeared within five minutes, practically throwing them into his car. He carried them both upstairs, growling through their giggles, made sure they both had a bucket next to their side of the bed, placed aspirin and a glass of water on the nightstand and left them to vomit through the night. In the morning he made them both sit on the edge of the bed, yelling at them for being irresponsible little brats, Rixon and Vee had peaked inside the room, clearly amused with her and Shadow who had to suffer through his wrath with a hangover. Clista had watched the spectacle go down from in the doorway, content enough with Patch's lecture to not give her another one; she probably knew Patch was never going to let her forget about it.

"Still, you were hard on us."

"You learned your lesson." He sat down beside her, his arm resting against hers. "You were never drunk again without me there."

"Clista told my mother the next day, but she didn't care." She stared in front of her, seeing nothing. "She said if I had gotten raped it would have been my own fault."

"Your mother's a bitch." He frowned and put the bottle to his lips. "I have no idea why your father married her."

"Yes, you do." She averted her eyes to her lap, fumbling with her hands. "Everyone does."

The only way Blythe from the trailer park had been able to marry someone as wealthy as Harrison Grey was because she'd gotten him to sleep with her. After getting pregnant with his heir there was no other option for her father, but to marry the woman who had carried her. It was common knowledge in Coldwater Creek, yet no one spoke about it. Years later the whispered voices dared to repeat that event, her mother's round belly at the wedding, her birth only five months after her parents had said their vows. It had been a scandal, it still was today but it was never spoken out loud, still everyone knew about it.

"That was supposed to be my fight tonight," Her eyes searched for his, gray locking on black. "But instead you fought it for me."

"Ever since you were a little girl I've watched Blythe hurting you," He cupped her face in his palm, smiling softly. "She's not going to hurt you anymore, not on my watch."

She doesn't get it," Her voice broke, her head leaning into his touch. "You and me. No one gets it, not Bella, Shadow, not even Rixon and Vee, no one gets it."

"Do you get it?"

"Yes."

"That's all that matters."

He started shifting beside her, stretching his body on the floor, placing his head in her lap, his ebony eyes looking up at her, his lips reassuring her with a small smile. Her hand automatically found his hair, stroking through the black locks, her other hand firmly closed around the bottle of alcohol. It still surprised Nora how he could find comfort in the smallest touch, how he could spend hours in her arms just lying there, purring underneath her touch. Sex was, for most people, the way they could be closest to one another, their most intimate moments; it wasn't intimate when you shared it with everyone. Instead moments like these were their intimate moments, because no other woman got to hold Patch in her arms, talk to him for hours with his head in her lap, trace the lines on his face with her fingertips. They were perfectly content with it, these moments between them, staring at each other, exchanging words without really speaking them, reacting to just the smile on the others face, the sigh that escaped someone's lips, the fingers that suddenly stopped moving; it was strange but yet comforting to have a connection with someone, running so deep that neither of you knew where one started and the other ended.

They always lost track of time when their eyes were locked, their souls connected, their hearts beating in the same pace; two persons bared open, sharing everything with the other one. He was broken but she was here to mend the pieces, she was incomplete, but he was there to fill every hole in her heart. They were each others lifeline, one death killing two people; its how she knew there would never be any other man in her life. He was made for her and she had been born to spend her life next to him; he wasn't ready to take on that position yet, but that didn't mean that she hadn't already taken hers. Someday he'd stop aching and he'd have won the battles with his demons and finally she would be able to spend the rest of her life in the midnight sky where so many women had lost their way in, but she had learned how to fly to the stars.

"Clista packed our desserts." He pressed his cheek into her stomach. "It's chocolate cake."

"Poor you. You must be starving." She smiled down at him, amused as he rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to make you something?"

"No thank you." He chuckled, the sound warming her heart. "Food poisoning isn't on my agenda this year."

"I can make a perfectly good sandwich." She slapped his shoulder in mock annoyance. "Do you want one?"

"I think I'm going to eat my dessert." He sat up, looking at her over his shoulder. "Just to annoy you."

She stuck her tongue out and watched him get up from the floor, gracefully, as always. In comparison to Angelo, Gianni and Rixon, he had never been the typical growing teenage boy. His body had never consisted out of baby fat, he'd always been toned, hard, muscled, the muscles growing together with him. While Rixon and his friends still had their round baby faces, he already had a hard jaw, more manly than boyish, barely working for his perfectly sculpted physique. She had never really noticed it, enduring her friends' endless talks about how perfect he really was, how lucky she was to have the hottest guy in town as her best friend. She'd known he was more handsome than his friends and Rixon, that girls ogled him more than other boys; but at the age of twelve, he was just Patch, the one that helped her do her homework and tucked her in at night and the one she still called on when those night terrors hit so he could come comfort her and she could sleep feeling safe wrapped in his arms.

When she turned sixteen, she finally got it. One day she looked up at him and caught herself staring at his lips, lost in the contour of them, imagining them soft and warm against her own. In the morning she used to press herself firmer against him, knowing his morning wood would press into her bottom; it made her wonder how he'd feel inside of her, how dark his blue eyes would be as he hovered above her. He'd wake up groggy, snuggling deeper into her neck, breathing in her scent; until he noticed what was going on down there and excused himself, disappearing into the bathroom. She'd stay on the bed, waiting for him to emerge, dreaming of the beads of water running down those glorious abs, her hands wandering over his sides to his hips, her lips traveling over his smooth back. When he walked back in she had to hide the red blush on her cheeks, trying not to stare as he had only a white towel draped low around his hips. He'd sit down on the edge of the bed, looking at her over his shoulder as she still lay stretched out, enjoying the view. A smile would come across his features as he stared at her and her heart would jump in joy, realizing that he still saw her as that innocent little girl he first met, the one that first didn't want anything to do with him and later jumped in the mud with him; it didn't matter to her though, whatever she was to him, she knew she'd always be his Angel.

"I know something else you could eat." Nora came up behind him, sliding her hands under his shirt. "Me."

"I see the alcohol is kicking in, making you brave and all..." Patch turned around in her arms, a smug smile on his face. "It's a good thing I know you're tasty."

"I just really want to keep you away from my desserts."

"Mission accomplished."

A giggle escaped her as he went for her ass, his fingers digging into her skin, he bit his bottom lip, his brilliant eyes scanning over her face, clearly enjoying what he saw. She grabbed the collar of his gray shirt and pulled him against her, her lips finding their spot against his, their tongues quickly entwining, curling around each other, wetting the others flesh. Her body moved against his like a snake, curling into his touch, reveling in the way his mouth moved over hers, hard, firm, warm, tasting like his nirvana.

"I think you're overdressed for this party." Nora breathed against his lips, her dove eyes flickering dangerously. "If you're not dressed appropriately in the next ten seconds, I'll have to spank you."

"I'm sorry, miss. I had no idea there was a dress code." He pouted, brushing his nose over her lips. "Please inform me."

"It was on your invitation, Mister Cipriano."

"I'm afraid I lost it." He squeezed her buttocks tightly, smirking. "Maybe you could help me look for it."

"I might have an idea where it is."

"Do you?"

Nora pulled him with her by his shirt, pushing herself up on the kitchen counter, the cold wood pressing against her thighs. She reached for him with her legs, her feet hooking behind his hips so she could pull him closer to her, his front pressing against the wooden counter, his waist secured between her legs. She laid down across the counter, the blue shirt falling open, exposing her naked chest to him, his eyes darkening, her panties getting wetter.

"I suggest you start somewhere up here," She pointed her finger from her mouth to her soaked black panties. "And end somewhere down there."

A dangerous glint passed his eyes as he slowly slid over her body, crawling on top of her, his hot breath teasing her nipples as he slowly made his way over her skin, his lips hovering barely an inch above her hot flesh. He gently bit her chin as he reached her head, his body draped over hers, pressing into all the right places. His nose brushed her lips, her cheeks, the spots under her eyes, her nose, her forehead, slowly driving her crazy for his touch. It was a game; he lowered his head, meeting her expectant lips against his, then right before his mouth touched hers, he pulled back, letting her crave more. She writhed underneath him, every time he pulled back driving her more insane, needing his touch more; at some point a hiss escaped her as he pulled away again, her fists clenching besides her, her nails digging into the wooden countertop. He chuckled, the mischief visible in his eyes, his arms stretching beside her until suddenly he moved his right arm and cleaned the counter beside them, making plates shatter on the ground, forks and knifes flying across the room.

"You'll have to clean that up."

"You'll have to buy new plates."

"I'll have to borrow your credit card."

"Make sure to drop by Victoria's Secret while you have it."

With more force than intended she smashed her lips back against his, effectively shutting him up. A deep growl rose up from somewhere in his chest, his tongue sliding against her white teeth, his hands wandering over her bare stomach and glorious abs, bulge in his pants pushing against her pubic bone with his every thrust. Her palms found his stomach, her fingers tracing his six-pack, every muscle separately. She spread her legs wider to accommodate him, her bare skin rubbing against his jeans, her temper rising up at the amount of clothes he was still wearing.

"You're still wearing that damn shirt."

"I still haven't found my invitation."

"Then you'd better get to it."

Nora started shoving him down by his shoulders, her arms pushing as hard as they could, growls of irritation making him chuckle as he slowly took his time to kiss her skin everywhere. Her arms fell limp beside her as she gave up, the alcohol kicking in, making her body feel numb and on fire at the same time. She arched off the counter top as Patch's mouth closed around her pebbled nipple, his hand squeezing her other breast just hard enough, the sensations rushing straight to her stomach and down to her aching core. Clearly, he found the whole situation amusing, his bright eyes twinkled, his teeth gently nibbling and sucking on her nipple, knowing it would drive her crazy.

"You're risking your best friend card here." Nora breathed heavily, staring daggers at him. "Just fuck me already!"

"What about that invitation?"

"Fuck the invitation!" She screamed, her legs kicking against the wood beneath her. "Fuck me!"

"Impatient little thing you are."

Her whole body was trembling, aching for his touch, her skin wanting to press every one of her pores against every one of his, her hands itching to touch him, to dig her nails into his skin. The heat between her legs seemed to increase every second, her entrance burning on the edges, eager to be filled. She was ready to combust, explode into a pile of ashes and he was taking his sweet time with getting off of her and standing back on his feet, his eyes scanning over her burning body. When he finally reached for her panties she lifted her hips up, her impatience getting the best of her. Her legs fell open in front of him, offering herself up as his meal, needing him to take advantage of her. Moisture dripped down her thighs, her slit glistening, her little bundle of nerves throbbing, her whole body begging.

"I once saw someone milk a cow; I think about the same amount of liquid came out of the udder."

"Who the hell got you on a farm?"

"It was on television."

"That makes more sense."

Patch bent down, his lips closing around her pink flesh, his tongue dipping inside her wet heat. He traced the tip of his tongue over both of her lips, searching his way to her swollen clit, the sensation growing in her belly, her hips arching off the surface beneath her. An amused chuckle came from him as he heard her moans escape, his hand coming to rest on her stomach, holding her down as he thrust one finger into her core. Once she had thought it was the most disgusting thing ever, his lips covered with her juices, his tongue licking her out, his nose buried between her folds; then one night he practically forced her to let him do it, saying she'd love every second of it, and she did. His warm mouth around her clit made her reach points she thought she could never get to; it was exactly what was happening, throwing her head from side to side, her fists pounding against the wood, her hips fighting against his hand on her stomach, the tension building in her belly, her breasts feeling heavier than ever, her core ready to explode until, it did.

Nora lay panting in front of him, her eyes fluttering, her chest going up and down with heavy breaths while his eyes roamed over her chest, his fingers going for the hem of his shirt, pulling it to his head, inch by inch unveiling the abs that hid beneath it. Her gray melting eyes opened wider again as Patch stood shirtless in front of her, her hands reaching out to touch him, her elbows pushing her up until she sat up in front of him, his waist encircled by her legs. She put her hands flat against his chest, reveling in the feel of his skin against hers, her eyes drinking him in, her breathing coming back to normal. He shuddered as she placed her mouth around his nipple, sucking gently, her palms gliding to his back, pulling him closer to her, her ankles hooking behind his butt. She gave one last tug on his nipple and slipped her tongue out, licking and dipping her way down to his to his naval, her fingers tracing the line of hair that started there and disappeared into his jeans. Her fingers fumbled with the clasp of his belt, quickly separating the two ends so she could pull his zipper down. His cock sprung out as she started pushing his jeans down, the glorious limb standing up for her.

"Someone's happy to see Mommy." She grabbed the base of his penis, nursing it softly. "Did you miss me?"

"Why do you always talk to my penis?"

"It's my form of dirty talk."

Nora divided the pre-cum over his head, circling her thumb over his tip, making him drive his hips into the circle of her legs. She hopped off the kitchen, pushing him back so she could get down on her knees, licking slowly over the length of his cock. He twitched as she closed her lips around him, bringing him deeper, swallowing all of him until he was completely buried in her mouth and throat. Patch threw his head back, his fingers digging into her hair, holding her skull; she gently pulled back and let his head plop out of her mouth, then casually she took him back into it, repeating the process, driving him crazier, his breathing heavier, his teeth biting his bottom lip.

"I think it's time to take you up on your invitation," Patch breathed hoarsely, fighting his climax. "And fuck you senseless."

Nora practically jumped up and removed the shirt that was now sticking to her sweat-clad back. He kicked off his jeans that pooled around his ankles and waiting for her to be spread out on the counter top again, his erection throbbing, his balls tightening. He grabbed her calves and pulled her bottom to the edge, putting one of her legs on each of his shoulders. He took his length in his hands and moved it up and down her slit, using her juices as a lube, his penis sliding up and down her folds, bumping against her clit. Nora threw her head back, hearing the condom wrapper being opened, Patch's length disappearing for a second from her body until suddenly rubber pushed against her entrance, thrusting in to the hilt with one stroke.

Her nails scratched the counter top, Patch thrusting into her at the pace of a desperate man, desperate for release. She felt her walls warming around him again, her little bundle ready to explode again. His mouth fell open, sweat drops running down his skin, his eyes fluttering, his breathing heavy. He bit into her knee, fucking her hard, his balls slamming against her skin with every stroke; the pool started building up in her belly again, the sensations spreading through her at the speed of a swerving car. A grunt escaped him, his thrusts speeding up, his erection swelling inside of her, her walls tightening around him, pulsing, waiting for the little bundle's release. Moans fell off her lips, growls rope from deep inside of his chest, little tingles suddenly spread through her slit and then waves of pleasure crashed over her.

Three strokes later he tumbled over the edge while she was still milking him dry, pulsing around him, his erection caught in her canal. He panted, his knees wobbling, his hands slowly helping her legs off his shoulders. He stepped forward and dropped down between her legs, his head resting on her breasts, his head going up and down with every rise of her chest, the sweat on their skins mingling, the smell of sex surrounding them.

"I hate the effect alcohol has on you."

"Shut up." Nora smacked his back, giggling. "You love it."

"If I hadn't been so damn hard I would have made you beg on your knees." Patch placed a kiss between her breasts, snuggling his nose in there. "We both know you'd have done it."

"I know that you're comfortable on top of me." She shifted underneath him, stroking his hair. "But I'm really not comfortable under you."

"You usually don't complain about that." He started moving off of her, his feet on the ground. "Maybe it's because you're tipsy and you get all feminist when you are."

Nora rolled her eyes in annoyance and got up, taking her panties and shirt along with his clothes from the ground. He walked in front of her, his bare ass waggling as he walked up the plateau to the bedroom. She pulled his belt from his jeans and walked after him, dropping the clothes on the bed, watching him stand in front of the closet. When his full attention was focused on the closet, she pulled the belt back and let it collide with the flesh of his ass, making him jump up, his cheeks now slightly pink.

"I told you I'd spank you if you weren't dressed appropriately in the next ten seconds." She giggled, holding the belt teasingly in her hand. "Besides, I always wanted to do it."

"Do that one more time and you'll end up screaming underneath me." Patch pointed his finger at her, warning her with his eyes. "That's a promise."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"I didn't mean that kind of screaming."

Nora yelped as he tackled her to the bed, his fingers tickling her sides, his laugh echoing through the room, her own laugh joining his. It was a carefree moment, away from all the worries, the smile on his face lightening the room, lightening her world. She writhed underneath him, fighting for air, her laughs turning into screams, his eyes shimmering in joy, an image she savored so much. He let go of her, his legs still straddling her waist, his eyes boring into hers; she couldn't imagine any man more beautiful, more perfect than he was, a devil and an angel hiding in one body, a heart and soul made for hers hiding in it, she couldn't imagine ever loving someone else.

"I think you're bad for my love life."

"I'm pretty sure of it." Patch cupped her face in his hands, brushing his lips over hers. "Do you want that to change?"

"No. Never." Nora wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm so glad I met you, Patch. I'd never change that."

"You know nothing would have changed between us if I had married Dabria, right?"

"Everything would have changed between us, Patch." She smiled sadly, trying to comfort him by hugging him closer. "We were already growing apart when you got engaged."

"Dabria was jealous of you, so so jealous." He whispered into her ear, watching shock cross her face. "When I asked her why she cheated on me she said it was my fault because she'd always come second to you."

"Patch..."

"You want to know my secret?" His voice was hoarse, his eyes burning into hers. "I'd be lonely without you."

"Then you'll never be lonely." She blinked her eyes against the tears, a small smile on her face as she hugged him. "Because I'll always be right here with you."

"You always were territorial." Patch chuckled softly into her neck, his breath tickling her skin. "Like a puppy."

"You're lucky I didn't pee around you to mark my territory."

She bit into his ear, doing her best puppy growl. He snickered, shaking his head in amusement; his laughter made her realize how naked they were, their skins rubbing against each other, yet completely comfortable. That's how it had always been, his arms were safe, her safety net that shielded her from the world, the embrace that would soothe her as thunder rumbled above Clista's house and she ran into his room, quickly slipping under the covers into his arms. That's how it had started, then there were tummy aches because of her periods, then it was nightmares and at some point she didn't need any excuses anymore because he seemed to have accepted that he had to share his bed with her.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" She tangled her fingers through his dark locks. "You were pulling my ponytail."

"And a few years later you were pulling mine." He placed a kiss behind her ear, grinning. "I remember and I also remember the day we became friends."

"It was at a benefit and I was hiding under the table because I was bored, then you noticed me there and came to sit with me." She bit her bottom lip to hold back her laughter, the fond memories rushing through her head. "You said it would pass faster if we made out."

"You slapped me." Patch pushed himself up on his elbow, stretched out next to her. "It was so cute."

"You had a crush on me."

"I had a crush on anything that had boobs or was in the process of developing them."

"For some reason I liked you." She shook her head, staring up at him. "I still remember the look on Clista's face when I asked her if you could come over to play.

"She didn't like me so much back then."

"And now you're her favorite."

"I still can't believe she just took me and Rixon under her wings like that." He pushed a lock of hair back behind her ear. "I could never respect that woman more than I do now."

"I think it was because you were always with me and we pushed Vee and Rixon together because otherwise they were always with us." She chuckled, burying her face against his shoulder. "She noticed things at your place were exactly the same as at mine so she just took you two in like she did with us."

"Yeah, that was far enough down memory lane." Patch placed a kiss on top of her head, his eyes filling with something she couldn't read. "It's time for bed."

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Nora got up and pulled the covers back, watching him do the same on the other side. "I'm going to class and after that I'm meeting Vee."

"I have a meeting in the morning." He slipped under the covers, fluffing his pillow. "Where are you going with Vee?"

"First lunch and then ring shopping." She pulled the covers over her, nodding. "Scott proposed to her, we're going to look at rings."

"Wow." He stared in front of him, shaking his head. "Brave man."

"Yeah, I know. It just seems so weird, they're a good couple," she turned on her side, slipping her arms under her pillow. "But some things are just weird about them."

"Like what?"

"They have secrets, it's the strangest thing I've ever heard."

"Not everyone's like us." Patch shrugged indifferently, staring at the ceiling. "We're like: hey, I have to poop, hand me a magazine."

"Only you do that." Nora smacked his shoulder, rolling her eyes at him. "But even besides that, most of the time Vee tells him he can't call because she needs space and he only calls her every three days."

"Weird." He pouted his lips together, turning his head to her. "I call you three times a day."

"Exactly." She sighed, lifting her shoulders. "I don't think they're ready for marriage."

"It's their life, Angel. It's not our job to interfere with it." He turned on his side, facing her. "Talking about this marriage stuff, I've been thinking; you should move in."

"What?"

"I said you should move in." Patch spoke the words slowly, smiling. "Like here, in the apartment where you practically already are every second of the day."

"You sure?" Nora eyed him suspiciously, looking for any signs of doubts. "What if you bring a girl here?"

"Well, we share girls now too so that's not a problem." He waggled his eyebrows at her, smirking. "Besides, I can go to the girl's place instead of coming here."

"I was just kidding." He rolled his eyes, shuffling closer to her. "I mean it, just move in here and you won't have to pay rent anymore with Bella and Shadow so maybe you could save some money for a car or to travel or whatever you want to do with it."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Great, we'll pick your stuff up tomorrow." He closed his eyes, snuggling his nose into the pillow. "Now that's settled, go to sleep."

"Goodnight, Patch."

"Goodnight."

Nora placed a kiss on top of his head and turned around, pushing her bare back against his bare chest. He draped his arm over her waist and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent. His hand found her breast, his thumb moving in circles over her nipple, slowly, knowing it would get her to sleep. He quickly heard her breathing even out, her body relaxing and melting into his. He quickly heard her breathing even out, her body relaxing and melting into his. He sighed and tightened his hold on her.