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“Nah, take me to the penthouse.”
While he was with the Serpents drinking and getting high, Cheryl was getting her brains beat in. Another time he wasn’t there for her—another time she had to face shit on her own. All her words about being alone flooded back to him. The angry seed of guilt slithered down Nick’s spine and settled in his gut. The last time they were together he stormed out of her house without a backwards glance.
The forty-five minute ride to the penthouse lasted an eternity. When they finally pulled up to the high-rise Nick yanked open the door and jumped out.
Cobra raised his chin. “Call me when you’re ready to handle this shit.”
Nick nodded, slammed the door, raced through the lobby, jabbed at the elevator buttons, then rode the car up to the penthouse silently praying Cheryl wouldn’t be as bad as he imagined.
Samson met him in the foyer. “I got her lying down. Doc said she has a mild concussion. She’ll be sore for a few days, but she’s gonna be all right.”
Nick stormed down the hall and stopped outside the guest bedroom door to collect himself. A few shallow breaths later he slowly pushed through the door. The bedside light cast a shadow over the bed where Cheryl reclined propped up by some pillows holding an ice pack to the side of her face.
She turned her head to him and lowered the ice pack.
“Son of a bitch!” Nick slammed his hand against the wall.
“It’s not that bad.”
“Don’t—” Nick drew air in and out of his mouth and nose, but the sight of her swollen cheek and split lip brought him back to the past. How many times his mother made light of the shit his father did to her. Making excuses, even saying it was her fault at times. It scared him how those vivid memories still haunted him.
Nick swallowed hard in an attempt to put the past out of his head and calm himself, or at least sound rational.
“What happened?” Stupid question, but it was all he had.
She pushed herself higher on the pillows and winced. “Johnny didn’t like the idea of me ending our marriage.”
“Was Portia there too?”
“I sent her and Izzy to our suite in the Bellagio yesterday afternoon then I went to put some things together for us to leave. I wanted her gone in case he came home early and . . .” She motioned to her face.
“Shit, Cheryl.” Nick pressed his fingers against his forehead. “You should’ve just gotten outta there. You never should’ve confronted the bastard.”
“I thought I’d have enough time, but in a way I wanted to confront him. Make him know our fake marriage was over once and for all.”
“Sounds great on paper, but did you forget you’re dealing with a fuckin’ psycho. I mean do you have any idea what kinda shit he’s done for your father?”
“Believe it or not, I never saw that side of him in the five years we were together. Bragging, sarcastic, generally annoying, yes, but never violent.”
“That’s how guys like him blend in with regular people. They’re just sane enough to hide their crazy until they don’t.” Nick raked his hand through his hair. “Where’s Portia, now?”
“I had Izzy take her to school. I want her to keep her normal schedule.”
Nick motioned to her face. “What did you tell her happened?”
“When I didn’t show up at the Bellagio, Izzy came looking for me. Since they found me in the foyer, I said I fell down the stairs. Logical especially with that marble flooring.”
“Yeah, logical.” His intestines twisted at how easy a lie could be told to cover up the unspeakable. “He found out about us?”
“He suspects but what really set him off was me wanting a divorce. I’ve wanted out since before we came to Vegas.” Cheryl stared at Nick for a long few seconds. “After you left yesterday, I decided it was time to stop living a lie. Your harsh words gave me the incentive I needed to fight back.” She touched her cheek. “I just didn’t think I would be doing it literally.”
“I regret most of the shit I said yesterday. I was just so?—”
“Your anger was understandable, but that’s not the issue.” She shifted higher on the bed. “I’ve built a good business I can be proud of, and Portia’s getting older and way too smart. She knows Johnny and I don’t have a real relationship like her friends’ parents, and then after she met you in my office . . .”
Nick’s lips tilted. “Did she say anything about me?”
“She wanted to know who you were. Of course, I just said you were a business acquaintance. I think we should take that truthslowly and you should definitely be present so we can tell her together.”
