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Who knew Nat had a ht hook?

As soon as I’d done that I decided I had to tell the guys There is so thatabout so i in the conference roouys were seated, I explained what had happened Max was the first to react He got up out of his seat and left the conference room without a word And it hurt more than any words could

Ghost asked what happened to my nose with a twitch of his lips

The jerk already knows

They have CCTV at Safira I responded with, "Your girlfriend should become a boxer"

Last was Trick The look on his face was pure disappointment Disappointment in me I didn’t like that Trick has always beenthat’s happened that’s ever gotten in the way of our friendship He doesn’t have my back here

No one has ainst a ith threeto pounce onWhatis when those people are your friends and fas us to today

It’s been two days and not a word of new inforuy He called to say her phone is still off but he’s keeping a constant eye on it It doesn’t , worry and apprehension tear away at what’s left of hts aren’t any better I can’t sleep not knohere Tina is sleeping Nat said she hasn’t been able to contact her but Tina has sent her a text twice to assure she’s okay

I don’t buy it

If she were okay, she’d have come back by now

Frustration at ht now This is alls

I jule it for a few seconds before I put it to ot her" That’sthis ht now I’ives me the details and I chuckle Of course Tina would stay at a hotel three minutes from her apartment I thank him with a promise of a swift money transfer and we’re done

I decide to shower and change my clothes before I see her, I need to shave too

No, don’t shave! She likes the scruff

Yeah, my baby likes the scruff

I shouldn’t call her that right now That’s, of course, if she is willing to be ain I wouldn’t blaivable

Why are you still sitting at your desk?

God, I’m such a schmuk I wait for days for this infor it

Nope

I move before my body tries to resist I walk past the ‘chill out’ roo?"

I yell back to hio"

It was surprisingly easy to get a spare key to Tina’s room And it only cost me a hundred dollars

Okay, so I spouted soht I was coirl at the main desk was an obvious romantic and fell for it

Mental note; never use this hotel

The girl at the desk had no way of knowing I wasn’t dangerous I could’ve been Omarr, for Christ sakes

So, here I stand in front of Tina’s roo full of candy I check my watch It’s 11:49pm I’m sure she’ll be asleep Or at least I hope she will be

That was my plan Sneak in when Tina’s asleep; there will be less of a chance of her punching me in the face when she’s sleepy

Wait…

Didn’t she go all Bruce Lee on me and put me in a choke hold when she was sleepy?

Great Just great I forgot about that

I shake reen and I gently open the door being careful not to make a sound I carefully walk in and see Tina asleep in the bed She’s sleeping on her stomach which she never does She always curls up on her side It looks as though she’s naked under the sheet that’s pulled just above her behind I step closer and what I see

Tina’s back and shoulder are purple with bruises

This is why she’s sleeping on her stomach She hurts I hurt her I don’t deserve Tina

But I want her

I sit on the edge of the bed, careful not to wake her and lean forith h my hair

Maybe Tina’s better off without me

As soon as I sardless of what happened the other day, I’m not afraid of him

Nik didn’t mean for me to trip And that’s exactly what happened I tripped

I’h This is why I take cowards way out and pretend to sleep I remind myself to breathe in and out deeply and to not react at all

I feel his hand lightly brush my bruised shoulder and I shiver

Thanks traitorous body!

I feel the sheet lift from my bottom to cover my back and shoulder I don’t understand it but even the small amount of pressure from the sheet hurts I’m careful not to flinch

Nik whispers hoarsely, "I’et to breathe A s to sleep but another part so desperately wants to hear what he says toform

He continues in a whisper, "Never meant to hurt you Co it up to you"

My heart skips a beat

Nik wants me back He reat!

Don’t do it Don’t give away your heart again It hurts too much

I do hurt I don’t know if I could handle that again After Jace was hard but after Nik I actually thought I’d die from heart-break

I have to think about this

I feel his breath close to my ear He kisses the side of ined it and whispers, "Love you, Tina"

He shuffles around and e noises for a few one

I sit up in bed and see so on the desk in the corner that wasn’t there before Needing a little light, I switch on the bedside lamp and move my sore body over to the desk

What I see makes me smile The first real smile I’ve had in days Nik has obviously spoken to Nat about my candy preferences