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Seven Days Ch. 01

By: soular



Victoria stared at her reflection in the mirror. She knew what she was about to offer was a long shot, but she had to try. This current situation was killing her parents' and making their lives miserable. She remembered the day he came into her father's failing soul food restaurant. She knew in his icy blue eyes that he was a fucking devil. She loathed him with every single cell in her body. He had ruined her family. Her parents' lives. Her life. She despised him and she hated money. Money really was the root of all evil. It was the reason she was in this predicament. She never found any use for money. Sure, she may have never sported the newest, trendy clothing, but she didn't feel the need to. She was never the girl in high school with the latest anything, and she was just fine with that. 

But now here she was putting on the only decent dress she owned (minus a black funeral dress), which was now a little short from being washed a million times. It was a black dress with thin straps. The color had started to fade, and under a bright light it turned to an ashy black shade. She wore an old pair of black heels that belonged to her mother, and she quickly pulled her wild curls up in a ponytail. She wanted to look somewhat presentable since she would be going into the lion's den. Or snake pit...either was appropriate when talking about him.

She sighed as she turned off the light and walked out of the tiny bathroom she shared with her mom and dad in their one bedroom apartment. Her dad was in the bedroom asleep finally. His back pains kept him up and moaning most nights. Her mother, Olivia, was in the kitchen scraping the leftovers from dinner into containers.

She turned to look at Victoria and then back at the dishes. Her mother was a beautiful woman, but the years had not been kind to her. Her smooth chocolate skin that used to glow and sparkle was now a dull brown. Her makeup and hair that she at one point had taken so much pride in was not even a part of her daily routine anymore. She never wore makeup and she kept her hair in a tight bun at the base of her neck. She had prematurely grayed, which Victoria figured was due to her father's bad business investments. And the smile that Victoria remembered as a little girl seemed like it had been permanently removed from her mother's face. Now a hard line and tight lips were all that replaced the bright grin she had once grown to love. Victoria continued to stare at her mother's back.

"I don't know what you think you trying to accomplish by going over to that dangerous man's place. Just plain stupid in my opinion," Olivia said, not bothering to turn around.

"I know mama, but I got to try something. We can't live like this. I didn't want it to come to this, but this is a last resort," Victoria said, pleading with her mom to understand.

"You think you just gon' walk in there and have him erase the debt?" Olivia asked, turning around and throwing the dishrag over her shoulder. Then she smacked her lips and ran her eyes over her daughter's tiny dress. "Unless you plan on offering him something to make him forget the debt."

Victoria sucked in a breath. "Mama! I would never. I just want him to try and see it from our point of view. That's all. It couldn't hurt to try."

"Vicky, he don't care about our point of view. Rich, white, bad men like him could give a damn about poor, black people like us. The sooner you get that through your head, the better," her mom said, and turned back around. Victoria figured that was the end of the conversation.

Victoria sighed as she grabbed her purse and an old black jacket of her father's. It was chilly outside and she wasn't used to wearing something so revealing. As she slid the oversized jacket on, she looked down at her dress. She really hoped he didn't get the wrong idea. She just wanted to look presentable, not easy. She chanced another look at her mother, who pretended like Victoria wasn't even in the room anymore. Victoria blew out another sigh and opened the door. The windy night air hit her bare legs and it caused her to hesitate for a moment. 'No, I can do this' she thought, as she zipped up her coat and headed down the street to the nearest bus stop.

***********************

Nicolas Andretti stared at the green table before him. He bent down and looked at the open hole between his ball and the striped ball that sat in its way. 

"Not sure how you're going to pull that one off, Nic?" Jimmy said confidently, as he leaned on his cue stick, staring at his boss and best friend. He knew that Nic hated to lose. For Nic, losing wasn't an option. He would circle the table a million times until he could figure out a way to win. Jimmy figured that's why Nic had gotten so powerful at such a young age. When you don't accept failure, you have no other option than winning. And Nic's philosophy was to conquer and destroy.

Nic's bright blue eyes narrowed when he saw the perfect shot he had to take. He walked back up to the table, slid the cue stick back and forth between his fingers two times, and then knocked the red solid ball into the far corner pocket, barely grazing Jimmy's striped ball.

"Motherfucker," Jimmy muttered under his breath.

Nic raised up, no smile or celebratory air in his voice. "You're up." 

Nic watched as his oldest and closest friend walked to the table and scratched his head, trying to figure out his next move. That was actually Jimmy's problem. He gave too much away. Never let people see you sweat. That was the one good thing Nic learned from his father, rest his soul. Nic had a thriving business because he followed the few rules his father had given him, and a couple of his own rules that he had set throughout his life.

When Nic was a kid, he never thought he'd be leading an underground crime circle. He had always respected the law and police officers. He was eight when Miami Vice first aired, and his love for cops and the law was first born. He thought Sonny and Rico were the coolest motherfuckers to ever walk the planet. But over the years, Nic started to realize that the work that his old man was dabbling in would have caused him to be one of the guys Sonny and Rico would have tried to lock up.

Nic's father, Nicolas Andretti III, was a tall, dry man from the old country. He was born and raised in Italy, and believed in the principles of his home country. At fifteen, he traveled over to the United States on his own dime, and started working little odd jobs around town and saved up enough money to open his own fish shop. He would cheat men at the docks out of fresh fish, to get a leg up on competition. Over the years he made a name for himself. Not necessarily a good one, but a name nonetheless. He met Nic's mom, Marianna, at a local dance one night and the two became inseparable. They ended up having five children, while Nicolas's business grew from a smelly fish place, to his first restaurant, which was funded by crooked cops who came to conduct business with drug and weapons runners. Nicolas would turn a blind eye, and in return favor they would give him money and turn their heads away from his illegal numbers business. It was a perfect arrangement that worked well over the years.

But when Nic started thinking back over his life, there were things about his father that he didn't like. Nic didn't like cheating people. He preferred to scare them. That usually got the message across even better. And when Nic was a teen going into his twenties, instead of turning the blind eye like his father did...he started dealing with the weapons runners, to gain more money. He didn't approve of drugs, so they could still use his restaurants, but he was not a part of their deals and made sure they all knew it.

In the ten years that Nic had taken over his father's business, he had started another restaurant and opened a club uptown. All three investments were flourishing and he was in business with three foreign companies which he worked with to supply weapons. He had more than quadrupled the income his father had been bringing in. In their city, you knew to do any 'business' you had to go through Nicolas Andretti IV. Nic was never an overly flashy guy, but he did dress in the nicest Armani suits and had a hot new thing on his arm every other night. That's actually how he met his wife, Amber. She had been one of the regulars at his club, and eventually she flirted her way into his bed and then into a marriage. He still didn't know how that had happened. Maybe he had a weakness for tall, mean blonds, because that's exactly what Amber was. And part of him was turned on because of this mean streak she seemed to possess. He found it amusing when she would launch into someone and cut them down before they even had a chance to speak. Of course, when she turned that foul mouth on him...he knew what to do to put it to good use. She might have been the Alpha bitch, but in his domain, he was king, and no one would disrespect him. Not even his wife.

But at the moment, they were separated and had been for six months. Frankly, he couldn't stand her. He never loved her, and still couldn't figure out why he agreed to marry her three years ago. Something in him did want to share all of his success with someone. A companion, but Amber only wanted the money. And the sex. Originally, he knew that this leggy blond was only flirting with him because of his status. Although, he knew to women his looks were a bonus. He figured he wasn't the most handsome man in the world, but many women thought he was pretty close, due to the light olive tan he inherited, along with his blue eyes and contrasting jet black hair, which together seemed to turn women on. But when Amber realized the things he could do in the bedroom...she was one hundred percent sold. 

But now because of their separation, he had gone back to playing the field a bit...not that he had ever really stopped. He never had to chase women. They were always there...and always willing. But without Amber at home cursing people out left and right, he was becoming bored. He couldn't stand talking to her, but yet she was amusing. Their separation came about when she had asked the dreaded baby question. It just seemed to come out of left field one day while they were in the middle of dinner. They rarely talked to each other as it was, and now she wanted to add a baby to that? Fuck no. He could never imagine her as a mother anyway. All she did was spend his money and dance at his club all night. And she thought he didn't know, but she had been fooling around with cocaine. And that was a big no to him. They fought over that and the baby issue until he stormed off, and she left the house, trashed out of her mind. She got into his Lamborghini and wrecked it. Nic was so pissed. Not really because of the car, although it had been his favorite, but because her little incident brought the police sniffing around. He sent Jimmy and another of his guys to bail her out. There was no way in hell he would step foot in a police station now. They wanted him too much, and he would be damned if he'd go down without a fight. 

Later that night, Amber and he had gotten into another argument. Nic didn't like to yell. He didn't like to argue. People usually just did what he said, but sometimes Amber tried to bait him, just to get a rise out of him. But he couldn't even stand the sound of her voice anymore. Worse than nails on a chalk board. She was high, and crying, and her makeup was running down her face. She had asked him point blank if he loved her. Nic just stood there staring at her, his answer in his eyes. No, he didn't. And never had. Amber also took the silence to mean no, and she pulled off her large diamond ring and threw it at him. She missed and it went sliding across the floor.

She stomped out and that was the last he had seen of her. She called him a few days later to inform him that she was staying with her sister, but she wanted to work something out. Nic really didn't want to. But he also didn't feel like getting the courts involved in a divorce, so he just told her that they needed time apart, and they would work something out later. But with her gone, no longer wreaking havoc on everyone's life, he was extremely bored. He needed a new challenge. 

Jimmy shot at the striped ball and missed. "Shit."

Nic took the next three shots to clear the table of all of his solid balls, along with the eight ball. He looked over his handiwork and tossed his cue stick to Eddie, his accountant.

"Fuck, one more Nic. Let me try to redeem myself," Jimmy said.

Nic sighed and grabbed the cue stick back. "You're a glutton for punishment, big guy," Nic said, taking in his friend's large frame. Both Nic and Jimmy were tall, but Nic had him beat by about an inch, however his friend definitely had him in the weight department. Jimmy's wife cooked the best Italian meals every night, and judging on Jimmy's protruding belly, he certainly enjoyed them. Where Jimmy preferred to eat, Nic preferred to work out, which was his best stress reliever. That and sex.

Jimmy smiled and racked the balls back up. Nic rolled his eyes and turned toward the back door, where Raymond, his head of security was entering. He walked over to Nic.

"Sir, there's a young lady here to see you," Raymond said.

"Lucky bastard," Jimmy muttered, as he shot first, and the balls went scattering everywhere.

"What does she want?" Nic asked, surveying the table.

"She said it's a personal matter."

"What's her name?" Nic asked, as he lined up his cue stick and sunk three striped balls.

"Victoria Davis, sir."

Nic ran the name over in his head. Davis? Davis, Davis...oh. He knew who she was. Her father, James, owed him a shit load of money. He had opened up some cheesy soul food restaurant that tanked, and sunk Nic's fathers' money with it. Nic had only been in the restaurant once. James ran the place with his wife and daughter. The daughter had been a waitress at the horrible restaurant. Cute, shy thing, but he wasn't really paying attention. Maybe she had his money. Or maybe she just came to beg for him to stop sending his sharks down to their apartment, threatening to break her father's legs.

"Tell her I'm busy," he stated, as he leaned up against the table, waiting for Jimmy to make a shot.

"Yes sir," Raymond replied, as he exited.

It only took less than ten minutes for Nic to beat Jimmy again. Jimmy stood there scratching his head over the fact that Nic had managed to whip him in three straight games. He never could beat him, but one day...he'd figure out a way. Eddie sat over in the corner laughing at him.

"Fuck you, you four-eyed bastard," Jimmy yelled. "I mean, they have contacts nowadays, why the fuck are you still wearing those goggles?"

Eddie never got rattled. But he also didn't really have a personality. As a true accountant, he cared about numbers and that was about it. They had even brought over a hot girl once to show Eddie a good time, one that Nic kept in his mental rolodex, but she left the bedroom only about fifteen minutes after going in, with a confused look on her face. When Jimmy asked her what went down, she said they never had sex. Instead, he started talking to her about the importance of numbers and how they keep the universe in order. She told Nic she didn't come here to get a math lesson. So Nic took her to his room instead...and gave her the lesson she had come looking for. And more.

"They make me look more distinguished, you overweight idiot," Eddie said, while cleaning his glasses.

Nic laughed and hung up his cue stick. "So Eddie, this month, are we good?"

Eddie placed his glasses back on. "Yes sir, we're really good. Here are the figures," he smiled, while pulling them out of his briefcase. Nic nodded a few times while he examined the documents.

Raymond entered again. This time his face was flushed and he seemed irritated. He stood there waiting for Nic to acknowledge him.

"What?" Nic asked, when he finally looked up from the papers in his hand.

"Sir, she won't leave. She said if she doesn't get to talk to you, she'll start making a scene in front of the customers."

Nic's eyebrows shot up. Who the fuck did this little girl think she was? He'd have to teach her a little lesson in respect.

"Okay, see her to my office," he said, as he flicked a lighter and started burning the documents.

Victoria didn't know what to expect. She wasn't sure if he was just a rich crook, or if he had actually killed people before. She remembered how scared her father had been the day the bank seized his restaurant. He was more scared of Mr. Andretti finding out, than he was of the prospect of his family being broke and out on the street. But Victoria was determined that she wouldn't be afraid of him. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing her sweat.

She sat in his office, staring around the large, cold area. She couldn't believe that something this chic would be located in the back of a restaurant. Everything in his office was black and white, including the art work on the walls. She assumed one of his paintings was probably worth more money than she made in a year. He didn't have any personal pictures on his desk like a lot of businessmen do. Or at least how they portrayed it in movies. He actually didn't have a desk. It was just a large glass table with a fancy chair on the opposite side of her.

She jumped when she heard the door open. She quickly stood up and faced the men entering. She recognized the first man that entered. He was the security guard who kept giving her a hard time. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she rolled her eyes back at him. The next man that came through the door, she didn't recognize him. He was a tall, round guy. He had dark hair and even darker eyes. He glanced at her and flashed a predatory grin. She wondered if he saw her shiver.

The last man to enter was tall also. He brushed right past her and sat down in the fancy chair, before he acknowledged her presence. This was Nicolas Andretti. She remembered him from the day he came into her father's restaurant a few years ago. She had tried not to look at him then, as her father, Nicolas and one of his men went into the kitchen to discuss business. The other guy stood on the outside, daring anyone to enter the kitchen. She had just caught a glimpse of Nicolas, but she had been completely thrown off guard about how young and handsome he looked. She had been expecting some old craggy-looking fellow, like a godfather or something.

And now looking at him, he hadn't changed at all from that first day she had seen him. He had beautiful, shiny black hair that he kept pushed away from his face, but it was longer than she remembered. If it were wet, it would probably fall to his ears. But the way he styled it kept it away from his face, made him appear menacing and handsome all at the same time. It also gave her a perfect view of his icy blue eyes. He had a straight attractive nose, nice lips and a strong jaw line. She could also tell that he had a nice body underneath his suit, judging by the way he walked with his shoulders upright and his chest out, which...wait, she needed to seriously pull her mind together. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Mr. Andretti, I just wanted to..." she started, but he placed a finger to his lips...his small order for her to be quiet. She immediately shut her mouth.

"Victoria, my security guard, Raymond, told you that I was busy, correct?" he asked her.

Victoria nodded her head.

"What? I didn't hear you," Nic said.

Victoria wanted to roll her eyes at his arrogance, but she knew she had come here to ask a favor of him. Better to play the nice card.

"Yes," she answered.

"I thought so. So, you should have come back or called to set an appointment like everyone else does, instead of interrupting me."



Seven Days Ch. 01



"I tried calling. But the appointment time they gave me was two months from now," Victoria replied, raising her voice a bit.

"Yes, that's because I'm a busy man."

"I just wanted to talk to you about my father," she said.

Nic turned to Jimmy. "Hey, Jimmy, do you remember the days when a man had a problem with another man, they would handle it. I don't recall the man sending his daughter to do it, do you?"

"No sir, I sure don't. Seems like something a pussy would do."

Nic turned back around to glare at Victoria. "I agree."

"My father—"

"--your father is the one who owes me money. He needs to come see me. Not you."

"He's sick, that's why I'm here," Victoria whispered, nearing tears.

Nic looked at the poor girl in her cheap black dress. She was a pretty girl. Beautiful in fact. Nowhere near as tall as Amber, but definitely more shapely. Truth be told, her body was starting to make him think thoughts that he shouldn't be thinking. She was wearing too much makeup though, and her thick curly hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He would love to see what it looked like down around her face. Her skin was a delicious, creamy coffee color, and she had wide chocolate brown eyes, with long eyelashes that were caked in mascara. Nic wished he could tell her that he sympathized with her father being ill, but in his line of work, showing sympathy was a weakness and a definite no-no. 

"Do you have my money or not?" he asked, ignoring her last statement.

Victoria wanted to smack that bastard. She hated his frosty stare and nonchalant attitude. She was talking about her family here! They were drowning, all because of him.

"How much exactly does my father owe you?"

"Seventy thousand," he said, without flinching.

Victoria nearly choked on her spit. Seventy thousand dollars!! 

Nic could tell by her widened eyes and slightly parted mouth, that she wasn't expecting the figure to be so high. Interest was a bitch.

Victoria tried to regain her composure. "Mr. Andretti, we don't have that kind of money. We never had, and probably never will."

"Your father should have thought about that, before he asked my father for the loan years ago. I never would have given him the money. Trying to open a soul food restaurant in the middle of a Korean neighborhood was a dumb fucking idea. Why either one of them couldn't figure that out, is beyond me. So that's the situation we are in."

Victoria stared down at her hands. Well, now was her time to offer her proposition to him. Her last shot.

"Well, I have a potential solution, Mr. Andretti," she said, looking up at him.

Nic stared at her warm eyes, and then his gaze lowered to her lips and then her full breasts. His eyes lingered there for a moment, before he looked back at her face. He smiled on the inside when he noticed her narrow her eyes at him.

"Go ahead," he said, as he started jotting notes down on a piece of paper.

"Well, I was thinking I could work in your restaurant or club, to work off the money. I mean, I could work morning, noon and night. Around the clock until I get the money paid off. I'll be a waitress, busboy, whatever you need."

Nic stopped writing and looked up at her. A small crooked smile spread across his face. With Amber gone, he knew exactly how he was going to entertain himself. He leaned back in his chair and stared at her for a few seconds before speaking.

"You want to work with my kitchen staff so you can work off money you owe me? Do you know how long that would take?" he asked.

Victoria shook her head.

"I don't read fucking sign language. Yes or no?" he bit out, frustrated.

"No," Victoria said, wishing so badly she could punch him. She wasn't even a violent person, but she guessed being in the company of violent men was starting to rub off on her.

Nic turned to his friend. "Jimmy, how long would that take, to earn seventy grand as a waitress?"

"Long fucking time, sir."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Nic said, turning his attention back to her. He stared her down, taking in her disappointed face. He was used to these club girls throwing themselves at him. Drunk, loud, slutty girls, who all wanted to bag a guy like him, so they could be taken care of the rest of their lives. But he figured a girl like Victoria was different. She was nothing like those girls, and that's what would make this whole thing amusing to him. 

"No, I have another idea. Raymond, could you leave us for a moment? We'll be done with this meeting soon."

"Yes sir," Raymond said, as he turned to exit the office.

Once the door was closed, Nic stood up and walked around the table to stand by Jimmy. Victoria was nervous. She didn't know what they were planning to do. They were both just staring at her. Jimmy laughed when Nic whispered something into his ear. She felt so uncomfortable. When they were done whispering, Nic turned to look at her. 

"So, you want to work off your father's money, huh?" Nic asked her, narrowing his eyes, and then slowly letting them roam over her body.

Shit. Victoria could see where this was going. She was so stupid. Her mother had told her. She would never hear the end of this 'I told you so' from Olivia Davis.

"I believe in being blunt, Victoria. I'll erase your father's debt, if you stay with me for a week in my house."

Victoria swallowed. She prayed it would be as his cook or masseuse or something along those jobs. But in her heart, she knew better.

"What would you want me to do for the week?" she asked, dreading the answer.

Jimmy chuckled. "Anything I want," Nic said, without cracking a smile.

Victoria quickly stood. She had heard enough. At least she had tried. "Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Andretti. But I'm not a whore, so I'll be on my way. And I'll try to get your money to you." She was about to walk out, when Nic grabbed her hand. The way he gazed into her eyes started making her feel...feel...something.

"Your father owes me more money than your family has seen in a lifetime, and I'm growing impatient. I live by a strict set of codes and rules. If a man owes me money, he either pays me back, or I make an example out of him. I'd hate to do that to your father. And now that he's sick, it looks like I'll never see that money, so my men may be coming to call on him very soon," Nic spat at her, still tightly gripping her hand. "So, is your pride worth your father and mother being hurt?"

Victoria's mouth dropped open. She couldn't believe that he would threaten her parent's right in front of her. Fucking bastard! God, she needed some help. She didn't know which was worse, being his whore for a week or knowing her family would be hurt. She could never in a million years do something like that. She wasn't like those types of women. 

But...just seven days, and she could easily erase this black cloud over her family's heads. They could go back to their normal lives before her father got tied in with this horrible Andretti family. Just seven days, and she could burn this horrific experience out of her mind. Seven quick days, and she would have a new start for herself and her family. Just seven days.

Victoria closed her eyes and exhaled. She knew she'd have to make the decision quickly or else she'd back out. "Okay," she whispered to him. She felt like she was going to throw up. That one simple word burned leaving her tongue.

"Good girl," Nic said. 

She watched as he turned to the other man in the room, Jimmy. "I always wanted my own personal slut," he taunted, and smiled back at her. She felt the tears coming to the surface. She refused to cry in front of this evil bastard. Why the hell would he want to make such a despicable deal with her, when she was sure he could get any girl to do this for free? 

"Now that that's settled, take your clothes off," Nic commanded. He knew he was being a jerk, but she was getting some payback for threatening to cause a scene at his restaurant. He absolutely would not tolerate behavior like that. Plus, she needed to know how their relationship for the next seven days would work. What he wanted and expected. And he would ALWAYS get what he wanted.

Victoria couldn't have heard him right. It would be a cold day in hell before she stripped her clothing in front of both of them. In his office, where anyone could come in at any given moment? No way in hell. She stood there staring at him, like he had lost his damn mind.

"I guess you aren't serious about our arrangement. If not, then you can get the fuck out," Nic stated, as he made his way to the door.

Victoria knew she was between a rock and a hard place. Shit!

"No, wait! I, um, okay," she sighed.

Nic stopped and turned back around. Victoria slowly and clumsily started removing her dress. It slid down to the floor, and she stood there in a lacy strapless bra, lacy panties and her black heels. She was praying that her undergarments didn't have any holes in them. It's not like she went shopping for new ones every day, and she hadn't worn this lacy set in forever.

"Leave the heels on, take everything else off," Nic demanded, leaning against the wall. She turned to face him. At least he was on the opposite side of the room, and she wouldn't have to look at the other guy, while she did the most embarrassing, degrading thing she had ever done in her life. She couldn't even remember undressing this much in gym class.

She slid her panties off first. She was neatly trimmed, but not like that many people had seen her down there, so she probably wasn't as neat as he was used to. She knew she had reached a new low. She felt like shit. She slowly reached around and unhooked her bra, and it dropped to the floor.

Nic stood there gazing over her perfect body. His dick was growing down the side of his leg, dying to break free from his pants. Her tits were the perfect size for him. She was definitely busty, but they weren't too oversized. Her tiny waist was toned, and she had a small butterfly tattoo on her left pelvic bone. Her hips were wider than many of the skinny girls he had been with, and that made her even more exotic to him. She had a shape that reminded him of the old pin ups in the fifties that his father used to have hanging in his office. But he had to get his mind straight. He was a business man, first and foremost.

"Victoria, here are the rules. When I ask you to do something, I am only going to ask once. If you don't comply, then you add another week to your stay. If you disobey or disrespect me in anyway, you add another week. Stay out of my business, and only speak when spoken too. Got it?"

Yes, she was in hell. How could she ever face her mother and father again? And she was even more mortified when he opened the door and let Raymond back inside. She started to shiver from the embarrassment. The utter humiliation this cocksucker was subjecting her to.

"Raymond, can you escort Victoria to my downtown loft and make sure she gets a change of clothes? If she needs to stop by her place, that's fine. Thank you," she heard him say, then he left.

She was standing in the middle of his office, completely naked, with two other men staring at her. She wanted to die.

*************************

Nic stopped by his club for a few minutes, to greet the new guest DJ, some kid that all of the clubbers seemed to know. He saw Amber sitting in her usual VIP booth. It had been awhile since he had seen her, but he nodded in her direction. She pouted and turned her head away from him. Probably best, under the circumstances with his new project. A project he was more eager than he'd like to admit to get back to.

He drove his Aston Martin to his loft downtown, in anticipation of what the night would bring. Nothing turned him on more than having complete control. 

"Have a good evening, Mr. Andretti," the old doorman, Sam, said as he held open the glass doors. "You too, Sam," Nic replied, as he entered the building. He pressed his personal code into the elevator keypad and it stopped off on the top floor. When he opened the door, he scanned the main room, but he didn't see her. Had she backed out on their deal? Fuck.

He sighed and placed his keys on the counter. His loft stayed amazingly clean. He had a housekeeper who came twice a week, but he was really paying her for nothing. He never used this condo. He preferred to stay here, since this was his getaway, but he usually never had time to actually 'get away'. 

He tried to ignore the disappointment he felt, rationalizing that she was a nobody and he shouldn't be concerned with it. He removed his jacket and started unbuttoning his dark blue dress shirt. He walked to the back room, and as soon as he walked through his bedroom door, he felt something hard hit the side of his head. Motherfucker! It wasn't strong enough to knock him over, but it hurt like a son of a bitch. He figured someone was trying to rob him. This bastard was in for more than he expected.

He turned and grabbed the culprit, slamming him down on the floor.

"Oww!" the robber exclaimed, in a girlie voice. He got to his feet and picked the small figure up and turned on the light.

"Damn it, Victoria! What the hell were you doing?" he asked, gripping her hands and pinning her against the wall. He couldn't believe she had the audacity to attack him.

Victoria just stared at him, her neck hurting from looking up. She had planned to knock him out, but after that she wasn't quite sure what to do. She had sat there for hours, determined not to let this man get the best of her. She was a good person, and she wasn't going to let him take that from her. 

Nic held onto her, staring down at her beautiful face. Both of them were breathing hard. He felt the throbbing in his head from the object she hit him with, which pissed him off. But that anger that was coursing through him, also made him want to fuck her senseless. 

He released one of her hands and grabbed her throat. He lightly squeezed the soft flesh, wondering when he would start to see fear in her eyes. She put up a good front, but he figured she was scared of him. Most people were.

A shiver immediately went through Victoria's body and it erupted at the apex of her legs. The harder he squeezed, the wetter she got. What the fuck was wrong with her?! She had never experienced abuse like this. She didn't know why it was affecting her this way. She was supposed to be crying and screaming, not getting turned on.

Victoria knew it was now or never. She brought her right hand up to his throat, to reveal a tiny sharp blade.

Nic instantly felt the cold metal against his neck. He also felt a slight burning, so he knew she had cut him already. All she had to do was press harder, and he'd be bleeding all over the carpet. But he also still had his hand wrapped around her throat and his knee pressed in between her legs.

"Oh, I get it. Kill me now, and your debt will be wiped away, yeah?" he whispered to her, his eyes pinning her unsure chocolate eyes.

Victoria couldn't answer him. Only a small amount of air was getting through to her lungs. She would have to do it soon, or else she would pass out.

"Go ahead, do it. Although I'm sure you lack the balls to. You're a good girl, aren't you?" he teased, even though the blade rested by his throat. She didn't say anything back to him. He was getting fed up with her little game. She had a hard lesson to learn, if she thought she could scare him and turn him into a pussy.

"Put the blade down. Now," he growled, low and menacing, while squeezing her neck even tighter. Victoria wanted to cut him. She prayed for the courage to do it. But he was right. She was a good girl. The worst thing she had done to date, was cheat on a history test. But that's because she had spent all night adding numbers at her father's restaurant and barely had an hour of sleep before she had to go into school.

Victoria's body trembled. She was scared shitless. He wasn't letting go of her neck, and he was staring deep into her eyes, like he enjoyed watching her squirm. She slowly lowered her hand and then dropped the blade. As soon as it hit the floor, a cry shook from her body and tears began pouring down her cheeks. What the fuck was she doing there?

"I'm sorry, I—," she started, before he cut her off by picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. It damn near knocked all the wind out of her. He marched toward the front of his condo. Suddenly she felt herself being thrown off his shoulder as she hit the couch below. He was standing over her in an instant, his shirt off, already removing his pants.

She laid there dumbfounded. Was he really going to try to have sex with her after she tried to kill him? She sat up, staring at him. Once he had removed all of his clothing, he knelt down and grabbed the front of her black dress. In one swift movement, he ripped it down the front. Victoria shrieked with surprise and tried to push him off.

"With that little stunt in the bedroom, you've already added another week to our arrangement. Fourteen days, Victoria. Want to make it twenty one?" he asked, daring her to say another word.

Victoria immediately stopped resisting. She removed her hands from his chest and laid back on the couch, as he continued to rip her dress all the way to the bottom. When he was done, he roughly pulled it from her body, and discarded it halfway across the room. She hadn't bothered to put her under garments back on, so she was now completely nude before him. Again.

"On your hands and knees," he snarled.

Victoria rose up and turned over. She crouched onto her hands and knees, resigning to the belief that she really was little more than a whore to him. She felt him slide his fingers underneath her, until he reached her pussy. She jumped when his fingers grazed her outer lips. She was embarrassed that she was soaking. She had started to get wet when he had his hands wrapped around her throat. And she knew now, no matter how she protested, he could feel the slickness clinging to his fingers. His proof that she wanted this. No matter how sick and twisted it was.

Nic felt her move her hips back into his fingers, as he pumped them in and out of her wet vagina. Damn, she felt tight. Her pussy was gripping his fingers like there was no tomorrow and he could hear her lightly moaning. Fuck, this girl was turning him on so bad. He could tell that part of her loathed him, but part of her was curious. He liked curious.

Victoria was trying her best to not come. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. But his fingers were working miracles inside her pussy. It had been quite some time. She wasn't exactly a virgin, but she had only been with one guy previous to this and he was her high school boyfriend. They started dating her junior year, and after graduation, they went their separate ways. They had only had sex about five times. And each time had felt so weird. She wasn't sure he was even inside her the first time. And the times that followed, he'd climb on top of her, pump up and down for about a minute, and then fall over on top of her. If this was what sex was, then she didn't need it. It was a waste of her time. She had gone three years without any intimate contact, until Carl. He was a guy who worked at her father's restaurant. He was her age and a really nice guy. They had gone out on several dates...many ending in heavy kissing, and him fondling her, but that was about it. But then two years later, her father's restaurant closed, and she and Carl parted ways. He would call her every now and then, but she had been so consumed with trying to find money for her family, that she didn't have time to date anymore.

But now, here she was on Nicolas Andretti's couch, doggie style, about to get fucked to pay off her father's debt. How the hell had life taken her here? As she contemplated this, she felt his thick member at her wet entrance. She glanced at the floor and noticed a condom wrapper lying on the ground. When he pushed forward and slowly entered her soaking pussy, her eyes rolled back into her head. Thank God, she was facing away from him. He grabbed her hips and roughly shoved her back onto his dick. 




Seven Days Ch. 01



Damn, she was so tight, he thought. Yes, he was going to enjoy the hell out of this girl the next two weeks. He began to piston in and out of her, loving the way she felt wrapped around his cock.

"Spread your legs wider and put your head down," he commanded. She complied, and the feeling made her even hotter and wetter. 

Nic stared at her beautiful curly raven hair as he fucked her from behind. He wanted it down. He roughly grabbed her ponytail. She squealed, and pressed back into him. He pulled off the rubber band that was holding the thick massive curls up, and they fell loosely around her shoulders. He was right, they were beautiful. He grabbed a fist full of them and pulled hard, jerking her neck back as he rode her harder, his groin slapping into her beautiful, fleshy ass, while he assaulted her soaking pussy.

Victoria was losing it fast. The rougher he was, the closer to coming she got. He was pounding into the back of her, stretching her pussy further than it had been with any other guy. Or the one other guy. She started to feel her orgasm building. She had never had an orgasm with a man before. Only with her hand, on those rare occasions that she had the apartment to herself. Oh God, he was bringing her so close. She could feel the tiny butterflies that caused her toes to curl. She was so close...

Nic felt her pussy tighten around him, so he pulled out of her instantly. Fuck her, if she thought he was going to make her come. She didn't deserve it. He pulled the condom off and jerked his dick until he sprayed his come all over her ass. He watched the contrast as his pearly white liquid dripped down her milk chocolate skin. Fuck, that looked so good. When he was completely empty, he stood up from the couch and walked past her and went into the bathroom to clean up.

Victoria couldn't believe it. She needed that release. The least he could have done was give her that. But then again, she shouldn't have been enjoying it. She immediately fell to the couch. She was so embarrassed. Now that he knew she was about to come, he really probably did think the worst of her. He probably thought that she had enjoyed him treating her like a slut. Did she? No, of course not. Her mother taught her better than that. And she had 13 more days of this to expect. For some reason, thinking about that made her pussy flutter, and she squeezed her legs tightly together. She needed to get a grip. She was nothing more than a whore to him, so she would do her 'job', and get the hell out of there and forget that Nicolas Andretti ever existed.

*

Hi all! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my second story. I wanted to go in a different direction than Damn Dress, so I hope you enjoyed. Chapter 2 is already complete and coming soon. As always, let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Soular



Seven Days Ch. 02



Victoria rolled off her stomach and stood up, searching for her sad little torn black dress. She heard the bathroom door open, so she quickly shielded her naked body, using the remains of the dress as a towel. Nic strolled back into the living room, completely in the nude. Victoria tried her hardest not to stare. He seemed so comfortable being naked in front of her. Of course he would be, she thought. He's probably nothing more than a male slut, himself! She was sure if she stared long enough, she could find something wrong with his body, but from this angle, so far she had nothing.

She watched as he picked up his shirt, underwear and pants and put them on. He grabbed his jacket from the bar stool and removed his keys from the counter. He walked to the door, turned to look at her for a few seconds, then walked out.

Victoria couldn't believe any of this had happened. She realized she had done something she could never take back. For a few moments, she hung her head in shame. If she were on the outside, looking at someone like herself, she would have the worst thoughts. There she would see a scared, young black girl, with smeared lipstick, torn dress and dried come stains on her ass...absolutely pathetic.

She slowly trudged to the bathroom, turned on the light and stared at herself in the mirror. She had done that same thing less than two hours ago when she was safely at home...and now look at her. How much of her pride and dignity had she just sacrificed? And for what price? She shook the horrible thoughts from her mind. She turned on the shower and closed the door. The shower was large enough to fit at least ten people...and the expensive looking shower head projected the water out in a massaging manner. She leaned her face against the cool tile and cried. She didn't even bother wiping the remains of her mascara from her eyes.

After her shower, Victoria grabbed a pair of white cotton shorts and an old burgundy shirt with the name of her father's restaurant on it. At least she was able to stop by her apartment before she entered hell. She had rushed in so quickly, grabbed a few items and left, all before her mom and dad woke up. She figured they would be worried about her, but she just couldn't tell them what had happened or what she had agreed to.

She sat down on the couch and tried to turn the flat screen TV on, but there were three remote controls and she couldn't figure out which turned on what. After a few minutes of wrestling with the confusing system, she gave up. She grabbed a bottle of water from his refrigerator. She scanned the loft and walked over to the large balcony that overlooked the city. Maybe she could find a good spot to jump. While she was playfully pondering what her body would look like splattered on the pavement below, she looked up and out at the city. The view was breathtaking. She turned back around and looked inside. If his loft looked like this, she could only imagine what his house looked like.

Victoria went to the kitchen and picked up the slick cordless phone. She dialed a number and chewed on her fingernail until a familiar voice answered the other line.

"Hello?"

"Hey mama," Victoria said.

"Vicky, it's so late. Where are you?"

"Um, mama, I can't tell you that right now, but I'm okay. I just wanted to let you know I'll be away for awhile, but I'll still try to send you the rent somehow, okay?"

"But, where are—"

"I have to go. I love you, bye," Victoria rushed and then clicked off the phone. Soon exhaustion took control of her body and she yawned. Victoria refused to sleep in his bed, so she grabbed a blanket from the hall closet and covered herself in the large reclining chair near the balcony doors and fell asleep.

**********************

Nic had to get out of there. He didn't know this girl, nor should he give a shit about her, but he found himself wanting to turn the car around and go back. Explain his behavior to her. What the fuck was wrong with him? Nic had to floor the pedal all the way back to his house. If he had slowed down at any moment, he would have gone back. And fuck if she wasn't the best lay he had experienced in awhile. His body physically craved to be with her again. Inside her. He wished he could have made her come, but he was more determined to prove his point. But the fact that she had been into it, made him smile. She had wanted to come. Next time...he'd make her beg, he thought with a wicked grin.

Later that night, Nic lay in bed thinking of her. Victoria. What was it about this girl that made him anxious to see her again? He loved that she really didn't seem to know how attractive she was. She had probably spent most of her days in large shirts and khaki pants, which was the uniform at her father's restaurant—if he remembered correctly. Probably one of those girls who wore granny panties and large unflattering shirts to bed. Comfort was more important than style to her. Nic found that so refreshing. He didn't know many women like that. Actually, he didn't know any women like that. But all this time, she probably didn't realize what a fucking unbelievable body she was hiding. Well, he sure as hell knew now, and he wasn't planning on letting her forget. Damn. He started getting hard again, just thinking about it. This was going to be a long night.

***********************

"Aahh!!!" Victoria screamed, as she fell out of the reclining chair and hit the hard floor. The loud thumping that had startled her out of her sleep grew even louder. For a moment, she couldn't remember where she was. Then she turned toward the door. Someone was knocking loudly.

She tiptoed to the door and glanced through the peephole. It was Raymond, Nic's security guard, pounding on the door. Victoria definitely had some issues with this guy, but she sighed and opened the door anyway.

Raymond stared down at her. "Mr. Andretti wants to see you at his office and he said that you wear this," he stated flatly, while handing her a shopping bag. She didn't recognize the language on the outside of the bag, but it looked French. She reached in and began pulling some of the items out. First was a lacey light blue bra and matching thong. She wanted to gag. She reached back into the bag and pulled out a soft white terry cloth robe. The material was very thin and it was very short. Like something you would wrap yourself in after getting out of the shower...only much shorter. Would probably just barely cover her ass. She dumped the bag upside down, and found a pair of really high thin strappy high heels that hit the floor. But that was it. No actual dress or pants or anything like that. What the fuck? Did he forget he ripped her dress to shreds last night? She stared up at Raymond whose facial expression hadn't changed. He kind of reminded her of a more handsome version of Lurch from the Adams Family.

"I'll come with you, but I'm not wearing this," Victoria said, stuffing the items back into the bag. Raymond rolled his eyes and walked out. Victoria grabbed her purse and the bag of 'clothing' and followed him.

On the ride over, Victoria took in the scenery. It was really a beautiful neighborhood. She wondered where his office was located. Raymond finally pulled up to a large house, actually a mansion, and pressed a code into the keypad in front of the closed black iron gates. Victoria noticed that the security cameras were following them. The large gate opened and the car pulled forward until it entered a garage. Inside the garage were several expensive looking cars. It looked like a showroom. Victoria could hardly believe that she was here. This was the type of image you see only in movies.

Raymond opened her door and led her into the house through a side door. Victoria was speechless. It was modern, yet looked as though a lot of the artifacts belonged in a museum. He led her up a huge winding staircase and then further down another hallway. Finally they ended up in front of a large oak door. For some reason Victoria was nervous. Raymond knocked on the door and it opened a few seconds later. The guy that she recognized as Jimmy, stuck his head out. He turned to her and looked her up and down. She realized she probably looked crazy with her old outfit on, accompanied by last night's makeup and her hair in a wild looking ponytail. He chuckled and opened the door for her to enter.

Inside the large room were a fireplace, several bookshelves and large pictures of Greek looking God's and Goddesses. She scanned the room and saw Nic sitting behind a large desk staring at her. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and black dress pants. His hair was smooth and shiny, like he had just gotten out of the shower. His eyes...were beautiful. And cold.

"Have a seat, Victoria," Nic said. "Jimmy, can you call Raymond back in here?"

"Sure, boss," Jimmy answered, as he walked back out in to the hallway. A few seconds later, Raymond appeared at the door. "Yes, sir?"

"Raymond, did you tell Victoria that I wanted her to change into the clothes I had provided?"

Raymond looked over at Victoria, then back at Nic. "Yes sir. I did."

"That's all. Thank you, Raymond."

Raymond exited the room and Nic continued writing. Victoria scanned the room again. Everything was neat and in order. She figured you could probably put on a white glove and swipe your hand across any surface, and you still wouldn't find any dust. She stared at Nic's profile. If she didn't hate him so much, she could actually be attracted to him. 

After a few minutes, Victoria started becoming nervous and impatient. She cleared her throat and Nic finally looked over toward her.

"Why do you continue to disobey me? It's not going to do anything but anger me and add more days to your stay here," Nic said, while leaning back in his chair. "I ask one simple request, and you don't do it. And for that display of defiance...you've just earned yourself another seven days. One more week. So you're now up to twenty-one days. Or I should say just twenty, since you somewhat pleased me last night."

"What?! You already added a week since last night!" Victoria screamed. "You can't just add on more time, any time you want!"

"Yes, I can. That was part of the agreement we—," Nic stated calmly, before Victoria became furious.

"You bastard! You snake, just like my dad always said! We're changing this agreement right now!!" she hollered, almost in tears and shaking. Victoria knew she was being childish with her screaming fit, but she couldn't figure out how else to get it out. He was staring at her, not making a sound. She could only see his jaw flexing.

Nic got up from his desk and walked toward Victoria. He noticed her backing up while trying to wipe her nose. 'Good,' he thought. She needed to be worried. When her back hit the wall, her eyes flashed with fear, which he quickly saw fade and was replaced with anger. 

Victoria didn't know what to expect. She was trapped by the wall, but damn if he would see her scared of him...even if she was. He quickly approached her and stared down at her, only a few inches from her face.

"Don't you ever interrupt me again. Don't you ever tell me what to do again. And so help me, if you ever fucking yell at me again, your ass will pay the price, and I do mean literally," he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

Victoria felt like crying. He wasn't her fucking father! But something about the way he looked at her made her believe he was telling the truth. He was nothing more than a sadistic prick. She could feel the tears building up, and she could feel her eyes glassing over. 'Please don't drop, please don't drop,' she prayed to herself, willing her tears to stay on the brim of her eyelids.

"If you don't like the agreement we set, then you can leave. But I'm done with this discussion. I refuse to argue with you," Nic said in a low, menacing voice. "Now, put on the Goddamn outfit, or leave. Your decision."

Victoria tried to stare up at him with indignation, but she quickly lowered her head when the first tear dropped. "I still hate you," she spat out, not caring if he added another week.

"Just as long as you do what I say, you can hate me all you want," he said, turning his back to her. He walked to his desk, and sat down. "Go change. And wipe your makeup off, and let your hair down" he commanded, before he started jotting more notes down.

Victoria walked over to the couch and retrieved the bag. She walked into the bathroom and did as he asked. When she changed into the lingerie, she realized what a beautiful sexy outfit it really was. The light blue complimented her honey-kissed, mocha skin. And the expensive, soft material felt divine sliding across her body. Were she on her honeymoon...this would have been perfect. She would have felt like a sexy princess. Instead, she was acting like a cheap woman to please some sick psycho who her father owed money to. Amazing how a different scenario could cause an outfit like this to make her want to vomit. She quickly wrapped the small white rob around her body and exited the bathroom.

Nic looked up when Victoria walked out of the bathroom. His dick started rising to attention. The effect this girl had on him was ridiculous. She looked so timid and shy, but he knew she had a small temper underneath all of that. That she could be a wildcat if she wanted to.

Nic leaned back in his chair. "Come here."

Victoria made her way over to his desk, slightly wobbling once due to how high her heels were. He reached out to grab her hand and brought her around his desk. Even with the heels, she was still much shorter than him. 

Nic slowly began to open her robe. His eyes drank in her smooth dark skin and full beautiful tits. He placed his hands on her sides and lightly rubbed her stomach with his thumbs. He stared back into her face, taking in her dark brown eyes. 

"Hey Nic--shit, sorry," Jimmy said as he barged through the door, then stopped, realizing that Nic was 'busy'. 

"Yes, Jimmy?" Nic asked, never breaking his gaze from Victoria.

"Sorry, sir. Didn't mean to interrupt, but Sonny Marcone is downstairs."

"Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes," Nic answered, while sliding the robe off Victoria's shoulders.

"Yes, sir," Jimmy said, then closed the door behind him.

Victoria shivered when the robe hit the floor. He gently lifted her and placed her back against the top of his desk, while he smoothly stepped in between her legs, which she wrapped around his waist. She watched his eyes as they stared at her lips. A part of her wanted to know what his lips tasted like. Were they as soft as they looked? Nic's face hovered over hers a few more seconds before he lowered his mouth to her neck instead. He began to lightly nip at her throat. 

Victoria tried not to like what he was doing to her, but she couldn't help it. His hands roamed over her body, burning it as they traveled. He was being much more gentle with her than he was last night. Slowly, his thumbs found the thin string of her thong, and slid it down her legs. 

Nic pulled the underwear off and stuck them in his pocket. He unfastened his pants and they dropped down to his knees. He leaned over her and placed the tip of his dick at the opening of her dripping pussy. He pushed deep inside of her in one fluid movement. He watched as her back arched and her lips formed an 'o' sound that never came out. 

"Are you okay?" Nic asked.

This took Victoria by surprise. She hadn't thought he cared if she were ever okay or not. Something in his eyes seemed genuine. She nodded her head.

"Are you on the pill?" She nodded her head again.

Nic braced his arms on both sides of her body and began to push deeper and harder with each thrust. 

Victoria knew that she had no way to hide her facial expressions from him this time. He was staring at her, watching every change in her emotions. He felt so damn good. There were no words to really describe it. He pulled the cups of her bra down and latched onto one of her nipples. His tongue rolled around the hard tip before he began to suck. At first, it was softly, but he began to suck harder, and then he bit her. 

"Oww..." Victoria whispered to him. He raised his head up with a grin, and attacked the other nipple, while massaging the bruised nipple. Victoria felt herself falling deeper and deeper. She couldn't think, which was the first sign that she was about to orgasm. 

"Nic, ooh, damn. Nic!" she yelled as she began to spasm, and her back arched while her eyes rolled back. For a moment she couldn't talk, as if she had been electrocuted. 

Nic lifted off of her and began to pound into her soft love nest. He looked down between them, watching his shaft disappear and then reappear. The contrast turned him on and sent him over the edge. "Shit!" he belted as he finally came. He stilled himself above her, while trying to regain his composure.

Once he pulled out of her, he cleaned himself with the tissues on his desk and offered a clean one to her. Victoria sat up and timidly took his offering.

Nic pulled up his pants, tucked his dress shirt back in, and fastened his belt. He stared at her for a few seconds longer before he walked around the desk and left the room.

Victoria was so confused. A part of her wanted to go back to the loft. At least there, she felt like a prisoner and she could remember why she hated him. Yes, she needed to go back there. She hated when he just walked away from her after sex, like it didn't matter. Maybe that was best. It wasn't supposed to matter, right?

"So there he is," Sonny Marcone announced, when Nic finally made it downstairs. "Been waitin' a long time here, Andretti. What's up?"

Nic wanted to punch the arrogant fucker in the face. He hated this kid. Stupid Soprano's, wannabe asshole. He had known Sonny all his life. Both of their fathers were in the 'game'. And there had always been this superficial peace between both families, but underneath...they knew the deal. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Sonny had tried to pull a few business ventures from who he thought was an unsuspecting Nic, but that ended in several threatening phone calls, and then Sonny finally backed off. Probably due to his old man, Paul Marcone, who still ran their household. Nic had a lot of respect for the old man, but he couldn't stand his fucking kid. And being the only son of Paul Marcone meant that Sonny would eventually take over one day. So, Nic just had to deal with it.

"Nothing to concern yourself with. So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Nic asked, not bothering to hide his dislike.

"Got some business matters to discuss with you. Mind if we do it over a game of pool?" Sonny smirked, already walking toward the billiards room.

"Sure, make yourself at home, testa di merda," Nic muttered out of earshot, and Jimmy laughed.

When they entered the billiards room, Sonny immediately picked up a cue.

"So, we have a nice little investment with a new Korean group. They have a product we want. Only, we don't have the contacts for the runners who could help with this. Word is, you do. So, if you scratch our backs on this, we'll make sure to give you a nice cut."

Jimmy and Nic looked at each other. "And what exactly would that product be?" Nic asked, while handing Sonny a pen and paper. Sonny wrote down a word quickly, and then wiped his fingerprint off of the pen.

Nic quickly glanced at it, and then handed it to Jimmy, who immediately threw it in the fire.

"That's not something I deal with, nor do I care to. Sorry, can't help you," Nic stated, while grabbing a cue.

"Well, maybe you can be a good boy, and just give us your contact. You don't have to be involved at all."

"Well, as you know, I don't really like being a 'good boy'."

Sonny and Nic both stared at each other for a moment. "Okay. Well, I'll make sure to report that back to my father," Sonny said, while racking up the balls.




Seven Days Ch. 02



"Oh, I'm sorry, I was under the impression that your father didn't know—considering he has mentioned that he isn't into that type of business either. Maybe I should give him a call to explain myself," Nic said, leaning against the pool table. He knew he had just stuck the knife in and broken it off. He was certain that Paul Marcone had no idea that his fuck-up of a son was about to start dealing drugs. Paul was just as against the stuff as Nic was.

Sonny narrowed his eyes at Nic. "Watch yourself, Nicky..."

"No. This is my house. You watch yourself, Sonny," Nic countered, while Raymond stepped a foot closer to Sonny.

Sonny glanced at Raymond, and then back to Nic. Suddenly a bright smile spread across Sonny's features. "Shit, man. Don't get all serious on me. Fuck, let's just play some pool, drink and see where the night takes us."

Victoria had tried waiting upstairs for Nic, but he was taking forever. She had to get out of here. And she was tired of waiting in his office. She walked to the door with the white, short robe wrapped tightly around her frame. She was about to step out into the hall, sans underwear, since he had taken them and stuffed them in his pocket. And as short as this robe was...one small bend, and she would expose her ass cheeks to anyone within viewing distance.

She slowly wobbled down the stairs in her 'too' high heels and made it to the main floor. She heard a few voices coming from another room, so she walked over there. She saw a guy in black standing with his back to the door. 

"Um, I'm looking for Nic," Victoria told him.

"Sorry, he's in a business meeting at the moment," the man said, and gave her a once-over. She knew what she had to look like. But she didn't care. She wanted to leave now!

"Nic!" Victoria started to holler.

The young man's eyes bulged out. "Miss, please don't do that," he tried to whisper.

"Nic!!" she yelled even louder. After a few seconds, the door opened, and Jimmy was leaning through.

"Victoria--," he started, but was cut off as she pushed past him and entered the room.

Victoria realized her mistake. She didn't know that he had SO many people in this room. And they all stopped and stared at her, in her barely dressed state. Shit. She glanced around the room until she saw Nic staring at her. His blue eyes seemed to reach glacier color. His jaws were tight and she knew that underneath that cool façade, he was mad as hell at her.

"Whoa! That's DEFINITELY not Amber," she heard an unfamiliar voice say. She turned to the guy who was at the opposite end of the pool table. He was a nice looking guy. Skin similar to Nic's, and he had dark brown hair and dark eyes. He was staring at her, with a big smile across his face.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Sonny asked.

Victoria looked over at Nic, who subtly nodded his head. She turned back to Sonny. "Victoria." But he had said she wasn't Amber...who the hell was that?

"Victoria...I'm Sonny. What a beautiful name, for a beautiful woman. You know what they say about Italian men and black women," he said, winking at her.

Victoria folded her arms across her chest. She was two seconds from rolling her eyes at this fool. "No, what do they say?"

Jimmy tried to choke back a laugh, as a small smile crept across Nic's face. This girl had spunk. Even though he was pissed at her, he could tell that she wasn't falling for any of Sonny's childish pick-up lines.

"Well, leave this bum, come home with me, and I'll show you," Sonny said, giving her another full body glance.

Victoria felt extremely self-conscious. She was the only female in the room. And most of the men were dressed in black, and had stern faces, but she could see them eyeing her up and down. She jumped when she heard someone snap their fingers.

"I got it! Hey, you're a betting man, right Nicky? Wanna make a bet?" Sonny asked, as he patted Nic on the back.

Nic stared at him. He didn't trust this prick any further than he could throw him. But Sonny was right. Nic was a betting man. He had made several gambles in his life that had all paid off nicely. "What are the terms?"

"If you win, you get my car outside. My McLaren Roadster...my pride and joy. I'm sure you would enjoy riding that," Sonny smiled at him.

Nic thought for a moment. That was damn near a five hundred thousand dollar car. He had planned to get himself one, but now...he could be getting it for free. And the fact that Sonny really loved that car only sweetened the deal.

"Alright, and if you win?"

"If I win, I get your contact's info and the girl for a night...and I'm sure I'll enjoy riding that," Sonny smirked, leaning on his cue stick.

Nic immediately narrowed his eyes at Sonny. Motherfucker. 

Victoria sucked in a gasp. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. There was no way in the world she would fuck another guy just because Nic lost a bet. Consequences be damned. She'd take her chances trying to hide with her folks. This guy Sonny was shaping up to be a real asshole. She couldn't wait to see his face drop when Nic tells him to go to hell.

Nic saw Victoria staring at him out of the corner of his eye. "Deal," he said, as he chalked the tip of his cue stick.

Victoria felt as though she had been smacked across the face. She knew she had no reason to think that he would ever actually be loyal to her, but she still hoped that there was a small part of him that was decent...like upstairs less than twenty minutes ago when he had asked her if she were okay. But her hopes were probably in vain...

And neither man had the decency to even look at her while they were deciding her fate. She felt like she couldn't breathe. And no one in the room said anything, as if it's normal to use a woman this way. She glanced to the side, and noticed Jimmy looking at her. He quickly turned his attention to the pool table. But not before Victoria thought she saw something in his eyes. Pity, maybe? She was humiliated, once again. And there was nothing she could do but stand there as these two men cheapened her. She would keep her eyes on the game. She couldn't bear to look into anyone's face at the moment.

Sonny broke first, scattering the balls across the table. Two striped balls went in the corner pocket. Sonny continued to pick off each ball one by one. It was happening so quickly. Victoria swore that she could hear her heartbeat. She watched as he only had three balls left on the table. She chanced a glance at Nic. He seemed calm, although he kept his eyes glued to the table. Fuck! Now he only had two balls left and Nic hadn't even had a shot yet. She started to panic.

"Shit!" Sonny belted out, when he finally missed a shot. He backed away from the table, shaking his head.

Nic calmly stepped up, chalked his cue stick again, while staring at the table. He looked over at Victoria for a second, then made his first shot, sending two balls in. The entire room was quiet as Nic proceeded to pick off each colored ball one at a time.

Victoria stared at Nic, as he glided around the table. His concentration was unbelievable. He was now down to two balls also. She held her breath as he took a long shot, slinging another ball into a pocket.

"Fuck," she heard Sonny mutter.

Nic took another shot, knocking his last colored ball in. He stood up straight and stared at the eight ball which was in a hard position. Victoria didn't know much about pool, but she could tell that the eight ball wasn't in an easy place, and she was sure he'd have to miss this shot. There was nowhere for it to go.

She glanced at Sonny, and he looked like he was holding his breath.

Nic bent over the table and slid the stick between his fingers twice then paused. "Eight ball, middle pocket," he said, before he made his shot. 

Victoria closed her eyes as she heard the two balls clank up against each other. But then opened them when she heard Jimmy loudly whisper, "Yes!" She looked, and noticed the eight ball was no longer on the table. All that was left were two striped balls and the white ball. He won! Yes!! 'Take that, Sonny, you slimy bastard!' she yelled in her mind. But then Victoria had to stop her quiet celebration. Nic had just bet her to another man. What an asshole. Her smile immediately faded. 

Nic handed his cue stick to Raymond, and leaned against the table, staring at Sonny. He held out his hand. "Keys?"

Any charming qualities or smiles that Sonny had been displaying earlier were all gone now. He looked as though he were ready to kill Nic. He quickly fished into his pockets and dropped the keys in Nic's hand.

"Let's go," Sonny barked at his two men who were standing off to the side. Victoria had thought they were Nic's men. All of these guys seemed to travel with an entourage. 

When Sonny's guys cleared the room, Jimmy walked over to Nic and patted him on the back. Nic glanced up at Victoria. She quickly turned away and stormed out of the room. Raymond and another of Nic's men followed behind her.

Nic stared down at the table. He could tell that Jimmy wanted to say something. "What?"

"Nic, I'm not so sure you should have done that," Jimmy said, leaning against the table.

"I knew I was going to win," Nic stated, as he picked up the eight ball and rolled it around in his hand.

Jimmy nodded, "Yeah, but she didn't."

Nic turned to stare at him. "Jimmy, as a friend, I appreciate the advice. But as your boss, don't question me again."

"Yes, sir," Jimmy sighed, and walked out.

****************************

Victoria sat gazing out of the window, as she and Nic both rode in silence. He had insisted on taking her back to the loft himself. But he hadn't uttered a word to her, and she hadn't said anything to him either. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him reach into his pocket. When his hand emerged again, he had the thong that he had taken from her. He handed it to her, and she quickly slipped it on. She wished he would turn the music on or something to drown out the painful quiet, but he didn't. The silence gave her too much time to think. To reflect on what had happened. He bet her in a fucking game. Victoria couldn't help it any longer. She had to know. "How much was that car worth?" Victoria asked, still feeling the horrible sting of being treated so flippantly.

"Around five hundred grand. Why do you ask?" he said, glancing over at her.

Victoria slowly nodded her head. "Just wanted to know. I see that you got the better deal. Had he won, I'm only worth seventy grand," she stated, as she turned back to the window.

Nic stared straight ahead. He refused to let her make him feel guilty. He made up his own rules and she would have to follow them. If he wanted to bet an opponent...then fuck it, he would bet, no matter the consequences. She signed over her life to him when she agreed to take responsibility for her father's debt. She did this to herself. Or at least that's what he continued to tell himself. But right now, it was just the two of them, and he knew what he wanted.

After enduring the last leg of the car ride in complete silence, they finally made it back to the loft. Nic threw his keys on the counter and walked over to his massive wall of CD's as Victoria sat down on the couch. He fished through them until he found the one he wanted. He placed it in the CD player and waited until the smooth sound of jazz came funneling through. He removed his coat and rolled up his sleeves. He saw Victoria staring at him, but he continued to ignore her. He went to the kitchen and poured two glasses of wine. He walked back into the living room and handed a confused Victoria a glass. He sat down on the love seat and stared at her.

"Dance for me," Nic said, while taking a sip.

"What?"

"Dance for me," he repeated. "I want a lap dance."

Victoria wasn't quite sure what to do. There was no manual to tell you what to do if you are ever trapped in this type of situation. Was he being serious?

"I've never done that before," she admitted.

"Not to worry, I won't laugh at you," Nic said, grinning at her.

"I mean, I can dance, but I've just never done the seductive stripper type of dancing." Victoria didn't know why, but she was embarrassed to admit that to him.

Nic flexed his index finger for her to come to him. Shit. She wasn't getting out of this. She took a huge gulp of her wine and quickly shook her head. Perhaps she shouldn't have downed it that fast. She stood up and walked over to him. Okay...it's just him. It's not like she was doing it for an entire club of people. She would just pretend he was her boyfriend, and that it was his birthday or something like that.

'Okay, I can do this,' she thought. Plus, she wasn't willing to have him add yet another week. She'd keep her mouth closed and do as he asked. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and started swaying to the beat of the music. She turned around and gave him a great view of her backside. She playfully lifted the white robe up so that he got a quick shot of her ass cheeks with the thin light blue material separating them. She giggled. Yes, the wine was feeling really good right about now. Victoria slowly slid the robe off and bent over until her hands touched the ground. She looked between her legs, and from her upside down view, she could tell he was enjoying what he saw. He shifted in his chair. She leaned up and turned around. She walked closer to him until her legs were touching his knees. Yeah, she'd just pretend this was her boyfriend. Actually, she was starting to enjoy it, but she hated admitting that to herself. She felt sexy...free. She wasn't used to feeling this way. Her life had been spent serving food to ungrateful customers and ringing up and bagging groceries.

Now here she was in an expensive loft, wearing expensive French designer lingerie with names she couldn't even pronounce and dancing for a wealthy, handsome mob boss or whatever he was. Like the commercials, life sure does come at you fast.

She began to slowly unhook her bra, and slide it off. She cupped her breasts and tossed her head back as she pinched her nipples. She looked at him again, and saw him lick his lips. 'His beautiful lips,' she thought. She then slowly hooked her thumbs through the threadlike material of her thong and pulled it down.

Nic watched in awe as she became completely uninhibited. She then shocked the hell out of him, and straddled his lap, completely naked. He was at instant attention. She started to grind her body on top of his. There was something intensely erotic about the fact that he was fully clothed and she was completely nude. And her body...Goddamn, it was beautiful. It was soft and one hundred percent feminine looking...like a young Pam Grier. He had to have her!

He grabbed her wrists and locked them behind her back with one hand, as he bent down to assault the hard nipples that had been teasing him. He heard her moan. He used his other hand to quickly unbuckle his pants and remove his stiff member.

At that moment, Victoria didn't know if it was pleasure or pain that she was feeling. He was biting her nipple, and it hurt...but in a good way. She had never had someone be so rough with her. But she'd also never been so turned on before. He then released her hands and lifted her up by her waist, before pulling her back down onto his lap. She gasped as she was forced down onto all of his thick, long cock. It had almost knocked the wind out of her. For a few seconds, he didn't move, perhaps he was letting her adjust, but then he grabbed a handful of her hair and brought her face within inches of his.

He stared into her eyes. She waited to see if he was going to kiss her, but he didn't. Instead he whispered, "Do you want to come?"

Victoria slowly nodded. But he gripped her hair even tighter and yanked it backwards. 

"Aah!" Victoria squealed. His grip was painful, but it was driving her crazy. "Tell me what I want to hear," he commanded, wrapping his other hand around her neck.

"Yes, I want to come," she whispered. With that said, he began to drive his hips up and into her wet vagina. The feeling was so intense and overwhelming that she couldn't breathe. She tried to grab hold of his shirt to steady herself, but the force of his thrusts was so overpowering, that she couldn't think. His hand tightened around her neck, while his other hand gripped even more of her curls. Was he trying to kill her or fuck her? Either way, she would die a satisfied woman, because he was hitting all of the right spots. 

His intensity was turning her on like she had never been turned on before. She could feel every inch of him sliding in and out of her. But then suddenly he stood, with her still straddling him. She squealed again as he pushed the small coffee table out of the way, and gently placed her back to the soft carpet, without disconnecting their bodies. He began to fuck her harder and faster this way. Her legs wrapped around his hips. She could feel it...that fluttering feeling building in the pit of her stomach and pulsing through her pussy. Suddenly her eyes rolled back as she was swept away with the intensity of her orgasm.

"Oooh my God, oooh.....," Victoria screamed as she came, until her voice was lost and no words were coming out. After the last of her orgasm washed over her, she felt him expand within her.

"Fuck!!" he yelled as he continued to pump his seed into her pussy. "Shit."

Nic felt so fucking good at that moment. Nothing relieved stress better than sex. Good sex. When he was done with the last drops of his essence, he rested his body on top of hers, but he still tried to support some of his weight with his elbows. He was still dressed, and now his shirt was sticking to his sweaty skin. He looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were slightly parted and pouty. God, he would give anything to kiss them. But...he didn't want to confuse their relationship. So as difficult as it was, he resisted temptation. She had some soft curls that were wet with sweat and sticking to her face. Fuck, she was hot.

Victoria finally opened her big brown eyes and stared up at him. She started to wiggle, and he figured his weight was starting to wear on her. He rolled off of her and onto his back. He turned his head and watched as she closed her legs and crossed her hands over her chest. He chuckled and stared back up at the ceiling. Now she wanted to be shy, he thought amused. 

"Worth every penny," Nic muttered.

Shit! Why the fuck did he just say that? As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. He knew he wasn't going to take them back, but fuck if he knew why he even said them. Was he trying to hurt her?

She immediately sat up and stared at him. Then she got up and stomped off to the bathroom and slammed the door.

He sat up and adjusted his penis back inside his pants. He stood up and walked to the bathroom door.

"Victoria, open the door," he said.

No answer.

"Open the fucking door now, before I add on another week," he said, leaning against the frame.

The door swung open, and she stood staring up at him with tears in her eyes. He sighed.

"I—I'm not some cheap girl that you can talk down to. I'm not, I'm not like other women you, you might know. You sh--should treat me with respect!" she said, stumbling over several words while trying to wipe her tears away.

"Respect? Victoria, you are not my wife. You are not my girlfriend. In fact, you and I have a business arrangement and that's it. You ask me to respect you, yet you're fucking me for money. Am I missing something here?"

She opened her mouth like she was about to say something, then suddenly closed it. She just stared up at him. She then lowered her head. "I'm really tired now. I'd like to go to bed." He turned his body sideways, so that she could exit the bathroom. She started walking down the hall towards the living room.




Seven Days Ch. 02



"Bedroom is this way," she heard him call out.

"Fuck you," she muttered under her breath. God forbid he hear her and add more time. She just wanted to get the hell out of there before forgetting who she is.



Seven Days Ch. 03



The routine for Nic and Victoria stayed constant over the next few days. They spoke as little as possible to each other in the mornings, had phenomenal sex by night, spat words of hate before he left, and then they repeated the events the next day. 

Victoria was so confused. If she could magically make seventy grand appear out of thin air, she wouldn't keep one cent. She'd throw that entire amount in his face, and stomp out. 

But she had more pressing things on her mind. Next month's rent would be due soon, and she didn't have a single dime to contribute to her parents. What a crazy web she had woven. This had been the longest she had ever gone without working since she was thirteen, and at times it bothered her. She felt useless.

She sighed and placed the book she had been reading down on the table when she heard a knock at the door. She prayed it wasn't Nic. She just didn't have the energy to deal with him at the moment. Funny how much work it took to ignore someone.

She got up and looked through the peephole. Raymond, thank God. She had become used to his humorless presence. He was definitely a man of few words. Her car rides back and forth from the loft to Nic's mansion were usually composed of her humming or talking. She used to think she was mainly talking to herself, because Raymond never turned around to ask her any questions, or give her any reason to believe he had been paying attention. Until one day she had forgotten her place in a story she was telling him, and he repeated the last things she had just said. Victoria sat there, just staring at the back of his head, absolutely amazed. Then she tried to quickly scan her memory over the past few days for anything she could have said negative about Nic, praying Raymond hadn't told anything.

Victoria smiled at Raymond as she let him in. But before she could close the door, a small woman stepped in behind him. She looked...like no one Victoria had ever seen before. She had two huge bags in her hands, and her eyelids had several bright colors of eye shadow on them. Her hair was a whitish blond color that was almost shaved on one side, but hung in a funky style on the other. And she was wearing a strange jumpsuit.

"Hi Victoria, I'm Minka. I'm here to handle your dress, hair and make-up," the young girl said, smiling brightly at Victoria.

"What? Dress, hair and make-up for what?" Victoria questioned, looking back and forth between Raymond and Minka.

Raymond answered, "Mr. Andretti would like you to get ready. That's all I can tell you, Ms. Victoria." 

Victoria nodded her head. She should be used to Raymond's cryptic messages by now. "Alright. Um, I guess you can follow me back to the bedroom," she said to Minka. Victoria noticed Raymond standing stiffly by the door. Victoria sighed, "Raymond, he's not here. You can sit on the couch and relax. I think there's a game on tonight anyway."

She saw Raymond hesitate for a moment, but then he relaxed and walked over to the couch to sit down.

Victoria walked down the hallway as she heard the TV turn on. She smiled to herself. Raymond wasn't half bad. Just a bit stiff.

Victoria took a quick shower as Minka laid out all of her make-up and accessories. 

"Okay, this is the dress he'd like you wear. It's gorgeous, don't you think?" Minka said, as Victoria got out and dried off.

Victoria stared at the dress. It was amazing. It was an exact replica of the white Seven Year Itch dress that Marilyn Monroe had worn...except this one was blood red. She had seen the movie a few years ago on one of her rare free days off. She had gone to a two dollar theater near her family's apartment that played old movies. They were playing all Marilyn movies that weekend, so she stayed and watched three of them. Anything to stay away from her apartment. Her mom and dad weren't exactly a blast to hang around. 

Minka helped Victoria carefully fit into the dress. "Oh my, this is to die for on you! You have an amazing body. I can't believe he got the measurements right. When he came to me, he had to use his hands to describe your height and physical measurements," Minka said, smoothing down the material. Then she giggled. "He said you reminded him of a black Marilyn Monroe."

If it could come through her skin...Victoria was definitely blushing. She thought she was okay, but in her mind, she wasn't all that. And she blushed even harder at the thought that Nic had described every portion of her body to this stranger. Even if she was a friendly stranger.

"Um, thanks. I...I've never worn something so beautiful before," Victoria said, staring at herself in the mirror. Minka quickly worked on her makeup and accessories. They chose to let the plunging neckline speak for itself, so the only jewelry she wore was a pair of diamond earrings. Minka said that Nic had given her specific instructions regarding her makeup. He wanted it subtle. Nothing heavy. But when it came to her hair, Nic hadn't given her any direction.

"Hmm...do you mind if I straighten it and loosely pin it up?" Minka asked, while staring at her thick, curly raven hair.

"You're the expert. I trust you," Victoria said, smiling at the young girl in the mirror. She just didn't trust Nic. What had he planned for her tonight?

*************************

On the ride over, Victoria was nervous. She wasn't sure what to expect. When they pulled into the driveway, Victoria couldn't believe her eyes. She saw several men and women getting out of their expensive cars, and waiting on the valet. Raymond drove past Mercedes, BMWs, Bentleys and every other expensive car she could think of. She shook her head as she thought about the fact that one could run a small corporation from the money that was put into these vehicles.

When the car finally pulled up to the steps, Raymond hopped out and opened the door for Victoria. She flashed him a smile as she slowly ascended the steps leading into Nic's house. She was suddenly nervous as classical music filled her ears and the lights became brighter. Raymond escorted her down the main hall into a large ballroom area. Jesus, how big was his house?

Inside, she saw several people dressed to the nines. Some stopped to stare at her before they turned their attention back to their conversations. Raymond excused himself while she searched around the room looking for Nic, but she didn't spot him. She walked over to a long narrow table, which was lined with all sorts of appetizers. She didn't know what was what, but they looked really delicious and she was starving.

"Can I help you?"

Victoria looked up at the young guy staring at her with a smile spread across his face. "Um, I'm not sure what I'd like. Could you suggest something?"

"Sure. Try this," the young guy said, placing a small appetizer onto a plate and handing it to her. "Trust me, it's really good. One hundred percent Italian...as am I," he continued, with a wink.

Victoria laughed at his open flirtation, and placed the small bite in her mouth. Damn, that really was good. Really good. "Thank you," she said once she finally swallowed the delicious food.

"Anytime."

Victoria didn't really know anyone else there, other than Nic, Jimmy and Raymond, and they were nowhere in sight. So, she decided to stand by the table with her new 'friend'.

"My name is Antonio, by the way," he said, extending his hand to her.

"Victoria. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he said, giving her a once over. "You don't seem like the normal fare at these events."

"Excuse me?" Victoria said, raising her voice slightly. What the hell was that supposed to mean? What, she didn't fit in with the wealthy?

"Hey, I meant no harm. That was actually a compliment. You don't seem like the regular girls I see here. You know, high maintenance, stuffed and pulled, evil stare...the works. Like her," Antonio said, pointing to the tall blond that was gracefully entering the ballroom. The blond may have been all of those things Antonio just mentioned, but she was still gorgeous. And extremely tall.

Victoria looked down at her dress and smoothed it with her hands. She knew Antonio meant no offense, but she decided to play hurt anyway. "So, if I don't look high maintenance, then I must look LOW maintenance, right?"

"What?! No! I didn't mean that. It's just that you're standing over here with me, instead of flaunting your diamonds and dress in front of everyone else. You just don't seem like one of them. That's a good thing. You actually seem more like...well, I mean, more like a girl I would date."

Victoria turned to stare at him. He was definitely cute. His black hair was slicked back and he had tiny studs in both of his ears, a thin straight nose and light brown eyes. Yes, he was definitely handsome. He wasn't as tall as Nic, but he was still taller than she was and in good shape. She had to laugh to herself. She had gone most of her life surrounded predominantly by blacks, Koreans and Puerto Ricans...and now she couldn't go three feet without bumping into some Italian guy. 

"I mean, not saying you would date a guy like me, but...okay, gonna shut up now," Antonio said, slightly blushing. Victoria smiled and turned her attention back to the crowd.

Nic was over in a corner, sipping on his drink and trying his best to pay attention to some of the men talking around him. Mostly they were talking business. He knew that's why he threw these parties, but tonight, he really didn't feel like it. Earlier, Raymond had come to tell him that Victoria was here, but he scanned the room and didn't see her. He wanted to know what she looked like in her dress. He had dreamt about it. Fuck, he needed to get his shit together.

"Oh, shit," Jimmy whispered. Nic looked at him, and followed his eye line. Fuck. Amber was walking toward them as if she were a model on a catwalk. Her long blond hair bounced as she made a straight line for Nic.

"Hi Nic," she said, faking a smile as she reached their group.

"Amber," Nic said, trying his best to be cordial to his wife. But he didn't trust her smile. She wasn't happy unless she was being mean.

"Funny, how you forgot to invite your own wife to your party," she said, staring at him.

"I didn't forget," Nic said, as he took another sip of his drink. The comment didn't go over Amber's head. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hey Jimmy, how are you?" she asked, turning to rest her arm around his neck, as she scanned the ballroom.

"Well, I'm--," Jimmy started, before she interrupted him.

"Who's that?" Amber asked, while staring toward the food table.

They all turned to see who she was talking about, but no one said anything.

"Well, who did she come with?" Amber asked, turning back around to face them.

"She came with me," Jimmy and Raymond blurted out at the same time. Shit.

Amber looked from Jimmy to Raymond, before her icy blue eyes settled on Nic. He was the only one who hadn't claimed her, yet he was still staring over toward her. When he finally turned to look at Amber, she gave him a smug smile before she flicked her hair and walked away.

Victoria walked out onto the patio and stared out into the back yard. It was such a beautiful night, and the lights lit up the landscape. She would rather stay out here than go back into the stuffy party. She couldn't have felt more out of place.

"Lovely night," Victoria heard a voice say behind her, interrupting her thoughts. She quickly turned and saw an older man with salt and pepper colored hair walking toward her. He stopped and leaned against the patio rails.

"Yes, it is," Victoria answered back, staring up at the sky.

"I'm Paul Marcone," the older man said, while offering his hand.

"Victoria," she said, staring into the man's kind eyes. He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "Pleasure to meet you."

Victoria tried to hide a smile. No one had ever done that to her before.

"Speaking of pleasure, are you here for business or pleasure?"

"Business, I think."

"Can I ask what business?" Paul inquired. But when Victoria looked away, he added, "Forgive me, I didn't mean to pry."

"No, it's not that. It's just that it's embarrassing," she admitted.

"Then say no more."

Victoria smiled up at Paul. He reminded her of someone, but she couldn't place it. He had gentle eyes. Such a contrast to Nic's cold stare.

"I married my wife on a night like this. I know, I'm Catholic, I'm supposed to be traditional...but she wanted a night wedding, and she seemed to be the only person who always got what she wanted from me," he said with a light chuckle. Then he sighed. Victoria could tell he was thinking about her.

"Wow. I never really thought about a night wedding, but that actually sounds really romantic. Your wife is a lucky woman, considering you caved," Victoria said, smiling at him.

"Nah, I was the lucky one," Paul said. "She actually passed away last year."

Victoria's heart went out to him. She didn't even know him, but in their brief conversation, she could tell that he loved and missed his wife. Just the way he spoke of her. The look in his eyes. God, would anyone ever feel that way about her?

"I'm sorry," Victoria whispered. 

"Thank you. I do miss her, but I have my wonderful son to keep me plenty busy," Paul stated, with a hint of sarcasm. "Speaking of my son, here he comes now."

Victoria turned toward the patio doors just as Sonny was walking out. She had to quickly hide her look of disgust. How the hell was this nice man related to this bastard?

"Hey pops. Well, well...hey Victoria. How ya been?" Sonny said, smirking at her, before lowering his gaze to her cleavage.

"Oh, I didn't know you two knew each other," Paul said, staring at his son skeptically.

"Oh yeah, Victoria and I go way back. Actually, she owes me a McLaren Roadster," he said with a wink.

The bastard would be so slimy to bring this up in front of his father. God, she wanted to kick him in the nuts! Just when she was finally feeling good about herself, one sentence from him could tear her down and make her feel cheap all over again.

"I don't owe you anything, Sonny. Perhaps you shouldn't make bets with someone you know will beat you every time," Victoria said.

She watched his face as his smile dropped. She figured that losing to Nic was something that happened more than he'd like to admit. Then just as soon as it had disappeared, he gave her an evil grin.

"Careful little Vicky. Getting a little high and mighty..." then he leaned close to her ear, "for someone who lies on her back constantly."

If Paul Marcone hadn't been standing there, she would have smacked the shit out of him. Right then and there. He didn't know anything about her! None of these people did. They could assume all they wanted, but she was a hard working, good person. She had never dreamt of doing anything remotely close to what she had done for the past few days. They were judging her on less than two weeks time, instead of the past twenty-three years. 

Sonny leaned up and smiled, now that he had gotten the best of her. "Well pops, I think we're needed inside for some quick business. Have a good night, Victoria," Sonny said, and turned to walk back inside.

"So nice meeting you, Victoria...?" Paul said.

"Davis. Victoria Davis. Nice meeting you too."

"Ms. Davis. Thank you for giving this old man the joy of flirting with the prettiest young woman in the room." He smiled and followed his son. Well, perhaps the dress was a hit tonight. She watched him walk away, right as the tall blond that Antonio pointed out sauntered toward her in her beautiful dark blue dress. No doubt Versace or something like that.

"Hi, I don't believe we've met. I'm Amber Andretti," she said, as she stared down at her. The woman smiled, but it never reached her eyes.

"Hi. I'm Victoria. Andretti...are you Nic's sister?" Victoria took in the woman's height and eye color. They could definitely be related.

Amber threw her head back and laughed. Victoria didn't know what she had said that was so funny, but she smiled out of lack of anything else to do.

"You're so cute. But no, I'm his wife," she said, smile completely gone. It was replaced by an evil look, as she placed her slender, perfectly manicured hand on her hip.

Victoria was stunned, and she was sure the expression she had on her face was priceless. She quickly closed her mouth. His wife?! He was married!! And doing what he was doing with her! She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Then she quickly put two and two together...and she remembered what Sonny had said a few days ago. 'Whoa! That's definitely not Amber.' How much of a fool had she probably looked to all of the men in the room that day? Ugh, she hated Nic right then.

"So...how is it you know my husband?" Amber asked, boring her gaze into Victoria.

"I don't really," Victoria quickly recovered. She wasn't about to let this woman intimidate her. If she and Nic were having marriage problems, she needed to take it up with him. Not her.

"Then why are you here?"

"I was invited."

"By whom?"

Victoria wanted to say none of her business, but that would be too much of a giveaway. So instead, she thought of another name. "Antonio. He's the guy serving the appetizers. Over there," Victoria said, pointing to the table. But Amber never took her cold eyes off of her. Instead they slid down to Victoria's chest.

"Are those real?" she asked.

"What?!" Victoria coughed out. What was it with this chick?

"Your tits, are they real? I see so many fake ones that they are so easy to spot. But yours look real."

"Um, yes, they are real."

"Nic likes real," Amber stated.

Both of them stood there for a moment, uncomfortably. Then Amber laughed. "He was so pissed when I got mine done. He said he would have rather they been small and real, than fake and big. But whatever, they made me happy. All that matters, right?"

Victoria doubted that Amber actually wanted a reply, so instead, she kept her mouth shut. 

Amber gave her another once over. "That's a beautiful dress. Where did you get it?"

"I don't know. It's not mine."

Amber gave an evil grin. "It looks like this dress that I saw at one of my favorite stores. This French boutique that's to die for. All of their designer clothes are imported from Paris. It's a tad expensive...but that's also why I like it. What are the odds that you would have a dress from my favorite store? The only store on the entire east coast," Amber said, scanning over Victoria's body. Letting her words sink in.

Victoria shrugged feeling more and more uncomfortable by the moment. No more words were needed for either woman to know exactly who the other was to Nic. Victoria NEVER wanted to be that woman. The woman who sleeps with married men. She felt so humiliated. Every mistress's worst nightmare, meeting the wife. Mistress. Is that what she was? 

"Come, you must meet Nic...since this is his house and all. Would be rude not to thank the host."

Amber grabbed Victoria's hand and practically drug her over to Nic's group before she could even protest.

"Hey darling, look who I found. This is Victoria. I don't believe you two have met." All eyes around the group went back and forth from Amber to Victoria. "Funny though, you guys said she came with you...yet she said her date was Anthony...or Adrian, something like that. The waiter over there," Amber pointed out.

Nic couldn't help but look over toward Antonio. He felt an instant pang of jealousy that Victoria would claim that prick as her date. In truth, he didn't really know the kid, but he better not dare touch her. Nic wasn't sure why he was thinking so possessively of her, but fuck it, she was with him—end of story.

"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Amber said, dragging everyone's attention back to Victoria.

Victoria exhaled. "Twenty-three."




Seven Days Ch. 03



"Oh, I was twenty-three when I met my hubby Nic. Innocent, sweet twenty-three year old, until he corrupted me with his lifestyle," she said, giving him a small hug.

"Amber, you were anything but," Nic said, taking another sip from his drink. Amber laughed loudly. "So true."

Victoria felt extremely uncomfortable. She didn't belong in this equation. 

"Oh, and by the way sweety...next time you go to a party like this, don't stand by yourself for too long. People will think you came by yourself, and the only women dressed like you who show up by themselves are call girls."

"Amber, watch your mouth," Nic warned, slicing into her with his cold stare.

Amber faked being hurt. "I'm sorry, Nic. I'm just trying to help her out. I mean, we wouldn't want someone thinking she was nothing more than a whore, would we? Excuse me, I see my dear friend Sarah," she said as she stalked off, leaving a pissed off and hurt Victoria in her wake. There were now officially two people at this party that Victoria wanted to bitch slap. Make that three, including Nic.

Victoria crossed her arms over her chest, blocking off part of her plunging neckline. Maybe Amber was right...at least about the call girl part. Maybe she did look like a tramp compared to the rest of the women. She turned her head to the side, and stared over at Antonio. She wanted to look anywhere but at HIM. She wanted to go back to the loft and take a shower, and forget this whole night. Antonio was right...she didn't belong with this group.

She quickly wiped a tear before it fell.

"You look beautiful, Victoria," Jimmy said to her. Then he looked at Nic. "Okay if I take her for a twirl before my wife shows up?" Nic nodded and grabbed another drink from a tray passing by.

Victoria was thankful for the distraction. She followed as Jimmy led her to the floor. He gently grabbed her around her waist. "Hey kiddo, don't worry. That Amber has claws, and she enjoys shredding anything in her path. You held up pretty good." 

"Has he ever done this before, Jimmy?" Victoria whispered to him, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Was this some sick, twisted power trip?

"No, never. I mean, he's never had to. You should see the girls pulling each other's hair out to get into his clubs, his house...his bed. Let's just say there is a lot. So, this was all a shock to me. I didn't expect him to be really serious about it. You know, adding days and stuff," Jimmy answered, and then he brought her close to his body. "Shit, I'm drunk. I've said way too much. Please don't tell him."

Victoria laughed and then sighed. She wasn't sure what to make of that. After a few minutes, Raymond surprised her by cutting in to have a dance. He was so tall and awkward that they both tripped over each other the whole time. Victoria glanced over at Nic. He was staring at her. She quickly looked away. After a few more dances with some strangers, she walked back over to Antonio. 

"You're a big hit tonight. I see all the girls are hatin' on you," Antonio joked, as he served another guest.

"Please...these women have everything. I'm...well, let's just say they shouldn't envy me in the least."

"I still can't figure out why you are here," Antonio said, staring at her.

"Long story," Victoria said, while popping another appetizer in her mouth.

Antonio stared down at his watch. "Hey Danny," he yelled over at another waiter. "Can you finish this up for me. I gotta take off. Gonna be late." Danny nodded and Antonio looked at Victoria.

"You wanna go to a real party?" Antonio asked, with a devilish smile.

At that moment, Victoria didn't really care where she went. She just wanted to get away from this hell hole. "Absolutely."

In Antonio's beat up Ford Mustang, she felt at ease. She had only just met this guy, and already she was driving off with him. Her normal self...the Victoria from several days ago, would have said no. But she felt like being a little dangerous. Being around dangerous men had its effects.

"Mind if I smoke?" Antonio asked. Victoria shook her head. He lit a cigarette and placed it between his lips and looked over at her. "You really do look beautiful in that dress. I mean, I don't know what you normally look like, but you are fucking hot."

Victoria choked out a laugh. "Um, I think that's a compliment...if you're not disappointed with my 'normal' look."

"So, you gonna tell me what you were doing there?"

"You first. Is this what you want to do, catering and stuff like that?" Victoria asked. She had wanted to open up a catering business...but her father shot that idea all to hell, while he made her work endless hours in a dying restaurant.

Antonio blew the smoke out of the cracked window. "Nah. I was just doing this as a part of my job. I work for Mr. Andretti. The way he runs his, um...well, his company is that you start from the bottom...kinda like a mailroom. I do odd jobs for him now and then, and judging on how well I do them, I get promoted. The waiter thing was just something I was asked to do if I wanted to make a little extra. I said, what the hell...I have bills. Might as well, right? Plus, I was hoping to be introduced to him tonight. I mean, I've met him once before only briefly. Man, that dude is intense. I would never want to cross him."

Victoria listened to Antonio talk about Nic like he was a God. So it wasn't just her that he had this effect on. It was everyone. "So, you want to be a criminal too?" she spat out, while staring out of her window.

Antonio coughed. "Um, well, you shouldn't say things like that," he said, looking uncomfortable.

"Antonio, I know what he does. He didn't get all that money in stocks and stuff, you know."

"Well, I mean, it wouldn't be bad to be like him. I mean, he's in his early thirties, and owns so much shit. Everyone respects him...yeah, I could be like him one day." Victoria shook her head. 

"So, don't avoid the question, what were you doing there?" Antonio asked.

Victoria really didn't want to admit it, but part of her wanted to get it off her chest. To let someone know what a dick Nic really was. To ensure her that none of this was her fault. She was being manipulated by an evil man, which is something she tried to assure herself every day. But as the days passed, it became harder and harder to use that excuse. There were no bars on his loft. She was staying there of free will. Hell, just be honest.

"My dad owes him money, so to avoid him hurting my family, I'm sleeping with him," she blurted out, and then turned to see Antonio's reaction.

His brow furrowed. "So wait...you're with Nic?" Victoria shrugged and stared back out of the window. But she felt the car slowing down to a stop.

Victoria turned to look at Antonio. "What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

"Um, Victoria, I need to take you back. Shit, I didn't know you were his girl. Fuck!" Antonio shouted, staring into his rearview mirror and then turning around in his seat, looking through the back window.

"I'm not his girl," Victoria said, slightly raising her voice. She didn't belong to Nic. He had a wife that fit in just fine at that party. As far as she was concerned, he and Amber were perfect for each other. Two tall, evil bookends.

Antonio sighed as he turned off the engine. "Victoria, he's my boss. And I've heard stories, you know. People sometimes go missing that cross him. Let me take you back."

There was no way in hell Victoria was going back to that party. She wasn't a masochist. She didn't enjoy pain and humiliation and if she went back, that's what it would be like. "No, just drop me off down the street. I'll take a bus back to his loft. I'm not going back over to his house," she said, grabbing her purse.

"No, wait. I don't want you to do that either. Shit! Okay, okay, I'll take you to my place. Fuck, see how much trouble a pretty face can get you into," he said, grinning at her.

Victoria smiled back. "Thank you."

Antonio pulled the Mustang back out onto the road and tossed his cigarette out of the window. Victoria didn't want to get him in trouble, but she doubted that Nic even cared. He had a house full of guests and he hadn't even danced with her or really paid attention to her the entire night. Maybe that was a good thing. He probably didn't even know she had left. She wondered what Antonio thought about her relationship with Nic.

"Hey, do you think I'm a shitty person now because of what I'm doing with him?" she asked.

Antonio shook his head. "Nah, not at all. Hey, do what you have to do, you know? Doesn't make you a bad person." Then he clicked on the radio and sang loudly until they reached a small house, with several people gathered out on the stoop.

"Welcome to la casa di amore," Antonio said, while grabbing her hand and leading her inside.

"I have no idea what that means," Victoria laughed over the loud music.

"Hopefully you will soon," he whispered in her ear, giving her another devilish grin.

Inside the tiny living room, the music was bumping and everyone was drinking, laughing and dancing. A short blond headed guy ran up to them and handed them drinks. "Victoria, this is my roommate, Sean. Sean, meet the lovely Victoria," Antonio said, taking a large swig out of the red plastic cup.

"Hi Victoria. You're a little dressed up for this party, but fuck, you're sexy," Sean said, scanning over her body, settling his eyes on her breasts.

"Um, thanks. Nice to meet you."

"Don't worry, you'll get used to his idiotic outbursts," Antonio said, as he guided her further into the small, cramped house. They immediately joined in with everyone else and started dancing. It was sweltering in his place. Her hair had fallen out of the pins and she was sure her make-up had sweated off by now, but she didn't care. Victoria hadn't had this much fun in...well, ever. She rarely did things like this. She was always working so hard in school and in her father's restaurant. She never went out. 

Then suddenly an old tune, House of Pain's 'Jump Around' came blasting through the speakers, and the entire crowd began jumping up and down. Victoria threw her head back and laughed at Antonio's old school dances. He was showing her all of the moves and she was cracking up. He even threw in a Kid N Play foot bump with a friend of his. And toward the middle of the song, everyone yelled out, "And I ain't going out like no punk, bitch!" at the same time, causing Victoria to crack up even more. What a night! It was in this moment that she missed attending college. She had tried to go a year at a local community college, but work always hindered it. But now, she felt like she belonged. 

Antonio moved closer to her, and the two started dancing more intimately, even though they were out of sync with the music. She noticed him lean down like he was about to whisper something in her ear, before his eyes were diverted in the direction behind her. He immediately stood at full attention and his eyes widened. Victoria was just about to ask what happened, when she heard the music stop. She turned and her mouth dropped. 

Standing by the door were Nic, Raymond and Jimmy. Everyone in the house was frozen, all eyes on the three menacing men who had just entered. Nic was staring at her, his arctic blue eyes freezing her, causing her to shiver. He was dressed in a long black coat, giving him a dangerous look, like a hitman or something. He started walking towards her. 

Victoria stared at him with wide eyes. She didn't know what to expect. He walked up to her and grabbed her wrist. She saw him lean toward Antonio and whisper something into his ear. And she couldn't be sure, be she swore she felt Antonio shiver beside her.

Nic turned and walked toward the door, Victoria following closely behind him with his hand gripping her wrist tightly. With everything so quiet, her heels clicking against the floor was the only noise in the house. Victoria didn't ask any questions. She knew he was mad, even though he seemed calm. Gave new meaning to 'the calm before the storm'. 

She watched as Jimmy flashed his gun to a kid who looked like he was about start some trouble. The kid immediately stopped in his tracks. "You all have a good night," Jimmy smiled, as he turned and walked out, followed by Nic and her, and then Raymond.

When they made it outside, the cool air hit the sweat on her body and she shivered again. Nic opened the backseat car door for her, and she got in. He walked over to the other side and got in beside her. Raymond got behind the wheel and they took off. Jimmy followed behind in another car.

Victoria was scared to look over at him. She knew he was seething. 

"Nic, I--," Victoria started. 

"Keep your mouth shut until we reach the loft," he snapped, turning to glare at her.

Nic rarely got pissed to where he couldn't think straight, but this girl...she was causing that to happen to him a lot. He had wanted to talk to her during the party, but she had gone. And not just left, but left with another man! Oh, he almost kicked everyone out then. He was so pissed. Tonight he was going to make sure she got their arrangement through her pretty little stubborn head.

Victoria thought it was best to keep her mouth shut like he asked. She sighed and stared out of the window. Another fucking week added. She already knew it.

When they arrived at his loft, Nic greeted Sam as usual as they entered the elevator. Nic still hadn't said a word to her. She followed him into his place and closed the door. She watched as he started removing his jacket and tie. His eyes were burning a hole through her. She quickly looked down.

"Come here," she heard him say. She looked up at him and slowly walked towards him. She wasn't sure what he was going to do.

"This isn't working. I don't do business like this. You're free to go. I'll contact your father in a few days. I realize he's sick and I will take that into consideration," Nic stated, as he stared down at her.

Victoria was shocked. What? She didn't know what to say. He was...kicking her out? After all of this time.

"So that's it?" she whispered to him.

"Yes." 

"But, what about all of the days I've spent here with you?" Victoria wasn't sure if she should feel hurt or not. For some reason, she felt a slight sting to her heart. She guessed he really didn't care.

"I'll take that into consideration also," Nic said, trying his hardest not to break. But he had to teach her a lesson. NO ONE got the best of him. No one made him look like a fool. There he was having his men search the mansion looking for her. It wasn't until Danny, another man on his payroll told him Antonio and Victoria had left together. It took everything in him not to smash Antonio's fucking face in at that sad little house party. 

Victoria wasn't sure what to do. But she wasn't about to let him hurt her family. "Well, I'm not leaving," she said, sitting down on the sofa. Fuck, their situation was so strange. Here she was refusing to leave his house and their 'arrangement'.

Nic stared down at her. "You can leave, or I can pick you up and put you in the fucking car. Your choice."

"You can try," Victoria said, daring Nic to back his words. Then she squealed when he rushed over towards her and picked her up. "That mouth of yours is going to get you in a lot of trouble," he growled, as he threw her over his shoulder and walked toward the bedroom. 

Victoria's pussy started to tingle. She knew exactly what he was going to do...and was she anticipating it? Was she wanting it? Is that why she refused to leave? 

When they reached the bedroom, he kicked open the door and roughly tossed her onto the bed, then quickly discarded his clothing. He grabbed her foot and slid her down to the edge of the bed. God, she looked sexy in that red dress. He had figured she would. He leaned over her and untied the string around her neck and slowly pulled the top down, freeing her beautiful chocolate globes to him. He kissed each nipple, before jerking the rest of her dress down and off her body. 

Victoria trembled. Yes, she had to admit, she wanted this. She waited with anticipation as Nic pulled her legs up and apart and quickly entered her to the hilt. "Ooh," Victoria moaned as his thick length rammed in and out of her. It wasn't until this moment that Victoria realized how sexually repressed she had been. At this moment, he could have been the fucking devil, and she still would have succumbed to his need. Which was now her need. All was quiet in his loft except for the sounds of his grunts, her moans and the wet noises of their sex grinding against one another. 

"You're going to quit fucking testing me, Victoria," he groaned out, as he thrust into her drenched pussy with each word he spoke. 

Victoria began running her nails down his back. He felt so deep inside her, and damn if she didn't want him to go further. As far as he could reach, despite any pain. But only one thing was missing. She really wanted to kiss him. To feel that romantic connection, even if it were fake. She rose up to kiss him but he bent down and bit her neck instead. "Aah!" Victoria sucked in a gasp. Again, it hurt but felt good at the same time. How did he do that? She quickly forgot about the kiss and began enjoying the unbelievable feelings she was experiencing. A few more hard thrusts from Nic, and she began to orgasm as he roughly massaged her breasts. 

Nic stared down at her. Her eyes disappearing into small slits, and her lips sensually swollen, just begging to be kissed. God, he wanted to so bad. He never considered himself a kissing type of guy. It was a useless act if you thought about it. He never got the pleasure that Amber apparently did from kissing. He just tolerated it. As her husband, he felt obligated. But with Victoria...his mouth itched to connect with hers. But in his mind, that would mean sex was more than just for his gratification. More than just an arrangement. Again, he resisted. A change in position would keep him from wanting to devour her beautiful, plump lips. Yes, he was about to teach her something he was pretty sure she didn't know. 

Before Victoria even had a chance to recover from her orgasm, Nic quickly turned her over. At this point, Victoria couldn't move. She figured he was done, but to her shock, she felt something smooth and thick at the entrance to her ass. She immediately tensed. What the fuck?! Oh, no, no, no!!

"Nic, wait, I--," she tried to get out, but he covered her mouth. "Ssh, just relax. You trust me?" he whispered in her ear. Should she? As her mind was contemplating that, her body had a response of its own, because she nodded her head and pushed her ass back into his groin, feeling his hard erection pressing between her cheeks. She moaned into his hand as he ever so slowly started to push the tip into the small ring of her asshole. She wiggled at the discomfort of the foreign object.

He removed his hand from her mouth and began to force his length further and further into her tight hole, as he held her pinned down to the bed.

"Ughh, oh my God...oh, Nic, I can't--," she mumbled, not fully breathing. She felt him shove his hand underneath her, while pushing into her ass. Her brain had stopped functioning at this point. This feeling was ten times more intense than anything she had ever felt. His hand worked its way down to her pussy, and the moment his fingers connected with her swollen clit, she saw stars. She went into another world in her mind, and her body detached. Her legs suddenly started to tremble and she figured she was probably drooling. She could feel herself already leaking onto his hand. She couldn't have come that fast. No way in hell. But the feeling was so mind-blowing, she felt as though her body had burst into a million pieces.

Nic stilled himself completely inside her. He was lying on top of her, with his groin tightly pressed against her round, perfect ass. Damn, she was so tight. He could barely take it. He was glad she had already come, because with her ass gripping his shaft so tightly, there was no way in hell he was going to last long. He was surprised at how quickly she had come. But at the moment, she wasn't moving. Her body had stopped trembling and he hoped she was still breathing. But fuck, he had to finish. His balls were already starting to tighten, so he began driving in and out of her, pushing her soft body into the bed. He laced his fingers with hers above her head and started nibbling the side of her neck. He loved her hair when it was all wild and curly. It was beautiful, soft and smelled so fucking good. He thought it was elegant at his party, but he didn't like it straight. He liked it the way it was right now, with his face buried in the gentle ringlets. Aargh! This girl drove him crazy. When he could no longer take the feeling of her tight asshole, he threw his head back and grunted, "Fuck!! Oh, fuck..." as he released his sperm deep inside her rear canal.




Seven Days Ch. 03



Then silence. Only their heavy breathing penetrated the air. He was still lying on top of her. Neither one was moving. But he didn't want to hurt her, so he slowly pulled out and rolled over onto his back. She still hadn't moved an inch. Fuck, he could get used to this. Being with her in bed like this after incredible sex. He wanted her to be on his arm so bad tonight. To be able to show her off as his girlfriend or his wif---wait, what the fuck was he thinking? He shook that thought completely from his head. Thinking like that could get him into a lot of trouble. This was a business deal, and he needed to treat it as such. No emotions. It only fucks things up. He didn't get to where he was in life for nothing. 

"Nic, why didn't you tell me you were married?" Victoria quietly asked, with her head facing away from him.

"Because that had nothing to do with our agreement. And it still doesn't."

"But—"

"End of discussion, Victoria," he snapped. 

Victoria itched to hit him with her pillow. Asshole. She lay there with a frown on her face, wondering how many times he had done this with his wife. She never thought she could have done the whole anal sex thing. She just wasn't raised that way. But damn if it didn't feel good. Better than she could have ever imagined. Sure, her ass was a little raw, but that brought a small smile to her face. It reminded her exactly how much she had enjoyed this new exploration of her body. So he had a wife...well, it wouldn't matter for long, because in a few days, she would be gone and he would be out of her life. Victoria didn't bother to turn around when she felt the weight shift on the bed as Nic got up and walked out of the bedroom. 'Good riddance,' she thought, as she fell into a deep sleep.

**************************

The next morning, Victoria couldn't believe her eyes. She had thrown on some shorts and a shirt and walked out into the kitchen, finding Nic standing there, dressed down, in just jeans and a fitted shirt and sneakers. His hair was still disheveled from the night before, which gave him a little boy look. He hadn't gone home last night? Was she so out of it that she hadn't felt him get back into bed? He was standing there staring at her while drinking a cup of coffee. 

Why was he still here? Granted it was his place, but still. She had gotten so used to him fucking her and then leaving. It made her uncomfortable for him to be here when she woke up. It irritated her. It was causing her to feel...something for him. Something that she didn't want to admit. It was bad enough she had to think about what she was to him when he was gone, but it was ten times worse when he was here with her. His presence just seemed to throw their arrangement in her face, confusing her.

She decided to go take a shower to clear her head. When she got out, she slid on some cute denim jeans, pulled on a snug scoop neck white tee, and then put on an old pair of black and white converse. She made her way back to the living room. She grabbed her book and sat down to read.

Nic leaned against the counter and noticed her huffing and puffing, while turning the pages. Okay, he would try to be civil.

"What are you reading?" he asked, taking another sip of his coffee.

"A book," was her dry reply, without even looking up.

Nic gritted his teeth. "I'm aware of that. What's the title?" he asked, with less patience than before.

"How to kill someone you don't like in two days."

Nic had to laugh on the inside. She really was a funny piece of work. She still had yet to learn her manners, but she would. He would be damn sure of that. He walked over to her and snatched the book from her hands. Before she could protest, he read the title to himself. '100 Greatest Love Poems of All Time'. He handed the book back to her and walked to the bar area and sipped some more of his coffee.

Victoria was sick of this. He needed to go back to the way he treated her before. This new way was causing her senses to go all over the place. She got up from the sofa and headed to the back to grab her handbag.

"Where are you going?" he asked, coming around to meet her. She ignored him and tried to walk by. He roughly grabbed her arm and slung her against his chest.

"I think you are quickly forgetting the rules here. Again," he said, as he walked her backwards until she bumped into the wall. "You will not disrespect me. If I ask you a question, you answer. And not in a smart-ass way either. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she pouted.

"Good. Now where were you going?"

"To the movie theater."

"What were you going to see?"

"I'm not sure. I was going to see what was playing when I got there."

"I'll drive you," Nic said, releasing her arm and grabbing a set of keys from the cabinet. 

"Oh, that's okay. I'll take the bus."

Ignoring her comment, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the loft.

The car ride over was excruciatingly quiet. She couldn't believe he was driving her. Damn, how many cars did he have? Raymond had dropped them both off last night, which meant he had to have a car here. And she had never seen this one before. It was a Silver SUV. She wasn't sure what kind, but the inside was immaculate and had that new car smell. Had he ever even driven this car before? She scoffed, probably not. Fucking rich people.

When they arrived at the theater, he got out and opened her door again, surprising her. They walked in silence to the ticket counter. "What movie did you want to see?" he asked.

"Um, it doesn't matter," Victoria admitted, feeling strange. Was he going to stay?

He scanned the titles on the overhead screen, and picked an action film. She almost died when he said two tickets. She couldn't imagine him sitting in a dingy theater like this. His taste just seemed too expensive to waste time on something this trivial. An opera house or museum maybe...but a cheap, dirty theater with mindless films, she wouldn't have expected. Just didn't seem his style.

He placed a hand on the small of her back and led her inside. When they reached the concession stand, he asked her if she wanted anything.

"Um, just popcorn and a drink. C--Coke. Thank you," she stammered out. It was too early in the morning for popcorn, but she needed something to keep her attention off him once inside the dark theater. After he paid the kid behind the counter, he led her to their screen. There was only a handful of people there, so they sat down in the middle row. Victoria was so nervous for some reason. She glanced at him, and he looked so normal. Like this was a...date...or something. He turned to her, and she immediately faced the screen again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him reaching over toward her. God, was he going to stick his hands down her pants? That would be embarrassing, considering she was started to get wet. She tensed her legs only to have him reach into her popcorn and grab a handful and pop it into his mouth. She could have smacked herself. What kind of floozy was she turning into?

When the movie started, she tried her best not to look over at him. Thank goodness it was so dark, so she could sneak a peek here and there. He placed his arm behind her seat and her stomach fluttered. Ah! It's not like he was a crush or something. He was a cold, calculating ruthless mob boss. Not some prom king, All-American boy that you would bring home to mom and dad. No matter how fine he was. 

During the movie, he never laughed or got excited. He only stared at the screen, so she couldn't tell if he liked it or not.

But halfway through the movie, sleep started hitting her pretty hard. She tried to force her eyelids to stay open, but they started to get heavier and heavier. Before she knew it, she was out.

Nic looked over at Victoria, watching her battle with sleep. It finally won, and she leaned her head up against his arm. God, she was so beautiful. Amber hated stuff like this. If it wasn't clubbing or expensive lavish parties, she would rather not go. He had tried to take her to see a film months ago, and she turned her nose up at him. But here he was with Victoria, actually enjoying himself. The movie wasn't that good, but it didn't matter. Just sitting this close to her, smelling her scent, with her hair tickling his arm, made him relax. He realized how stressed out his work made him. He was sure his men were wondering what the hell was happening. He was always available. He never turned off his cell phone. But at least for a couple of hours, he was off the grid. They would have to do without him. He stared at the top of her head, wishing he could lean his against her.

When Victoria woke up, the screen was dark, and she was leaning her head on someone's shoulder. Nic's shoulder. She immediately jumped back, and realized she had drooled on his sleeve. He was looking at her. She scanned the theater, and everyone was gone, and the lights had come up.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her mouth. How embarrassing. Why had he not woken her up?

"No worries," he said, as he got up and waited for her to grab her handbag and trash.

Neither one said a word as they walked out of the theater. When they got in the SUV, Nic asked, "Want something to eat?" 

"Sure," Victoria answered. She hadn't really eaten any of the popcorn and had skipped breakfast.

"Burgers?"

Victoria laughed for a second, until she realized he was being serious. "Um, yes. Sorry, I didn't think you ate things like that."

"I don't all the time, but I like them every now and then."

They got the meal to go, and when they reached his loft, he was getting out placemats when he noticed a burgundy box in the corner of his living room. He walked over to it, and picked it up.

"What's this?" he asked, turning to her. He smiled at her, when he noticed her mouth was full and she was mid chew of what apparently was a pretty large bite.

"Itzz Scwabble," she mumbled unintelligibly out of her full mouth.

"I know it's Scrabble. How did it get here?"

Victoria waited a second to swallow before she answered. "I bought it the other day. It's one of my favorite games."

"You any good?" he said, grabbing his burger, fries and drink, and bringing it to the small coffee table.

"The best," Victoria said with confidence.

"Well, set it up."

Victoria figured he couldn't be for real. She couldn't imagine him playing Scrabble. Or any board game for that matter. He seemed too serious and mature for that. This whole day had been strange. 

As they sat on the floor, eating their burgers and fries, Victoria was really enjoying this. Strange or not, she hadn't really had any fun, other than Antonio's party, since she first got to Nic's place. Actually, she had to go back further than that. She thought of her mom and dad. It was miserable there, too. She placed another word down on the board. Soden--meaning saturated or wet. Like her pussy. Then she turned the board toward him.

Nic took a big bite of his burger, wiped his hands and surveyed her word. "That's not a word," he said, as he turned the board back to her.

"Yes it is," Victoria insisted, staring at her word again and munching on her fries.

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

Nic stared at her. Something playful behind his eyes. "Are you willing to bet on that? Dictionary is right beside you."

Victoria scanned her word one more time. Shit, it might not be one. Fuck, he was really good at this game. She was already losing by over a hundred points.

"Okay, I give. It's not a word," she pouted, removing the letters from the board.

Nic laughed at her pout. "It would have been if you had one more 'd'. But spelled like that, it's not a word." He was about to place some letters down, when his phone started vibrating. He had planned on ignoring it, but he looked at the screen. It was Jimmy.

"Yes?" he said, when he answered. "What? Okay, no, I'll be there." He surveyed the board one more time, before quickly placing 4 more letters down. He turned the board toward her, and had just spelled a word that earned him 48 points. 

'Damn him,' Victoria thought. But before she could hand him the bag to replace his letters, he took another bite, scooped up his food, placed it in the trash and walked out. Victoria sat looking at the door. She sighed and looked down at the board one more time. She already missed him. She had to stop this before she actually fell in love with the asshole. That's something she couldn't allow herself to do. Ever. She didn't really know him, and he didn't really know her. And she needed to keep it that way. Yes, starting tomorrow, she would behave differently.

*

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed! Chapter 4 coming soon.

Soular



Seven Days Ch. 04



In the car on the way back to his house, Nic thought about his day with Victoria. He realized he was overstepping boundaries. He never should have spent the night. He rarely ever slept in the same bed as a woman he'd just had sex with. Usually he'd politely, or not so politely, kick them out or just stop by their place and leave when the actual act was done. Amber, being his wife, shared a bed with him until they couldn't stand to be around each other. Then she took another bedroom in the house, but that was before she had moved out over six months ago. Nic had every intention of leaving after fucking Victoria, but when he returned from the bathroom, he went to gather his clothes from the bedroom and heard her snoring.

He had walked over to her side of the bed and stared down at her. His eyes slowly roamed over her naked body. Her smooth back which dented in at her small waist and then rose with the round curves of her perfect ass. His eyes traveled down her silky legs to cute tiny feet. She shifted in her sleep to her side and he stared at the tiny butterfly tattoo on her pelvic bone. He wondered when she had gotten it. She didn't seem like the type of person who had any tattoos. He wanted to put his mouth to the small colorful ink and kiss it. Since he couldn't kiss what he really wanted. He looked back at her face and at her soft lips which were slightly parted.

Nic had sighed and dropped his clothing back on the floor. He had gently crawled back into the bed and had fallen asleep staring at the back of her head.

He had hated to leave her without any explanation during their game, but in his line of 'work' the less she knew, the better for her. A two-timing snitch who had placed one of his men in jail, had finally been caught. The bastard had been playing all sides. Selling lies to Nic's rivals about him, and vice versa and then selling all of them to crooked cops. Well, this time, he crossed the wrong people.

When Nic arrived at his house, he was greeted at the door. "How long has he been here?" Nic said, removing his jacket and walking briskly through the house.

"A few hours. We couldn't reach you," Jimmy said, as he followed in line behind Nic.

Nic quietly cursed himself. That's one thing he couldn't tolerate. Letting business matters slip. Shit, he should have turned his damn phone on. Victoria was fucking with his mind. He needed to get his shit together.

"What's his name?" Nic asked.

"Mark Hinson. Apparently us and the Koreans aren't the first people he backstabbed."

Nic rolled up his sleeves, "But we'll be the last," he stated before he entered his basement. 

************************

After their Scrabble game, Victoria had sat up all night trying to figure out her new approach to Nic. She couldn't keep up this same routine with him. She couldn't keep letting him add days because she couldn't control her temper. That's exactly what he wanted. To keep her here for his own sick reasons. But...did she want to be there? No! Of course not! What was she thinking? Of course not... And she couldn't let things like their 'date' distract her. It wasn't real, and it didn't mean anything.

From here on out she would do all that he asked so that her time could pass quickly and they could go their separate ways. This seemed to be the only way. So what, he took her to the movies. Big deal. Who cared if he played Scrabble with her? None of those things erased this dreadful arrangement. She needed to get a grip. And she needed to figure out how she was going to pay this month's rent. Victoria went to sleep late, with many stressful things floating around in her mind.

********************

The next morning, Victoria woke up, took a shower and threw on a hoodie and some sweatpants, then heard a soft knock on the door. She looked through the peephole and recognized the white blond hair immediately. Victoria smiled as she opened the door and Minka stepped in followed by Raymond with several large boxes and bags.

"Hey Minka," Victoria said, while hugging the tiny girl. "Hey! How was the party the other night?" Minka asked.

"It was alright. But your dress was a hit," Victoria said. Minka smiled from ear to ear. "Yes! I knew it would be. You looked amazing in it. Well, since you trust my taste...Nic sent me on a little shopping spree for you. I hope you like."

Victoria shook her head. Why was Nic doing this? She then turned her attention to the big guy. "Hi, Raymond. Come to sweep me off my feet and carry me away from big, bad Nic?" Victoria teased. She thought she saw a teeny, tiny smile in the corner of his mouth, but she couldn't be sure. He was such a teddy bear.

Minka walked toward the back of the condo and into the bedroom. Raymond followed behind, dragging several boxes. Victoria wondered if they had bought the entire store.

She watched in awe as Minka hung up and folded different articles of clothing. She hung dresses and skirts together, jeans in one section and lounging and work-out clothes in another. Minka placed different types of expensive shoes on the shoe rack. She smiled when she held up a brand new pair of black and white Converse. "This was not my pick, but he said you liked them," Minka said, laughing. 

Victoria stared down at her tattered, old Converse. She did like these damn shoes. They were comfortable. She looked back up and noticed Minka placing several undergarments and a few pair of bikinis inside the drawers. What the hell? How long did Nic think she was staying? She only had a few more days left. And why was he buying her all of this anyway?! She was supposed to be 'paying' money off...not adding to the debt.

"Okay, I'm done," Minka said, brushing her hands against each other. "Everything in there should fit you perfectly, but if not, give me a call, and I'll fix it," she said, while handing Victoria her card. It just had her name and number on it. 

"Thanks, I don't know what to say. There's just so much," Victoria said, looking over the now full closet. She, her mother and father probably didn't have this much clothing combined.

"Well, women can never have enough clothes and accessories. Enjoy!" Minka said as she bounced out of the room.

After they left, Victoria went to examine the closet. She felt like she had her own little mini department store. But then her smile quickly vanished. She needed to realize that this didn't mean anything. Everything in this closet was for him, not her. So she could look somewhat decent beside him. So she could wear lingerie to get him off. It was just a game.

Victoria sighed as she looked over the dresses. She chose a dark blue soft cotton dress with long sleeves. She picked out a pair of boots to go with it, and quickly pulled her thick hair into a high ponytail. She added a little mascara and clear lip gloss. She would at least try to look somewhat decent for him since she would be turning over her new leaf today. Make Nic happy so she could get the hell out of there.

Victoria grabbed the cordless phone and dialed her parents' phone number. She chewed on her nail while waiting for someone to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey mama. How are you?" Victoria asked.

"I'm fine, but where are you?"

"I—I can't really say. But I'm fine. Did Mr. Parker come by about the rent, yet?"

"Yeah. I held him off. We got to think of something. I only have half. Where are you again?"

"Mama, I can't tell you that right now. But I'm fine, trust me. And pretty soon, everything is going to be fine. And I'll try to figure out a way to get the other half. How's daddy?"

She heard her mother sigh. Victoria knew that sigh. That meant her father was being difficult.

"He's alright, I guess. Just depressed. And that's causing him to be mean. Just a mean, old man. He asking where you are though. I guess I'll just tell him that line you feeding me."

Victoria hated that her mother was having to deal with this alone. And here she was sitting up in some expensive condo pretending to live the high life. "Mama, I have to go. I'll, um, see about getting you some money really soon. Just...nevermind. Love you, bye," she said as she quickly rushed off the phone.

Victoria had to do something. Her family had barely been getting by for years. Just when she thought there was no way, they always found one. She would find one this time too. She knew what she had to do. She really didn't want to, but she had to. She detested Mr. Parker, but she knew the only way out of this was to get an extension on their rent. She sighed as she grabbed her purse and walked out. Downstairs, Sam directed her to the closest bus. Nic usually didn't come by until later in the afternoon, so hopefully she would get back before he even realized she had gone anywhere.

Finally, after three bus changes and an hour later, she arrived at her neighborhood. She looked around at the broken down apartments and trash on the streets. It seemed like she hadn't been there in months...even though it had only been a couple weeks. She walked a few blocks south until she came to the rent office. She REALLY didn't want to deal with this man today. She couldn't stand him.

Victoria walked inside the tiny building and knocked on his office door. "What?!" she heard him yell through the door.

She opened it and walked inside. She saw Mr. Parker leaning over his desk counting money. She stared at the middle-aged, chubby, short bald man as he looked up at her.

"Well, my favorite girl. Do you have my money, Vicky?" Mr. Parker growled at her. "Or did you come to ask for an extension...yet again." 

"Mr. Parker, I know we are extremely late, but I had to leave town for a little while, so I don't have my half of the money. But if you could just extend our deadline by two weeks, I promise, I can figure something out by then. Or I can give you half now, and the other half in two weeks."

She noticed his eyes roam over her body. "Since when did you start dressing so nice?" he asked.

"Mr. Parker, did you hear what I said?" Victoria said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Mr. Parker shook his head. "You either pay me all of the money now...or you and your family are out on the street by tomorrow morning. You think you can play me. You come in here with fancy new clothes, but yet you can't pay the rent. Bullshit." He then slowly slid his eyes down her body again. She hated when he looked at her. His sleazy eyes had been wandering over her body even when she was a young girl who would come in with her mom to pay the rent.

But there was no way in hell she was going to get that money by today. Shit! "Mr. Parker, I don't have the money now. But I promise, I can get it in two weeks," Victoria said, almost pleading. It made her sick to have to do this. 

Mr. Parker leaned back in his chair. His eyes roamed over her body for the third time. "Well, judging by those clothes, looks like you've finally been putting your better assets to use. You know, we could always work out our alternative deal...I offered that to you a while back, remember?"

Victoria felt sick. At that exact moment, she hated men. Did she have a fucking sign on her forehead that read, 'Weak and poor...will have sex for money?' Why did men think they could treat her this way? She wanted to stab Mr. Parker with the letter opener on his desk. She didn't understand this new violent streak in her, but she loathed that man right then.

"Are you going to give me the extension or not?" Victoria spat at him, trying her best to ignore his disgusting offer.

"Not. But if you give me a blow job, I might consider letting you have your two weeks," he said with a smirk.

"Fuck you," Victoria said, before she turned and stomped toward the exit. "I want that money today or you're out!" she heard him holler right before she slammed the door.

When Victoria arrived back at Nic's condo she broke down. She hated feeling this helpless. Money. Fucking money!! She wished she could shred it all and send everyone back to the dark ages. She laughed through her tears thinking about that. She walked into the bedroom and laid down on the bed. She tried to think really hard about how to get that money. She actually looked around Nic's condo and thought about selling something...but that would be dishonest and she couldn't do that. More tears seemed to come as everything looked useless. Not that crying helped, but crap, she couldn't stop the tears. She'd have to call her mom and dad and tell them to start packing. Mr. Parker didn't make idle threats. She had seen him kick people out before, including this little old Puerto Rican lady, who had gotten behind on payments. He didn't care. Victoria cried even harder thinking about Ms. Juarez sitting on her suitcase with nowhere to go. She had wanted to invite the lady into their apartment, but her father had said absolutely not. So, she watched from her window as hours passed until someone came to get the little old lady. Hopefully a family member.

Victoria closed her eyes as more tears squeezed from the corners and ran down the sides of her face and into her hair. She took a deep breath when she felt the bed sink down. She quickly opened her eyes to find Nic hovering over her with both his arms braced on either side of her head.

Nic saw the tears in her eyes and immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

He watched as Victoria quickly tried to shield her face from him but that caused her to cry even harder. "Victoria, what's wrong? Did someone say or do something to you?" Nic asked, feeling the hairs rise on his arms. He was about to fuck someone up.

Victoria tried to speak, but it just came out in a loud, hoarse cry, "My family is go—going to be kicked out tomorrow morning. Be—because we can't pay the rent. God, I hate him!"

"Who?" Nic asked.

"No one. It's fine. I'll get over it," Victoria sniffed, trying to pull herself together. She rose up on the bed causing Nic to stand. She quickly wiped at her tears. Why did she tell him her problems? Like he would actually care. It was his fault this shit was happening anyway. He was no better than Mr. Parker.

"Who is your landlord?" Nic asked again.

"Mr. Parker. He's such an asshole. Good riddance that we'll be leaving his place anyway," Victoria tried to rationalize. She would have to call her mom in a bit and deliver the news.

Nic grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Grab your jacket."

Victoria obeyed, but then asked, "Where are we going?" 

"To pay Mr. Parker a little visit," Nic said, as they walked outside and got into his car. "What's the address?" Nic asked, while pulling out into the street.

"Nic, this is my family's problem. Not yours."

"That's not what I asked you. The address."

Victoria sighed and told him, but then added, "I wouldn't even bother, he's a total dick."

"Why were you crying?" Nic asked, ignoring her assessment of her landlord. 

Victoria didn't feel comfortable telling Nic these things. The less he was a part of her life, the better. But also...she knew that this was her day to turn over a new leaf and start playing this game Nic's way.

"Because I have jeopardized my family. They're getting kicked out because of me and my lack of being able to contribute. And because Mr. Parker said some mean and nasty things to me."

Nic squeezed the steering wheel. "What did he say?" 

Victoria told Nic, and he just nodded his head.

They arrived at Mr. Parker's building in less than twenty minutes due to Nic's impatient driving. When they got out, Nic told Victoria to wait outside the door.

Nic knocked. "What?!" Mr. Parker yelled. Nic opened the door, walked in, and locked it behind him. He turned to look at the tiny, little man.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Mr. Parker asked, speaking around his cigar.

"I'm Nic Andretti," Nic stated and stopped to stare at the man's reaction.

Mr. Parker looked up again and dropped the cigar from his mouth. He quickly picked it up and stubbed it out in an ash tray. "Mr. Andretti! I-I've heard so many things about you. I don't th-think we've ever had the pleasure of meeting," he stuttered through his shock.

Nic ignored him and placed down several hundred dollar bills. "Here's the money Victoria owes you. From now on, any money matters concerning her, you bring to me. Call this number. The person on the other end will know how to get in contact with me," Nic said as he slid a card across the messy desk. Then Nic leaned down and narrowed his eyes at the sweating man. "And if you ever harass or make another vulgar comment to her again, I'll bust your fucking knee caps and burn this shithole office down...with you in it. Capisce?" 

Mr. Parker's eyes grew even wider, if that were possible. 

"Do-you-understand?" Nic bit out slowly, as he gradually pushed the desk closer to Mr. Parker, until it was pressing into his chest, locking him between it and the wall.

"Yes," Mr. Parker coughed, "I understand."

Nic held the desk there for a few seconds more, before pulling it back. "Good. Now I think you owe Victoria an apology, correct?"

Before Mr. Parker could even say anything, Nic walked to the door and unlocked it. He called for Victoria to enter. She slowly walked into the office and glanced back and forth between the two men. One calm, the other sweating.

"He has something he needs to say to you," Nic told her, then turned back around to Mr. Parker.

Mr. Parker swallowed loudly and looked over at Victoria. "Hey, um, I just wanted to say sorry for the comments I said to you. Won't happen again. No hard feelings, okay?"

Victoria just nodded and looked back at Nic. What had he said to Mr. Parker? He looked as though he were ready to piss his pants. Actually, he might have.

"Now that it's settled, let's go," he said, grabbing her arm and leading her out of the door, but then stopped. He turned back around and leaned back through Mr. Parker's door. "And heed my warning...most people don't get one," Nic whispered. 

In the car on the way back to the loft, Nic and Victoria were silent. Once inside, Nic tossed his keys on the counter and removed his jacket. Victoria went to sit down on the couch. He couldn't help but notice how well the dress he had bought hugged her curves. 

He started walking towards her when she spoke. 

"Nic, you didn't have to do that. I owe you enough money as it is, and now I owe you more," Victoria said.

"You don't owe me anything. Your father does. This debt that you're here for is his debt. You offered to pay it off, but he was the one who borrowed the money. You never asked me for the money that I gave your landlord, so you don't owe me anything."

"And the clothes?"

"Again, you didn't ask for them, they were a gift...so you owe me nothing," Nic said, sitting down beside her.

"But—," Victoria started.

"Victoria..."

"I know, I know...end of discussion," she said. She felt him lean closer to her ear, while the back of his fingers grazed her nipple.

"Did you like my gift?" he whispered.

She nodded her head yes, but then quickly remembered to speak up. "Yes, I did. Thank you." Okay, she would be nice and do the things he asked. She could do this until her time wound down. But she did want to ask one more question.

"Nic?" she asked, as he pushed her down on the sofa and buried his face in her neck. She heard a muffled, "what?" from him.

"What did you say to Antonio at that party the other night?" She could feel him licking and sucking the side of her neck. Her skin felt tender there since that seemed to be his favorite place to bite her. She laughed to herself. Nic did kind of remind her of a vampire, although he wasn't pale. He actually had a nice, light, natural tan due to his heritage. But right now, she could feel herself getting wet for him.

"That's between Antonio and me," he whispered as he started unbuckling his pants. He slowly peeled her dress over her head, and removed her bra and panties. He licked and sucked her taut nipples as he massaged her swelling clit.




Seven Days Ch. 04



"Ohh, Nic...," Victoria murmured.

"Do you want me inside you?" Nic teased, as two of his fingers worked their way into her tight, wet pussy. "Tell me, say you want it," he commanded, as his fingers seized her hair.

"I-I want you inside me," Victoria whispered.

Nic removed his fingers and pressed his erection against her soft love nest and pushed roughly until he was completely buried inside her. He wrapped one of his hands around her neck and squeezed. Her eyes grew wide and she immediately tensed underneath him. She quickly grabbed his hand, trying to push it away from her throat.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. Just relax and enjoy it," he whispered as he tightened his grip and began fucking her brutally. He was driving in and out of her pussy with so much force that the couch started to slightly move under the intense pressure. He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder so he could have more access, and his hand flexed and released around her neck several times.

Victoria couldn't breathe. Literally. Her head was becoming light, but her pussy was quivering. She didn't know what the hell he was doing to her, but she didn't want him to stop. There was a slight chance that she could die of strangulation. What an embarrassing...satisfying way to go. Her mind was saying, "Focus on breathing, bitch!!" which placed all of her focus on the top half of her body, while he banged the shit out of her lower half. It was a different, extreme feeling. She felt her orgasm building and her eyes rolled back as her body trembled. She felt the pressure of his hand leave her neck and he placed her other leg over his shoulder and fucked her even harder, if that were possible. 

Aargh, this girl's pussy was like fucking kryptonite to him. He seemed to go weak and silly every time he was inside her. This is where he constantly wanted to be. He thought about it while he was on important business calls, when he should have been concentrating. He hadn't enjoyed sex this much since...well, a long time. And partly because he knew that there was a part of her that hated getting this turned on for him. She fought against it, and THAT caused him to get really turned on. Knowing in her own way she was playing hard to get. 

He was hoping he wasn't hurting her, but right now, he was about to come and he wanted to get as far into her tight cunt as he could. He finally stilled himself inside her and released his first load. "Ugh, fuck! Damn, Victoria...," he mumbled as he continued to pump his seed deep inside her.

Once he was completely emptied, he let her legs drop down beside him and he lowered himself on top of her. He could feel her heart beating. A steady fast pace. They stayed like that for a while.

"Cazzo, lei mi ha matto," Nic muttered to himself, before he sat up and slid his underwear and pants back up.

Victoria rose up and stared at him. "What does that mean?" she asked. "Nothing," he said as he stood and grabbed his shirt. He needed to get out of there. She was messing with his mind.

"Hey, I need you ready by seven. Jimmy's wife is having some guests over for dinner and they invited you. I'll be back then to pick you up," he said, as he rushed out of the door.

Victoria sighed and walked to the bedroom to take a nap. She was already exhausted, and didn't really feel like going out again. She fell asleep thinking about Nic helping her with the rent. She still didn't know how she felt about it, but perhaps that was one less stressful matter off her plate.

When she woke, she decided to take a warm bath in his humongous tub. She leaned back and let the water pressure streams massage her back. She placed a warm washcloth over her eyes and tried to block out her crazy life. 

After a few minutes, Victoria decided to get out. She felt a little better, but she only had a few hours before the party, and she wanted to finish reading her book. She placed a white robe around her and walked into the bedroom to pick out an outfit. 

Victoria was about to slide on a pair of panties when she heard the TV turn on in the front room. She sighed. He was early and she was sure he was ready for round two. She made her way down the hall.

"Nic, you're not going to leave me with much energy for—," Victoria started and then froze when icy blue eyes turned to glare at her. But they weren't Nic's eyes. God, give her strength. These eyes belonged to Amber. She was sitting on the couch, shoes off with her legs pulled up underneath her. She had been flipping through the TV channels when Victoria entered the room.

Both women stared at each other. Awkward.

"Hello, doll," Amber smirked, turning the TV off.

Victoria tried her best to hide her frown. "Hi, Amber. What are you doing here?" 

"Well, technically I live here. This is, after all, my husband's condo. So what are YOU doing here? I thought you didn't know him," Amber said, standing up and slipping back into her heels, placing her a little over six feet tall.

Victoria sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Amber, whatever is going on between you and Nic is your business. None of mine."

"Well, since you're fucking him, I guess it makes it your business too," Amber stated, walking towards her. Victoria braced herself. Because if this Amazon bitch touched her, she would smack the shit out of her. She could give a damn if it was Nic's wife or not. She was sick of people trying to run all over her.

"I mean, trust me, I know my husband is no angel. He was fucking around with other women before and after our marriage. He's handsome, he's rich, and in the bedroom...well, you and I both know what can happen. So I figure one little flaw like infidelity...who cares, right? As long as at the end of the day...he comes back to me."

Amber continued to stare at Victoria as she circled her.

"But that's where I'm confused about you. Why is he letting you stay here and attend parties? You can tell me. It will be our little secret."

Victoria exhaled. "I have to get dressed. Excuse me," she said, as she pushed past Amber and walked into the bedroom. She heard Amber's heels following behind her. Shit! Why won't this crazy bitch just leave?!

"I see he left his mark on you," she heard Amber say. Victoria turned around, "What?" she asked, irritated. Amber pointed to her neck. Victoria quickly turned around and rolled her eyes.

"You must be an even bigger slut in bed than I am, for him to still be with you," Amber said.

Victoria was done with this woman. She turned around quickly and walked up to her. "You know what, why the fuck are you here? Since you're so determined to make your business with Nic, 'our' business, then fine, I'll jump in. Why the hell aren't you with him? You're obviously not living with him and I didn't even know you existed until the party that night," Victoria huffed out.

Amber's eyes widened and then narrowed at her. "Please little girl, I can have him back anytime I want him," Amber said, while flicking her hair behind her back.

"Then go get him and leave me the hell alone! If you want him so fucking much. I'm not going to stop you, trust me!"

Amber opened her mouth like she was about to say something, but then closed it. She turned and stomped out of the room. Victoria heard the door open, but then heard Amber yell, "Don't get too comfortable, sweetheart. Nic gets bored really easily...and it's just a matter of time before you're right back on the streets where you came from!" And then the door slammed.

Victoria grabbed a hanger and threw it across the room. Damn, Nic. Damn, damn, DAMN!!!

**************************

Victoria hated these types of things with Nic. No one knew her, so she was pretty sure they all assumed she was some loose girl that Nic had picked up for the night. At least Jimmy would be there. He always made her feel more at ease. He treated her like a person and not some expendable trash.

Nic picked her up exactly at seven, and when they arrived at Jimmy's house, a tiny woman with brunette hair opened the door to greet them. "Hey Nic, looking good as always," she laughed, while giving Nic a hug. "Likewise—when can I steal you away from him?" Nic returned. She laughed and patted him on the shoulder, then turned her attention to Victoria. "Hi, I'm Isabelle, Jimmy's wife," she said, offering her hand.

"Oh, hi, I'm Victoria. Nice to meet you."

"Nic," Isabelle said, "Jimmy and the guys are in the living room. Make yourself at home while I become acquainted with your guest."

Victoria watched as Nic left her with this stranger. She stared at the woman. She was a cute petite woman with big brown eyes. She seemed the complete opposite of Jimmy, who was big and burly.

"Here, let me take that," she said to Victoria, while pulling her coat from her. 

"Thanks," Victoria said. Isabelle led Victoria down the hallway and towards the kitchen. Victoria felt a little at ease considering this was Jimmy's wife. Maybe she was as nice as he was. 

"So, you're Victoria...Amber's rival," Isabelle laughed, as she handed Victoria a glass of champagne. Okay, maybe she wasn't as nice.

Victoria didn't want to be rude to Jimmy's wife, so she said nothing as she sipped on the glass of champagne. Fuck it, she needed more than a few sips with the way her day had been going. She tipped the glass up and swallowed the rest.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by that. It's just that I can't stand Amber. She can die a thousand deaths for all that I'm concerned. Trust me, I barely know you, but I'm Team Victoria all the way," Isabelle said.

That shocked the hell out of Victoria. She stared down at Isabelle and laughed. Okay, maybe Isabelle wasn't so bad after all. 

"Sit by me at dinner. I want to hear how you stole her limelight and her man at the party the other night. I arrived late, but I heard about it and I've been smiling ever since," Isabelle said, smiling at her. She linked her arm around Victoria and the two walked into the dining room together.

At dinner, Victoria was introduced to everyone. Most of them were Italian-American, and a few of them were related to either Jimmy or Isabelle. All of them knew who Nic was, and she was sure they knew what he did, but they didn't seem to care. They all told jokes and stories as the food was passed around. Food that was absolutely amazing. Isabelle was probably the best cook ever, next to Victoria's own mother. Isabelle showed Victoria pictures of her kids. She and Jimmy had three girls. Victoria laughed at the fact of a big, scary guy like Jimmy having three little girls. Victoria glanced at Nic, who was sitting opposite her at the table. She thought about Nic with a kid. He'd probably have a boy...who would get into as much trouble as Nic probably did as a kid. Victoria looked at her empty champagne glass. She had already downed her second glass. She normally didn't drink, and especially not this much, but Amber's words were still messing with her. Why was Nic doing stuff like this? Helping her with her rent and bringing her to an intimate dinner with his close friends. She was sure this was reserved mainly for family and girlfriends. Sure, she was invited by Jimmy, but Nic could have declined. She wasn't his girlfriend or wife like he kept reminding her. 

Victoria picked up the champagne bottle and poured herself another glass. 'Fuck Amber and Nic,' she thought. Well, she wanted to hate Nic, but he had come to her rescue against evil Mr. Parker. But why? She noticed, out of the corner of her eye, Nic nod to Jimmy who was sitting beside her, and Jimmy moved the champagne bottle closer to him and out of Victoria's reach. Well, fuck it, at least she'd get to drink this third full glass. She started downing it. When she was done draining the glass, she knew Nic was probably staring at her, but she tried not to look at him.

Somehow the topic of conversation moved to the economy, and Ralph, a cousin of Jimmy's, decided to voice his opinion. "Man, the economy is so fucked and those assholes in Wall Street and mortgage companies started all of this shit."

"Yeah, well perhaps there's no place for decency in the modern world," Nic chimed in.

"Assolutamente! It's like, get yours while you can and fuck everyone else. Man, it's so cutthroat out there nowadays. You really have to watch your investments," said Isabelle's brother Joey, while shaking his head.

"Well, regular businessmen fall by the waste side now. You have to come to the table with something extra or different," Nic added.

"That's right," Joey said.

Victoria was really starting to feel her buzz. She had been quiet the whole time, while everyone chattered on around her. But Ralph just had to call her out. "What do you think, Victoria," he said. The whole table got quiet, waiting for her to respond.

Victoria quickly glanced around the table. Shit. "Well, I always think there's a place for decency. At the end of the day, money isn't everything. It never was," Victoria said. She shouldn't have had that last glass. She felt herself leaning in her seat. They might not be able to tell she was a little tipsy, but she could feel it.

"Yeah, but where does decency get you?" Nic asked. All eyes flew to him. "Some people live their lives trying to be decent human beings, and all that they get is screwed over by the world. Friends, lovers...," he turned to stare directly at Victoria. "Fathers, landlords and even me. So I forfeit decency for power any day."

A couple of the men around the table mumbled in agreement. Victoria just stared at him, and then down at her bread and picked a small piece from it. 

"Well, decent people hold some power over the people with power that you just mentioned," Victoria disputed.

"How so?" Nic asked.

The entire table were leaning on their elbows watching this verbal volley back and forth between Nic and Victoria. Victoria glanced at Isabella and noticed that she was smiling from ear to ear at her. Victoria was nervous. She didn't want everyone paying so close attention. You could only hear the fireplace crackling in the background.

"Guilt. The power decent people hold over those who aren't, is guilt. Those that screw over people feel guilty," Victoria stated. At least she hoped they felt guilty.

"Usually the people screwing people over, Victoria, don't have a conscience. They don't care who they hurt to get what they want. And at the end of the day, it's more about the chase than it is actually getting what you want. Once you have it, it becomes boring. And people like that also don't spare a glance back at the lives they've ruined. And when they lay their heads on their pillow at night, they sleep peacefully, and guilt free, because they don't have any sympathy for the weak," Nic stated calmly, and then took a sip of champagne.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, letting Nic's words sink in. Victoria felt a familiar sting behind her eyes. He was talking about her. She wanted so badly to get up from the table and leave. But not before she told Nic off. She thought of the scene in 'The Color Purple' where Celie confronts Mister at the dinner table with the carving knife. That image made her snort out a laugh. Everyone looked at her again, but she quickly stared at her plate. She had drank way too much.

To break the uncomfortable silence, Isabelle chimed in. "But, if you believe in Heaven, then your decency can buy you a one way ticket. Those who have sacrificed their humanity for the sake of a few bucks...may never see that." Jimmy smiled over at his wife.

"Issa, you are right. For those that believe in that, I'm sure the decent ones do go to Heaven. And that's probably not where I'm going, but I can tell you right now...the devil is going to have one hell of a battle for my soul," Nic said with a grin.

Everyone finally relaxed and laughed. Everyone but Victoria. She stared at Nic. Why did he affect her so much.

"Speaking of battling the devil for our souls, I don't think there's a decent man among us tonight. So you're not alone Nic. We'll be fighting the battle with you," another friend said. More laughs erupted from the table.

"Us women are decent by nature. I'm a loving wife and mother of three," Isabelle smiled. "So while you men are sweating an eternity in hell, we'll be living it up on the other side."

"I'm not decent," a red-headed woman over in the corner said, while smiling devilishly at Ralph. "Amen," he said, while he kissed her.

"What about you Victoria, are you decent?" Joey asked. Victoria looked up. Fuck it, why hide the truth. Thank God for alcohol.

"You know, I don't think I am. I mean, I used to be a decent person before I came here and started fucking a married criminal for mon--," was the last thing she said, before Jimmy jerked her up. "Hey Vicky, let's go outside for some fresh air," he said, practically picking her up. Isabelle excused herself and followed behind her husband.

Nic remained seated and calm as the eyes around the table quickly glanced at him then down at their food. He got up from the table. "Excuse me," he said as he walked toward the back.

Outside, the cool air felt good against Victoria's skin. She needed that. Jimmy placed her gently on a bench in their back yard, while Isabelle wiped her face with a cool, wet cloth. "I'm sorry about that," Victoria slurred to them. 

"It's okay honey, we all drink a little too much," Isabelle said. 

"Fuck! What the hell am I doing here?!" Victoria shouted at no one in particular. 

"I'll take it from here," she heard Nic say from behind. Isabelle handed Victoria the cloth and kissed her on the forehead. "Thank you," Victoria mumbled as Isabelle and Jimmy walked away.

Nic came around to stand in front of her. She didn't even have the energy to look at him.

"Victoria, look at me," Nic said.

She slowly looked up at him.

"You can't let what people say affect you so easily. You have to be stronger than that."

Victoria scoffed. Was he really trying to give her lessons on how she should live her life? Please. 

"I'm serious. I'm not going to hold my tongue because you get pissed and cry."

"Why are you trying to give me words of wisdom? You don't give a shit about me, so just take me back to the loft, fuck me and then leave, okay?"

Nic narrowed his eyes at her. "Fine, get your shit and let's go," he bit out and turned to walk back into the house. But then he stopped and said, "Just know that for that little outburst and your disappearing act at my party...you've earned another fourteen days. Congratulations."

Fuck, so much for trying to play the game his way, Victoria thought. 

**************************

Later that night, after he left his loft, Nic stopped by his restaurant. Even though it was closed, he wanted to stay there for some peace and quiet before he had to go back to his house. There always seemed to be people around him there. Truthfully, he'd rather sleep at the loft tonight, but after he and Victoria's angry sex, she rolled over and didn't say another word to him, so he was pretty sure she didn't want him there. 

Nic stared down at the blank sheet of paper. He had a secret passion that only two people knew about, one being Jimmy. When he had tough decisions to make or was just stressed, he would draw free-style designs of buildings. He had actually gone to college for architecture and design, but he knew it was all in vain. He knew he would take over for his father some day, and when he graduated, he did. Even though he wasn't the oldest son in their family, he and his father both knew that he was the only one with the mindset to keep the 'business' afloat. But every now and then he was able to resurrect his private hobby. He had designed his club and the second restaurant. Both had turned out better than he could have imagined, especially his club. 

But tonight, his stress didn't come from his job. It was coming from Victoria. He had promised himself that he wouldn't let her get to him, but he wasn't making too good on that promise. Her words tonight at dinner affected him more than he thought. More than he wanted to admit. 'The power decent people hold over those who aren't, is guilt,' she had told him. He wanted to laugh it off. What power could she possibly hold over him? But...he did feel guilty. There he was trying to tell her not to let other's words affect her so much, but yet her words had touched him. In life, he usually had a take no prisoners, fuck 'em attitude, but with Victoria, she was a better person than he was. And she wasn't as weak as he thought. For a person who has no money or power, to hold her head up high despite feeling humiliated on a daily basis...that took some courage. 




Seven Days Ch. 04



And she had looked so beautiful tonight, and almost happy, but he had to go fuck it up by putting her back in her 'place'. 

Nic sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He stared at the chair opposite of him and realized that just a few weeks ago, Victoria had sat in that chair to explain her situation to him. She had come to him, probably scared and ashamed, looking for help...and how did he treat her? Like she didn't fucking matter. If he were being truthful, he had just planned to fuck her that night and get rid of her. He was sure she couldn't satisfy him the way he wanted, so he'd just take a few thousand off what her father owed him and call it even. But, when he had gone into his loft, and she hit him and then threatened to cut him, that lit something in him. She wasn't a pushover like he had taken her for during their brief meeting. His stomach turned to think of how she looked at him when he had asked her to remove her clothes in front of him and Jimmy. He knew that if she had any other option...she would have taken it and probably kicked him in the nuts on the way out. But she was desperate and he had taken advantage of that. He'd ripped her cheap black dress, not caring that it might be the only one she had. Fuck, he could be an asshole sometimes. It never bothered him to be called that before, but now...for some reason, he didn't want Victoria to think that of him.

Nic leaned his head against his desk. He knew that their arrangement was something that would end eventually, and she'd go her separate way, and he'd go back to his life. But, in the meantime, he'd try to make it up to her. He would treat her differently. Yeah, starting tomorrow, he'd turn over a new leaf with Victoria. He smiled just thinking about her.

************************ Over the next few days, Nic tried keep his promise to himself to treat Victoria better. But she didn't make it easy on him. At first, she barely said two words to him. He would ask her a question, and a simple "yes" or "no" would be her only answer. And when he tried to ask a question that would require more than those generic replies, she would simply turn to him, plaster on a fake smile and say, "whatever you want is fine". Oh, she got under his skin so bad. But he kept his cool. It was just a part of his nature. Remain cool and calm at all times. But Victoria was seriously trying his nature. But he also realized it was her only defense against him. She couldn't physically beat him, so she would try to mentally overpower him. And fuck, if it wasn't working! And just when he would be ready to snap, her words about 'guilt' would slowly creep back into his mind. He did feel guilty, and he found himself wanting her to be happy. 

So, on several occasions, he would show up at the loft and beat her in a game of scrabble, or just sit and watch a TV show or movie with her. She seemed to like those sappy Lifetime movies, and although it was painful for him to watch, he would. And during these times, slowly but surely, she started to warm up to him again and he even caught her smiling a few times. 

The other day, he took her to an art museum. He actually never cared much for those types of things, but she seemed fascinated with it. She told him that she had never been to an art museum before. When she was in grade school, they had taken a field trip to a museum, but had to pay for their own entrance into the museum. Her father was so tight with money, that she wasn't able to go, and instead spent that class period reading. That had made Nic feel even worse. But watching her bounce from painting to painting helped to quell some of that negativity. Although he found it all boring, she especially loved the Baroque paintings. She stared at them for several minutes, while he had stared at her. He also couldn't keep his hands off of her, and he kissed her neck or squeezed her ass every few minutes, while she would 'ooh' and 'aah' over each painting. 

Victoria didn't know why the change in Nic had happened, but he seemed different towards her. He quit taunting her with the fact that he was using her. At first she had resisted and tried to act like a robot. Only answer yes and no, and lie there in bed as he had his way with her, but no matter how hard she tried not to come, it always happened, and he grinned at her, because he knew she was trying to withhold. 

And another new development was the fact that she was able to spend more time at his mansion now. She started meeting more and more people that worked for him, as he openly flaunted her around. He even held her hand as they entered into several places. He still didn't introduce her as anything more than just 'Victoria', but at least he wasn't ignoring her anymore when there were people around. He would actually laugh and have conversations with her about different things. Yes, he had changed ever since Jimmy's party. 

***********************

"Whatever, you don't know anything about me," Victoria stated, as she rolled off Nic, and onto the bed. She was exhausted from their intense sexual workout.

Nic placed his hands behind his head and nodded. "I know more than you think Victoria Stevie Davis. Born in 1985. Lived here your whole life. You attended North Lincoln High School and one year at Martin Community College. You've been working for your father since you were thirteen, you've had one boyfriend and were pretty much a loner. Oh, and you can't keep away from my dick. Anything else I miss?"

Victoria scoffed. "Please, I can keep away. You can't! And besides, I don't have a criminal record, so how did you pull all of that?"

"I have people who keep me well informed."

"Still doesn't mean you know me though. And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Tell me something about you."

"Nicolas Andretti and I'm a successful businessmen. End of story."

"How about something I don't already know," Victoria said, wrapping the covers over her naked body.

"I remembered you from when I went to visit your father that day in his restaurant. You were wearing that burgundy shirt and short, tight khaki shorts. Yeah, yeah, I checked you out. You looked like a deer in headlights when I glanced at you."

Victoria didn't believe him. He couldn't have remembered her. She had barely gotten a glimpse of him that day, before he entered the kitchen with her scared father. 

"Was my hair up or down?" Victoria quizzed.

"It was down and you had it pushed away from your face with a headband or whatever they're called," he answered.

Victoria couldn't believe it. How the hell could he remember that? She had remembered him, but it wasn't every day that you got a guy like Nic Andretti walking into your restaurant. But he probably was just really observant, because he had barely spared a glance at her then.

"Okay, now a question for you. Stevie? How did you get that middle name?" Nic asked. 

Victoria laughed thinking about it. She and her mother's own private joke. "Well, it's actually a funny story. Okay, growing up...my mom was obsessed with Steve McQueen. She said if she could have married that man, she'd be the happiest woman alive," Victoria said, laughing about the whole thing. "Well, anyway, my father isn't too keen on the idea of well, interracial relationships. So, my mom could never admit her crush. But when I was born, she wanted to name me after Steve, but she didn't want to make it obvious, so she added an 'i' and told my dad it was for Stevie Wonder."

Nic burst out laughing. That...was funny as hell. He quickly composed himself, but he wasn't expecting anything close to that interesting. "Well, whenever you're ready to rain on your dad's parade, you should tell him that," Nic said, while getting up to pull his boxers back on. 

"Are you leaving tonight?" he heard her ask in a small voice. He looked at her, wrapped in his sheets. He tried not to stay over too often, in order not to give her the wrong impression, but some nights, he'd be so exhausted, he couldn't help it. He thought she didn't care either way, but her look was hopeful. Did she want him to stay? He knew they had been getting along, but he still doubted that she actually wanted his company. He thought she more or less tolerated it.

"Do you want me to?" he asked.

Victoria slid the sheets above her breasts until they reached her chin. She slowly nodded her head. She did want him to spend the night. She watched as he stared at her for a moment, as if deciding what to do. Then he pulled his boxers back down and got back into bed. She knew not to expect any type of cuddling, but just knowing he was there and not running out made her feel less like...well, less of an 'arrangement'. 

"Goodnight," Victoria whispered to him. She hugged her pillow, not really expecting a response. He didn't like anything sentimental. But as she was scooting into her sleeping position, she heard him say it.

"Goodnight, Victoria."

*************************

Victoria was still on cloud nine from meeting one of her favorite actors. She had seen most of his movies, and when Nic had told her he was throwing the actor's thirty-third birthday party, Victoria flipped. She was so excited! Nic had shut his club down for the private event. Apparently Nic had grown up with Mr. Big Time actor, and the two had stayed close throughout the years. And even during Mr. Big Time's speech, he thanked Nic, because for one of his best roles as a tough, street-smart kid, he had copied Nic's behavior from when they were kids. He then imitated Nic's cool demeanor and Northern accent, and everyone laughed. It was a pretty good impersonation. And when Nic finally introduced Victoria to the birthday boy, she was smiling from ear to ear. She tried to shake his hand, but he pushed it aside, and grabbed her for a big bear hug. But after about five seconds, Nic jokingly started to pull her away...but he also didn't remove his arm from her waist until after the conversation had wrapped. 

The music was amazing, and Victoria danced with groups of strangers most of the night. She had tried to call Nic over to dance with her, but he waved her off and continued to conduct a meeting in a dark corner of the club. 'He can't even have fun for one night without doing business,' Victoria thought. 

"So, how long have you known Nic?" Mr. Big Time asked, sneaking up behind her. He handed her a drink. Gosh, he was beautiful, Victoria thought.

"Um, not long. We're just friends," Victoria said, sipping her drink.

"So, since you're just friends, does that mean you're open to 'other' friends?"

Victoria couldn't believe he was hitting on her. He was gorgeous and could probably have any girl in this club. "Um, I g-guess," Victoria stuttered, and then quickly took another sip. She didn't know what to say to him, and he was eyeing her up and down. 

"Good, here's my number. You should call me sometime, beautiful," he said as he jotted his number down on the back of some card. He handed it to her, right as she felt arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey," she heard Nic say behind her. But he wasn't talking to her, he was talking to Mr. Big Time.

"Hey Nic, mio fratello! Thanks for the party, I enjoyed."

"Glad you did," Nic answered, but Victoria could feel his arms tighten around her and his voice sounded distant. Then she felt his cool lips against her skin, and he lightly bit and kissed her neck. Victoria couldn't help it, before she could even think, she closed her eyes, loving the feel of his hard body against her back. But then she quickly opened her eyes to see Mr. Big Time, sipping his drink, looking really uncomfortable. 

"Nice to meet you," Victoria said to him, before Nic pulled her away. "Nic, that was rude," she whispered to him. Nic yanked the piece of paper from her, ripped it up and deposited it in the trash can before he took her hand and led her outside, where a limo was waiting on them.

"I have a surprise for you," he said, when they got inside. Victoria kept asking what it was, but he just told her to be patient. But it was about a thirty minute drive away, so to keep her mind from wandering, she decided to teach him a game.

"Okay, you place your hands on top of mine and you have to look me in the face. When you think I'm going to hit your hands, you remove them, okay?"

"Alright."

Victoria waited two seconds and then smacked his hands. 

"Ow, what the hell?" Nic asked, looking at her.

"Nic! You're supposed to move your hands. Okay, you try to hit mine instead," Victoria offered, placing her hands on top of his.

Nic still looked puzzled, but he stared her in the face. 

"Ow!!" Victoria screamed, as Nic's hands smacked hers before she could even blink. "That hurt!"

"Hey, you're the one that picked this pointless game," Nic said as he smacked her hands again.

"Oww! Stop hitting me so hard," Victoria pouted as she shook off the sting on the back of her hands. "Besides, this is my secret way of getting all of my aggression out on you," she smiled.

"Yeah...how's that working for you," Nic smirked as he smacked her hands again.

"Shit! Stop it!" Victoria shouted as she tried to land a punch to his shoulder. But before it could connect, the limo shifted and she fell on him, straddling one of his legs in her extremely short and skimpy deep orange dress. She tried to quickly push off of him, but he grabbed her hair in one hand and her ass in the other.

"Now, if you had told me this was the endgame, I would have played it a long time ago," Nic joked, as he kissed a trail from her earlobe and down her neck. Victoria tried to move, but his grip tightened in her hair as he smacked her ass.

"Aah!" she squealed, but her body involuntarily started dry humping his leg.

"Damn, I want to be inside of you right now," he whispered, while he removed his hand from her butt and gently placed it underneath her dress to rub her wet slit. He had asked her not to wear panties, so he had all the access he wanted. "Mmm," she moaned into his ear.

"We're here, sir," Raymond said through the speakers. Nic gently pushed her back and pulled her out of the limo, before they got too carried away and forgot why they were here.

Victoria searched around to see if anything looked familiar. But they were parked in a back alley. Nic grabbed her hand and led her inside a building and through the back hallways. Everything was so dark, but when they reached a set of double doors, Nic whispered for her to close her eyes. She shut them tight and followed closely behind him into the room.

Underneath her eyelids she could see the room getting lighter. She waited for his signal, and she felt him get behind her and nip her earlobe as he whispered for her to open her eyes.

When Victoria looked around, she couldn't believe it. She sucked in a breath. Was this Tiffany's? She was surrounded by so many diamonds she couldn't believe it. She had never walked into this store before because she knew she could never afford anything in it. The paper they print their receipts on was probably worth more than she had in her purse at the moment.

The way the light sparkled off of each piece of jewelry, lit up the entire room very brightly. When she finally came to her senses, she realized there was another man standing in the room. A short, tiny man with thick black rim glasses.

"Hi Mr. Andretti. Always a pleasure," he said, while shaking Nic's hand.

"Thank you, David, likewise. This is Victoria," Nic said, placing his arm around her waist. "Victoria, this is David."

"Nice to meet you," Victoria whispered, still a little in shock. 

David smiled at her and turned to Nic. "May I, sir?" he asked, while reaching for Victoria's arm.

"Sure. Victoria...pick out anything you want. I'll be over here," Nic said, while he stepped to the side and pulled out his cell phone.

Victoria looked at Nic, then at the jewel cases. This was too overwhelming. 

"It can be overwhelming," David said, as if reading her thoughts. "Let's start with this," he suggested, while placing a thin rope with a sparkling diamond heart around her neck. Victoria looked in the mirror at the beautiful necklace wrapped around her neck. How many women would kill to be in her shoes tonight. In the reflection of the mirror, she saw Nic leaning against the wall on his cell phone. He was dressed in his signature long black coat. He was so tall and good looking that at the moment, this all seemed like a dream. Victoria focused back on herself in the mirror. She stared at her reflection for a while, as she tuned out David's voice. Who was this girl looking back at her?

"Eddie, I'll be there. Aren't I always? Just make sure our figures are straight. And tell Jimmy--," Nic started, but stopped when he noticed David standing in front of him. "Hold on, Eddie. Yes?" he said to David.

"Um, sorry to interrupt Mr. Andretti, but she said she doesn't want anything."

"Come again?" 

David wiped his brow. "She said she doesn't want anything," he repeated.

Nic looked towards Victoria and found her standing by the door, looking at him. "Eddie, I'll call you back," he said as he clicked off his phone. 

Victoria watched as Nic walked toward her. She braced herself. She knew that he was probably so pissed at her throwing his gift back in his face. But she just couldn't accept it. Not this time.

"What's wrong," Nic asked.

"Nothing. I just don't want anything," she whispered back to him. He stood there staring at her for a few seconds. Then he turned and walked back over to David. "Thank you. And sorry for wasting your time," Nic said as he shook the tiny man's hand.

"Not a problem at all, Mr. Andretti. And please let me know if there's ever anything else I can do for you."

"I will, thanks," Nic said as he walked back over to Victoria. He held the door open for her, and they walked back down the hallway. Raymond opened the doors to the limo and they got in. Nic sat leaning against one door, while Victoria sat leaning against the other. Both were deep in thought and neither said a word the entire trip back to his loft.

When they entered, Nic removed his coat and turned to Victoria. "I'm tired, so I'm going to go lie down for a few minutes before I have to go." She nodded her head, and he turned and walk to the bedroom.

Victoria stood by the bar, just thinking about the night. What a strange night. A few weeks ago, she wouldn't have cared...she'd actually probably be glad...but now, she felt like shit that she had hurt his feelings. She should have just taken something small, but something was keeping her from doing it. Pride? Or something stronger than pride that was telling her that this isn't the way. Stand your ground and in the end you'll get what it is you really want from him. And what was that? His...love? Victoria shook the thought from her head. She had too much nervous energy to go to sleep. So she crept into the bedroom and saw him lying on his back with one arm covering his face. His shoes were still on. She wanted to take them off so bad so he could be more comfortable, but she resisted. She wasn't his girlfriend. She walked into the closet and grabbed her bathrobe. She tiptoed out and shut the door.

Victoria turned on the faucet and removed her clothes. She stepped into the large shower and immediately exhaled. The hot water massaged her body and she leaned against the cool tile, loving the contrast to the water. She closed her eyes and started humming 'In My Life' by the Beatles. She had heard the tune while waiting on the subway one day, and instantly fell in love with it. She was in the middle of humming the second verse when she heard the shower door slam. She jumped and turned around to find Nic staring down at her. He looked pissed.

She looked up at him while the water rained down on her neck and back. She pushed her hair out of her face and waited for him to speak. 




Seven Days Ch. 04



"Why did you embarrass me tonight?" Nic asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Nic, I—because I'm not for sale, that's why," Victoria said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Nic scoffed. The look on his face said that he wanted to dispute that fact. And Victoria wanted to smack that smirk right off his face.

"I'm not, you arrogant prick!" she screamed at him. 

"Sure," he said, as he reached out to pinch her nipple. That was it.

Victoria didn't mean to as hard as she did, but she pushed his hand away, and slapped the hell out of him. You could have heard that smack from several rooms away. Her hand was stinging and she could see the red mark slowly creeping across the left side of his face. He stared down at her, and even with the hot water beaming down on her back, his glare froze her. Fuck, another seven days. Great way to end what should have been a good night between the two of them. She tried to quickly move around him and exit the shower, but Nic grabbed her. He pushed her against the tile and lifted her up.

"Wrap your legs around me," he growled. She tried to push him off, but he held her still. "Now!" he yelled at her. She quickly obeyed as he entered her. She leaned her head against the wall, as he forced his length inside her pussy again and again. Damn, he felt so good. He lifted her slightly and sucked the water from her nipples. 

When he was done worshipping her nipples, Nic pulled her hair back and stared into her eyes. "Who's pussy is this?" he asked, while pumping harder and faster into her. "Nic's," she whispered. Nic felt like a crazy man. He wanted her so bad, he couldn't think straight. "Say it louder," he commanded, as he leaned down and bit her neck. "Oww. Yours Nic, it's yours," Victoria shouted louder, right as she came. Nic raised his head and leaned it against her forehead as he stilled himself deep within her and came. "Fuck...," he whispered, while they both fought to catch their breath.

Victoria closed her eyes and turned her head to the side. Why did she keep giving in to him like this? It wasn't making her look any better in his eyes. She sighed and tried to wiggle her way out of his grip, but he held her tight.

"Look at me," Nic said, gently pulling her head back by her hair. She looked into his face. "Why didn't you want anything from Tiffany's?" Nic asked. She shrugged, and raised her eyebrows. 

"Yes, you do. Tell me," Nic demanded.

Victoria felt trapped. He wouldn't understand. But she decided to put it all out there for him anyway. Everything that she had been thinking about it. She was sure she'd regret it, but here it was. 

"Because some things aren't for sale. And I realized the more you gave me the more I was willing to accept things about our arrangement. But I can't do that anymore, Nic. Material things aren't going to make me forget that I'm here because of seventy thousand dollars my dad owes you. It's not going to make me forget that you can and have humiliated me for your own amusement. Or that you're married. What kind of person would I be if I lived like that, even if only for a few more weeks? I appreciate you offering, but I'd rather not have those things and keep a little self-dignity, than to be draped in them and accept the fact that you won't even kiss me on the mouth because that's not what you want from me and--," was all that Victoria got out before his lips came crashing down on hers.

Her eyes immediately widened and then closed with the feeling of his cool, wet lips devouring hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her against the wall. For once, she felt special. Even if this was all fake and didn't mean anything, this kiss was still all and more than she thought it would be. 

Nic's head was swimming. Everything about this girl was different than any other he had known. Her words washed over him and gave him chills. He was praying she couldn't see how much they were affecting him. And when she mentioned the kiss, his mind shut down and something else took over and screamed for him to kiss her right then! And her lips...they had been torturing him for weeks, and then they felt so soft against his aggressive attack. His tongue was wrapping itself around hers as he licked every corner of her sweet mouth. He was tightly gripping her hair, because he didn't want her to pull away. Not now. Not with him feeling the way he did at this moment. He wanted to be as close to her as possible. And fuck him, but he didn't want to let go. Ever.

**********************

"I'm sorry, really, he's on his way," Eddie said to the four Russian men sitting in the office in Nic's restaurant. 

"We been waiting an hour, he not coming," Anzor said in a thick Russian accent, while standing to grab his coat.

"No, wait! He's...just slightly delayed, he'll be here. He always is," Eddie assured, checking his cell phone again to see if Nic had called. Eddie had contacted Raymond hours ago. Raymond said he had dropped Nic and Victoria off at Nic's loft, and that Nic had said he would drive himself over to the restaurant. 

"No, he not coming. But tell him since we don't mean much to him, we now do business with Sonny. At least he show up for meeting," Anzor growled, then he quickly spoke in Russian and his men followed him out.

Eddie threw his phone across the room. He knew where Nic was. He had been fucking up lately because of her, and now...they had lost out on the one deal Nic had been so adamant to get. Everyone wanted to do business with the Russians, and they had come to Nic specifically, because he was the best. Shit, this was going to turn bad if Sonny landed that deal.

*

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Chapter 5 coming soon...and if you're interested, make sure to check my profile for updates.

Thanks,

Soular



Seven Days Ch. 05



"Wait, Nic...I--," was all that could escape from Victoria's lips before Nic wrapped his hand around her mouth to quiet her.

"Sshh," he whispered in her ear, as he pressed his solid erection between her curvy, chocolate ass cheeks. Victoria was on her knees at the edge of the bed while Nic stood behind her with his feet planted on the carpet. Her soft, smooth back to his hard, sturdy chest. 

Nic held one hand over her mouth while the other reached from behind to explore her full breast. He roughly pinched and pulled her sensitive nipples. He heard her whimper from the pressure he was applying to the dark chocolate buds. And then another slow, sexy moan came from deep within her throat, as he continued to slide his thick cock further and further into her tight asshole.

"You like that, Victoria?" he teased as he held her body tightly pressed to his, moving inch by inch into her toned, plump rear. He heard what he thought was a muffled 'yes'. When he was firmly buried into her, he slowly pulled out drawing an even longer moan from Victoria. 

"Damn, Victoria. You're so tight, baby," he groaned out, trying to control himself from the snug fit.

Victoria couldn't think straight. Actually, she couldn't think at all. He felt so fucking good inside of her. She wanted so badly to stroke her clit. Just once, but he had told her she couldn't. He had said it was his clit, and only he could touch it. So even though her fingers itched to do so, she resisted.

Soon his hand covering her mouth lowered to her neck and he began to lightly squeeze. Victoria never thought she would ever enjoy someone choking her during sex, but it turned her on so bad. And apparently it turned Nic on too. He was teaching her so much about her likes and limits...and she was quickly realizing...at least with him, she had no limits. His hand tightened around her throat again, while he pulled out and pushed back in with more force. Aargh, he was killing her!

After a few more minutes of fucking slowly, Nic was ready to pound the hell out of her tight ass. He quickly pushed her further onto the bed so he could crawl behind her. He pressed her back down until she was sturdy on her hands and knees. 

"Spread your legs," he growled at her. Victoria promptly obeyed. Nic stared in awe at her body from behind. His manhood was still buried inside her ass, and seeing her legs spread so far apart from behind lit him on fire. Her small little waist that flared out to beautiful wide hips and a perfect ass...was causing his balls to tighten already. 'Fuck,' he thought to himself. 

Nic roughly jerked her hands out from under her. He quickly pinned her face to the mattress by holding one hand tightly around her neck, while his other hand locked her tiny wrists behind her back. This was the perfect position, Nic thought with an evil grin on his face. She would have to take whatever he gave her. And give it...he did.

Victoria squealed, half in pleasure, half in pain at Nic's powerful, unrelenting thrusts. And he was thrusting so hard that her body was moving up and down, rubbing her tender nipples against the mattress. He was being so rough, which she should be used to by now, but he always had a way of surprising her. He felt so deep inside her, all gentleness gone, as he continued to violently force his hard length inside her. Her ass would be raw tomorrow. For sure.

"Nic," Victoria gasped from underneath her hair, as he continued to hold her face pressed against the mattress. "Can you pl-please, you know, help m-me out," she said with her voice vibrating from his force. 

"What was that, Victoria? Speak up."

"Can you, he-help me out?"

"Help you do what?" Nic said squeezing her wrists.

"Can yo-you touch me do-down there?" she whispered, feeling herself grow shy from begging him.

"Touch what, Victoria? Say it," he commanded.

"Please rub my cl-clit for me," Victoria said, desperate and pleading. A part of her felt ashamed and her face felt on fire. But another part of her became even more wet from him forcing her to say it, while she was in such a submissive position.

"Will you come for me if I do?" Nic asked, stilling himself within her. She nodded her head.

Victoria felt his hand leave her neck and whack the hell out of her ass. "Aah!" she screeched. 

"Are you going to speak up or am I going to have to read more fucking sign language?" he growled out. 

"Yes,"' she weakly croaked out, then cleared her throat. "Yes!"

Finally, Nic released her wrists and reached underneath to stroke her hard clit and pull her hair. Victoria lost it. She started to come, while her body involuntarily jerked for several seconds. She could feel herself leaking onto the sheets. Her mouth was half open and she couldn't close it, yet no words were coming out. The feeling was too overwhelming. The muscles in her legs were starting to feel sore as she continued to hold her legs wide for him as he pummeled her tender ass. 

Now that she had gotten her release, Nic braced his hands on the bed by her sides and fucked her even harder. This girl was driving him crazy. She wanted him? Well, she was damn sure going to get him until she was aching all over. Just the feel of her body underneath him in this position sent him into a animalistic state of mind. He wanted to come inside her. To mark her.

He halted himself deep within her as he tilted his head back and shouted, "Ughn, shit!! Goddamn it...aah, fucking hell." He slowly continued to drive in and out of her until not a drop was left.

Victoria closed her eyes. She was already so sleepy and her entire body felt heavy. His dick might as well have been a shot of Nyquil, because he continued to wear her out until her body begged for sleep. 

Nic laid down on top of her back. He couldn't move at the moment. Damn this girl knew how to set something off inside of him. He wasn't sure what it was, but she definitely held the key. That scared him a little. His body had this constant need to be buried inside her. And not just his dick, but he wanted to be beside her. Have her wrapped tightly in his arms. He wanted to...to kiss her again...and again, and again.

He eventually pulled out of her and rolled over onto his back. She was already half asleep, but still staring at him through the small slits of her eyelids. He pulled her body closer to him and started kissing her. He could never get enough of this. He was gently pecking, sucking on her bottom lip and then forcing his tongue in her mouth. Then once he was done worshipping the inside of her mouth, he'd repeat.

"Nic," Victoria lazily laughed, "You're going to give me a bruise on my lips if you don't stop!"

"I don't want to stop," Nic admitted, as he pressed his lips against hers again and slid his tongue inside her warm, sweet mouth. 

Victoria soon quit resisting his kissing attack, as she quickly fell asleep. Once it looked as though she were out for the count, Nic stared at her. He lightly rubbed his index finger over her full, luscious lips. He smiled as he traced his name over them. That's right, those were his beautiful lips. At least for a few more days.

Nic leaned against the headboard and thought about his life. If...by chance Victoria stayed in it, what kind of girlfriend would she be? How would she fit into his lifestyle? Would she accept the things he did? She was too good of a person to turn a blind eye forever. Amber had loved it, but then again, she had a cruel streak in her. Victoria didn't. He looked down at her. Victoria had an innocence that Nic wanted to protect. He had done his best in the beginning to destroy that, but now, he wanted to protect it. There was no innocence left in him, and her being in his life, somewhat made up for that. She still believed there was good in all people, even someone like himself. She just didn't know all the people he had hurt. The lives he had ruined...or taken. No, she had no clue how ruthless he could be. And he hoped she would never have to know.

Another thought popped into his head. He wondered what kind of mother she would be. She would probably be—what the fuck? What was he thinking? In the three years he'd been married to Amber, never once did he ever think of kids with her. The idea never crossed his mind. That's why it was such a shock when Amber had mentioned it during dinner on some random night. He had almost choked on his food. There was NO WAY in the world he would purposely ever impregnate her. If she wanted kids, who was he to deny her, but they wouldn't be from his sperm. Not a chance. But then why did that thought cross his mind with Victoria? 

Nic tried to quickly shake the idea from his head. Besides, in his line of work...the more loved ones you have around, the more heartache you might find. People who hate you don't strike at you, they strike at the ones you love. Luckily, Nic had only had that problem once—with his mother, and he solved it. Anyone that knew him figured it would have been a waste of time going after Amber. He didn't want anything to happen to her, but he damn sure didn't love her. He didn't even like her. But Victoria, he...cared, admired...those weren't strong enough, but he was nowhere near ready to admit the other word. That four letter word...no. That wasn't it. No matter how amazing the past few days had been, it would all end soon, and he would go back to his life. He thought of Victoria going back to her life. Possibly finding a boyfriend. Nic's jaw tightened at the thought. 

***********************

The next morning, Victoria woke up and found Nic asleep and leaning against the headboard like he had sat up all night. She had never woken up before him. Usually, he was either fiddling around in the living room or gone. But this morning...she had beaten him. She smiled as she stared at his face. His perfect nose and lips, and thin black eyelashes that somehow made his bright blue eyes stand out even more when they were open. She rose up and quickly pecked him on the lips. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her.

Victoria was feeling rather...playful. She decided to do something she had never done before. Ever. She slid her hand down Nic's body until she found what she was looking for. She looked him in the face as she slowly lowered her face to his groin. She noticed his lips gradually part as she took him into her mouth. He immediately started growing to attention, and in no time was hard as a rock.

She began to lick his shaft, while moving further down to his balls. She gently sucked on them and then traveled back up to the tip of his cock before covering it with her mouth again.

"Holy shit," Nic whispered as he watched her move her sexy mouth up and down over his rod. Goddamn, it was a beautiful sight. She accidentally gagged herself and he felt heat rush through him. So she was new at this...which made him feel even better that she was inexperienced. Had she gone down on him like a pro, he would have questioned her only having that one boyfriend. But her warm mouth and big doe eyes were causing his balls to tighten. He tried to pull her up, but she refused. Well, fuck...who was he to deny what she wanted. He gripped the sheets and lifted his hips off the bed pushing himself further into her mouth as he came. And she never backed away. She continued to suck on him until he had to gently push her away.

Victoria swallowed the pearly salty mixture and licked her lips as she stared him in the face. She never thought she would ever do something, so...as her mom would put it, "slutty". But she liked it. No, she loved it, and judging by the look on his face, he did too. In a weird, twisted way...she would miss being with him. If anything, he taught her things about her body that she didn't know existed. But that's not all of why she would miss this. Actually, there was something she would miss more than the sex, but she refused to think of it. 

"Good morning, Nic," she said as she straddled his lap.

"Good morning, Victoria," he whispered back as he kissed her.

After they finally drug themselves from the bedroom, into the shower, and into clean clothes, it was already late in the afternoon. 

"Do you like Italian?" Nic asked, as he grabbed his jacket and keys.

Victoria tucked her bottom lip into her mouth and smiled. "I thought that would have been obvious," she said, grinning at him.

Nic walked up to her and kissed her for the hundredth time since their shower the night before. "Mmm," he moaned as he pulled away from her. "I'm going to cook for you tonight."

Victoria smiled. "You can cook?" she asked, surprised.

Nic arched an eyebrow. "I'm Italian, what the fuck? Of course I can."

Victoria laughed and locked her arms around his neck to deliver another kiss.

"So—mmm---be ready---by---eight, mmm...damn, Victoria," Nic said, as she continued to kiss him through his words. "Okay, wear something sexy and I'll see you in a few hours, okay?"

Victoria nodded and Nic gently gripped her hair and pulled her neck back and kissed her hard and deep, his tongue exploring her mouth. He almost had it memorized. He quickly pulled away from her and exited his loft. He had to get out of there before he stripped her down and made love to her again. Make love? That word usually didn't come in his mind oft—ever.

In the lobby of his building, Nic smiled at Sam, "Good morning, Sam."

"Good morning, Mr. Andretti. Nice day, huh?"

"The best," Nic returned. In his car, Nic grabbed his cell phone to call his house, but the battery was dead. Fuck. And he had no charger in this car, because he rarely used it. He would just have to wait until he got home. But for some reason, now that he was away from Victoria and the powerful spell she cast on him, he felt as though he were forgetting something. Wallet? Check. Phone? Check. What the fuck was nagging at him? It was probably nothing, so Nic tried to ignore it.

When he arrived at his house, he walked inside and saw Jimmy sitting on the couch eating a sandwich. "Good morning, Jimmy." Jimmy was about to take a bite into his sandwich, when Nic greeted him. He held it there for a few seconds, before he lowered it. "Um, good morning to you too, Nic."

Before Jimmy could say anything further, Nic hopped up the stairs, entered his office and closed the door. He sighed as he thought of Victoria. He wished she had come with him. He should have just kept her by his side today, since he'd be back over there in a few hours anyway. But they never could have any peace at his house. Too many fucking people always around. He walked over to his desk to check his messages.

"Hello, Nic."

Nic swung around to find Eddie sitting casually on the couch. What the fuck? Why the hell was he in his office?

"Eddie, what the fuck are you—," then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Eddie's expression and reason for being in his office. The nagging feeling he had in the car. No, no, no. Now Nic remembered...the Russians.

"Fuck!!!!" he shouted. Goddamn it! How the hell could he forget the most important meeting? That wasn't him...he didn't make mistakes like that! Shit!!

Eddie sat calmly on the couch with his briefcase open. "Yes, the Russians. Want to know the update?"

Nic really didn't. He could only imagine. He had wanted that fucking deal with Anzor and he had just blown it. Not Eddie, or Jimmy or anyone else that worked for him. Just him. It was his fault.

Nic sighed and leaned against his desk.

Eddie pushed his glasses further onto his face. "They waited for an hour, and when you looked to be a no-show, Anzor said they were meeting with Sonny instead."

"Shit," Nic mumbled to himself. How in the hell could he forget a meeting like that? THE most important one to date. They literally had flown all the way from Russia to meet with him. And in the underground crime world, first impressions are usually all you get. No second chances. It was one thing to be late...which he never was. But to not show up at all...out of the question. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Eddie cleared his throat. "Can I say something, Nic?" Nic nodded. "Look, we're friends, so I'm saying this with the utmost respect for you. I think you're an incredible businessman and that's one of the reasons I left my comfy legit job to come work for you. You always have your shit together...and I've admired that over the past couple of years. But, for the past few weeks, you haven't really been paying close attention to the business. I mean, I have documents that you haven't sat down to read because you've been spending most of your time with Vict—at your loft. Things are slipping, and they have been for a while now. I tried calling you several times last night, practically begging Anzor to stay, but he was pretty pissed that he wasted his time. He's like you...only Russian."

Nic sat there thinking about what Eddie had just said. Nic also had a lot of respect for him. Unlike Jimmy, Eddie kept in business mode all the time. No family, no friends...just numbers and business. Most people never sacrificed relationships to excel and become the best at something, at any cost. But Eddie had...and for most of his life, so had Nic. Until Victoria. Nic felt like a fool. 

"I mean, please correct me if I'm wrong Nic," Eddie continued, "but I thought this deal with her was strictly sex. Nothing more. I mean, is she your girlfriend now?"

Nic cut his eyes toward Eddie and narrowed them. "No, she's not." Nic knew right then what he had to do. He needed to cut this bullshit and get his business back on track. He had worked ten damn years getting what his father had left off the ground and really making something of it, and he almost destroyed part of that in a few days all because of Victoria. She wasn't his girlfriend...she was...just a girl. She didn't matter. What was important was that he didn't let down the people who had worked for him and been loyal to him over the years. They depended on him to keep it together and make the right decisions. Not some girl who was only supposed to have been in his life for seven days. 

Yeah, it was time for the old Nic Andretti to step the fuck up.

"Get me Anzor's contact information," Nic commanded as he went to sit behind his desk.

"Nic, they said that was it. They're going with Sonny now," Eddie said.

"That's not what I asked you," Nic stated cooly. "Do your job."

Eddie sighed and handed him Anzor's number.

***************************

Victoria was so excited about her date tonight with Nic. She was beaming from ear to ear. Mr. Big Bad Mob Boss was going to cook her an authentic Italian meal. Just the thought of him maneuvering around the kitchen made her laugh. Nic didn't seem like the domestic kind. But she believed it was the thought that counted so when he got there, she would let him off the hook, and cook something for him instead. Her little surprise. Her mother was an amazing cook, and had taught her some tricks of the trade. She couldn't wait to show them off. 

Victoria browsed through her now full closet, and slipped into a cute, short dark pink dress with loose straps and sexy heels. She figured Nic would like what she was wearing. Hell, dinner might not get cooked tonight she thought with a smile.

Around seven forty-five, she grabbed a bottle of champagne, opened it and started celebrating their mini break-through from the night before. She sipped the glass and sat down on the couch.

Around eight fifteen, Victoria had still not heard from Nic. He was usually very punctual...so being even fifteen minutes late wasn't like him. She grabbed the phone and dialed his cell. It rang a few times and then went to voicemail. She left him a quick message and then poured herself another glass of champagne.

Around nine and still no Nic, Victoria called his cell again. No answer. She then looked in her purse and found his house number that he had written down for her. She dialed it. 




Seven Days Ch. 05



"Hello?"

Victoria didn't recognize the man's voice. "Um, hello. Is Nic there?"

"May I ask who's calling?"

"Victoria."

There was a brief pause and then the person on the other line said, "Sorry, he's not here. I can take a message." "Um, okay. Can you just tell him Victoria called and for him to call me as soon as he can? That I'm worried about him."

"Sure," the voice said, and then hung up.

Victoria just stared at the phone. He's not at his house, and he hadn't called her. What the hell was going on? She was really starting to worry. She knew that Nic wasn't in the friendliest of businesses, so she hoped nothing bad had happened.

After her third glass, Victoria kept switching back and forth from worry to anger. Surely he could have reached a phone to let her know he wasn't coming? Or that something had happened? God, she wished she knew Jimmy's cell phone number. After pacing back and forth for a few hours, off and on, Victoria laid down on the couch. She thought of last night and this morning with Nic. He was such a different person than when she had met him several weeks ago. Then, he had been cold and distant. But now, he was so different, and she knew...even though she was scared to admit it, she was falling in love with him. Maybe it was Stockholm syndrome or something like that, Victoria thought. She laughed at the idea and then quickly fell asleep.

***********************

When Victoria woke the next morning, for a brief moment she didn't know where she was. Damn those sneaky three glasses of champagne. She rubbed her face, smearing last night's eyeliner into her eyes. She yawned and then sprinted over to the cordless phone to see if there were any messages. Zero. She dialed Nic's cell phone again. No answer. Then she tried the house phone again, but this time it only rang and then went to voicemail.

Victoria paced back and forth again, trying to figure out what to do. She was tired of being stuck in this condo with no explanations, and she was scared that something had happened to Nic. Was he okay? She tried not to be irrational, so she took a shower and changed into a cute outfit with a skirt and low cut top. She tried to sit down and think about this reasonably, but she couldn't come up with any answers. Nic hadn't been apart from her for more than a few hours since the first night she came to his loft.

Victoria tried to keep her mind off of Nic. She tried to watch some movies, but that didn't work. She tried to play Scrabble, but her mind kept drifting to him. It was now late in the afternoon, going on almost a day and a half that she hadn't seen Nic. Something was definitely wrong.

That's it, she thought. She grabbed her purse, his keys and went downstairs. Sam helped her find his parking space and she pulled the Large Silver SUV out onto the street. She wasn't familiar with driving to his place, so she missed a turn and got confused, but she eventually found the road she needed. For some reason she had butterflies in her stomach. Would he be mad at her for taking his car? What reason would he give her for his absence? 

It was already dark by the time Victoria reached the iron gates leading up to house. She pressed the intercom button.

"Yes?" a voice said.

"Hi, I'm Victoria. I'm here to see Nic," she said, looking up at the several security cameras that were turning in her direction.

The voice paused and then she heard some muffled sounds, and then a voice she did recognize finally answered.

"Hey Vicky, it's Jimmy," he said in his usual warm manner.

She smiled. "Hey Jimmy, can I come in?"

She could have sworn he hesitated for a moment, but then the gate opened. Victoria drove up to the house as she saw Jimmy coming out to greet her. She noticed that he had quickly shut the door behind him. She got out and walked up to him.

"Hey, Vicky!" Jimmy said, while wrapping her in a bear hug. She laughed and hugged him back.

"Hey Jimmy, how are you?"

"I'm alright. Can't complain. So, what brings you here?" he asked, but Victoria could tell he looked uncomfortable. And what an odd question. What was going on?

"Well, I'm just worried about Nic. He hasn't contacted me since yesterday afternoon. Is he okay? Is he here?"

Victoria watched Jimmy's face closely. "He's, um...well, Vicky, he was bombarded with so many meetings. I mean, they've been back to back to back, you know."

Victoria wasn't buying it. Something was definitely wrong. Even if Nic were in back to back meetings he would have called her. Or stopped by after they were done. But she hadn't received anything from him.

"Is he here?" she asked again, walking towards the door.

"Uh, no. He's gone," Jimmy said, a little too quickly for Victoria's liking.

Victoria walked around him and up to the door, before Jimmy could grab her. She was about to enter when she heard Jimmy's plea. "Vicky, please don't go in there," he said softly. Immediately she felt her stomach twist into knots and her breath quicken. Her head was hurting and she was getting nervous for some reason. But she ignored her feelings and his warning, and pushed the front door open.

Inside, everything looked normal. Nothing was out of place, no blood splattered on the wall, no wild stripper party. Why was Jimmy worried?

She glanced to the side and noticed a small guy with glasses walking towards her. She hadn't seen him before. He walked up to her and extended his hand.

"Hi, Victoria, right? I'm Eddie," he said.

Victoria shook his hand, but his eyes looked cold. Almost as cold as Nic's could look at times. And then she realized she recognized his voice. He was the one on the phone when she had called...and the first voice on the intercom. Victoria immediately tensed. Something about the way he was looking at her put her off.

"Yes. Nice to meet you," she lied as Eddie tightly gripped her hand. Jimmy walked over to Victoria. 

"Vicky, I think it's best if you go back to the loft. I'm sure Nic will come see you when he gets a chance," Jimmy said. 

"Yeah, that probably is the best thing," Eddie chimed in.

"Jimmy, what the hell is going on? Just be honest with me!" Victoria said, ignoring Eddie's comment. She then looked back and forth between both men, waiting on someone to clarify where Nic was.

Before either could answer, Victoria noticed Jimmy's eyes dart behind her. She turned to see what he had glanced at, when she saw her.

A thin, brunette woman in a skimpy black dress came walking toward them while texting something on her phone. The girl looked up at Jimmy.

"What the hell is taking him so long?" she asked in a lazy, high pitched voice. She placed her skinny elbow into her side and stared at Victoria before turning to Jimmy. "Is she coming with us?"

"Kim, why don't you go wait back over there, okay?" Jimmy said, irritated.

Who the fuck was Kim? And why was she here?! Victoria prayed to God that this girl was here for Eddie. She couldn't even speak. She just stared at the girl, who was completely ignoring her. As Victoria's mind was busy twirling, she heard a door shut upstairs and she glanced toward the sound. She saw Nic coming around the corner dressed in a nice suit. He stopped at the top of the stairs when their eyes connected. For a second, she could have sworn he looked surprised, but that was quickly replaced with his nonchalant mask. He quickly descended the steps and walked up to the small group.

"They're meeting us in fifteen minutes, right?" Nic asked, not bothering to turn to Victoria.

"Correct," Eddie said. 

Nic then settled his cold glare on Victoria. "Victoria," was all he said with a nod, before he grabbed Kim around the waist and escorted her out the front door.

Victoria just stood there, still trying to make sure what she was seeing...she was REALLY seeing. "How...what the fuck?" she mindlessly muttered to herself as she followed the couple out. Jimmy tried to grab her, but she jerked her arm away from him.

"Nic, what the hell...?!" Victoria shouted, walking up behind him. She tried to grab his arm and swing him around to face her, but he caught her arm instead.

"Get in the car," he barked at Kim, and she quickly obeyed. Nic turned around and stared down at Victoria.

"I'll talk to you later at the loft," he said, as he released her arm and walked over to the driver's side of his Aston Martin. 

Victoria glanced through the windshield at the other woman, who was trying her best to stare her down. Victoria looked back at Nic shaking her head. This wasn't right. Something had happened. She grabbed the back of his jacket as he was opening his car door.

"No! I want to know what the fuck is going on. Who is she?!" Victoria said, pointing at the skinny brunette.

"Victoria, let go," Nic growled out, while turning to face her. 

Victoria pulled on his jacket even harder. "Why are you ignoring me?! What the hell happened?! I just—I just don't understand!" By this point, Victoria was becoming hysterical and she hated herself for it. To let this asshole know how much he was hurting her. But fuck if she could help it. She couldn't understand what had happened in such a short period of time. Why was he with another woman? Why had she not received a phone call?

Nic tried to push her hands away, but Victoria held on tighter. Jimmy started walking towards them, while Eddie ignored the scene unfolding and got into his car.

"What the hell?" Kim said, as she got out of the car. She rushed over to Nic and tried to pull him from Victoria's grasp. "Let go of him!" she shouted in her nasally voice. 

That was it, the last straw. Raw emotion came over Victoria and she snapped. She launched at the girl, just barely missing her face before Nic grabbed her and swung her around to the opposite side, placing his body between the two of them. Victoria was crying so hard at this point, she couldn't even really see through her blurry swollen eyes. She was completely embarrassed and humiliated...again.

"You almost hit me, you stupid bitch!" Kim screamed. Victoria tried to wiggle out of Nic's hold to get to that annoying twit again, but he gripped her tighter.

"Shut the fuck up and get in the car," Nic snarled over his shoulder at Kim. Kim hesitated for a second, but then hopped back into the car. He was still struggling to keep Victoria from breaking free as he spoke calmly to Jimmy. "Take her back to the loft in my car so I can have it there, have Raymond follow behind you so he can then drop you off at dinner." 

Jimmy stared a Nic for a few seconds, then sighed, "Alright."

Victoria went limp against his body. She felt completely drained. And confused. "Why did you not call me or come to see me? What happened?" Victoria whispered in a soft sob, completely horrified that she had broken down this bad in front of everyone.

"Go back to the loft, Victoria," Nic ordered again, staring at her with cold eyes. "I will come by later." 

Nic released her as Jimmy grabbed her shoulders and gently guided her back to Nic's SUV. He felt her shaking and she kept looking over her shoulder at Nic. Jimmy turned to see Nic getting into his car with his date. He pulled away without another glance at Victoria, while Eddie followed behind. 

Jimmy walked over to the passenger side door and opened it. Victoria stood there a moment watching as the car disappeared down the driveway. She just didn't understand. 

In the car ride on the way back to the loft, Jimmy tried to talk to her.

"Vicky, he's under a lot of stress, you know. He's just—"

"Don't try to defend him, Jimmy!" Victoria said, quickly cutting him off. "You're twice the man he is." She was still trying to quiet her sobs, which had turned into dry heaves. She hated she appeared this weak in front of all of them, but it had caught her off guard. She wasn't prepared. His attitude and lack of...caring had completely blindsided her. That wasn't the Nic who had just left her a day ago. What had happened in such a short break to make him treat her this way?

When they reached Nic's loft, Jimmy parked the car into the parking space and turned off the engine. Raymond was waiting for him out on the street. He turned to Victoria and felt ashamed. How could Nic leave her like this and walk away? Her face was tear-streaked and she was still shaking. He shouldn't have let her in the gate. He just didn't know what else to do. Eddie had planned on letting her stay out there, but Jimmy couldn't treat her that way. She was such a sweet person, and he was sick of these games that Nic was playing with her. He knew it was coming. He was going to have his own argument with Nic about all of this before too long.

Victoria finally unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out. She didn't even look back at Jimmy, as she made her way into the building. She got on the elevator, pressed in the code and rode up to the top floor still in shock.

Once inside his loft, she removed her shoes and placed herself into a ball on the couch. Her body felt as though she had run ten miles. Her eyes hurt, her throat was sore. She was actually still a little in shock. The only person she had ever attempted to hit in her life had been Nic. And both times he had deserved it. But tonight she had lowered herself another notch to something she never thought she would do. She had actually tried to fight another woman. And over a man at that! Something she used to laugh about when she saw women do it on shows like Maury Povich and Jerry Springer that her mom still watched. Stupid women, she would call them, while shaking her head. And now in her mind, she was no better. A part of her wanted to walk out of the door right then. She was sick of letting herself get humiliated over and over again. She had thought they were past all of that, but apparently not. But part of her wanted to hear his excuse. She wanted to know what had caused this. So she fought against her need to leave, and stayed to give Nic a chance to explain. Her eyes began to feel so heavy, until she finally closed them and fell into a deep sleep.

*************************

Nic pulled into his parking space at his condo around one fifteen in the morning. He did the impossible...by pulling Anzor away from Sonny and back to his business. He met them for dinner, but he could tell that Anzor had wanted an apology from him for missing their meeting. He definitely didn't know Nic if he thought that might happen. Nic wasn't the apologizing type. He stepped around it and made them feel silly for coming all the way to the U.S. only to work with a two-bit hustler like Sonny, instead of a proven, hardcore businessman like himself. Eddie launched a bunch of figures and deals at Anzor, proving that Nic had an impeccable track record. Anzor seemed impressed. Plus, Anzor kept checking out Kim. Nic silently prayed that Anzor would take her off his hands. She was probably more annoying than his wife. 

After dinner, Anzor had shaken his hand and the deal was set in motion. Nic had gotten back into his car with Kim. She had tried to run her fingers through his hair, to get a little action going...but she was completely surprised and pissed when Nic dropped her back off at her place and said goodnight. She just stared at him incredulously with her hands folded across her chest. He hadn't spared another glance at her as she got out and slammed the door.

Nic had raced all the way back to his loft, where he was now sitting in his car. He knew she was up there with a million questions, but he wasn't ready to answer them. Truth was, she made him crazy and he couldn't think half of the time when he was around her. He didn't want this 'thing' that they had to end, but he wasn't sure what to do with her. He agreed with Eddie, in the sense that she was definitely bad for business. He had never had to balance his personal life with his business life before. They were always intertwined. Amber was more a second thought, on most occasions. For that, he had to blame himself. He never gave their marriage a shot. Because he hadn't wanted to marry her. But she seemed to fit with his lifestyle, and most nights she didn't care if he didn't pay her attention.

But with Victoria in his life this way...he was slipping. When dealing with a situation like Mark Hinson...that needed to have been done quickly and efficiently, but his men were stuck waiting on him because he was sitting in a movie theater with his phone turned off. He knew it wasn't Victoria's fault, but he still wanted to blame her. Her words at Jimmy's house had done something to him. They had changed him. And he didn't know if he liked this new change. He prided himself on being the guy you didn't want to fuck with, and now...he felt he was becoming, well...a pussy. And THAT was unacceptable. He exhaled and exited the car.

Victoria opened her eyes when she heard the front door close. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was one thirty-six in the morning. She immediately sat up on the couch and stared toward the door, watching his tall frame lurk there before turning on the light.

Nic found her staring at him as he set his car keys on the counter. "I need you to get dressed. There's an afterparty down the street and I need to make an appearance for a friend."

Victoria just stared at him like he was crazy. "That's it? You're not going to explain why you never called and who that girl was?"

"Victoria, I don't have to explain my actions to you. And I'm not going to discuss it further. Now get dressed. You have fifteen minutes," Nic said, glancing down at his watch.

She just continued to stare at him, her eyes wide and mouth open. Nic sighed and walked to his bedroom. He removed his shirt and searched for something a little more casual. When he turned around, Victoria was waiting by the closet door. She looked so hurt. He glanced back over his clothing and selected another shirt. Anything to avoid staring into her sad face. Fuck, this was harder than he thought it would be.

"I don't understand, Nic. What did I do?" she softly asked, while gripping the door frame.

"You didn't do anything. Just leave it alone, and get dressed." 

"But..."

"End of discussion, Victoria," he snapped. He was not going to lose control of this situation. Hell, there shouldn't even BE a situation. She was an arrangement, and that was that. No questions asked, no complications.

"No, it's not the end of the discussion. I thought..."

Nic turned around angrily. He had to get this through her head. "You thought what? That I would want you as my girlfriend? Some slut who fucks me in every way just for money?" he barked out at her, his eyes as cold as a winter's day.

All of the air in Victoria's lungs vanished. She couldn't speak for a few seconds. His words caused her to wince. Smacking her would have probably caused less pain than those nasty words piercing her heart. How could he...? How could he say something so hateful to her?! This wasn't Nic talking. He was different with her. He wasn't as callous about her feelings as he once was. He had changed. No, this wasn't him talking. He would apologize in a minute. In just a few minutes, he would take back those malicious words. She hoped...

Nic stood there staring down at her. He felt a sharp pain in his chest, but he refused to acknowledge it. He knew his words...had hit the mark. Oh, fuck...

"Take that back," Victoria whispered when she could finally catch her breath. Tears were already glassing over her red puffy eyes. "Take that back right now, Nic," she whispered again.

"You know me, Victoria. I always say what I mean."

"You're just saying that because you're hurt or upset for some reason. You don't mean it. Just talk to me and tell me what happened!"

Nic brushed past her as he made his way back into the bedroom. Victoria followed him. "Nic, I'm serious, take it back!"

Nic turned to look at her. "What, are we fucking four years old? Now get dressed, I have to be there in five minutes," he said.




Seven Days Ch. 05



"Nic," she whispered, "please take that back. Please say you didn't mean it. Please," she begged.

Nic stared down at her. The look in her eyes was killing him. He really hurt her. There was no other emotion there. No anger, resentment, hatred...just pure sadness. Fuck! Nic felt dizzy for a moment. He hesitated. 'I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry I hurt you and I lo—' were all on the tip of his tongue. He licked his lips in preparation for delivering that message to her. Here goes...

He opened his mouth..."Get dressed, Victoria," was all that came out. 

Victoria could feel the sadness in her body giving way to another feeling that was coursing through her body. A numbness fell over her. She looked up at him, staring into his stone cold, expressionless face. It was gone. Whatever tiny thread of a connection that they had the other night...had now disappeared. He was looking at her like he had that first night she met him. When he didn't give a shit about her. That's exactly the way he looked now. Victoria continued to stare at his face until she could no longer see it. She looked through him while her mind was deep in thought. She was done crying. She was done with this rollercoaster. She was done with Nic Andretti. For good. Her heart, mind and body couldn't take it. He had called her a slut and pretty much confirmed that she would never be anything more to him. She wanted to punch him in the face and scream I hate you over and over to him. But that would show that she cared. She just couldn't anymore. 

Nic left the bedroom and walked down the hall. His stomach hurt. He stood by the bar nervously, wondering what the fuck he should do. He was never this indecisive. He was never this nervous. Even at dinner tonight with the Russians, he knew exactly what to say to land the deal. He had them in the palm of his hand. Even afterwards, Eddie had congratulated him on being the best, but he couldn't even smile. What had he just sacrificed to be the best?

After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and walked back toward the bedroom. He saw her slipping into a short black dress he had bought for her. She looked so damn good, but she wouldn't look at him. She walked to the bathroom and he followed. He leaned against the door, watching her apply makeup in the reflection of the mirror. Her hands were shaky, and her eyes were swollen and red. 'I fucked up,' he said in his mind, but couldn't verbalize it. She was so beautiful. Inside and out. A combination he had yet to come across until he met her. Even after she applied her eyeliner, a small tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly blotted it, and pulled her hair into a messy updo. She picked up a necklace Minka had chosen for her and tried clumsily to snap it behind her neck. She missed twice, before Nic gently took it from her hands and snapped it. He stood behind her, his chin to the top of her head, looking at her in the mirror. She glanced up at him, but she looked different. Withdrawn. He knew in that moment, he should have said something, but again...for the third time that night, he said nothing and walked away.

***********************

When they returned from the afterparty, Nic removed his jacket and sat his keys on the counter. Victoria quietly followed in after him and walked to the bedroom. She hadn't said a word to him all night. She shook the hands of different people she had been introduced to at the party, and talked to those people, but she refused to speak to him. Fine. Maybe it was for the best. She was supposed to be here for only one reason anyway. 

Nic made his way to the bedroom, and found her pulling her dress down and stepping out of it. She removed her strapless bra and panties, but before she could put anything on to sleep in, Nic grabbed her and gently pushed her back on to the bed. She just stared up at him. Nothing really registering in her eyes. Nic removed his shirt and unbuckled his pants. He pulled them down and eased his way on top of her, resting in between her legs. He pulled the covers up over them and then pushed his thick shaft into her pussy. He braced himself with his arms as he began to stroke in and out of her.

As always, she felt so good, but he looked down at her face, and she hadn't changed her expression. She was literally just lying there while he had sex with her. But Nic knew how to make her come and forget their problems. He put on his wicked grin, picked up the pace and started licking and biting her neck. He raised up to glance at her face again, but still nothing. He stilled himself within her when he saw a single tear roll down the side of her face. Fuck. It had never been like this between them. Even when she hated him, he was able to turn her on. Her body naturally responded to him. But now...nothing. He pulled out of her and rolled over onto his back. She still hadn't moved an inch. He would have felt better if she would have screamed at him or tried to smack him like she had done in the past. Nothing. He needed to clear his head. He needed to get away before he broke down his wall and fucked everything back up again by telling her how he felt.

He got up from the bed and pulled his pants back up. He placed his shirt back over his head, put his shoes on and walked out of the bedroom. He quickly grabbed his keys from the counter and left. 

Victoria rolled over onto her side when she heard the front door slam. She had never felt so empty and hurt in her life. She would never wish this kind of confusion and pain on anyone. Maybe Amber. But not anyone else. He had kissed her. He had made her feel so special just two nights ago, and now...he pretty much equated her to a prostitute who he had no respect for. She could have been a fucking blow up doll tonight, for all it mattered. She didn't understand what had happened and she figured she probably never would. Perhaps there was nothing really ever there to begin with. Maybe it was all in her head. She had never had much experience with men, and the few she did know, she could have done without. Nic had used her in every way, and just the thought of that was making her sick. She felt like such a fool.

But Victoria knew what she had to do now. She had to take control of her life, and stop letting people run it for her. She had to be smarter and stronger and grow a thicker skin and stop being the victim. She knew of one option. One way to end this all now. It was definitely a long shot, but she had to try. She would wake up early in the morning and set her plan in motion.

**********************

Victoria woke up extra early the next morning and called Nic's house, praying that he wouldn't answer. Her prayers were answered, when Jimmy picked up. She begged him for an address, and after a few minutes, he reluctantly gave it to her. She could tell that he probably knew what she was about to do, but at this point, she really didn't care. She just hoped that he wouldn't tell Nic until after she was done.

Victoria arrived an hour later at the address Jimmy had given her. It was Paul Marcone's estate. He immediately buzzed her in and she drove down his long driveway. Like Nic's, his house was also extremely beautiful. It looked like a large villa that belonged in Tuscany or somewhere exotic. There was a fountain with Koi fish that set directly in the center of the circular driveway.

Paul came outside to greet her with a large smile on his handsome face. "Victoria Davis, how are you?" he said, giving her a handshake and then pulling her in for a hug.

"Hi Mr. Marcone," Victoria said.

"No, none of that. Paul. Just Paul," he smiled down at her.

Paul hooked his arm through hers and led her into his stunning house. She could see through the windows in the back of the house that he had a tennis court and a pool. He quickly showed her around before they retreated to his office. Once inside, Victoria sat opposite Paul, looking around at his artwork on the walls. She then glanced at him, but quickly lowered her eyes. She couldn't believe she was about to do this. She was so nervous. He would probably just think she was crazy.

"So, how can I help you, Victoria?" Paul asked, sensing something was wrong. It wasn't every day someone like her showed up at his house, out of the blue.

How do you ask something like this? Victoria balled her hands up, took a deep breath and stared straight into his face. "Mr. Mar—Paul, I have a problem that I can't solve on my own. And if I had any other option, I would take it. But I don't think I do. I need...um, I need to borrow some money. Seventy thousand dollars," Victoria rushed out.

She stared at his face, looking for any change or surprise in her request. But she found none. He just sat looking at her. She hated that she was asking him for this. He probably had people asking all the time, and now she was no better or different than them. God, she hated money.

"And, I—I would try to pay you back as soon as I can. I realize that's a lot to ask for, but it's important to me. I'm a hard worker, and I'll pay you back one day. I promise."

Paul still sat unmoving, just staring. Victoria realized what she must look like. She barely knew him. They had only met once briefly at a party before his son had interrupted them. For all he knew, she could be playing him, just seeing if he would give her that much. She felt so stupid. She quickly grabbed her purse and stood.

"I'm so sorry, this was—shit, I'm sorry," Victoria said about to walk out.

"Victoria?"

She turned back around, "Yes?"

"Can you please sit back down so we can discuss this?" Paul asked. 

Victoria hesitated for a few seconds, but then walked back over to the chair and sat down.

"Victoria, that's a lot of money to ask for, without really knowing what the investment is or how you plan to pay it back. What would the money go toward?" Paul asked, leaning back in his chair.

This was the part Victoria didn't want to deal with. In her mind, when she accepted Nic's arrangement weeks ago, it seemed like her only option at the time. But...the idea of explaining it to people, made her feel weak and cheap. And although Paul seemed like a nice man, maybe in telling him of the arrangement, he would want a similar payment as Nic. At that moment the shame that washed over her was unbearable.

"Um, a-a while back, I..." Victoria said as her voice cracked. Keep it together, keep it together. "I accepted an arrangement with Nic. My fa-father owed him seventy thousand dollars for a failed business, but he couldn't pay it. So I..." the tears were already starting to brim to the surface, and her words were being cut off by her short breaths. Saying what she had done out loud was so much harder. Victoria quickly brushed a tear away before it fell. "I chose to stay a week with Nic to pay for the debt so he wouldn't hurt my family," she whispered, while two tears rolled down her cheeks. Victoria wiped them away as Paul came around to the front of the desk and handed her a tissue.

She wanted to thank him for the tissue, but she was afraid if she spoke at that moment, the floodgates of tears would open.

After a few moments of staring at her, Paul asked, "But now you're paying him the money anyway?"

Victoria swallowed several times before she could answer. "I—I can't do this anymore," she whispered, as more tears filled the brims of her eyelids. She blotted them with the tissue and squeezed the paper into a ball in her hand. How embarrassing to have to admit this to a man like Paul. Some lowlife, it wouldn't hurt so much. But for some reason, she didn't want Paul to think horrible things about her character. She really was a good person...even if she had lowered herself in many people's eyes. But too much had changed for her to accept even one more day with Nic, so she prayed Paul would understand.

Paul wiped his hand down his face and exhaled. "Victoria?"

She glanced up at him.

"Victoria, you do understand that this would be giving my competition seventy thousand dollars of my own money?" he asked, in a calm voice. 

Victoria felt so stupid. Another tear dropped and landed on her pants. She wiped the streak off with her hand and quickly stood. "I know, and it was a dumb idea for me to ask you. I'm sorry, I can figure out something else. Thank you for your time, Mr. Mar--," she couldn't even finish the rest. She had to leave before she broke down.

"Renny?" Paul shouted, and a young guy stepped through the door, blocking Victoria's exit.

"Yes, sir?"

"Can you please count out seventy grand for Ms. Davis and bring it in here? Thanks."

The young man nodded his head and walked out. Victoria lowered her head, absolutely speechless. Was he really about to give her the money?

Paul walked over to her and leaned against the wall. "I know you did what you felt you had to do to protect your family, and for that...I can only hold you in high regard, even more so than I already did."

Victoria had no words. She knew she needed to say thank you, but at the moment, she couldn't talk. How could a man in his line of work be so kind?

Finally, her voice was slowly coming back to her. "Thank you, Mr. Ma—Paul," Victoria stuttered, getting a little choked up.

Renny came back with a small black duffel bag. He handed it to Victoria. She had never held so much money in all her life. Funny, now that she was holding it...it seemed awful light...to be what she was worth. Seventy thousand dollars.

Paul walked with her back out to Nic's car. 

Victoria gave a smile as she got in. "Thank you again, Paul. I—I won't ever forget this," she whispered.

Paul kissed the back of her hand. "My pleasure, Victoria. Keep in touch."

"I will," she promised, as she pulled out of the driveway. She glanced back at him in the rearview mirror and he removed one of his hands from his pocket and quickly waved bye. No, she certainly wouldn't forget him...ever.

Now...onto the even harder part. Victoria drove to her next destination...hopefully for the last time. When she arrived at Nic's, she asked the person at the gate for Jimmy. He was about to buzz her in, when she asked him not to. She had wanted to meet him at the gate.

When she saw Jimmy walking down the driveway, she took a deep breath. No turning back now.

"Hey Vicky," Jimmy said, eyeing her suspiciously. 

"Hey Jimmy. Can you do me a favor and hand this to Nic?" she said, placing the duffel bag in his hands.

It didn't take Jimmy long to feel the neatly packed money through the bag. He sighed and looked back at her.

"Vicky, I..."

"No, please don't say anything Jimmy. None of this is your fault. I think you're a great guy. But nothing you can say will make me stay."

Jimmy leaned on her door. He brushed his hand through his hair and looked at her. 

"Alright, then I'll keep quiet."

"Thank you," Victoria said, as she moved the gear to reverse. 

"But you know he's going to come after you when he gets this, right?"

"I doubt he'll even care, Jimmy."

Jimmy scoffed, "Come on Vicky, he's crazy about you, he just won't admit it."

Victoria shook her head, "I thought maybe there was something there. I hoped it was. But, he couldn't say those things to me if he cared. I don't see how he could. But I have to go now. And can you tell Raymond I said 'bye'?"

Jimmy looked down at her. "I'm sure Raymond would rather hear it from you...and trust me, I'll give you a fifteen minute headstart, but he's gonna come find you. I know him."

Victoria planted a small smile on her face as Jimmy lightly squeezed her hand and then turned to walk back through the gate.

Victoria cursed herself all the way back to Nic's loft. She should have packed first, then driven to Paul's. That way she could just drop off his car and go. She really didn't want to go back there, and now the thought of Nic maybe showing up was more than she could handle. She just wanted this done and over with. 

Jimmy waited exactly fifteen minutes before he walked into Nic's office. He and Eddie were leaning over his desk, looking at maps.

"But what about this territory...that's still me, right?" Nic asked.

"Yes, but that's what Sonny was telling Anzor about. And..."

"What?" Nic asked Jimmy, cutting Eddie off. "And where did you go? You're my second...you need to be looking at this."

Jimmy walked up to the desk and placed the bag down. "Victoria wanted to drop this off for you," Jimmy stated matter of fact.

Nic's eyes dropped to the bag. He had seen bags like this before. Several times. They ALWAYS contained money. She couldn't...Nic looked back up at Jimmy.

"Did you open it?" Nic asked.

"No."

Nic slowly unzipped the bag and stared at its contents. Several neat stacks of hundreds were staring back at him. He felt a tightening in his chest. She wanted to get away from him that bad? He was having trouble breathing. He grabbed his keys and walked around his desk and left without so much as another word to either of the men in his office. Eddie looked at Jimmy and then peeked into the bag. Jimmy walked over to the couch and sat down. He hoped that wasn't the last he would see of Victoria. 

As soon as Victoria parked, she quickly said hey to Sam, and rushed upstairs. She flung open the door and sprinted to the bedroom. She grabbed her old duffel bag that was tucked into the corner of the closet. She picked up her new and old converse, the few clothes she had brought over to his place and her toiletries from the bathroom.

She ran out into the front room to grab her Scrabble board but then she couldn't find her poetry book. She usually kept it on the coffee table, but it was missing. She looked by his entertainment center, but it wasn't there either. She ran to the bedroom again, and searched around for it, dropping to her knees and was looking underneath the bed when she heard the front door slam. 

She slowly lifted her head as she heard him coming down the hallway. When he walked into the room, at first he didn't see her, but then their eyes locked. He looked pissed and...well something that she couldn't pinpoint.

"Where did you get the money?" he asked her, walking towards her.

"It doesn't matter. It's all there and now my family and I are done with you," Victoria said, rising to her feet.

"It does matter. Where did you get it?!" Nic shouted at her. He normally kept his voice in check, but he looked livid. Well, she was done with this. She wasn't about to let him intimidate her.

She tried to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm and slung her towards his body.

"Nic, let go," Victoria quietly said, while trying to pull her arm from him.

"Where the fuck did you get the money?!" Nic repeated, locking her upper arm into a death grip.

Victoria just stared at him. She wasn't going to play this game with him. She looked down at her arm, waiting for him to release her.

She wasn't fighting him back. She wasn't pulling away from him. She really was done with their arrangement. Nic had thought he had more time. More time to figure out what to do with her. She still had several more days with him, and now it had all ended. Rightfully, he had no reason to hold onto her, but he couldn't let go of her arm. This was it...in a few moments she'd be walking out of the door...and leaving his life. He tried to tell himself that this was the best for both of them, and that he needed to get his business under control, which he couldn't do with Victoria around. At least that's what his mind was telling him...but the heart...well, that's a separate matter entirely. He hadn't really used those muscles in a long time...and now the only good thing he felt about himself...was about to be ripped from him. She would move on with her life...meet someone...oh fuck. Nic licked his dry lips to say something. Anything.

But nothing came.

Victoria saw his eyes go soft. That was the first time since he had promised to make her Italian food that she had seen that look. But too late. She gently pulled her arm from his grip and walked around him. She needed to leave before anything happened. Before she weakened. She would just have to leave her book. She walked out to the front of the condo and grabbed her bag. 




Seven Days Ch. 05



"You're not going to take your clothes?" Nic asked, leaning against the wall. He would try to act like it didn't matter. Try being the operative word. He was good with a poker face.

"They're not mine," Victoria said as she walked towards the door.

"I gave them to you as a gift," he said softly. "I'd like you to keep them."

Victoria paused at the door. "I don't want them," she said as she pulled the door open and closed it behind her.

"Good bye, Victoria," Nic whispered to himself. He wasn't sure how long after she had left that he remained motionless, leaning against the wall...but he knew when he left this place, he knew it would be a long time before he'd ever return.

Nic tried to walk out calmly, but he felt the heat rising through his body. "Fuck!!" he shouted as he threw a lamp into the bar area, shattering glass all over the floor. He pushed his hands through his hair and walked out, slamming the door behind him. He couldn't let her go that easily. 

*************************

Victoria leaned her head against the bus window. This was the third and final bus before she reached her parents' apartment. She looked out onto the street and saw a few homeless men sitting in between cracks and corners of buildings. She saw groups of middle or high school kids playing around while walking down the street. She saw the old basketball court she had walked by a million times. It was empty, most likely due to the cold. She sighed as the bus turned a familiar corner and made its way down to her street. When she finally reached the area where her apartment was located, she exited the bus and stared at the ugly brick building. It seemed like forever since she had been there. 

When Victoria unlocked the door to the apartment, she instantly smelled her mother's cooking. That memorable smell made her feel all warm inside, despite it being freezing cold outside. She figured they had probably settled in for an early nap. She quietly tiptoed to the couch. She noticed new blankets were folded up and placed at the bottom of the couch. She figured her mother had probably been sleeping out here. She did that from time to time when she wasn't getting along with James. That would usually force Victoria to sleep on the hard floor. But they must have gotten over their problems if her mom was back in bed with her dad. 

It felt so good to actually be back among normal people. People who didn't jet set to exotic locations. Or have cooks and housekeepers and drive in the latest cars that had been imported from overseas. Yes, the land of the normal people was where she fit in. She sat down and was about to lean her head back, when the overhead light blinded her.

"What are you doing here?" her father's voice asked. She turned around, and was about to smile until she saw the mean expression covering his face. What now?

"Hi daddy, I've missed--,"

"I asked you whatchu doing here?" James repeated, folding his arms across his chest.

Victoria didn't know what to make of her father's unwelcome greeting. She studied the hard lines in his face and the tiny patches of gray that settled to the right side of his head. Her father looked much older than he was. And he had a constant wrinkle in his forehead from worry and disgust. He was always one of those two things. Worried or disgusted. And right now he looked disgusted. She looked behind him, and noticed her mother joining her father's side.

"Um, I've come to move back in," Victoria said, looking from her mother to her father.

"No the hell you haven't! You're not welcome in my place," James said.

Victoria stood in the middle of the floor, completely confused. Was her father joking? He never joked, but he had to be. Not welcome?

"You think people didn't tell me what you was doing with him? How you erased our debt? Oh, I know. I know everything," he spat out, narrowing his eyes at her.

Shit. She knew people talked, but she had hoped staying out of town would have stopped any rumors spreading. But...as always, they did. "Daddy, I--," Victoria started again.

"You hear me? You're not welcome here. I don't want some trashy daughter who whore herself around in my place!"

"James, don't call her that!" her mom shot at him, while tying her robe around her.

"Why not? It's the truth. I never in a million years think you stoop so low to clear our debt," James said, his eyes raking over her body in repulsion.

Victoria started to feel her blood boil and tears brimming on the surface of her eyes. Damn it, you better not cry, she chastised herself. Stand up!

"First off, it's not OUR debt, it was YOUR debt. But because of your bad decisions, me and mommy were drug down with you. You think this is what I wanted?! To do that?! He threatened to hurt you two if I didn't. And now, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have, but then, I didn't know that. I did it for you, and this is the treatment I get? Trust me, daddy, I already feel bad enough. You don't have to add to that," Victoria shouted, letting the tears finally fall.

"Calm down, honey. Everything just happened so fast. One moment you're here, the next we hear these awful things about you living with him--," her mom said, before her father interrupted.

"No, not living with him! From what I heard, she was staying at a separate location since he's MARRIED, and he would go whore around with her there. He didn't even have the decency to let her live in his home. Either she was just too dumb to get it or enjoyed being a common slut."

How dare he stand there and call her names. He knew NOTHING about what she had gone through. She was sick of this. Her body was weak and she needed rest. "Daddy, you don't know what went on between us. You have no clue. But I'm tired now, and I'm going to bed," Victoria said, while picking up her bag and heading to the bathroom. Her father caught her arm and swung her backwards, almost knocking her off balance.

"Oh, no you're not! I'm not having my enemy's slut staying in my house. You aren't welcome, now leave!" he demanded.

Olivia sucked in a gasp. "James, you ain't putting her out on the street like that. It's freezing out there," Olivia stated.

"This is my Goddamn apartment! My name is on the lease and she can't stay here. Seems like you gave that white man exactly what he wanted, now you gonna come crying to us. I don't think so! I swear before God, I'll drag you out of this house myself. Or call the cops. Street seem exactly where you would be best off. Make some more money I guess. You ain't no child of mine, you hear me!" James yelled furiously, while jerking her bag from her and flinging it towards the door.

Victoria's face was on fire with shame and shock. She couldn't believe she was being treated like this by her father. Someone who was supposed to love her unconditionally. Not that he had ever shown her that growing up. The only reason she was even in this situation was because her love for them...or at least her mom, WAS unconditional. She did all of this for them. She could have left home, started a new life, and left Nic to do whatever to her family. And this is her treatment in the end. But she knew her father...he would put her out or call the cops. He was like Mr. Parker in more ways than one.

She couldn't even look at him anymore. She turned to her mother, who was on the verge of tears herself. "Mommy, I don't have anywhere to go," she whispered, pleading with her mother to overturn her father's statement. Her mother quickly looked away. The sure sign that she was going to let her husband win this battle. Victoria felt so hurt and betrayed. She stared at her mother's turned down face a few moments longer, while a tear rolled down her cheek. Victoria nodded and walked to the door to retrieve her small duffel bag. She quickly wiped at another tear and exited her parents' apartment without looking back.

**********************

Outside, the cold air hit her, stinging her face. She could see her breath every time she breathed in and out. She wrapped her coat tightly around her and started walking towards her old bus stop. She had taken that bus everywhere. To school, to the mall...back when life was less confusing and harsh.

She sat down on the cold metal bench to think. It would be getting dark soon, and she only had twenty-two dollars and eighteen cents in her purse. She had to think of something. She refused to go back to Paul. He had already shown her more generosity than she felt she deserved. She looked out at some of the stores that were starting to turn on their closed signs. Fuck, it was freezing. She needed to think of something soon.

Victoria had worked all through school, so she never really hung out with anyone. Not anyone she could actually call on to stay with for a while. Yet another reason she resented her father. And her high school boyfriend had moved away a few years ago, or else he probably would have helped her out. But there was one other person. Perhaps there was one other person who could help her out of her homeless situation. She prayed that she could still call him "friend" even after what he knew about her and the way he was treated by Nic. She used the last of her money to hail a cab to Antonio's house. She was thankful that she had paid attention that night to where he lived. 

When she arrived at Antonio's, she knocked on the door. She had worked on her speech in the cab about what she was going to say to him. She realized she was showing up out of the blue and she didn't want to seem desperate...although she was. This was her last resort. If Antonio wouldn't accept her, perhaps she could find a shelter...but the thought of that made her miserable.

When Antonio answered the door, she watched the perplexed look on his face. He glanced around her looking down the street, and then he looked back at her again. "Victoria? What's wrong?"

"Hi, Antonio. Um, I know this is going to sound strange since I haven't spoken to you in a few weeks, but, I—I...oh, shit," Victoria whispered before she burst into a flood of tears and buried her face in her hands. She felt so pathetic. She thought she had been so brave today by leaving Nic, only to fall apart at her father's words. But at least she had refused to let Nic or her father see her cry. 

"Holy fuck," Antonio said, as he ushered her into his house. He quickly closed the door, then turned around and grabbed her in a bear hug. "Sshh, what's wrong?" he asked.

Victoria didn't want to let go of him. She buried her face into his chest and wept. Finally, someone who fucking cared if she was on the street and freezing to death. Someone whom she hoped who would treat her like a human being, and not some item or thing.

"Ssh...tell, me what happened," he said, as he pulled away from her and rubbed his warm hands over her frozen ones.

After a few moments, Victoria was able to calm down enough to explain to Antonio what happened. She told him everything and he sat and listened, nodding every now and then. When she was completely done, he pulled her close for another hug. 

"You're alright now, you know. And I know what you need. A nice, hot shower," he said, as he grabbed her hand and led her upstairs. He handed her a towel, washcloth and one of his large t-shirts. 

"Okay, now it's not much of a bathroom, but hey, the shower works and the toilet flushes. That's all I need," he smiled at her. Victoria nodded in agreement.

His bathroom was one tenth the size of Nic's, but something about that made her feel more comfortable. You certainly couldn't make love in his shower, but just that thought made Victoria want to burst into tears. She thought about that first kiss. How soft Nic's lips were, and how he had been staring back and forth from her eyes to her lips the whole time she had been talking to him. She let the hot water pour over her cold body...feeling as though little needles were pricking her.

Antonio stood outside the bathroom, leaning against the wall. He shoved his hands into his pockets, tilted his head back and sighed. Nic's words to him at his party ran over and over inside his head. He knew some would think him a fool, but there was no way in hell he could have turned her away. Consequences be damned. In a way, he was glad she had come to him. The thought of her being out there on the streets, while it's dark and freezing cold...sent a shiver down his spine. Thinking about all the lowlifes who could have hurt her and how scared she would have been pissed him off. But...this was Nic's girl. And he had already been warned. Antonio wasn't naïve. You don't fuck with these guys. They don't believe in calling the police or getting the courts involved. They accused, tried and executed those they felt deserved it. 

He heard the water shut off. He would deal with all of this later. Right now the most important thing was that she was happy and safe. Right now, that was all that mattered. Something about this girl made him feel overprotective of her. Even the first day he met her. He knew she was miserable at that party, and he wanted to see her smile. So invited her to his party instead. Something told him she would like it more. Until Nic showed up.

When Victoria got out and dried off, she put on his large shirt and pulled her jeans back on. She met him back out in the hallway. He grabbed her hand and led her to the end of the hallway.

"And you can take my bedroom," he said, while opening the door.

Judging on his room, he was definitely not expecting company. There were clothes all over his floor and a plate of food sitting on the floor by the bed. Pictures of different rappers and naked women littered his walls. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a questionable plant in the corner of his room.

"Uh, yeah...I believe in an herbal existence," Antonio said, noticing her staring at the plant. Victoria burst into a laugh. She sat down on the messy bed and looked up at him.

"I can take the couch. I would feel bad kicking you out of your room," Victoria said, but Antonio wouldn't hear of it. "No, absolutely not. My momma raised me better than that," he said, winking at her. 

"Where's Sean?" Victoria asked, remembering Antonio's roommate's name.

"Oh, he's visiting family back on the west coast. He'll be gone for the rest of the week."

That put Victoria a little more at ease. She already felt like she was imposing on Antonio, and she would feel even worse about imposing on Sean since she really didn't know him.

"I just want you to know that this is just until I can get back up on my feet, I promise. Then I'll be out of your way. And I'll be searching for a job first thing tomorrow morning," Victoria promised.

"Nah, don't worry about that...plus I'm sure Sean would love having you here...and would try to persuade you to take his bed...with him in it," Antonio laughed. But then his facial expressions became serious. "But seriously, don't sleep in his bed. Some of the girls he's brought back...have been questionable. I really think one was a dude. He claims it wasn't...but her hands were bigger than mine. I'm just saying," Antonio warned.

Victoria burst out laughing again. Yes, she would be okay now. As long as she was far away from Nic, she would be fine.

*********************

Later that night, Antonio had left to grab them some pizza, beer and movies to settle in for the night. Victoria felt horrible that she couldn't contribute any money to the food. She had to laugh at the fact that earlier that morning, she had held seventy thousand dollars, and now she was completely broke. 

During the movie, Antonio kept glancing over at Victoria. Her eyes were still a little puffy, and her nose had a slight red tint, but she seemed interested in the film. But his mind was spinning. He had to ask her. He had to know. Finally, halfway through the second film, he spoke up.

"So, you and Mr. Andretti done for sure?" Antonio asked.

"Yes," she said, while still staring at the TV screen. 

"Do you think he'll come after me, you know, since you were his girl, and now you're back at my place?" Antonio asked, taking a sip of his beer.

Victoria thought about it. Nic was so confusing to her. He ignored her at his party, yet came to drag her away from Antonio's. He cut her out of his life without so much a phone call, but then tried to stop her from leaving. She really had no idea. "Honestly Antonio, I don't know. I don't think he would hurt you though. He's so confusing to me."

Antonio laughed, "Gee, that's comforting."

"I'm sorry. Maybe it would be a good idea if I did go. I don't want to cause any problems for you," Victoria said, turning to Antonio. That's the last thing she would want. 

"Nah, don't. I'm already getting used to you sitting here on my couch," Antonio winked at her. "Besides, my mom always said I didn't have good sense. So, I'll take the chance." Victoria smiled back, but she could tell he wasn't so comfortable about pissing Nic off for the second time.

"Antonio, what did he say to you that night, when he came to take me from here?" she asked. It had been bugging her for a while now.

Antonio leaned back against the couch and sighed. "He said if I didn't want to know what the inside of a body bag looked like, then I better never touch you again."

Victoria's mouth dropped. "He said that to you?" Antonio nodded and took another sip of his drink.

Victoria turned her attention back toward the movie. "I'm sure he said it to try and scare you. He's bluffing."

Antonio shook his head. "See, Victoria...I know you would like to think that, but he's really not bluffing. Guys like him are serious and I'm sure plenty of people have seen a body bag because of Nic."

That sent a chill up Victoria's spine. She thought about the Nic who kept grabbing her ass and kissing her neck while she was staring at paintings at the museum. They way he had started to joke with her. The way he carried her from the shower to the bedroom after their intense kiss. His soft expression when she woke him up the next morning. Nic wasn't all bad. He wasn't this guy that Antonio was making him out to be. But then again, she had seen him switch up his personality on her. Turn completely cold. Maybe he was capable of such things.

"I'm sure it will be alright. I don't think he knows where I am, and I won't be here for long," Victoria assured him while trying to convince herself.

Victoria noticed Antonio turn back to the TV and continue sipping on his beer, but she could tell at this point that he was no longer paying attention. And she wasn't either. Her mind was reeling from everything that had happened over the past two days. How quickly everything had unraveled...and she still wasn't quite sure what had happened. But it was all over with now, and she would wake up in the morning and try to get on with her life, the life she'd been living before Nic became such a significant part of it.



Seven Days Ch. 06



The next morning, Victoria stared up at Antonio's ceiling. On a poster, looking back at her, was a half naked Latina who held the smile of a seductress on her face. She was wearing cut off jean shorts that looked more like panties, and a short wet, white shirt that was torn just right below her nipples. She was sitting on a counter by a cash register counting money and below her the caption read 'Sex sells'. 'It most certainly does,' Victoria thought sadly as she stared at the young woman. She wondered if the girl had a family who would look down on her for taking these photos. Did she have men degrade her for the decisions she had made? Victoria continued to stare at the pretty girl on the poster as she heard a knock on the door.

"Hey Vicky, are you decent?" she heard Antonio ask through the door. Decent. There was that damn word again.

"Yeah," she croaked out and sat up in the bed as Antonio entered.

"Coffee, dear?" he grinned, while handing her a cup.

Victoria smiled, "Thank you. Just what the doctor ordered."

Victoria took a small sip and glanced up at Antonio. He was dressed in tan cargo pants that were a little baggy, and a blue Best Buy shirt with a black long sleeve shirt underneath. His hair was still wet, giving him a little boy look.

"So you work at Best Buy?"

"Yep. Home theater department. It's not much, but it helps pay the bills."

Victoria nodded. "Yeah, I wasn't saying anything bad about it. Hell, it's more than what I have. So what do you do for...him?" She couldn't even say his name just yet.

"Oh, well, I'm...uh, I guess you could call it a runner. I pick up things and drop them off, no questions asked. He pays really well too, it's just that there aren't always drops to be made, so that's where the part-time job comes in handy."

Victoria thought about that while she took another sip of her coffee. 

"But hey, my shift ends at six and I can bring home some dinner. Do you like Thai?" Antonio asked.

Victoria nodded her head. "Hey, if it won't make you too late, can you tell me about some places here that I could waitress at?"

Antonio scratched his head. "Hmm, well your best bet is probably Calamity's Bar and Grill. It's at the corner of Turner and 45th street. It's...well, it's a step up from Hooters, but just barely. I mean, the girls have to wear these short black outfits, but they're not so bad. I used to bartend there and one of the managers is my friend. I can give him a call on my way to work. You're hot, Greg will hire you in a second."

Victoria didn't know if that was good or bad. "Um, thanks. That would be great. I'll just hop in the shower and take the bus over."

"Hey, do you want a ride? It's on my way. If you can get dressed in twenty minutes?" Antonio asked, hopeful.

Victoria hopped up. "Yep," she said grabbing her bag and running to the bathroom. She quickly scrubbed and pulled her hair into a messy, massive ponytail of curls. She wrapped the towel around her body and ran out of the bathroom, crashing into Antonio. He grabbed her as she almost lost her balance. She quickly tightened her hold on the towel. When he released her, she noticed his eyes quickly drink in her appearance before settling on her neck.

"What the fuck?" Antonio said, as he leaned in closer towards her neck. "What happened?"

Victoria touched the small purple bruises that were located at the base of her neck and her left shoulder. Her constant reminder.

"Oh, it's fine. It doesn't hurt."

Antonio lifted an eyebrow. "Are those...bite marks?"

Victoria was so embarrassed. "Uh, yeah. He, um. Yes, they are."

Antonio grinned, "Hehe, someone's a freak!"

"Shut up!" Victoria said, trying to conceal her own smile. "I am not."

"Well, he's Italian, alright. Mark your woman any way you can," Antonio laughed. Victoria swatted him on the shoulder and pushed past him to the room. She walked over to his mirror and looked at the marks. Two small dark purple bruises caressing her neck and shoulder. Suddenly images of Nic's predatory grin and piercing blue eyes came back to her. She thought of the way they always looked right before he would bury his face into her neck, and how she would run her fingers through his soft black hair. That picture seemed burned into her eyes. She shivered and quickly dressed. She would have to remember to put makeup over the bruises.

When they pulled into the parking lot of Calamity's, the outside didn't look so bad. Antonio had called his friend on the short drive over, so at least she had a leg up.

"Hey, I would go in with you, but Greg can talk forever and I'll be late. But see you later tonight with Thai. You're cool getting back by yourself?"

"Yes, daddy," Victoria laughed, getting out of the car. 

"Oooh, she called me daddy. Knew you were a freak!" he laughed, then sped off before she could tell him to shut up again.

'Fucker,' Victoria thought as she walked toward the restaurant. Calamity's definitely had a cluttered atmosphere about it. There were pictures of James Dean and Frank Sinatra everywhere, mixed with football and baseball paraphernalia. A pair of panties hung from one photo of Joe Montana and Betty Boop stickers were plastered on anything that was still.

She walked up to the hostess stand and noticed a guy and a girl arguing. The girl glanced at Victoria then back at the guy. She took off her small black apron, threw it at him and walked out.

The guy sighed and turned to Victoria.

"How many?" he asked, placing the apron behind his back.

"Oh, I'm looking for Greg. Is he here?"

"I'm Greg," he said, giving her a once over. "You must be Veronica."

"Victoria, actually. Nice to meet you," she said.

"Hostess or waitress? Bartender is full"

"Um, waitress, but I'll take whatever is available."

"You're hired. Follow me," Greg said, turning his back and walking quickly through the restaurant.

"So, do you have any experience?"

"Yes. My dad briefly owned a restaurant, but I've been waitressing a long time," Victoria said, trying to keep up.

"Good. Here are the outfits, pick your size. We give you one free, but the other two outfits come out of your paycheck. I know it's black, but keep them clean and no lint."

Victoria leaned over the counter looking for the correct size shirt and shorts...very short shorts.

Greg leaned against the counter drinking in her figure. "So, are you Antonio's girl?"

"No, we're just friends." Victoria pulled the right size from the stack of black clothing and turned to Greg.

"Wanna start now? My ex-girlfriend just quit on me and walked out...well, you saw it. And as we speak, she's moving out of my apartment. So I'm staying an extra shift to avoid that headache...so, basically I'll be here all day. I'll place you with Tracy to train. Restroom is on the left so you can change," Greg said, then turned to enter the kitchen.

"Thank you!" Victoria called after him. A small smile formed across her face. Finally, she'd be making her own money again. She wouldn't feel useless. She grabbed her work clothes and walked into the bathroom.

Okay...these shorts were really short. But at least the black shirt was able to be tucked down inside them. The neckline was low, but whatever, it was an honest job and she was grateful. And at least she got to wear her Converse.

When she walked out, she saw Greg standing next to a woman with long brunette hair. She was laughing at something he was saying. He turned his attention toward Victoria.

"Whoa, hot. Good. Alright, this is Tracy, she's going to be your shadow today. But I'm pretty sure you can handle it," Greg said, placing his arm around Tracy's shoulder.

Tracy smiled at her. "Hiya sweetie. Come on, I'll show you the ropes," she said in a thick southern accent.

The day moved by pretty fast. It was basic waitressing 101. The customers were a little rowdy, much different than Victoria was used to. She had several ask for her phone number and one college kid that kept staring at her ass. But all in all, the day went pretty well. And Tracy even shared some of her tips with Victoria, even though, technically, there were supposed to be none during training. When the day was done, she said goodbye to everyone and rode the bus back to Antonio's. On the bus ride, she couldn't help but think of Nic. She wondered what he was doing right that moment. Was he hanging out with that girl Kim? Was there any part of him that missed her? Did he care?

Victoria had reached the house before Antonio, so she grabbed the key from underneath the mat and let herself inside. She quickly changed out of her outfit and into a large shirt and jeans. She came back downstairs and realized how messy his house was. She started picking up different plates and bottles in the living room. She quickly washed dishes and straightened the kitchen. She went back into the living room and picked up his articles of clothing, magazines, and sports equipment. She emptied out ashtrays and organized his dvd's that were piled on the floor. One in particular caught her eye. When she was done cleaning, she placed the disc in the dvd player and sat down.

She was halfway through the movie when Antonio entered. 

"Honey, I'm home," he said, shaking off his hair. "Shit, it's raining hard out there. Oh, hey, you cleaned up. Sweet."

"Hey. You alright?"

"Yeah, just wet and cold. Did you get the job?"

Victoria smiled up at him. "Yep, I certainly did, thanks to you."

Antonio snorted. "Nah. That was thanks to your ass...I know my friend."

Victoria laughed. "Well, he seems nice enough. I already made some tips tonight. So, I can pay you back for the food."

"Vicky, stop trying so hard. Jesus babe, you've only been here for a day. Chill out. I'm not totally broke, you know. It's fine," Antonio said, pulling off his coat and setting the bag of food on the coffee table.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just...I don't know, thank you though."

"You're welcome. What are you watching? Is that Dracula? Fuck, that movie sucks," Antonio said, sitting down. 

"No it doesn't. I love this movie. I had never seen it before. I didn't realize so many stars were in this movie. And Gary Oldman is so amazing as the count," Victoria said, barely able to take her eyes from the film.

"He acted like a fucking pansy over a girl. I mean, he's supposed to be the fucking bad ass of them all. Dracula! He should have been killing people left and right, owning shit. Not harping over some girl," Antonio said, stuffing a bunch of noodles in his mouth. "That dvd is Sean's by the way. I would have never bought that shit. Give me Blade or something."

For some reason Antonio's assessment of the movie was unnerving for Victoria. She looked back at the screen and got chills at the way Dracula would stare at Mina. How she tried to struggle away from him in the theater, but he held her tight and she caved to his whim. This invisible power he held over her. Victoria gave a slight uncomfortable laugh.

"What's so funny?" 

"Nothing. I mean, I just always kinda...well, Nic always reminded me of a vampire. Watching this is...nevermind. Just strange."

Antonio looked at Victoria. She was picking over her food, obviously thinking about something. He placed his carton of noodles back on the table and wiped his hands. "Did you love him?" At first Victoria was taken aback. She immediately shook her head 'no', but then she slowly nodded and put her face into her hands.

Finally she looked back up at him. "I know you probably think that's loony due to the nature of our relationship. Trust me, I think that myself. I don't know, the whole thing was just crazy."

Antonio nodded his head then asked, "Do you think he loved you?" Victoria shrugged. "Sometimes I thought...just maybe there was something on his side. But in the end, I guess I was wrong. I mean, there was always something in his eyes. Like he was in war mode at all times, but every now and then...I would get that small glimpse of peace. It was usually fleeting, but when I saw it, it was beautiful. It was like catching Dr. Jekyll right after Hyde had disappeared. I don't know. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the only way I know to explain it. And yes, I do think I'm crazy," Victoria laughed and then sighed.

"Did he ever...you know, did he ever force you?" Antonio asked. 

Victoria shook her head. "No."

They both sat there in silence thinking over the conversation as Bram Stoker's Dracula continued to play in the background.

"So, enough about me, why don't you have a girlfriend?" Victoria asked, picking through some cashew chicken.

"Well, I did up until about a month ago. She wanted me to do the whole suit and tie and get a job working at a bank or something. That is sooo not me."

"But at least it's legal, and you don't have to worry about getting arrested with anything illegal in your car, Antonio. Perhaps you should have listened to her."

"Yeah, but getting a job like that, it will be years before I actually start making any dough. Working for Mr. Andretti, I can move up the ranks and retire in no time. I mean, my moms has been working all of her life, and I'd love to see her just sit back and relax. That would be perfect. And Nic, hell, he could retire tomorrow if he wanted to, and he'd be set for life. So would his kids and grandkids."

Victoria had to admire Antonio's intentions, in a way, but she couldn't imagine him going down Nic's path. She felt there was more hope for him than that.

"You admire him, don't you?" Victoria asked, picking up a dumpling.

"I mean, I don't know. Well, I'm twenty-five, and he's what, thirty-two. That's only seven years older than me, and he's done so much. He's Italian-American like me and when he walks into a room people listen. He commands respect and he always gets what he wants. People just do what he says."

"You know if you're nice and just ask, people will usually do what you say too," Victoria stated.

Antonio shook his head and chuckled. "It's a guy thing, Vicky...you wouldn't understand."

Victoria smiled, "I guess not."

*****************

"And this is the last one, Nic. It's to make sure that the bartenders at the club...Nic?" Eddie asked. He slowly waved his hand in front of Nic's face.

Nic's eyes followed Eddie's hand before they locked on his eyes. "Yes?"

"Um, I was just saying this is the last one you have to sign," Eddie sighed.

Nic leaned down, glanced over the document and then signed his name. Eddie scooped up the papers and stuffed them in his briefcase. He gave a small smile to Nic before he quickly exited.

Nic leaned back in his chair. He slowly ran his hand over the top of his desk, thinking about the time he and Victoria made love on top of it. The light blue lingerie had hugged her curves, causing his manhood to stand at full attention. God, what was it about that girl? He would never admit it to anyone, but he dreamt about her. It had only been a couple days, but he kept feeling a tightening in his chest. He wanted her back. A part of him wanted to make up for the night he called her a slut and ruined everything. But another part of him thought, how dare she leave him like that. And he was still trying to figure out where she had gotten the money. 

The day after she had left, Nic had wanted to go over to his loft. Just maybe, she would be there, waiting on him like she had been for the past few weeks. But he knew she was gone. She would not be sitting balled up on the couch reading her book or watching one of those sappy Lifetime movies. She was really gone. Funny, all of the things he'd worked so hard for in life...a large house, several cars, and many other material things could not make him happy. Nothing could cheer him up. At the end of the day, those things didn't smile back at him. Those things didn't make him laugh. And those things didn't hug him back while they made love. Only one thing made him feel that way. He had to have her back. He would figure out a way to handle Victoria and business. But something told him, eventually he'd have to make a choice if she were back in his life.

His men had gone to her parents' house, expecting her to be there, but after a day of sitting outside of their apartment, she never came or went. So, she wasn't staying with them and Nic wondered why. As he was thinking about where she could be, Jimmy came in.

"Hey Nic, we found her," Jimmy said.

Nic immediately sat up. "Where is she?"

Jimmy hesitated for a second, and then said, "She's staying with that kid, Antonio."

Nic clenched his jaw. 

"What do you want me to do?" Jimmy asked.

Nic sat for a moment thinking. He then looked up at Jimmy. "Bring him in." 

Jimmy nodded his head and left the room.

*********************

"Screw you, fucker. I'm about to go home to some good cooking and a sweet little lady while you're jacking off in the bathroom on your break. Peace," Antonio said grabbing his jacket and gigging his friend and co-worker Freddie.

"Right back at ya, punk!" Freddie yelled and then laughed.

Antonio flirted with a cashier, until a customer tried to ask him a question. He quickly zipped past them and out of the busy store. It was pouring down rain, so he pulled on his hood and whistled while walking to his car. He reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell phone. He was about to dial his house phone when he halted in his tracks. Leaning up against his car were Jimmy and another of Nic's men. Fuck!! He knew he was in trouble. It wasn't every day that Nic's main guy came to visit you. And it was never a good thing. He slowly started to walk toward them.

Jimmy was holding an umbrella and sipping a fountain drink through a straw. When he was done, he tossed it aside. "Hey Antonio. I need you to come with me," he said.

Antonio knew this wasn't a negotiation. He nodded his head and followed the two men to another car and got in. Neither Jimmy nor the other man said a word to him on the ride to wherever they were going. Antonio started thinking about his mother. He thought of her wondering what happened to her son once they killed him. The little bit of money he did send to her would stop, and she would be all alone in this world. He thought about his ex-girlfriend, Shauna. She had told him to get a fucking desk job. Then he wouldn't be riding in the back of a car that might as well have been a hearse to his inevitable death. 

When they reached Nic's home, he got out of the car and they escorted him inside. Funny, Antonio had dropped several packages off at Nic's house and served as a waiter at parties, but he'd never actually seen the inside past the ballroom area. 

Jimmy guided him up stairs and into a large room. Antonio saw Nic sitting behind a desk. When Nic noticed them enter, he got up from his chair and walked around to the front of the desk and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Have a seat, Antonio," Nic said.

Antonio sat down in front of him. He didn't like being at such a disadvantage. Nic was already a tall guy, and now he was leaning over him while Antonio was forced to sit.

"I guess you can probably guess why you're here, right?" Nic asked, staring at the scared kid.

Antonio nodded his head. "Yes, I can."

"Which is?"

"Victoria."

Nic's heart fluttered at the mention of her name. None of his men ever said her name. They said, 'she' or 'her' or even 'Ms. Davis', but never just 'Victoria'. 

"Yeah, Victoria," Nic repeated. He watched as Antonio wiggled in his seat. "Did you sleep with her?"

Antonio's eyes bulged out of his head as he stuttered, "N-No! Absolutely not, Mr. Andretti. I haven't touched her, I swear to God."

Nic stared down at the young man. "You haven't touched her, though she's staying in your house...even after I warned you? How does that work?"

Antonio felt like he couldn't breathe. He glanced down at the floor praying he could talk his way out of this. "Antonio?" he heard Nic say. He quickly looked up at him.




Seven Days Ch. 06



"Choose your words carefully," Nic warned in a low voice, glaring at him.

Antonio licked his dry lips. "I--I, fuck, sir, she came to me and she was cold and crying and she didn't have anywhere to go. I didn't know what to do, but there's no way I could have shut my door on her. I just--I couldn't do that," Antonio said. "I know you warned me, but I promise, she slept in my room and I slept on the couch downstairs. Swear to God." Antonio finally took a breath and squeezed his eyes shut. Holy fuck, how did he get into this mess?

Nic tried not to let Antonio's words affect him, but they did. He hated the thought of her cold and crying, turning to practically a stranger for help. She should have been with him. But the wheels in his head started turning. He knew of one way of getting Victoria back. She wouldn't have anywhere else to turn. 

Nic stood there, leaning against his desk. He glanced over to Jimmy who was standing silently in the corner like he always did. Everyone in the room was quiet, waiting for him to make a decision. In life, Nic realized everything was a fucking chess game. And he had just figured out his next move. 

"Antonio, I have a proposition for you. Actually, more of an exchange. I heard through the grapevine that you want to be more of an inside man, is that right?"

Antonio opened his eyes. "Um, yes sir, I'd love to move up the ranks some," he said, sweeping his eyes across the other men in the room. 

"How about I make that happen for you."

Antonio turned his attention back to Nic. "What? Really?"

"Yes, I can make that happen. You'll get a major pay bump and you won't have the shit jobs anymore. I can make all of that happen for you, but you have to do something for me," Nic said.

Fuck, that meant taking care of his mom for good. No more backbreaking work for her. How did he go from thinking he was shark food to possibly being an inside man. "Of course, sir, anything," Antonio said, too eagerly.

Nic hesitated for a moment. Then looked him straight in the face. "Good. You have to kick Victoria out of your house."

Hearing that was like a bucket of ice being thrown on Antonio. The smile faded from his face. "What?" Antonio asked.

"Tell her to leave. Tonight."

"But, where will she go?" Antonio asked. 

"That's not really your concern, but she'll be with me."

"Sir, I can't do that," Antonio said, lowering his head. God, he wanted so bad to be on the inside. And at his age, that meant that by the time he was in his early thirties like Nic, he would have his own mini empire. Shit!

"Yes you can. I'll take care of everything regarding her. Plus, you don't get opportunities like this handed to you very often. And I'm sure you wouldn't want to consider the alternative," Nic said, before he walked to the door. "Let's go."

*****************

Victoria was so proud of herself. She had finally learned to perfect Lasagna. She had been looking over several recipes all day, and found the perfect one. Sure, it was a basic dish, but she was still proud that she had made it. The cheese was a bright golden color, and the edges were slightly browned, and the smell...oh, it was fantastic. She couldn't wait for Antonio to taste it. He couldn't make fun of her Italian cooking anymore, seeing that she had tried to make chicken parmigiano the night before and it was...well, nasty, no other word. And she had been bragging that entire day about how good a cook she was. But tonight, she would redeem herself. She was adding tomatoes to the salad, when she heard the front door unlock. She quickly picked up her Lasagna masterpiece and headed to the front of the house.

"Ta da!" she shouted, and held the scrumptious dish right under Antonio's nose when he entered.

But he didn't smile. He didn't even look at her. He looked down at the dish, and then pushed past her. She slowly turned, wondering what she had done. She quietly watched as he removed his coat and ran a hand through his dripping hair. He stood with his back facing her.

Victoria stared down at her dish, then back up to him. "Antonio? I didn't think it was that bad," she tried to joke.

Finally he turned around to face her. "Vicky...I, shit!" he shouted. 

"Jesus, Antonio, what's wrong?"

"I did something, that, well, I'll probably regret. No, I KNOW I will regret. Just please find it in your heart to forgive me. Please," he said, walking closer to her.

Victoria started to get a cold chill creeping through her body. She stared at his face, and realized something really bad had happened.

"What do you want me to forgive?" she whispered.

Antonio exhaled. God, she looked so small and fragile standing there holding dinner that she had prepared for him. She had been with him less than a week. He exhaled again and rushed out his explanation, as if to lessen the blow. "Mr. Andretti...he, fuck, he offered me an opportunity to be on the inside."

Victoria tried to smile, but she figured there was more that he wasn't telling her. Why would Nic offer that...especially to Antonio? "Well, that's good. It's what you've been waiting on. I'm happy for you."

"Shit!" Antonio screamed again, while kicking his coffee table over. The sudden move and loud crash caused Victoria to jump, but she said nothing, waiting on him to disclose why he was so upset.

"He...the only way I can have the offer is if I make you leave my house...tonight," Antonio whispered, staring down at the ground.

Victoria couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not again. This can't be happening. No way this could be happening. "And you said yes," she whispered, staring down at her perfect creation. She felt him sliding closer to her. 

"Yes," he quietly whispered back. Immediately, as if on cue, tears sprang to the surface of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. At that moment she hated her life. She hated that people had this power over her. They could just use her and toss her out. Nic, her father, and now Antonio. The pain of her existence started to really hit her hard. She moved around him and walked to the kitchen. She sat the lasagna down, and covered her mouth before a loud cry escaped. She really was all alone. She tried her best to calm her breathing and hysterical cry, but it was painful keeping it in.

"Fuck!" she heard him say from the living room. He walked into the kitchen and tried to hug her, but she pushed him off and walked upstairs to his bedroom to pack.

He quickly followed. "I'm so fucking sorry Vicky. I'm sorry, I can't tell you how much. Shit!" he said, as he watched her pile her few belongings in her tattered duffel bag. She couldn't stop crying. She hated crying in front of people who she felt had wronged her. She was tired of being so fucking weak. Weak, stupid slut, she thought, which caused her to momentarily laugh, to keep from seeming so pathetic.

Antonio tried to grab her again, but she pushed him off. "Don't touch me! Just leave me alone, okay," she huffed out, and stomped out of his bedroom. He chased behind her and tried to grab her again before she exited.

"Let go of me!" she screamed hysterically at him, while he pulled her in for a bear hug. "No, get off me!!"

Antonio wouldn't release her. He kept trying to whisper his apology in her ear, but she didn't want to hear it. She was tired of men. Tired of their lies, manipulations and cruelty. She was done with them all. She finally shoved him as hard as she could, and that broke his bear hug.

She flung open the front door and immediately froze. Leaning against a black Escalade was Nic. He was dressed in his signature black suit and long black coat. He was holding an umbrella while the rain poured around him.

Antonio slowly closed the door and leaned his forehead against it. He hated himself in that moment. He was sending her right back to Nic, which was something she had fought so hard to escape. 

"Shit!" he said again, as he kicked the door and then walked upstairs.

Victoria hated that Nic was seeing her like this. All broken and crying again. Maybe he got off on seeing her in this state. Probably did. The rain was freezing and falling in large fat droplets. Her hair was already matted to her face and neck. She picked up her two bags and walked down the steps of Antonio's house. When she reached the sidewalk, she turned to the left right past Nic.

"Victoria, get in the car. It's freezing," Nic said, opening the backseat door. His heart had skipped a beat seeing her step out of the house. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Fuck, he needed to pull his shit together!

Victoria ignored him and kept walking. 

Nic slammed the car door and stalked after her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him and under the umbrella.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Victoria screamed at him, pushing him, causing him to drop the umbrella, while he gripped both of her arms.

"Get in the fucking car! We can talk in there," Nic shouted at her, while pulling her backwards.

"Let go! I fucking hate you!" Victoria shouted, pushing him as hard as she could. But he wouldn't release her arm. "Where are you going to go, huh? Where? Victoria, get in the fucking car and I'll put you up anywhere you want. Just get in," Nic said.

"I don't want anything from you! And I don't owe you anything! Now let me go!!" Victoria shouted, pulling her whole body away from him, but he gripped her shirt tighter. He jerked her towards him again, and she almost lost her balance. The rain was stinging her eyes and she was already starting to shiver. But she absolutely refused to go anywhere with him.

"Get your hands off me!" she cried. "I'm not your plaything anymore. Let go!!"

"Victoria, you have nowhere to go," Nic whispered to her.

"Then I'd rather be out on the streets than to be in your bed even one more night," Victoria spat at him, breathing quickly through her nose. 

That felt like a kick to his gut. She really hated him that much? He stared down into her face to see if there was any part of her hesitating. But nothing. She wanted him to leave her alone. Well, fuck, he wasn't about to beg her. His mind told him to let it go. Here he was standing out in the rain having a shouting match with her, something he NEVER would have done with Amber, or any other woman for that matter...yet, here he was. What a fool. He noticed her shivering and the rain had molded her clothes to her body. Fuck her, she could leave in the freezing cold rain and be alone. Why should he care? He released his grip from her and turned to walk back to his car.

Victoria quickly picked up her bags and stomped off down the street and turned out of sight.

Nic got into the car and wiped the water from his face. "We can go back, Raymond". They started to make the drive home when Nic shouted "Fuck!" He didn't want to let her go without knowing she'd be safe. Goddamn this girl! He had figured getting her to go with him might be a stretch, but he didn't realize she would refuse the way she did. Now, he felt like an idiot for having Antonio make her leave. As much as he hated that kid, he would rather her be in his house safe and warm, then out on the streets alone and freezing. 

"Turn back around, Raymond. I need to find her," he said, whispering the last part more to himself.

Victoria didn't know where the hell she was going. Her body was so cold, but she kept walking until she came across a park and sat down on the covered benches. The cold wind and rain were whipping her hair around her face. She was freezing, but couldn't force herself to budge. So far all of the men in her life had used her. Her father had taken away her childhood. She spent every day after school and weekends working in his failed businesses. So many friends' birthday parties, prom and many other events she had missed because of him and his constant need for success at any cost. She lowered herself to ensure that no harm would come to them, and he repays her by attacking her character and kicking her out of the apartment. The apartment that as of late, Nic had paid for. And her one friend...Antonio. She thought they were close. Even though she wasn't able to pay half of the rent yet, she did all of the household chores...yet here she was with nowhere to stay because she didn't own anything of her own. And Nic...he had used her for the last time. There was no way in hell she was going anywhere with him. Even if she wanted to, she just couldn't do that to herself again.

She had a few bucks on her and hailed a cab to the only place she had left to go. She was doing what she prayed she wouldn't have to do again. But she really had no option.

"Hello, is Mr. Marcone there?" Victoria asked, when she pressed the intercom button. Her fingers felt frozen trying to hold the button down.

"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"

"Victoria Davis." After a few moments, the gate opened and Victoria walked through. When she reached the front door, Paul opened it with a big smile, which quickly faded into a frown.

"Victoria?"

"I'm so sorry to bother you so late at night," Victoria chattered through her teeth, dripping water all over his floor.

"Nonsense, come in. My God, you're freezing." He quickly barked orders at different people to bring some towels and a blanket.

"I want you to explain this to me later, but right now, we need to get you warm," Paul said, leading her upstairs. When they reached a large bathroom, he turned the faucet on. "I'll step out, but please get in and get yourself warm. You're skin is ice cold. The water is on warm instead of hot, so you can adjust better." He turned to walk out.

Victoria removed her clothes, which took a while since her fingers felt like they were frozen. When she stepped in the tub, the water was painful. But she forced her body down under the warm liquid. She coughed and then sneezed. Fuck. Her body was already aching and her eyes were watery. She stayed submerged under the water for a few more minutes before shakily standing up and wrapping herself in a towel.

She slowly opened the door and walked out. The young man who had handed her the bag full of money that day, was waiting for her in the hall.

"Ms. Davis, if you would please follow me, I'll show you to your room," he said.

"Oh. Thank you. And just Victoria," she said, as she walked closely behind him.

It was a large guest room, beautifully decorated. The heat filled her nostrils when she walked in. The young man turned on the light and was about to exit when she called out to him.

"Um, thank you...?"

"Renny. And you're welcome," he said as he left.

Victoria grabbed the large robe that was folded on the bed and slipped into it. She felt like shit. Her whole head felt like someone had hit her several times with a baseball bat. Her nose was burning and her chest felt tight.

She wanted to go find Paul and tell him thanks, but her body was so tired, she could hardly think. She pulled back the covers of the bed and got in. The sheets were so warm and comfortable. Within a few seconds, Victoria was asleep.

After a while, Victoria saw a small light shine into her room as someone placed a tray on the nightstand beside her. Her nose was stopped up, but she was sure it was food. She rolled back over and nodded off to sleep again. 

Later that night, Victoria woke up gasping for air. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her whole body was shaking. She tried to get up from the bed, but knocked over the lamp and tray that sat on the nightstand. They hit the floor with a loud crash, spilling food everywhere. Fuck! 'I'm more trouble than I'm worth,' Victoria thought, trying to clean up the mess.

A few seconds later she heard footsteps coming down the hall. Shit. As soon as Paul entered, she tried to apologize. "I'm so sorry, I was—," Victoria tried to get out, before Paul shushed her. 

"I have my doctor coming over to examine you," he said, helping her up from the floor and back into the bed. "I've been checking on you while you were asleep, and your breathing is really labored and you're running a temperature."

Victoria could barely listen to what he was saying. Her head was exploding. She laid back down and he pulled the covers around her. After a few more minutes, Renny escorted another man into the room. He was an older man with a bag. He took her temperature and held the cold part of the stethoscope to her chest. Victoria started fading in and out as Paul and the other man talked. That was the last thing she remembered before she fell back into a deep sleep.

*****************

Nic was furious and...hurt. 

"Turn down here," he said to Raymond. It was now three in the Goddamn morning and they were still searching for her. Nic cursed himself. He should have just followed her. It was freezing outside, and she only had a flimsy little jacket on since she had refused to take any of the clothing he had bought for her. He got desperate and had gone to her parent's house. That...had been interesting.

He had knocked on the door several times. He could see them pacing back and forth through the light in the peephole and he could hear them frantically discussing something. No doubt, whether or not to open the door for him. But then, finally, her father had answered.

"Yes?" he said.

"I'm looking for Victoria, is she here?" Nic had asked.

"No."

"Do you know where she is?"

"No."

Nic narrowed his eyes at James. His next question was going to be, 'Do you care where she is?', but Nic didn't have time to argue with him. 

"If you see her, tell her to call me. She has the number."

James just stared at him and then tried to close the door. Nic couldn't resist any longer. He stopped the door with his hand and leaned close to him. "You may not owe me any money, but I can still make your life hell," he threatened.

James nodded slightly, "I'll tell her to call if I see her."

"Thank you," Nic said, and removed his hand from the door.

But now he and Raymond were still driving around in the rain looking for her. Antonio had gotten in his car to look as well, but he had not called to give him any good news. Fuck! 

By four-thirty in the morning, they pulled back up to his house. He needed to get into some dry clothes and get his head straight. When he opened the door, he saw Jimmy standing there with a worried look on his face.

Nic's heart dropped. "What?" he asked.

Jimmy hesitated, then said, "Hey Nic, look, don't hate me okay? But...I know where she got the money from, and I know where she probably is right now."

Nic wanted to punch Jimmy in his fucking face. Why he hadn't told him earlier would be another conversation at another time, but right now he needed to get to Victoria. "Where is she?" Nic asked, burning a hole through Jimmy.

"She, uh, well the day she brought the money to you, she had called me earlier asking for Paul Marcone's address. So, I figure that's the only person she could have gotten it from. I would have told you earlier if—"

Nic turned and walked away from him. He didn't want to hear. That motherfucker had known all this time where she was and hadn't told him! Paul Marcone...what the fuck kind of relationship did they have? He didn't even know Victoria knew him. He marched upstairs to his office, pulled the bag from a small safe and quickly returned downstairs.

He walked out of the door without saying another word to Jimmy.

********************

When Nic finally pulled up to Paul's gate, they quickly let him enter. As soon as he parked he walked up to the door and was greeted by Paul.

"Hey Nic," Paul said, extending his hand.

"Paul," Nic said, shaking the older man's hand. "I believe this belongs to you," he said, handing Paul the black duffel bag. 

"Hmm, thank you," Paul said, looking at the bag, then placing the strap over his shoulder. 

"Is she here?" Nic asked, scanning behind Paul.




Seven Days Ch. 06



"Yes, she is. I'll tell her you're here," Paul said, turning to walk upstairs. Nic wanted to follow him, but this was Paul's house, and he would try his best not to be disrespectful. No matter how pissed off he was.

Victoria was awake, but still she felt a bit weak. Her eyelids felt heavy. But whatever the doctor had given her had made her feel much better.

"Victoria?" she heard Paul say as he entered. "Good, glad to see you awake. Are you alright?"

"Yes," Victoria croaked out. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome. I need to let you know that Nic is downstairs and he wants to see you."

Victoria quickly woke from her haze. "No! I mean, no, I don't want to see him."

Paul nodded his head and left the room.

Nic waited patiently as Paul came back downstairs.

"Nic, she doesn't want any company at the moment. But if you come back later, perhaps--"

"Paul, you and I both know I'm not leaving here until I speak with her."

Paul narrowed his eyes at Nic. He didn't want to get in the middle of this lovers' quarrel, but he also wanted to respect Victoria's wishes. She had come to him for help.

"I understand you're concerned Nic, but causing a scene in my house won't make this situation better for her."

Nic stepped around Paul and started heading towards the stairs. Renny approached from the side blocking Nic's path.

"Sorry sir, Mr. Marcone asked you to come back," Renny said.

"Paul, I have a lot of respect for you, but I'm about to drop this kid and head upstairs anyway. Now if you don't want him hurt, I suggest you tell him to move," Nic said, just a few inches from Renny's face. 

Paul could easily call another of his bodyguards, and blow this whole situation out of proportion. But he knew that Nic wasn't thinking rationally. And that he probably would break Renny's nose. Paul didn't know every detail about Nic and Victoria's strange relationship, but he did know that there were more feelings involved than either one was letting on. He stared at the back of Nic's body, which was tense. He had always liked Nic. Much more than Nic's father. Nic had a brutal honestly about him. Paul respected that. He wished his own son could be more like Nic. But Sonny was sneaky and unreliable. Two traits that neither Paul nor Nic possessed.

"Renny, let Mr. Andretti pass," Paul said. Nic moved forward, barely giving Renny a second to move out of the way. Paul followed behind. "I would like to give her a heads up, Nic. So she won't think I am betraying her."

Nic stopped when they reached the top of the stairs. "Alright," he said as Paul moved ahead of him and entered a room at the end of the hallway.

Victoria looked up to see Paul come in. "Is he gone?" she asked.

"No. Actually, he's right outside the door. He wants to make sure you're okay, Victoria. He was very insistent. I'll stay in the room if you want. So is it alright to let him in?"

Victoria really didn't want to see Nic. Not now. Not when she felt and looked so weak. To fight him, she needed all of her strength. But she didn't want Paul to go through so much trouble just because of her. So she nodded her head.

Paul walked to the door and let Nic into the room.

Immediately Nic was concerned. She looked so frail. He wanted to scoop her up and put her in his car and take her to his house. Where she belonged. Her big, brown eyes looked weak and less expressive than they normally were. And although the room was pretty toasty, she shivered.

Victoria watched as he scanned over her body. And then he turned to Paul.

"Has a doctor seen her?"

"Yes, my family doctor came. He diagnosed it as a slight case of pneumonia, but he gave her some antibiotics, and already she's doing much better."

"This is much better?" Nic accused. "I want my doctor to see her," he said, looking back down at her.

"Nic, I assure you, my physician is one of the best. She's already feeling better."

Nic tore his gaze away from her and glanced at Paul. "I need to speak to her alone."

Paul looked back at Victoria and she slowly nodded her head. Paul walked out and closed the door behind him.

Nic removed his jacket and sat down on the bed. "So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Victoria answered. She took in his appearance. He seemed tired. His eyes were a darker blue and he had small dark circles underneath them.

"So basically, you'd rather get pneumonia than come back with me?"

"Nic, I have no reason to be with you now. You have the money. So just leave me alone."

"Actually, I don't. I gave it back to Paul. What are you going to do when you leave here?" Nic asked, wanting so bad to pull those covers back and get in bed with her. He knew another way to cure her sickness and hopefully make her feel better. Make himself feel better.

"I don't know, but I'll figure something out."

Nic exhaled. "I'd like you to come stay in my house with me."

Victoria shook her head. "Nic, you just don't get it, do you? You treated me like shit! Like I was nothing. I even gave you a chance to explain your actions, and you refused. And instead, you called me...you made me feel so low. I felt worse the last night I spent with you more than the first night I spent with you. And I don't ever want to feel that way again. And then on top of that, you get my friend to kick me out when you KNEW I had nowhere to go. Why would you do that to me?" Victoria asked, staring at him with hurt in her eyes.

Nic had no answer. Well, none that he actually wanted to divulge to her. "Victoria, I know I've made some decisions that you don't understand, but I have my reasons for making them."

Victoria scoffed. "If that's all you have, then please leave."

"Victoria," Nic whispered, but she rolled over onto her side, facing away from him.

Nic got up from the bed, turned off her light and walked out.

When he reached his house, Jimmy was sitting by the door. Nic ignored him and marched upstairs to his office. Jimmy followed.

"So, is she okay, Nic?" Jimmy asked, shutting the office door behind him.

Nic glanced up at him and narrowed his eyes. "And what was your reasoning for not telling me?"

"Nic...I just wanted her to be okay."

"You have a job and you weren't fucking doing it!" Nic growled at him.

"You know, if being a fucking decent human being is not a part of my job, then fuck, I quit!" Jimmy shouted back.

Both men stood there staring each other down. 

Jimmy finally relaxed and loosened his tie. "Fuck, Nic. I've known you since we were little kids still wanting to be on the right side of the law. Over the years, I've never questioned you. And we've done some pretty shady shit, and hurt a lot of people, but I never minded because I felt like they deserved it. Hell, I even enjoyed it sometimes. But Nic, Victoria doesn't deserve this. I mean, you really thought you could take away all of her options, and she'd come back to you with arms wide open? It doesn't work that way. I know you're so used to getting what you want, and to have someone throw that all back in your face is new to you, but that's no reason to hurt someone who hasn't done anything wrong. Fuck, Nic. I...look, she was sad and miserable. I knew what she was planning to do, and a part of me wanted her to. This whole thing with her has gone way too far."

Nic sat down at his desk. "Are you done?"

"You don't even realize that you love her, do you?" Jimmy asked, shaking his head.

"Jimmy, you don't know shit about our relationship. Love? You have no clue what you're talking about."

"Right...you couldn't possibly love her. That's why you were parading her around as your girlfriend a few weeks ago. Spending every other night at your condo, or driving around in the rain at five am searching for her. Because you don't love her, right?" Jimmy retorted sarcastically. 

"Done?"

Jimmy shook his head. He knew there was no getting through to Nic, because he would never admit that Jimmy was right about something like this, even if he knew it was true. He would lock it deep down inside and ignore it for the rest of his life. "Yeah, I'm done Nic," Jimmy said as he walked out.

********************

Over the next two days, Victoria quickly recovered thanks to the doctor's visits and medication. She tried to stay out of Paul's way so she wouldn't be more of a bother than she already felt, even though Paul insisted that she wasn't. Paul offered to let her borrow one of his cars, but she politely declined and took the bus to work. At first, Greg had refused to let her work since she was recovering, but Victoria was desperate. She needed to make some money, so eventually after nagging and following him all over the restaurant, he agreed to let her pick up some more shifts if she would just shut up.

But it was her third day in the house when Sonny showed up. And of all the times, she had been bending over her bed, trying to find a rubber band for her hair when she heard his voice.

"Damn, I think that's about the best position," he said.

Her body immediately tensed as she raised up. She was still on her hands and knees when she turned to glare at him.

"Don't you knock?" she asked.

"In my own home?" he shot back at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I thought this was your dad's house."

"Yeah, but when he bites the dust, it will be mine. So...how are you feeling? Pops told me you were really sick," Sonny said, leaning against the door frame.

"I'm much better, thanks to your father," Victoria answered, looking uneasily at Sonny. She just didn't trust him.

"Good. Glad to hear it. By the way, dinner's ready," he stated, and then walked out.

Downstairs, Victoria sat at the dinner table with Paul and Sonny. She noticed that neither man really talked to each other. They more or less talked to her. Paul said he wasn't feeling well, but said not to worry, he was just tired. Victoria asked if he were sure, and he said he was, then excused himself early, asking her to finish her meal. But this also left Victoria alone with Sonny. The asshole.

She noticed him, out of the corner of her eye, staring. She tried to ignore him as she picked over her salad. 

"Vicky...I want to apologize to you," Sonny said, taking a sip of his drink.

Victoria looked up at him. "What?"

"I want to apologize for the prior two times that I met you. You know, for the pool game and Nic's party. For what I said. And if it's okay with you, I'd like to start over."

Victoria didn't know what to think. What did he want? Sonny had this friendly way about him, but it was almost that look he would give right before he would stab you in the back. She just didn't trust him.

"I mean it. So...this is corny, but I'd like to re-introduce myself. I'm Sonny Marcone," he said while reaching for her hand.

Victoria did think the whole thing was rather silly, but she would play along. 

"Apology accepted and I'm Victoria Davis."

"Nice to meet you, Victoria," he said, while kissing the back of her hand. A gesture he learned from his father no doubt. She wondered why none of Paul's other wonderful traits had rubbed off on him.

************************

Sonny ended up becoming a permanent fixture at his father's house. Victoria couldn't escape from him. But pretty soon he started wearing her down, and she even laughed at a few of his jokes. When he didn't have a group of people around to show off in front of, he seemed like a halfway decent guy. 

He even tried playing Scrabble with her, but she could tell he was pretty bored with it. His game was cards. Poker to be exact. Victoria had played before, but she was nowhere near as good as Sonny. He beat her every time. And something in his eyes when he won, was unsettling for Victoria. Almost like this lust for winning. He had to win at all cost. She thought about that night he bet Nic in the pool game. How dark his eyes seemed when he had lost. And again, when he taunted her at Nic's party, and she told him not to bet someone who will beat him every time. Again, his eyes darkened. Victoria tried to shake off the thought, and concentrate on the game.

"So, a friend of mine is throwing a small party tonight. Wanna go?" Sonny asked, placing down another card.

"No, thanks," Victoria said, as she studied her cards.

"Oh, come on Victoria! Live a little. You go to work, then come back here and read, then go back to work. You're too young for that shit. It will be fun," Sonny said.

"Sonny, I'm content right here. But thanks for the offer."

"Please...please. I need a date. You wouldn't want people to think I'm a loser, would you?"

"Sonny, I'm sure some already do," Victoria quipped, while placing a card down.

Sonny pretended like she had struck an arrow to his heart. "See! That's why I need you. Who else is going to keep this huge head of mine from taking off?"

Victoria laughed and shook her head. "Sonny, no. Besides, I have nothing to wear to stuff like that."

"Problem solved, I'll buy you something now," he said, as he placed his winning hand down and left the table.

Victoria hopped up. "No!! Wait, seriously, don't do that!" she called after him.

He stuck his fingers in his ears and walked toward the door. "I can't hear you...be back in a bit," he said, grabbing his jacket and leaving.

'Fuck!' Victoria thought. She walked back to the table to clean up the game. She grabbed a book and went to her room.

About an hour later, Sonny appeared at her door.

"Knock, knock," he said, while barging in. She could tell he held something behind his back. "For you," he said, while holding up a very short, strapless bright blue dress in one hand, then pausing for a moment before producing the heels in his other hand.

"Sonny! I...no, no no! I'm not going. And I asked you not to spend any money on me," Victoria said, clearly pissed.

"Hey, don't worry. I got this dress from a flea market. Seriously, there might be some stains on it." He quickly ducked from the box of tissues that Victoria threw at him.

"Come on, you have no excuses now," he said.

Victoria sighed and leaned back against the headboard. She did kind of want to get out of the house for a bit. Just not with Sonny and definitely not at one of his parties. She would just die if she ran into Nic.

"You said it's a small party, right? A close friend of yours?" Victoria asked, slowly feeling herself caving.

"Yep. Small party, close friends."

Victoria didn't want him to think she was thinking about Nic, but she had to ask. "And no chance of running into Nic, right?"

"Nope, he's not invited," he smiled.

Victoria looked at the dress again. If they only stayed and hour or so, who could it hurt? "Alright. I'll go. But this isn't a date, okay?"

"Yes! And gotcha, not a date," Sonny said, handing her the dress and shoes. "See you downstairs."

Victoria stared at herself in the mirror. The dress Sonny had chosen was awfully short. And strapless at that. And tight! Fuck! She could barely bend over to slide her heels on and fasten the straps.

She grabbed her jacket and met Sonny downstairs. He gave her body a onceover. 

"Damn, you look so good," he said, glancing at her ass again.

"Thanks, but Sonny, this dress is so tight. You sure you got this for me?" Victoria questioned, raising her eyebrow. 

Sonny laughed, "Trust me, I knew exactly what I was doing." 

When they pulled up to the party, there were several cars parked outside of a club. It was definitely not a small get together.

Victoria stared at the long line of people waiting to get in. "Sonny, you said this was a small party!" 

"Well, I guess he invited more people," Sonny said, grabbing her arm to escort her to the front of the line. The bouncer immediately let Sonny in, and the two glided through the main entrance. The club was packed. People on all sides. Victoria couldn't really hear anything over the loud music, but Sonny stopped and talked with several people. He was definitely charismatic in a room, Victoria thought. He continued to pull her through the crowd, until they made it to a small room in the back. The VIP section. 

"There he is," Sonny whispered in her ear. Victoria was trying her best to tug her dress down below her ass. She would have to remember when they left to kill him for buying this damn dress.

"Karl! How are you buddy?" Sonny asked a guy. Victoria still couldn't see over his shoulder, but she heard a man with an English accent answer him.

"Sonny! I'm well. How are you? You know, I was just saying to me self that it isn't a party until Sonny Marcone shows up."

"Hey man, I want to introduce you to my lovely date, Victoria," Sonny said, pushing her up front.

Victoria was about to say hi when she froze. Son of a bitch!!! She should have NEVER trusted Sonny. Standing beside the guy she could only assume was Karl, were Nic and Jimmy. They both immediately stared down at her. There she was in this ridiculously short, tight dress with Sonny holding her hand. She tried to pull it away, but he only gripped her hand tighter. Her skin seemed to burn as Nic's eyes scanned over her dress and then back up to her face. She could see the veins in his neck and she knew he was clamping his teeth together. 

"Nice to meet you, Victoria," Karl said, the only one in the group with a smile still on his face.

Victoria still couldn't speak. She tried to jerk her hand away again, but Sonny tightened his hold. Nic must have sensed it, because she saw his eyes shift to their hands and then to Sonny's face. Victoria tore her gaze from Nic long enough to look at Jimmy. He gave her a small smile but didn't say anything.

"And Sonny, I think you know Nicolas and Jimmy," Karl offered further, clearly not picking up on the negative tension surrounding the situation.

"Yeah, Karl. We all go way back," Sonny said, smiling in Nic's direction.

Nic's fucking head was on fire. There she was standing in that outfit and holding Sonny's hand. Fucking bitch! And he had almost let Jimmy's words the other night affect him, only to find that she had moved on, and of all people, his fucking enemy! She refused to stay with him, yet now she was hanging out with Sonny. Nic couldn't hold it in any longer. He wanted to hurt her as much as she had hurt him.

"So, you fucking him now?" Nic spat out at her.

Victoria's eyes widened and Jimmy coughed.

"Um...hey you know, I see another guest who just came in. I'm going to say hello. Um...yeah," Karl stammered, as he quickly left the group.

"Whoa there, Nicky. Is that any way to greet a friend?" Sonny said, smirking.

"Stop it, Sonny," Victoria said, finally jerking her hand from him. She knew he was trying to bait Nic. 

"What?" he said, looking down at Victoria. Then he stared back up at Nic. "See, our boy Nic can dish it, but he can't take it."

Sonny took a step closer to Nic. "You steal the Russians, so I fuck your girl," Sonny whispered, just seconds before he was slammed back against a wall and lifted up to his tiptoes by his throat.

Jimmy grabbed Nic's hand that was squeezing Sonny's neck. "Nic! He has two guys by the door. They're going to know what's happening in just a second. Let him go," Jimmy said, scanning the room to make sure no extra attention was brought to the problem.

Victoria screamed, but quickly covered her mouth. She had never seen Nic lose control like that. Usually, he was so calm and never got frazzled. At least not with other people. 

Nic only saw red. He knew he had to get himself under control, but everything in his body was telling him to choke this fucker until his eyes bulged out. But that wasn't Nic's style. Not in a public area like this...at a friend's party. He released Sonny's neck.

Sonny coughed and rubbed his neck. He quickly straightened his tie and smoothed his hair back, glancing over to the corner where two of his men were engrossed in a conversation. 




Seven Days Ch. 06



Nic looked down at Victoria. "Outside, now," he barked at her.

Victoria just looked at him like he had lost his mind. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

Nic grabbed her hand and was about to pull her away from the group when Sonny made the mistake of grabbing her other hand. Victoria tried to jerk her hand away from Sonny, but Nic was already heading for him again when Jimmy stepped in and blocked the two men.

"Take your fucking hands off her," Nic growled at Sonny.

"She's my date!" Sonny spat back.

"Keep fucking with me Sonny. And pretty soon the fact that Paul Marcone is your father isn't going to be enough to keep me from putting a fucking bullet between your eyes," Nic warned, jerking Victoria behind him.

Sonny knew the look on Nic's face, and Nic wasn't bluffing. Sonny looked down at Victoria. "Don't take too long. I'll be leaving soon," he said, as he turned to walk away.

Now that the situation was defused, Victoria tried to pull her hand from Nic, but he gripped her tighter, almost painfully, and pulled her to a side door. 

"Nic, oww, you're hurting me," she said, trying to get him to stop, but he pushed open the door. Waiting outside was his limo. He opened the door.

"Get in!"

"No!" Victoria shouted.

Nic was beyond pissed at this point. This girl always made him lose his fucking mind. He hated getting so worked up. Only fools lost their temper and once that happened, they usually lost control of the situation. That wasn't him. He was calm and collected for the most part. Until Victoria started fucking with him. 

"So you're fucking him now?! You certainly move from house to house" Nic yelled at her. 

That's it! Victoria wrenched her hand from him and slapped him as hard as she could. Then she stuck her finger in his face. "Don't you EVER say anything to me like that again! I don't know why you get off on embarrassing me, but I'm not a whore, I don't care what you think! I've only slept with two men in my life. One was my high school boyfriend that barely touched me and the other is you, you motherfucker!" she screamed, punching him in the chest.

Nic stood there, taking in the sight of her. His face was stinging, but he knew he deserved it. He had to chuckle to himself. A month or so ago, there's no way in the world she would have gotten away with that. But right now, fuck if she didn't look fine as hell. He had missed her so much. It had been too long. He wanted her. Now.

Victoria calmed her breathing long enough to take in the way Nic was gazing at her. He had that look on his face...the one she had seen several times before. She needed to leave. She turned to go back inside, when Nic blocked her exit. He gently pushed her back against the limo and locked her in with his arms braced on both sides of her.

"Get in," he whispered to her.

"No."

"Get in, Victoria."

"No!" she said, breathing hard and glaring up at him. Her body was so close to his, he was brushing up against her, causing her nipples to harden.

"I just want to talk, okay?" Nic whispered close to her neck.

"No you don't," Victoria said, turning her head away from him.

"Just talk," Nic persisted.

Victoria knew better, but damn if she wasn't getting an aching down there. She had only been away from Nic for less than two weeks, but still, she felt herself moving toward the car door. 

She finally sighed. "Okay. But to talk only."

Nic opened the door and she stepped inside. He quickly followed and shut the door. He turned on the overhead light and stared at her.

Victoria was trying to pull the dress down again. But sitting was a bit of a challenge. 

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Victoria asked.

"Why the hell did you show up here with him?"

Victoria sighed again. "Nic, that's really none of your business. You and I have no connection now."

"He bought this dress for you?" Nic said, scanning over her curves.

"Nic, I told him not to. Honestly, I didn't want it," Victoria said.

"Can I tell you that HONESTLY, I want to rip that shit off your body? You let him parade you around in that like you're his fucking Barbie or something."

"Like you haven't," Victoria replied. She shook her head. She didn't owe him any explanation. She tried to exit the limo, but he grabbed her and gently pulled her down to the floor. 

"No! Stop it, Nic," Victoria said, trying to push Nic off her.

Nic hadn't felt her lips since the morning he had left her and not come back. They had been torturing him in his dreams. He roughly kissed her and shoved his tongue into her mouth. He heard her moan, but then she tried to pull her head away. The short dress had already risen to her waist. He took that opportunity to pull her panties off and shove them in his pocket. His little habit when it came to her. He spread her legs apart, and placed his body in between them. He yanked the top of her dress down, exposing her perfect, round tits. He massaged one of her soft mounds before he seized a nipple in his mouth and rolled the bud around his tongue. He heard her moan again.

"I'm not having sex with you," she gasped, trying to push his head away from her breasts, even though the feeling was starting to get to her. She could already feel the wetness between her legs, that she was sure was dampening the front of his pants.

"Yes you are," he moaned into her soft skin.

"No, I'm not. Stop it...uh, fuck, stop Nic," Victoria said, pushing him harder.

"Sure sounds like you want me to," he grinned up at her, and moved his body down hers until his tongue licked her slit. She inhaled sharply and arched her back. His tongue proceeded to assault her moist pussy, licking the sides and sucking on her hard clit. He teased her by shoving his tongue inside her and twirling it. Victoria thought she was going to die. A happy death.

"Nic, wait. Stop," she said breathlessly after she came, trying to push his head away. She couldn't take anymore. She was already so sensitive. She felt his wet tongue leave her pussy as he climbed back in between her legs. She laid there quietly as she heard him unbuckle his pants. She knew it was about to happen, and she wasn't going to do anything to stop him, because she wanted it to happen. She was such an idiot to give him this power back.

Nic slowly thrust into her wet pussy, dragging out a moan from both of them. He laid his body flat on top of hers and gripped her upper body while he bit down on her neck.

"Aah, fuck, Nic," Victoria muttered. He felt so damn good. And she welcomed his roughness.

Nic wanted to pull his shirt off and push his pants past his knees, but he couldn't stop long enough to do it. Her pussy felt so good, enveloping his cock. She was still so tight, like she had been waiting just for him. He knew she had. He started to drive in and out of her faster and faster. He was sure if Raymond came to check on the limo, that he would know exactly what was going on in here. He could feel the car rocking under his thrusts. But he wanted to be as close to her as possible, so he kept his chest pressed tightly against hers, while his hips moved rapidly up and down, trying to bury himself as far into her as he could.

Victoria stared up at the ceiling of the limo. She wanted him. There in that moment, she wanted this mean, possessive, alpha asshole. And she wasn't even sure why, but she loved him. But she knew deep down the only way he would treat her how she believed she deserved to be treated was if he loved her. She could never go back to the type of relationship they had before. If they ever ventured into real relationship territory, it would have to be on equal footing. Something she wasn't sure he'd be willing to share. She would learn to understand the war and peace that was constantly going through his head, but she knew underneath this rough exterior was something only she could touch. She had seen it, even that night when he had hurt her so badly, she saw him hesitate. She saw a flash of forgiveness in his eyes, but he would have to meet her halfway. He had to. But she still wanted him to know how she felt, and prayed before they left this limo, that she would know how he felt. 

"Nic...I think I love you," she whispered to him, running her fingers through his jet black hair. She felt him slowing his thrusts down until he stopped. He was completely still on top of her, but she could hear him breathing by her ear. She wondered what he was thinking at that moment. Then he slightly raised up and stared into her eyes. She watched, as his eyes scanned hers back and forth, as if to see if she were joking. But Victoria wasn't. She meant every word. She bit her bottom lip, watching him watch her. He had yet to say anything.

She placed both her hands on the sides of his face and lightly gripped his hair. "Do you...do you think, maybe you love me too?" she whispered to him, her heart beating a million miles a minute. 'Please, meet me half way,' Victoria begged in her mind. 

Nic looked down into her hopeful face. He did. He knew he did, he just still wasn't ready to go that step. He just couldn't. Not yet. This was all still so new to him. It was throwing him off. He had to figure some things out first. So instead of answering her, he leaned down and kissed her lips, then made a trail back down to her neck and started thrusting into her again.

Victoria closed her eyes, swallowing back the lump in her throat. She held onto Nic tightly, knowing this would be the last time she was ever this close to him. She couldn't accept anything less this time, and he couldn't even confess his love or any love for her. She held him firmly and whispered into his ear that she loved him again, trying desperately not to let any tears fall. She thought she felt him hesitate a second, but he continued to plunge in and out of her.

Nic didn't know what he was feeling. Hearing her whisper those words to him...was really fucking him up. He wanted her back, but he just wasn't sure if he wanted everything to be this deep yet. But for right now, he just wanted to be inside her. "Ugh, shit," Nic whispered into her neck as his lower body convulsed and he came, sending his sperm deep inside her womb. "Fuck, Victoria."

Nic rested his body on top of hers for what seemed like several minutes. He wasn't ready to part from her. But he felt her wiggle underneath him, her tell-tale sign that she was getting uncomfortable. Nic raised up from her and pulled his pants back up. He grabbed her hands and pulled her up to her knees.

Victoria pulled up her top, and pushed down the bottom of the dress. She knew she had to leave now and not look back. She couldn't do this with him any longer. "Nic, can I have my panties back," she asked, while fixing her hair.

"No."

Victoria sighed, and went to open the door, but he grabbed her.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm going to find Sonny, so I can go."

"Oh, no the fuck you aren't. Just come back with me," Nic suggested, trying to keep her with him. 

"Nic, no. There's nothing for us," she said.

"What are you talking about? What do you call this?" Nic asked, looking between the two of them.

"It was just sex. Something you and I are great at. About the only thing we do great together."

Normally a girl making a comment like that wouldn't have fazed Nic, but for some reason that one hurt. Especially coming from her. She went to reach for the door again when Nic grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, pressing her back to his chest. He locked his arms around her, so she couldn't move.

Victoria could feel his heart beating fast as he leaned his head against her back. She felt his hair tickle her shoulder. He gently kissed the middle of her upper back.

"Victoria...I, fuck," he whispered and closed his eyes. "I never said I didn't love you."

Victoria slowly nodded. "But you didn't say you did," she whispered back. She pulled his arms from around her, opened the door and stepped out.

When she closed the door, Nic leaned his head back against the headrest. "But I never said I didn't," he repeated softly. He sat there for several minutes, just thinking, before he got out of the limo and slammed the door.

*

Thank you so much for reading chapter 6, and I really hope you all enjoyed!! Chapter 7 might take just a little while longer than chapter 6 did, but as always, I'll try to get it out as soon as possible;-) Thanks for all of your comments, emails and votes! Much appreciated.

Soular 



Seven Days Ch. 07



Victoria marched back into the club as quickly as she could. She had to get away from Nic. What the hell was wrong with her? She kept glancing behind her to make sure Nic hadn't followed her back in. She needed to find Sonny and go. She was done with Nic Andretti. Completely done. 

Victoria scanned the crowded club. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. She felt dizzy. Why was she letting this happen? Why did she put herself in this situation? She saw Sonny in the distance talking to a group of people and laughing. He had just used her, and much like Nic, didn't even care how it had hurt her. She realized right then, that she wasn't riding back with him. She had trusted a snake, been bitten, and she had no one to blame but herself. She just wanted both Nic and Sonny out of her life for good. And if they wouldn't stay away from her, she'd damn sure stay away from them. She found the front entrance she and Sonny had come through earlier and made a straight line to it. She had almost reached the door when someone grabbed her arm.

Victoria spun around to see Sonny staring at her. "Where are you going?" he asked, gripping her arm tighter, while scanning the room, no doubt looking for Nic. He had such a low harsh tone in his voice, that she was caught off guard for a moment.

"I'm going back to Paul's. I'll catch a cab. Now let go of me," Victoria stated, hating herself for spending money that she was trying to save.

"I'll take you back," Sonny said, while pulling her toward the door. What the fuck was wrong with these Italian men?! Always pushing or pulling her somewhere!

As soon as they pushed through the door, Victoria wrenched her arm free from Sonny. "Don't you fucking touch me! I mean it. You did ALL of this on purpose, didn't you? You knew he was going to be here?" Victoria asked. She was so angry she didn't know what to do. Angry at Nic, angry at Sonny, but most of all pissed at herself for falling for Sonny's trap and then having sex with Nic as if his hurting her hadn't mattered. She wanted to smack herself.

"Yep." Was Sonny's only response.

"So you basically used me to piss him off?"

"Eye for an eye," Sonny stated, grinning at her. Victoria wanted so badly to slap him. Before she was through with all of these people, her hand would be in a cast. But at the moment, she had nothing left to say to Sonny. She was done with this whole thing. She turned to walk away.

"But I didn't know he'd react so strongly about you," Sonny called after her. She didn't bother turning around. "Good to know..." she thought she heard him mutter.

Nic finally made his way back into the club. He had wanted to follow after Victoria, but he wasn't ready to go emotionally where Victoria wanted him to. He knew he was approaching a crossroad and would soon have to turn left or right. But for right now, he just wanted to stand still. 

He found Jimmy leaning up against the bar. "I'm taking off. I feel like shit," Nic said to him. Jimmy nodded and guzzled down the rest of his drink. Nic motioned for Raymond, and the three of them walked out of the side door.

When Victoria reached Paul's, she paid the cab driver and went straight upstairs to the guest room. She pulled off the skimpy blue dress and threw it in the trash. She entered the bathroom, turned on the faucet in the tub and stepped in. She needed to scrub off this entire night. When the water had filled the tub, she leaned back and closed her eyes. She felt like a fool. A fool for even halfway trusting Sonny, and for admitting to Nic that she loved him. Why the hell had she said that? He had looked at her, but then said nothing. Obviously he didn't feel the same way. She was an easy lay...and for that, she would never forgive herself. Victoria had always given into him sexually, so no wonder he felt like he could fuck her in the back of a limo despite everything that had happened. Because he could.

Victoria slowly dipped her head underneath the warm water and held her breath. Maybe a moment of clarity would come while she was submerged. She didn't have a lot of money saved up, but she had enough. She needed to get a place of her own. She couldn't continue to impose herself on Paul's generosity. 

When she could no longer hold her breath, she raised up quickly, breaking through the surface of the water, gasping for air. She coughed for a second and then wiped her face with a towel. Yes, her quest to find her own place would begin first thing tomorrow morning.

***********************

Jimmy sat on the other side of the chess board waiting for Nic to make a move.

"You should go visit her at that restaurant she works at," Jimmy suggested. Ever since the incident with Sonny a few days ago, Nic hadn't mentioned Victoria. "And I don't mean just driving by her place of work." A pastime Nic had started when he found out about her working there.

Nic surveyed the board and completed a move. "No. This is better. For both of us."

"Wow, what a copout," Jimmy grumbled, moving another piece. He looked up to find Nic's eyes narrowed on him. "I'm just saying, why is it so hard to admit you like the girl, Nic?"

"Because that's irrelevant."

"How so?"

"Jimmy, how is any of this your business?"

"It's your turn to move. And over the years I've become nosy like my wife. And because you are my best friend. And speaking as your friend...you're not quite the asshole you think you are," Jimmy replied.

Nic glanced down at the board. "Marianna used to say that."

"Yeah, well I always knew your mother was a smart one."

Nic sighed and moved his knight. "She's better off without me, you know. I don't want her mixed up in this...this way of living. I don't want that for her. And with her in my life, she clouds my mind. I can't focus on the things I need to do and continue being successful. And knowing she's...never mind, it's just annoying."

"What's annoying?"

"Knowing she's—fuck. I don't even want to say it. That she's my only--" 

"—weakness?" Jimmy asked, knowing the answer already.

Nic looked up at Jimmy and slowly nodded his head. Yes, she was his weakness. He had to be sharp and on his A-game at all times, and already on several occasions in the short time that he had known her, he had made some pretty substantial errors.

But in the limo, she had told him she loved him. Or at least she thought she loved him. At that moment, he wasn't sure what to say back to her. Amber had said that to him before, but never quite like that. Nowhere near as honest. When he had looked into Victoria's eyes after she made that statement, he could see and feel she was telling the truth. She actually loved him. Him! Even after all the shit he had done to her. That in itself, proved she was a better person than he could ever be.

"Yeah, my weakness. Now enough of the touchy feely stuff," Nic said.

Jimmy chuckled, "Well even Achilles had a weakness, my friend. Hell, Samson, Othello, Bill Clinton...it happens to the best of us. You know what mine are? Three little girls sleeping in their beds, who all probably tried to wait up to see when poppa was coming home. But no, I'm here playing chess with you at two in the morning."

"Then go home," Nic said, smiling in his friend's direction.

"Oh, no. I've learned my lesson over the years. If I'm a few hours late....my wife is still up and I won't hear the end of it. She can be brutal! But...if I don't come home, usually when I turn up she's so glad to see me that she forgets about my tardiness. See, I've got it down to a science."

"I see...and checkmate. Now go home," Nic said, standing and stretching.

Jimmy looked down at the board. Fuck! Nic always won. Even when they were kids growing up playing cops and robbers, Nic always won, no matter which side he was on.

"Alright, but if I turn up tomorrow with bruises, it's entirely your fault," Jimmy complained, grabbing his jacket. "I'll see you tomorrow—well, I guess later today."

The two men walked to the door together, but Jimmy turned to Nic before he exited. "I know you know how to run your life. But just take my advice on this and go see her, Nic." And then Jimmy left the room.

Nic closed the door. He stood there for a moment thinking about the chess game. Checkmate. That was it. He was done with thinking about it. He needed to make a fucking move. He had tried to stay away from Victoria, and even though in his mind, he hadn't broken that rule...he wasn't fooling himself any longer. Sane men didn't drive by a woman's apartment and place of employment several times a week. He was in love with her. Crazy, stupid in love with her and it was time to show her. Time to make his move.

But there was something he needed to do before he spoke with her. Something he needed to start again. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Hey Reuben, sorry to bother you so early in the morning, but I—well, thank you. I just wanted to see if you could start up the divorce proceedings again." Pause. "Yeah, I just want to get it done as quickly and with as much discretion as possible." Pause. "No, I'll talk to Amber tomorrow." Pause. "Alright, I'll let her know. Thank you."

Nic clicked off his cell phone. His whole body felt tight with stress. He had never been much of a sleeper, but lately he hadn't been getting any sleep. He remembered the last night he had slept beside Victoria. He had fallen into such a deep sleep that he had to be wakened by her the next morning. And that never happened. God, he'd give anything to sleep like that again.

His cure for stress and insomnia was always sex or exercise. Sex or exercise? Who was he kidding? He knew he wasn't having sex with anyone. That's what Victoria had done to him. So he proceeded to look for his Nikes.

*********************

The next morning, Nic called Amber to see if she could meet him for breakfast. He waited patiently for her to arrive. She always had to be ten minutes "fashionably" late. Normally to punish her for her lack of consideration when it came to his time...he would have just left. But this was important and he needed to tell her something as soon as possible.

She showed up dressed in some trendy outfit, Ugg boots and sunglasses. Nic tried hard to control his frown. Why she continued to dress like she was a fifteen year old on the cover of Pop Magazine was beyond him. But that was his wife, for better or worse--definitely more the latter.

"Hello Nic," Amber said, as she plopped down in the seat. "Excuse me," she said, stopping the nearest waiter. "I'll have a Lychee Martini please." She then turned to Nic and removed her sunglasses, "So what is this about?"

"I had Reuben start the divorce proceedings. He'll be delivering the papers to you later today. He said if we both agree to all matters, the divorce can be quick, quiet and painless. He can have it all taken care of in less than two months."

Nic watched as her eyes darkened and she leaned back in her chair. "You drug me out of bed for this? You can't be serious. I mean, I know we've had our problems in the past, but we can work this out."

"No, we can't. Don't make this difficult, Amber. Just sign the papers when he shows up."

"Why after all this time are you just now—oh, this is about her?! Oh my God, if you want to continue fucking that little black bitch, then go ahead. You know I never minded stuff like that—,"

"—it's not about THAT!" Nic said, raising his voice, before he immediately lowered it. He was not about to engage in an argument with her in a crowded restaurant. "This isn't a marriage, Amber. And it hasn't been for a long time, if ever. We both misled each other, but now we have a chance to correct it and put it all behind us. I hold no hard feelings toward you and I hope in time, you won't hold any against me."

"Fuck you! How about that?!" Amber shouted.

Nic sighed. He scribbled on a piece of paper and then slid it across the table to Amber. "This is what I'm willing to offer you. I'm sure you'll agree it's a pretty hefty sum."

Amber glanced at the paper. "No, I want more."

"Amber, we were only married for three years."

"Yeah, and would you like me to tell the judge that in those three years, you fucked other women the whole time. Oh...and that you run a very lucrative underground crime business with which several unlucky people who crossed you just mysteriously turned up dead."

Nic ran his tongue over his teeth when he finally unclenched his jaw. What the fuck did he ever see in this girl? Blond hair and long legs and because of that, he'd be paying a price the rest of his life. What a huge difference between her and Victoria. Amber's expensive tastes used to cause Eddie mini panic attacks, yet he couldn't get Victoria to pick out some jewelry at Tiffany's. Go fucking figure.

Fine, if Amber was going to fuck with him, he'd fuck with her.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "And what makes you so sure you won't end up one of the unlucky ones?"

He smiled on the inside when Amber's eyes widened. "You wouldn't," she whispered. She then straightened up in her seat and tried to shake off her nervousness by rolling her eyes at him.

"Test me," Nic replied.

Amber watched him for a few moments before she grabbed his pen and jotted down something on the paper and pushed it back towards him. "Make this number happen, and mum is the word."

Nic looked at the figure and nodded. He stuck the paper in his coat pocket and stood. "As always Amber, it was a pleasure." Then he walked out of the restaurant and hopefully out of Amber's life for good. But she was a tricky one. Something told him that she wouldn't give up so easily.

********************

'Home, sweet home,' Victoria thought, as she stood outside her apartment door about to push her key into the lock. She had to conceal a smile. It felt incredible coming back to her own place. A piece of sanctuary that no one could kick her out of. Her own little slice of heaven, no matter how small or old it was. 

Through some connections at work, she was able to find a roommate and move out of Paul's. Her roommate, Stephanie, was this really cool Korean chick, who rarely stayed at the apartment. She was always on the go with her job or her friends. Which suited Victoria just fine. She felt like she really DID have a place of her own. She had painted her room a light lavender color and designed it how she wanted, with butterflies all over the place. She had cried a few tears of joy over that simple freedom. To decorate her own room. She never had one living with her folks. They could never afford anything more than a one bedroom, so she was designated to the couch for years. Her clothes were stuffed in the hallway closet along with boxes of junk. And that's how it had remained until her father kicked her out.

The day she moved out of Paul's, she had gone to him and thanked him for everything he had done. And promised him that if he ever needed anything from her, she would do her best to help. Lucky for her, Sonny had stopped coming around. She wasn't sure why exactly, but whatever the reason, she was glad.

She stood there thinking about Paul's kind eyes and warm smile as she stirred spaghetti sauce in a pot. Was he always that nice a man, or had the death of his wife changed him? She wasn't sure, but she knew that had it not been for him, she would have ended up in a shelter somewhere, sick with pneumonia. 

She poured some sauce on top of the noodles and sat down on the sofa. She didn't bother turning on the TV. Neither she nor Stephanie had the money to get the cable turned on, but Victoria didn't care. She sat there on the couch eating spaghetti and thinking. And in the end, her thoughts settled on Nic, as usual. A part of her was miserable without him. The dumb part of her, she tried to convince herself. Sure, people over the years had called her a loner. But she'd rather be eating spaghetti by herself, than to be constantly disappointed and hurt by others. 

Victoria picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages as she continued to eat her dinner.

*********************

Antonio pulled at his collar. It seemed to be getting tighter and tighter, the more he thought about asking Nic about Victoria. Plus, he still wasn't used to wearing a suit every day. He was grateful for the opportunity he had been given, but the price he had to pay for it...was still keeping him awake at night. Nic had said he'd take care of the situation, but Victoria wasn't living with him. So where was she? No one there talked about her. It was like her name was off limits. 

Life had changed drastically for Antonio. He was now invited to the meetings with Nic, Jimmy and Eddie. He tried to keep up, but the three of them spoke almost in code and never repeated anything when dealing with business. A part of Antonio was in awe. The other part was scared shitless that maybe he couldn't handle this type of job. He figured Eddie had never killed anyone, but as far as Nic and Jimmy...well, you didn't get to their level without leaving a trail of bodies. But Jimmy had been showing him the ropes. Basically there were three rules. Number one, when you start making money...invest it, don't spend it and bring unwanted attention. Number two, secrecy is a must—so if you get picked up by the cops...do your time and shut the fuck up. And three, which was probably the most important rule to Antonio—stay the fuck out of Nic's way.

And it was THAT rule that had Antonio sweating bullets. Usually Jimmy was around to guide him in what to do and what not to do, but today he was spending with his family. So it was just Antonio and Raymond in the house with Nic. And Raymond was definitely a man of few words. 

Antonio climbed the stairs and saw Raymond sitting outside of Nic's office. He thought about how difficult it would be to always have to be on guard, the way Nic had to be. To know that your life is threatened every single day, that even in your own home you have to be careful. Is this what he really wanted? He hated lying to his mother, but he knew she would smack the back of his head if she found out about his illegal activity.

"Hey Raymond, I was wondering if I could speak with Nic?" Antonio asked, praying he wasn't sweating.

Raymond stood up, towering over Antonio. "About?"

"Um, I need to ask him a question about—well, it's really private."

Raymond stood there a moment and then opened Nic's door and closed it behind him. Antonio waited on the outside of the door for a few seconds, before Raymond opened it and let him in.

As always, Nic was behind his desk writing something. Nic didn't look up when he entered. Antonio walked up to his desk and stood, waiting for Nic to address him.

Nic continued to write for a few moments, and then placed the papers inside his desk and locked it. Then he looked up at Antonio.

"Go ahead," Nic said to him.

"Hey Nic, I hate to bother you, but I needed to ask you something."

Nic continued to stare at him.

Antonio took a deep breath. "Nic, I would really like to apologize to Vict—her about the way I treated her. I haven't been able to really sleep since that night, and I think if I knew if she was okay, I'd feel better."

Antonio watched as Nic leaned back in his chair. "She's okay," he simply stated.

Antonio didn't know what to say. Was the conversation over? Fuck, he wished he had Jimmy with him. At least Jimmy would know when to pull him or if he could continue. Nic scared the shit out of him. At least with Jimmy, he had a family, so you knew there was a little bit of a softer side. But with Nic, despite what Victoria had told him...Antonio wasn't so sure there was another side.

"Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better," Antonio admitted. But still, he wanted to apologize to her personally. 

After a few more awkward seconds, Antonio decided to just let it go. He turned and was about to walk out when Nic stopped him.




Seven Days Ch. 07



"Come with me," Nic said, as he removed a handgun from his desk. Holy shit!! Antonio's feet felt like they were glued to the floor. But there was something about Nic. When he told you to do something, you just did it. He guessed he could kind of figure how Victoria had stayed with him so long.

Antonio kept his mouth shut as Nic led him down to the basement and through a small door on the left. As soon as they entered, Antonio knew what this room was. He had never been at a shooting range, but he knew what one looked like.

Antonio looked down the aisle at the paper target in the distance. He watched as Nic quickly cocked his gun and a second later sent two bullets into the head of the target.

Antonio didn't mean to, but he jumped. He still wasn't used to all of this. Some might have thought he looked the part of Italian gangster, but in truth, he was definitely more of a lover than a fighter. The first time he had even held a gun was when Jimmy handed him one. When Antonio envisioned his life in the underground crime world, he thought of houses and cars he could buy his mom. The women, the respect. But he had forgotten exactly how Nic had earned that respect. Sure it was through clever investments and people trusting Nic's business smarts, but it was also in part due to fear. A skill that Antonio knew nothing about. 

"Have you ever shot a gun before?" Nic asked him.

"Um...I, well, honestly I lied to Jimmy. I told him that I had, but I hadn't."

Nic stared at him for a few moments. "In our business, it would be a good thing to learn." Nic gave Antonio the handgun. Antonio stared at the target for a while, and then shot. He clipped the bottom edge of the paper.

"I'd advise you to practice. And in your spare time, read the Wallstreet Journal."

Antonio nodded his head. "I will."

Nic turned to leave, but before he took more than a few steps, Antonio heard himself ask, "Nic, would you mind if I met with her?"

Nic slowed his steps and turned back around. He narrowed his eyes at him. Fuck, Antonio knew this was one of those moments when he needed Jimmy's guidance.

"I appreciate you taking Victoria in when you did. But she is...special to me. And if you haven't noticed, I'm not a very sharing man. Especially when it comes to her. So I strongly suggest that you don't contact her."

Antonio didn't want to agree, but he wasn't about to cross Nic. Not when just several feet away was a paper target with two bullet holes in the head part of it. "Okay."

Nic began to walk back upstairs. 

Antonio finally relaxed. So he hadn't just walked to his death. "For a moment, you had me scared. I thought this demonstration was meant to be a warning or something," Antonio lightly laughed.

"It was," Nic shot back over his shoulder before he closed the door. Antonio swallowed hard. He'd have to get used to Nic's sense of humor. If that was even meant to be a joke... 

*********************

Nic had decided tonight was the night. He had to have Victoria back. He hadn't been the same since she'd left him, and he wanted to finally show her what her life could be like as his girlfriend. Nic sat in his black Escalade watching Calamity's from afar. He watched through the windows as Victoria gracefully rushed around the crowded restaurant in her skimpy outfit. Her WAY too skimpy outfit. He knew exactly what every straight male in that place was thinking, because it's what he was thinking too. Shit.

He looked at her as she smiled at each customer and wrote down their orders. Her ass swayed from side to side in a natural feminine walk, causing his dick to harden. He knew her body from every angle. Front to back, top to bottom. There wasn't an opening on her body he hadn't been inside of and in some strange, possessive way, he felt that it meant she belonged to him. He was even jealous of some girl who had given Victoria a hug before the girl walked out of the restaurant.

But then, something caught his eye and caused him to open the car door. What the fuck? Some asshole had slapped her on her ass. But Nic relaxed a little when he saw her turn around and stick her finger in the guy's face, apparently telling him to back off. 

Nic sat and watched for another hour. He felt like a stalker, but he couldn't help himself.

He saw the asshole who slapped her ass finally leave. Fuck, he wanted to follow that fucker and break all his fingers. Psycho, maybe? Yes. But whatever. Victoria looked so tired when she finally walked out. He wanted so badly to offer her a ride, but he knew she would refuse and that would ruin everything he had wanted to say.

He followed the bus until it dropped her off. He watched her enter her apartment and saw her lights turn on. He saw her shadow move back and forth through the apartment, and then he watched as darkness flooded the place. Nic pulled out his pen and began to write. He wasn't ready just yet to knock on her door. He would give her some time. Give himself some time to get his shit together. Then he smiled to himself. The thought of waking her up so he could see that cute, pissed off face she sometimes made, the one that always caused his heart to flutter, for some strange reason.

Victoria woke up from her sleep. Shit, who the fuck was at her door at...she turned to look at the clock--one in the morning? The light knocking continued. She knew that Stephanie wasn't there, which made her wary of answering the door to begin with. She only had on a flimsy white tank top, which had been washed way too many times, and was now see through. And her black shorts from work. 

She tiptoed to the door and looked through the peep hole. Shit!! It was Nic. It had seemed like forever since she had seen him. Victoria exhaled. He had not contacted her, so she assumed it was over. She had hoped it was. 

Another soft knock came through her door.

"Nic...what do you want?" Victoria asked, leaning her head against the door.

"I'd like to speak with you," was his muffled response.

"My roommate, she's—," Victoria was about to lie.

"—not here," he said.

Victoria exhaled again. She had been about to say Stephanie was asleep.

"And how do you know that?"

"I have my sources."

"Does that mean you've been stalking me?" Victoria asked, irritatedly.

Silence.

"Just go away. I have nothing to say to you. Our deal or arrangement or whatever twisted word we can call it—is done. I mean, do you really even care how horrible you treated me the last time I was at your condo?"

More silence.

Victoria gave a small snort and shook her head. "No, I guess you wouldn't care about that. You don't really care about anything. And in return, nothing cares about you. So forget what I told you in your limo. I didn't mean it. Just chalk it up to the rest of this crazy, confusing, fucked up relationship we had. Have a good life and leave me the hell alone," she said. 

After a few seconds, she glanced back through the peephole, and he was gone.

Victoria stepped away from the door and into the living room. Her heart was racing and her stomach was flip-flopping just from hearing his voice. She was crazy. She walked over to the couch and sat down. She knew there was no way in hell she could go back to sleep now. She sat there a moment tapping her feet, before she realized she should probably be doing something more productive. She went into her bedroom and grabbed her laundry. It wasn't necessarily the safest thing to do at one in the morning, in a dark basement, but she had too much nervous energy. It was either this, or clean the already spotless kitchen again.

She slipped on a pair of light blue fuzzy bedroom shoes, picked up her basket and headed out the door. As soon as she closed the door behind her, she froze. Standing less than three feet from her was Nic. Her heart began racing once more. He was leaning up against the wall with his head down, as if he were asleep...or thinking. Then he slowly lifted his head as his eyes captured hers.

As always, just Victoria standing there in her thin white tank top and little black shorts was causing Nic's manhood to rise to attention. His gaze lowered from her shocked face to her neck, and then to her full, heaving breasts. Her nipples were protruding through the tight top, teasing his mouth. He glanced down at her small waist and full hips and then to her toned, milk chocolate legs. He slowly drew his eyes back up to her eyes. She was staring at him with a pissed off expression. It wasn't the cute playful one he remembered. This one seemed to be full of hate.

While waiting in the hallway, Nic had tried to leave several times, but he just couldn't. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say to her, but he knew he had to say something. But her staring at him like that wasn't making it any easier.

"Victoria," he said, as she exhaled and walked right past him. Fuck.

He followed close behind her as she went down several flights of stairs. He knew not to say anything about it at the moment, but her ass looked so fucking good. A naughty thought quickly flashed through his brain, as he remembered riding that sexy rear of hers. He tried to get his mind focused back on the task at hand, when she stopped walking. He looked up and realized he was in the laundry room. There was only one washer and dryer, and the room was dark and dingy. He hoped she didn't come down here often by herself.

Victoria knew he had followed her, but she wasn't ready to face him. Or talk to him just yet. She slowly placed each article of clothing into the washer, taking as much time as she could. She couldn't hear him behind her, but she knew he was there. She could feel his gaze scorching a path down her backside. And even though she was hot, his presence caused her to shiver.

Finally after she poured in the detergent and started the machine, she turned around. "What?" she said, with as much hostility as she could muster.

"I need to speak with you."

"No, I'm done with that. I have nothing to say to you, and don't want to hear anything you have to say to me."

"This isn't easy for me, Victoria," Nic stated.

"Like it's been easy for me! Did you think it was easy to accept your arrangement? Did you think it was easy to accept the way you treated me? Did you think it was EASY to admit that I was in love with a man who told me I was little more than a whore? So forgive me, if I don't care that it hasn't been easy on you," Victoria spat out sarcastically.

Nic opened his mouth, but then quickly closed it. If Victoria were still in his "arrangement" he would have picked her up and fucked her up against the dryer, while telling her she better never speak to him like that again. But things had changed. This was different. She was different, and that's not why he had come there. 

"Can we just go back upstairs to your apartment and talk?" Nic asked, trying to get his temper under control.

"Oh, we've done enough talking over the past few months. Hmm, let me see, the many things you've said and done to me. You called me your own personal slut...remember that? You also called me that the night I had gone looking for you, only to find you with another woman. And let's not forget having me disrobe in front of Jimmy and Raymond. Betting me in a fucking pool game. Or letting me know I was worth every penny you paid for me," Victoria said. She tried not to let her voice crack, but she was hurting all over again. This arrogant fucker wouldn't see another tear from her.

Nic's face burned with shame. He felt like an idiot. He truly had been a wolf and she was nothing more than a lamb. No competition at all really. And he had tried to destroy everything that was innocent about her for his own amusement and then punished her because she made him feel things he wasn't ready to admit. He felt like a little boy in school with a crush. A young boy who pushed, annoyed and bullied the young girl he had a crush on. He knew the things he had said to her were to hurt her and convince himself that he wasn't more than just physically attracted to her.

He didn't much want to do this in a dark, cold basement with the loud droning of the washer in the background, but it was now or never.

Victoria rolled her eyes. She just wanted him out of her life. She grabbed her basket and walked up to him.

"Nic, I don't have any more time to waste on you. I'm done with--"

"I'm in love with you."

"—all of...," was the last thing Victoria whispered. She closed her mouth, then opened it, but closed it back because she wasn't sure what to say. She searched his eyes, and they looked...sincere. It wasn't that cold, glacier look he often gave her. It was a different look. Like he was shy or something. After a few more moments of silence, he finally spoke again.

"Victoria, if you let me come upstairs, I have even more I'd like to say to you," Nic said, staring into her big brown eyes. She was so beautiful to him. Her messy curls pulled tightly into a ponytail, and that deliciously curvy body. How the hell had she managed to wrap her tiny hands around his heart and squeeze? Years of building up a façade that Victoria Davis broke down in a few months. But tonight, he was laying it all on the line for her if she would give him the chance. He waited patiently for her reply.

Victoria looked down at her empty basket. She wasn't sure what to do, but she prayed she was making the right choice.

"Okay," she whispered.

Nic realized he had been holding his breath. He quietly breathed out. He followed her out of the laundry room and back upstairs to her apartment. She wiggled the key in the lock, trying to open the door, but it wouldn't unlock. Nic leaned around her and grasped her soft hands, pulling the key from her. He pushed it harder into the lock and turned. She was completely still in front of him, while his body was pressed against her back.

When they entered the apartment, Nic looked around. Everything was very neat but very small. The kitchen/living area was pretty much just one room. The hallway was short and narrow, and he assumed it led to two bedrooms and a bathroom. He turned to look at Victoria as she glanced around the room.

"It's not much, but I like it," she quietly admitted.

"Could I have a glass of water?" Nic asked. Suddenly his mouth was dry at the thought of what he was about to do.

After Nic drained the glass he walked over to the sofa and sat down. It wasn't really a comfortable couch, but what the hell. He wiped his hand down his face and sat staring at the blank TV. He turned to Victoria and watched her as she sat down on the opposite end of the couch. 

"I...," Nic started, then stopped. He reached into the inside pocket of his coat, pulled out a book and handed it to Victoria.

Victoria looked down at the book. '100 Greatest Love Poems of All Time', her book that she couldn't find after her heart had been smashed into a million pieces by him.

"Sorry I kept your book. I read through it and I hope you don't mind, but I added another poem at the end," Nic said.

Victoria slowly flipped through the book until she reached the last page. Scribbled in black ink were several words written in what she could only assume was Italian.

"What does it say?" Victoria whispered, mesmerized by the Italian cursive strewn beautifully across the crisp white pages.

Nic silently exhaled and took the book. "It says: In the eyes of my lady I see a light full of spirits of love, which bears to the heart a sweetness never known, so joyous life awakens there."

He glanced at Victoria. Her head was down and her eyes were closed. He continued, "Something happens to me when I am in her presence, I cannot describe it to the intellect; it seems to me that from her lips there issues forth a lady so beautiful, the memory cannot hold her, because at once another is born of her, of unknown beauty, from whom it seems a star arises and says, 'Your salvation is come forth'."

Nic looked at her again. Her long charcoal eyelashes lay gently down on her face. Her cute, tiny round nose and full lips caught his attention. He placed the book down on the floor and recited the rest by memory, for it was one of his favorite poems. And now he could truly understand what the author meant. 

"There where this beautiful lady comes forth, a voice is heard preceding her, and it seems, moved by her humility it sings her name so sweetly, that if I try to describe it, I feel how her worth makes me tremble; and in my soul sighs bestir themselves which say, 'Behold, if you gaze upon this one, you will see her virtue ascended into heaven'."

He saw a tear spill from underneath her eyelids and she quickly wiped it away. Nic wanted so badly to kiss the trail where the tear had made a wet track down her cheek, but he didn't make a move. He wasn't sure if that would upset her because he couldn't tell what she was thinking. He was normally very good at reading people. It came in handy in his line of work, but he couldn't read Victoria. 

Neither one said a word for a few moments. 

Finally Victoria spoke. "Nic, I—I just feel like so much was done and said, that it may never be right, you know." She wiped at her face again and then stood up from the couch and walked down the hall.

Nic stood and walked behind her. No way in hell he was going to give up that easy. No way. He followed her into her bedroom. He quickly glanced around at her lavender walls and simple decorations. He noticed a small makeshift bed in the corner. Nothing more than a box spring and two mattresses low to the ground. He felt a small pierce to his heart that she was living like this because of him. If he had just kept his fucking mouth shut, she would have still been nestled safely in his condo, instead of scraping pennies together to keep this tiny, old apartment.

Nic focused back on Victoria. She was standing in the middle of the teeny space, with her arms wrapped around her upper body as if she were supporting herself. "I'm sorry Victoria. I'm ashamed of my past behavior and I hope that you won't hold that against me for long."

Victoria shook her head. "Nic, I--I don't know how I feel about any of this. So much has happened and..."

"I know," Nic quietly said.

Victoria didn't know what to do. She hadn't really prepared herself to see Nic ever again, and especially not tonight—this morning, or whatever time it was. She had been taken completely off guard. He hadn't tried to contact her after their reunion in his limo, so she figured he was through with her. And as much as it had hurt, she placed Nic at the back of her thoughts and concentrated on getting an apartment and saving a little bit of money. But now that she had the apartment, late at night when everything was quiet, she would think about him. Dream about him. In her dream he wasn't a cold mobster. He was a husband, a businessman with legal practices and even a father in some of her dreams. She knew they all were a long shot, but when no one else was around, she felt it was okay for her to think about those things. Even if they would never come true.

But here he was and it was confusing the hell out of her. But he had said he loved her. Was that enough to wipe away everything?

"Nic, you hurt me so bad. I'm still so hurt and mad at you," Victoria admitted, praying her voice wasn't cracking.

"What can I do to make you forgive me?" Nic said, taking a step toward her.

"Let me slap the shit out of you," Victoria spat, and was immediately taken back by her statement. "I mean--"

"Go ahead," Nic said.

Victoria looked up at him. "What?" she asked, incredulously.

"Hit me, if it will make you feel better," Nic whispered, approaching her more closely. He reached out for her and immediately her tears began to fall from her eyes. She tried to push him away but he held on to her tightly. 

"Don't, Nic," Victoria said, trying to control her frantic breathing.




Seven Days Ch. 07



Nic started to lean down to kiss her, but her hand suddenly connected with the side of his face with a loud crack. He stopped, but didn't flinch from her. She slapped him again and then a third time until she wrapped her arms tightly against his torso and collapsed into sobs. Nic could hear her mumbling something through her cries, but he couldn't understand it. He just wanted to hold her. He pushed her towards the small bed and gently laid her down. "I love you," he whispered, albeit his cheek was throbbing. But that pain in no way compared to the wounded look in her eyes. "I--love--you," Nic whispered as he kissed her forehead, nose and then her lips.

"Don't h-hurt me a-again," Victoria stuttered through hiccups, as she ran her hands through his soft black hair.

"I won't," he promised, as he slowly pulled off her tiny black shorts and soft light pink panties. He stared into her face as he slowly traveled down to a particular place between her legs. He could hear her sniffling as he slowly licked and kissed her clit. She immediately began to moan and twist underneath his assault, but he held her legs firmly with his arms. He had caused her enough pain, now he just wanted her to feel pleasure. To be happy. 

He swiveled his tongue up and down and in and out of her sweet love nest. "Nic...oh," he heard her whisper, as her legs began to tremble and breathing became erratic. She started coming and twisting in the sheets as he continued to enjoy her. 

When she was done trembling, Nic released her legs and removed his coat and shirt. He slowly unfastened his belt as he watched her wipe the remainder of her tears from her eyes. Her face was soft and void of any makeup and her nose had a slight red tint to it. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and in that moment she took his breath away. He pushed down his pants and boxers as he moved between her legs. He leaned down and kissed her as he entered her. They both moaned simultaneously at the familiar reunion of their bodies.

Nic rolled them over so that Victoria was on top, straddling him. She stared down at him as she slowly rocked her hips back and forth, riding his dick. Her eyes were still glassy, but she began picking up the pace, as she discarded her flimsy shirt. She braced her hands against his chest and closed her eyes and started breathing heavily. Nic knew she was close to coming. He wanted her to. Tonight was about her.

"Ooh, shit...shit," Victoria moaned. He felt so damn good inside her pussy. She had missed this. This intense feeling. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted it. "Pull my hair," she whispered to him.

Nic raised up and gripped a fist full of her curls and yanked them down. She shrieked from the pain as another tear slid from the corner of her eye and into her hair. When the pain in her scalp finally subsided, she looked at him and shivered. Her lower body was still working miracles, squeezing his shaft, as her hips quickly rotated over his. Her eyes looked unsure, as if she wanted to ask him something, but she wasn't sure how. But then she gathered the courage.

"Um, Nic...can you--" she started to say, but Nic knew exactly what she wanted. Before she could finish her sentence, he wrapped his hand around her throat. Her eyes immediately widened but then slowly closed as she moaned again and picked up the pace, almost bouncing her entire body up and down on him. He squeezed tighter and she started to shake. She reached up to pinch her nipples right before she violently came. Her body continued to shudder while on top of him, but then she went limp in his arms and he pushed her back onto the bed and settled on top of her.

Nic watched as she slowly opened her eyes and smiled up at him. But just as soon as the smile came, it faded and she closed her eyes again. A second later, he heard a small snore. Nic kissed her lips one more time and gently rolled off of her. 

The bed was definitely too small for the both of them, but he turned his body sideways and gazed at her face. He hadn't even come yet, but he wasn't pissed, much to his surprise. Normally, with other women, he would have just pounded the shit out of them until he could get his release, but tonight really was about her. In that moment, she was all that mattered. And if things went according to plan, oh, he'd have plenty more chances to come inside her gorgeous body. At least he hoped she wouldn't change her mind about giving him a second chance. He stared at her as long as he could before his eyelids became heavy and he drifted off to sleep in an uncomfortable, yet peaceful position.

The next morning, Victoria awoke to the sound of her shower squeaking. She rolled over in the tiny bed and realized that Nic obviously wasn't there. She stared up at her ceiling. 'Did I do the right thing,' she thought as she heard him walking back towards her room. She guessed that was the good thing about her apartment. If someone tried to break in, she'd hear them easily. From the squeaky doors to the creaking floors, you couldn't hide that you were walking around.

He made his way back into the room with his dress pants on, and his clean white shirt unbuttoned showing off his tight abs and natural tan. His hair was still wet, as he pushed it back with his fingers.

"Um, you don't have any hot water," he said, raising an eyebrow.

Victoria groaned and looked at her alarm clock on the floor. "Oh, I'm sorry. Around this time of day we never have hot water. I have to take a shower either really early in the morning or midday while everyone is at work. Any other time there is never hot water. Sorry, I should have warned you."

"No problem. Besides, you were sleeping so soundly, that I didn't want to wake you up. BUT, now that you are up, let's get some breakfast," Nic said, walking over to her and sitting on the bed. He leaned down and kissed her, letting the little droplets of water from his hair fall onto her skin.

"Ug, you're getting me wet," Victoria laughed, pushing Nic away.

"Hmm, that's not the first time you've said that for me," Nic joked, and then dodged her playful punch. But just as soon as the spirited banter had started, it stopped. He noticed her face change and she looked sad.

"Nic, what are we doing? You're married," Victoria sighed.

Nic slowly ran his finger over her flat stomach. "Not for long. My divorce will be finalized very soon."

"What?" Victoria whispered. She hadn't expected to hear that. Was he really serious about all of this? About her?

"I want to do this the right way with you, Victoria," Nic said, staring down into her eyes. She smiled up at him and pulled him down on top of her.

******************

Victoria glanced around the fancy café where they were having breakfast. She thought cafés were tiny little places where you could just get a sandwich. Not some place that has table cloths and wine glasses. She looked over at Nic. He was staring down at the menu. God, this man looked so damn fine. He refused to wear his dirty suit from last night, so they had to stop at a Men's store so he could get a change of clothes. Victoria asked if she could pick out his outfit. At first he had refused, but enough pouting and she won out. She was so used to seeing him in suits that she decided to get him something a little more dressed down. She chose a nice lightweight gray T-shirt with cool designs on it, and dark blue jeans and a belt. She let him pick out a pair of shoes and he also purchased a pair of sunglasses that she swore had a price tag of one-hundred and fifteen dollars. One-hundred and fifteen dollars for sunglasses?! 

But now they sat in this nice café waiting for their server to arrive. She observed Nic's facial features. His parents must have been pretty damn good looking, because they had one hell of a fine son. His face was perfectly symmetrical. He was tall and his body was ridiculously proportionate and fit. He glanced up at her while she was in the middle of her observations.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

Victoria shook her head and glanced down at the menu.

Maybe nothing was wrong for her, but Nic definitely wanted to get something off his chest. After the waiter came and he gave them their order, he asked, "So, where do we go from here?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're a couple now, correct?"

Victoria nodded. Nic narrowed his eyes at her. "You know, that's the second head gesture you've given me."

Victoria rolled her eyes and smiled. "Yes, that's correct."

"Thank you. So, now that we are a couple, are you going to move in with me?" Nic asked. She immediately looked down, and Nic knew his answer right then. He took a sip of wine and glanced around the café.

"Nic, I—I don't know. I just feel that this is all still so sudden. This is the first time I've been on my own two feet, and I like it. I know it's not as luxurious as living with you, but it's the first thing I can somewhat call my own. Do you know what I mean?" Victoria asked, staring up at him for his approval.

"Yes, I do. I don't like it, but I understand it," Nic answered, ending the conversation about her apartment.

After breakfast, the two talked as they walked downtown. They came across a furniture shop and Nic pulled Victoria inside. She was afraid to touch anything, for fear she'd break something that was more expensive than what she made in a year.

Nic pulled her towards the back where the beds were on display.

"Pick one," he whispered to her, and then squeezed her ass.

"Nic, no! I know mine's not much, but it's fine," Victoria said. She could see the hard line of his jaw set and he quickly exhaled.

"Victoria, I know you realize I have a lot of money. But this isn't about that. If you won't move in with me, then at least let me keep my sanity by at least allowing me to buy you a better bed."

Victoria still wasn't used to this concept of money being spent on her. She knew she should try to be appreciative for the opportunity, but it still felt wrong to her. Her father hardly ever spent a dime on her, and perhaps that's what was holding her back. But, from the look on Nic's face, she wasn't going to argue back. "Alright, alright Nic," Victoria said, finally giving in, letting out a loud exaggerated sigh. He smiled down at her as she stood on her toes and kissed him. Maybe this relationship could really work.

********************

Over the next few days, Nic and Victoria fell into somewhat of a normal routine that normal couples did. But his purchases didn't stop at the bed. He insisted on buying her a car. She didn't want something too flashy and pricey, so she settled on a regular two door, black Jetta. Of course it was the latest model, but she figured she could handle that. And not having to ride public transportation anymore wasn't something she'd miss. 

Nic was also adamant about her having a cell phone. She had never really wanted one, because she felt they were a hassle and an unnecessary bill, but Nic got her one anyway. She asked to pay for the bill, but he just looked at her like she was crazy. But thinking about bills, she thought about her parents and their bills. She tried to not let it bother her, but it did. She wondered if Mr. Parker had finally kicked them out or if Nic's visit months ago had scared him into giving her folks a little extra time on paying the rent each month.

And spending so much time at Nic's, she was bound to run into Antonio again. Their reunion had been a bit awkward at first. She had promised to meet Nic at his place. He wasn't there yet, but would be arriving at any moment. Eddie had let her in. He smiled at her but still barely said two words. She was walking upstairs to wait in Nic's office when she almost ran into Antonio. For a second, she didn't recognize him. He had gotten a haircut, removed his earrings and was dressed in a nice suit. His face registered pure shock--a look she had seen before, and it almost caused her to smile. But their last encounter was something Victoria still couldn't shake. Even though she knew most of it was Nic's doing.

"Hey Vicky—Victoria. How are you?" Antonio said.

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Eh, I'm hanging in there," he said with a small smile. After that, they weren't sure what to say. He looked to the left and she glanced to the right. He finally turned back to speak again.

"You look really nice. Beautiful. I mean, you always did, but just wanted to tell you again."

"Thank you. You look nice too."

"Thanks. Hey, Vicky, I—hell. I want to say--,"

"No, it's fine. You don't have to say anything."

"I want to though. I—every time I put on this suit I think about what I sacrificed to do it. And I'm not proud of myself," he said, brushing a hand through his hair. "And I just want to say I'm sorry for everything."

Victoria sighed. She was still hurt, but people do desperate things for those they love. She knew that ALL too well. "I know you did it for your mother, and for that, I can't fault you. And I accept your apology." Then he flashed her that smile that she remembered.

"Really?" he asked, grinning from ear to ear. "I at least thought I was going to have to eat more shit than that."

Victoria laughed. "Well, I guess you caught me on a good day, Antonio." He reached out and hugged her, then immediately let go and looked around.

"Shit, I forgot he's on his way here. Um, don't tell him I just did that," Antonio said, looking down the steps toward the door.

Victoria placed her finger to her lips. "Our little secret."

She walked into Nic's office and sat down on the couch. Even his office couch was ten times softer than her lumpy couch at her apartment. But she refused to say a word about it, or else that would be the next large item delivered to her apartment. Of course, her roommate would love it, but Victoria didn't want to get Nic started. He already was pressuring her to let him pay the rent. But she needed to keep some freedom, although she appreciated the thought.

She walked over to his bookcase and scanned the titles. Some were business books, some philosophy, but most of them were for architecture and building design. What? She pulled one of the architecture books from the shelf and plopped it down on his large desk. Victoria flipped through a few of the pages. Most of it was technical stuff that she didn't understand, but she smiled at the many notes Nic or someone had made on the pages. And since he had left a poem for her in the back of her book, she wanted to write one for him, in the back of his.

She opened a drawer looking for a pen or pencil, and came across something she just couldn't ignore. She started pulling large sheets of paper from the drawer with sketches of buildings on them. The buildings were all so realistic and flawless. There were several different kinds. Some were finished, while others still only had the basic structure. One building had a futuristic aspect to it, and another looked like it could fit in with the ancient buildings in Rome or Venice. And on the drawings that were finished, he had added every little detail you could imagine, including the trees outside and people walking by. Victoria was so captivated that she didn't hear him enter the room.

"You know," Nic said, as she jumped and scattered the papers everywhere, "if I didn't love you so much, I'd have to kill you."

"Shit, I'm sorry, I—fuck, I was looking for a pen," she sheepishly said, as she picked up the drawings. "Did you do this?" Victoria asked, holding up one of the drawings.

Nic nodded. "Yeah."

"These are so good. I mean, really great. You should do this for a living," she said, as he walked over and kissed her.

"I have a job," he said, sitting down behind his desk.

"I mean, one that doesn't carry a fifteen to life sentence," Victoria mocked.

Nic pinched her ass and she yelped. "Well, there's not as much money in architecture as there is in...well, what I do." He pulled her down into his lap. 

"Really, you are so talented. I wish I was," Victoria admitted.

"I'm sure you are," Nic said, nipping her neck.

"No, I'm not. But I'm okay with that. I know how to admire other's talents, so that's good enough for me."

"Okay, well try drawing some trees at the bottom of this building," Nic said, handing her a pencil.

"Alright, you asked for it," Victoria said, as she leaned over his desk. 

Nic watched her hunch her back over the paper. He raised up and glanced at her profile. He stared at her face as she concentrated on the task. Her tongue even escaped out of the corner of her mouth, as she resembled a child hard at work. Nic smiled.

"There, how's that?" Victoria asked, brushing off some of the leftover eraser from messing up several times.

Nic glanced down at the paper and raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Those are the trees."

Nic glanced again and leaned closer to the paper. "That looks like a hairball surrounded by mini toothbrushes."

Victoria laughed and snorted. She gently slapped his hand. "Asshole."

"I mean, most children learn to draw the basics--trees being one of them. What happened to you?"

"Shut up!" Victoria laughed. She got up from his lap, only to have him pick her up and throw her over his shoulder.

"Queen of the stick figures. That's alright baby, you have many other talents, and before dinner, we're about to spend some time learning about them," Nic said, slapping her ass, as he marched to his bedroom.

After changing their dinner reservations twice due to Victoria showing Nic her 'talents', they finally made it to the restaurant.

Victoria chattered on about many different things and Nic listened. He enjoyed hearing her talk. Actually, he enjoyed everything about her. Her smile, her excitement, her laughter, her teasing, her pensive moods...all of the things he had missed when they were apart. She was in the middle of explaining some incident at work when he slid two envelopes toward her. He hoped she would like the gift he was giving, because she usually hated when he bought things for her.

Victoria narrowed her eyes, but managed a small smile in the corner of her mouth. "Hmm, what's this?" she asked, opening the envelope. When she pulled out the contents of the envelope, her mouth dropped and she stared up at him. Perfect. That was the reaction he had hoped for.

********************

Victoria couldn't believe it. She was looking out of a window the size of one of the walls in her apartment, at the most beautiful beach she had ever seen.

"Nic...this place is just too...much. Too beautiful. I can't believe I'm here," Victoria said. 

When they had first arrived in Bali, she almost cried. She hadn't even had a passport, but Nic knew a guy, who knew a guy, who got her passport within a day. The lavish plane ride, the limo drive to the villa...and the villa, itself--she couldn't even find the words. There were none. She walked around, expecting there to be several other people sharing this villa with them. But there weren't. It was for the two of them. Just the two of them and the ocean. 

"Nic, this place is huge," she said, turning to look at him.

"I know. I can't stand to be cramped," Nic said, placing the key card on the bar.

"Oh, then you must hate my apartment," Victoria laughed, staring back out of the large window at the sun setting. This is what heaven must look like.

"I don't hate your place—that much. But I'd still rather have you move in with me or at least let me pay for it."

"No, and Nic, we don't need four bedrooms here," she fussed.

"Yes we do. We need one to sleep in. I need an office and the other two...well, if you want, we can make love in those as well if it will make you feel better about them going to waste."

Victoria laughed. "Actually, I think it would."

*******************

Nic and Victoria lay in bed, wrapped in each other's arms. They had been in Bali for two days, but for Victoria, time didn't matter here. She refused to look at any clocks during her stay. Nic had been semi good about trying to not conduct business, but she had to give him several evil looks every time he answered his cell phone. But tonight, with no one interrupting them, she had a few questions on her mind. 




Seven Days Ch. 07



"Nic, have you thought about...I mean, I know you just went through a divorce, but would you consider marrying again?" Victoria hesitantly asked, while lacing her fingers through his.

Nic stared up at the ceiling. "My first marriage wasn't so great, so it's not high on my list of things to do again. I'm not ruling it out, but I don't know."

"Do you want kids?"

"Are you offering?" Nic asked, grinning.

Victoria lightly tapped him. "No. I'm just asking. I want to know more about your plans for the future."

Nic sighed. "I don't really think my occupation allows much room for something like that."

"But Jimmy has kids," Victoria countered, but then she realized how obvious she might sound. "I mean, I'm just saying he's made it work." She didn't want to keep pressing the issue, but she just wondered if he could eventually have a normal life. Not that he would want that with her, but he did say he loved her. And she knew without a doubt, that she loved him—so maybe her dreams at night weren't too far off the mark. 

"Yeah, but Jimmy isn't the face of my business. I am. And when people get, well, pissed, they aim for me, not him. And they try to hurt those closest to me."

Both Nic and Victoria remained silent after that statement, with the future weighing heavy on both their minds.

********************

Yes, Bali really was heaven, Victoria was sure of it. The warm water felt so good sliding down her body, as she quickly took a shower. She and Nic had spent the whole day touring the island. At the beginning of the tour, he was on his cell phone. At first it bothered her, because he was missing all of the sights, but then she thought about it. He probably did stuff like this all the time. His wife—ex-wife seemed like she had expensive tastes, so this was probably nothing to him. She had sighed and leaned her head against the window as their driver zipped them around the most picturesque locations on the island.

They drove by the native people while in their everyday activities. Working hard...much like she did back home. She wondered if they still enjoyed the beauty of their own home, or if that was only something foreigners could see. Everything seemed more abundant and unrestrained. Just so full of life. They were passing a waterfall when she felt Nic's strong arms grip her waist and slide her back against his body.

"I had to take that call sweetheart," he whispered into her ear. 

Victoria nodded. "You missed some really beautiful sights though," she pouted. 

"Trust me, I'm staring at the most beautiful thing on this island," Nic said, twirling her curls between his fingers. He even surprised himself sometimes with the sappy shit he said when he was around her. But he meant every word. He was pretty sure that Jimmy and Eddie could handle everything while he was gone, but it still felt strange to be away for so long.

Victoria leaned her head back and kissed him. To be such a cold hearted mobster, he could say the sweetest things. "All forgiven," Victoria said.

Nic reached around and stuck his hand down the front of her thin dress, to grip her soft tits. He heard her moan and he bent down to bite her neck. He squeezed and rolled her tight nipple in his hands. "Fuck, Victoria. I want to drag your fine ass back to our place and fuck the hell out of you."

"Then let's go," Victoria whispered, placing his other hand by her face, and gently sucking on his middle finger.

"Uh, shit," Nic said. "Hey, we're ready to return and I'll double the tip if you can get us there as quickly as possible," Nic said to the driver. Victoria was already in her own little world. Her pussy was tingling and if the driver couldn't see them, she would have considered fucking Nic in the back of the car—again.

When they reached the villa, they barely got through the door because they couldn't part their lips from one another. Victoria pulled his shirt over his head as Nic stepped out of his shoes. He was about to pull her dress down when she stopped him.

"Mmm, Nic. I have, mmm, I have to—to pee really quickly. I'll be right back," she said in between kisses.

Nic swatted her ass as she turned around and sprinted to the bathroom.

Victoria washed her hands and walked back into the front room, but Nic wasn't there. "Nic?" Victoria asked. She looked outside, but he wasn't there either. She walked toward the back of the villa when she heard him talking. She opened up the office room door and found him sitting down with his cell phone attached to his ear and staring at his laptop. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him.

Nic placed his hand over the speaker of the phone. "Sweetheart, I have to take this call. I'll be done in a minute," Nic said, before turning his attention back to the computer screen. "Yeah, I have the file pulled up now. And thank you gentlemen for joining at the last minute. Eddie can give you all the facts and figures, and if you have any questions at the end, please feel free to ask."

Victoria watched as he ignored her presence and conducted his business call. They had cut their tour short to rush back and have mind-blowing sex, but instead, he hops on the phone. She stared past him and out of the large window at the beautiful view. The sun was gradually setting, casting a burnt orangish glow across the blue water. It really should have been a painting. She wished she could capture that moment forever. She looked over at Nic again. He looked so good sitting there in that chair with just his jeans on. No shirt or shoes. Exercise and milk definitely do a body good. It really wasn't fair to mere mortals like herself. He was smart, handsome, perfect physique and wealthy. People usually weren't blessed with all of those things at once without selling their soul to the devil. Mister perfect sitting there holding a business meeting in the middle of what was supposed to have been their sexual romp. 'Well, screw that,' Victoria thought.

She walked over and stood in front of him. She slowly started removing her dress. She smirked when she saw his eyes shift from the laptop to her body. His typing slowed and then stopped. Victoria unsnapped her strapless bra and pushed her panties down.

Immediately Nic's dick got hard. Her body could keep his attention during the middle of a war. Her nipples resembled hard chocolate pebbles, beckoning for his attention. Her thin waist, toned stomach and wide hips only fed his lustful wants.

Victoria was feeling so hot. She wanted to get him back for making her cut the tour short and then holding out on sex. Oh yes, he was about to pay.

She slid his laptop out of the way and sat on the desk in front of him, spreading her legs and giving him a perfect view of her pussy, already glistening with her juices. She slowly licked and sucked on her middle and ring fingers and after she slid them from her plump lips, she slowly slid them down her body. She left a slight wet trail, circling her nipples, past her belly button and then down to her tight, wet entrance. She guided her fingers inside her pussy and began to fuck herself slowly. Her head rolled back as she openly masturbated in front of him.

Nic...couldn't think of shit to say. He didn't know what the hell was going on with the phone call, because he had stopped listening when she opened her legs for his viewing pleasure. And now she was masturbating in front of him. His dick almost hurt, it was straining so hard against the zipper of his pants. He watched closely as her soaked fingers glided in and out of her...no, HIS pussy.

He knew she was doing this to punish him. And he deserved it, but Goddamn, what torture this was.

Victoria started working her fingers faster and deeper, rubbing her clit with her thumb. Oh, it was building. That feeling that caused her legs to tremble and her eyes to roll back with such intense pleasure. She gritted her teeth and covered her mouth to keep from moaning loudly and disrupting his call--although that was kind of her plan. And then it happened. She came, jerking her hips forward, pumping her fingers faster and faster.

Nic's mouth opened and he almost dropped the phone.

Victoria finally opened her eyes and looked at Nic. The look in his eyes seemed almost cannibalistic. Good. She stood up from the desk and placed her two wet fingers at his lips. He opened his mouth and quietly sucked her sweet juices from her fingers, while staring into her eyes. If the men on the other end of the line only knew what just happened. She could hear their voices through the phone, but it didn't seem as though Nic was hearing anything at the moment.

Nic watched as Victoria dropped to her knees. She stared up into his face as she deliberately took her time unzipping his pants. She pulled his dick out and began to massage and squeeze the stiff shaft. She rolled her tongue over the tip, licking the precum. He was about to shut his eyes when he heard his name being called.

"Yeah, I—I'm here, Eddie. Repeat the question," Nic said, barely hanging on. 

Victoria looked back at his face as she engulfed the top half of his dick. Ooh...

"No, we d-don't—"

Victoria swirled her tongue over and over and sucked harder and harder.

"—disclose how we—"

Her mouth continued to go further and further down onto his cock, until her lips almost reached the base.

"—tr-transport our product...oh, um, until you are working dir-directly with—us," he said, whispering the last word. Little sparks were setting off in his brain, and he could barely think. She pulled back and began sucking harder on the tip while pumping the shaft with her hand. Goddamn, he was about to explode in her mouth. 

"Oh, shit," he said softly, forgetting the phone was against his mouth. He was almost there when he felt her wet, hot mouth leave his dick. She stood up and quickly pulled her dress back on and walked out.

Nic sat there with his member bulging from his pants and a shocked look across his face. No the fuck she didn't. 

"Excuse me gentlemen, an emergency just came up. Eddie, can you reschedule," Nic said before he hung up the phone and headed for the door.

Victoria heard Nic open the door and slam it shut. She could hear his hurried footsteps coming toward the front of the house. When he saw her, he looked pissed. Victoria slowly stepped backwards to the door and when he took one step towards her, she slid open the door and took off down the steps and onto the beach, giggling and running.

She squealed when she looked back and saw Nic jet through the door after her. She started running faster, but her laughing was causing her to run out of breath quicker than normal.

Nic was sure they were disturbing others who had villas close to theirs, but he didn't care. He was going to make her pay for leaving him hard like that. He was easily gaining on her and when he reached her, he pulled her back and threw her over his shoulders. She was laughing and screaming for him to put her down. Victoria was pleading for him not to do what he was about to do, but he did it anyway. He tossed her into the ocean and jumped in behind her. When she broke through to the surface, she playfully attacked him. They played around in the water for a few more minutes, before they started kissing and groping each other. Then Nic drug her back to the villa and into the master bedroom to spend the rest of the night finally making up for the short tour and phone call. The sun had started rising by the time their bodies disconnected from one another.

********************

Victoria put on the peach colored string bikini, one of the many outfits Nic had snuck and bought her. It was definitely not something she was used to wearing, so she put on a short white ruffled skirt to feel a little more clothed. She pulled her thick curls into a messy ponytail and walked out of the door. She was meeting Nic at an outdoor bar by the beach. He had left early that morning for a run. She wished she could have gone with him, but her body just wouldn't get up. When he had left her, he was shirtless, with just a pair of shorts and shoes on. He had tucked his shirt behind him in his shorts, for later. He had looked so damn fine, that she wanted to pull him back in the bed. But he had kissed her and took off out of the door.

Victoria reached the bar and sat down on a stool. She glanced around and noticed the other tourists, along with the locals. Everyone looked so happy and carefree. She knew the feeling. She ordered a pretty pink margarita and waited for Nic.

"Damn, baby doll," Victoria heard a deep voice say behind her. But she wasn't going to be so vain to think the person was referring to her as baby doll. She continued to sip on her drink.

"What's your name?" she heard another voice ask. She glanced behind her and it was confirmed that she was 'baby doll'. One guy was looking at her legs while the other was looking at her face. He must have been the one who asked for her name.

"Victoria," she politely said, then turned back around.

"You gotta man, Victoria?" she heard the other ask. They were obviously from the States too, judging on their accents. One was white and wearing a ball cap. The other was black and shirtless.

"Yes."

"Is he here?" 

Victoria turned back around in her chair. "He will be in just a few minutes."

"Well, shit, he's crazy as hell leaving you alone. I'd be by your side every minute," the shirtless guy said.

"Or in you every minute," the one with the ball cap whispered to his friend, but loud enough for Victoria to hear.

Victoria was about to tell the guys to fuck off when she looked over their shoulders and saw Nic leaning against the makeshift banister with his hands across his chest. He placed his finger to his lips. Victoria watched as Nic approached her and the two young men.

"Hello gentlemen," Nic said, as he placed an arm around Victoria's neck. The two men stepped back but kept straight faces. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

The two boys glanced at each other quickly and then back at Nic. "Yeah, she's pretty hot," ball cap said, obviously the more bold of the two.

"Yeah, well kill a few people and you can get a girl like this too," Nic said with a smile. Victoria was cringing inside. She didn't know whether to be shocked at Nic's words or laugh at the guys confused, somewhat scared expressions.

"I'm serious. It turns her on. The dangerous type, you know," Nic continued, in a thicker northern accent than he normally used. "That's why she likes me. It's my line of work. Capisce? Of course you do, a couple of smart operators like you know what I'm talking about, I'm sure. You know why I'm here right?"

The two guys looked at each other again, then the shirtless guy decided to call Nic's bluff. "Man, fuck you. We don't know anything about you, or why you're here, and you don't know jack shit about us."

"Sure I do. It's my job to know and she's the bait. You've pissed off some people back in the US and that's why I'm here. I've been tracking you. You're staying further to the north side of the island, in the Mandin Hotel. And I can dispose of your bodies before your girlfriends will even know you're missing. But, I'm in a good mood at the moment. Just had an intense run. I feel like letting you guys off the hook with just a warning. This time. And this time only. If you leave quietly now, I can say I couldn't find you, and you gentlemen live to see another day? Sound good?"

Both men looked like they had seen a ghost. They slowly stepped back from Nic and Victoria and turned to leave. They quickly scurried out of the bar and around the corner.

Victoria couldn't believe what she had just seen. "How the hell did you do that?" she asked.

Nic ordered a drink and sat down beside her. "It wasn't that hard. Over the years I've learned to read people very well."

"But, how did you know that stuff. Did you know them?"

"No, but I figured they couldn't afford to stay further south, so assumed they were vacationing in the north. There's only one nice, but reasonably priced hotel up north, that's close enough to here that you could make it back in an hour or so. The Mandin, and that's where spring break kids stay. And guys like that never travel alone to a place like Bali. They had to have come with girlfriends. Plus, everyone owes someone something," Nic said sipping his drink. "They were easy to pick on. It's the same method we use to squeeze info out of people we think are rats."

"Well, who do you owe?" Victoria asked.

"No one," Nic said with a straight face.

"Holy shit, there's so much I don't know about you," Victoria said, shaking her head.

"Sweetheart, you know the more important things. The only things that matter."

Victoria stared up at him. Perhaps it was the margarita, or the fact that she was turned on by dangerous men, or how sexy he looked, but she wanted to fuck him right then and there. Damn, this man had rocked her world. She might be risking a lot being with him, but she was definitely going to take the chance.

Later that night, Victoria awoke to find Nic standing by the window, looking out at the ocean. The light from the moon cast a perfect soft blue color across his naked form. Victoria watched in awe as he stood perfectly still, giving her a chance to worship the fine strong lines of his back, leading down to the most perfect male ass she had never seen.

She threw the covers from her body and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around him. She usually wasn't so comfortable with her nudity, but he was rubbing off on her. 

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just can't sleep."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No. Not really," Nic said.

"Come on, you can tell me anything. I want to know."

"I'm just used to bad things following the good."

"What do you mean?"

Nic turned around. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. I think it's time for another inspection?" he asked, looking her up and down.

"Well, that depends. Are you a harsh critic?"

"Absolutely," Nic said, before twirling her around and smacking her ass.

Victoria belted out a yelp.

"Perfect," Nic whispered, admiring her body more, while pulling her towards the bed.

Their last night in Bali, Nic took Victoria to an upscale restaurant. Victoria freaked when there were no prices listed on the menu. Plus it was all in a different language and she had no idea what to order. Nic finally just ordered for the both of them, and as they waited for their food to come, Nic noticed Victoria's bright smile.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"I was just thinking that I'm going to miss this place. Everything has been so fantastic, Nic. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, while pouring her some more wine. Victoria took a sip and then smiled at him again.

"You know, this is like a fairy tale to me. Perhaps a warped one, but a fairy tale nonetheless. I mean, I'm in a beautiful far away land, staying in a palace and dining at the most expensive restaurant I've ever been in. And just less than six months ago, I was sleeping on my parents' couch, holding down two jobs to support them, and had never been any further than where the city public transportation could take me. And it's only warped because of, well, your occupation and how we met"

"Uh huh. So if this was a fairy tale, I'd be the prince or something, right?"

Victoria laughed at the idea of Nic being a prince. "Um, I guess so."

"And if this prince asked his fair maiden to dance, would she?"

Victoria smiled again, as she took Nic's hand and the two walked to the dance floor. She held tightly to him as he whirled her around. She was truly happy. If this dance never ended, she would have been just fine with that. A part of her knew they had to go back, but she wasn't ready to share him again with his job. Or return to her tiny apartment. Or the loud hustle and bustle of the city. Yes, she could have stayed in this restaurant all night, dancing in a place with no prices on the menus, and life would have been perfect. But like all things, she knew it had to come to an end. She quickly wiped a tear from her face as he leaned down and kissed her.




Seven Days Ch. 07



********************

Victoria zipped up her coat and said her goodbyes to a few of the waitresses before she walked out into the cold midday air. Although she was happy to be cutting her shift short, she still hadn't gotten used to being back. She could have easily stayed another week in Bali. Or month...year, whatever, it was the most magical place she had ever been. She also hadn't been looking forward to returning to work. She loved her co-workers, it was just that some of the regulars tended to get too rowdy, and some days she just didn't feel like dealing with that shit. But at least now that she was back at work, she could get her money in order again.

The cold air hit her face and her teeth began to chatter as she left Calamity's. She heard tires screech down the street just as her cell phone rang. Victoria reached into her bag, but couldn't find it. She still wasn't used to the damn thing. Finally, after a few more rings, she located it. She smiled when she noticed it was Nic's number, but before she could answer, the phone slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground between the curb and her car.

"Fuck," Victoria muttered, as she bent down behind the car to retrieve it. The moment her fingers connected with the hard, sleek plastic she heard the loudest noise and glass shattering behind her.

Victoria screamed as she covered her ears and wilted to the cold concrete. The glass from Calamity's windows sprinkled down near her, as the screeching from the tires faded away. For a moment all went quiet before she heard a series of shouting and screams. She couldn't tell if they were hers or someone else's.

She laid on the ground for what seemed like several minutes before she felt strong hands jerk her up from the ground. 

"You hurt?" Miguel, one of the busboys asked in a thick accent, as he scanned up and down her body. "You hurt?" he asked again, with concerned eyes.

"I—I," Victoria didn't even know. She looked behind him to see some of the customers running out of the restaurant and Greg waving his hands wildly.

"Everyone calm down! The police are on their way now," Greg shouted, as he turned and looked in Victoria's direction. He quickly walked out of the restaurant, the glass on the street crunching beneath his feet as he made his way to her.

"Vicky! Are you alright? Are you hurt?" he shot out rapidly, as he inspected her, turning her around before looking back into her eyes. 

"I--I think I'm o--okay," Victoria squeaked out, but she was anything but. It finally just registered in her brain what happened. The loud firecracker noise, the glass shattering and screeching tires. Someone had shot at them. Someone had actually used bullets and shot at them! Victoria felt dizzy from that realization. She swooned for a second before Greg caught her.

"Whoa, come back inside and sit down," Greg said, directing them to the entrance. "I can't believe this just happened. I can't believe this just fucking happened," he said, as he sat her down at one of the tables. Tracy ran over to her and hugged her, crying and chanting "Oh my God," over and over.

Victoria heard her phone ringing again. She was still holding it in a death grip, but she couldn't find her purse. Probably still outside on the ground. She didn't even bother looking at the caller ID. 

"Hello," she croaked out.

"There you are. What time do you think you'll be here?" she heard Nic ask.

"Uh, I don't know," she whispered.

"What do you mean you don't know? I thought you were going to leave early?" he asked.

"Nic, I—oh, God," Victoria said, right before she burst into tears. She heard the sirens and could see red and blue flashing out of the corner of her eye. Someone had tried to kill them! Someone had tried to hurt them.

"Victoria," she heard Nic say. His voice seemed different. Not as friendly as it had just a few seconds ago.

"Yes," she sniffed.

"What happened?" he asked her in a low, stern voice.

"Someone...someone shot at us," Victoria cried, sobbing even harder now that she admitted it out loud. 

Silence. 

She didn't know if he was even still on the phone. She couldn't hear him breathing or anything.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked, after a few moments. His voice sounded flat, a tone she had never heard before.

At first Victoria nodded her head to assure herself, but then whispered, "Yes, I think so."

"I'll be there in just a few minutes," he said before she heard the line go dead. 



Seven Days Ch. 08



Jimmy sat patiently on the couch in Nic's office as Nic dialed Victoria again. The first time she didn't pick up. Jimmy tossed another pecan in his mouth and wiped his hands. He and his wife were supposed to be going to dinner with the new couple as soon as Victoria got off work. He glanced back over at Nic and waited.

"There you are. What time do you think you'll be here?" Nic asked.

Jimmy watched as Nic's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, you don't know? I thought you were going to leave early?" he questioned. 

Nic slowly sat down, and Jimmy saw a blank expression come across his features. Something Nic was hearing was obviously a problem of some kind. "Victoria...what happened?" Nic asked.

Then Nic's face turned white. Pale white. Jimmy rose and walked over to the desk. What the hell was going on? Nic leaned over the desk and covered his face with his hand as he listened to whatever Victoria was saying. 

"Are you okay?" Nic asked Victoria, as he glanced up at Jimmy, who mouthed 'What's wrong?', but Nic didn't answer. He just told Victoria he'd be there in a few minutes and hung up the phone. But now that pasty tint that had covered his features was slowly fading away...or actually turning into a bright scarlet color while his breath quickened. 

"Nic, what happened?" Jimmy asked, staring at the unreadable expression on Nic's face. It wasn't often that Jimmy couldn't read his best friend. "Is Victoria okay?"

"Someone shot at her," Nic quietly said, as he grabbed his keys from the desktop. "Someone shot at..." He heard Nic whisper again, but more to himself. 

Jimmy watched closely, as Nic stood there for a moment, bracing his knuckles on the desk so hard that all the color was draining from them.

"Nic?" Jimmy softly said, before everything on Nic's desk went flying off to the floor in a loud crash. 

"Mother—fuckers!!!" Nic yelled, as he rushed around his desk and out of the office. Jimmy ran after him trying to keep up, as Nic took the steps four at a time.

"Raymond! We have to go!" Jimmy hollered over his shoulder, as Nic tore out of the front door.

Raymond quickly dropped his plate of food and ran out of the kitchen, no questions asked.

Nic couldn't breathe. They shot at her?! Someone actually fucking shot at her?! Tried to kill her?! He was trying his best to keep cool. Half of his brain was telling him to remain calm, get to the restaurant, assess the situation and go from there. The other side of his mind was racking up anyone one who had ever crossed him so he could kill them. Painfully.

Raymond had slipped behind the driver's wheel of the Escalade, while Nic was in the passenger's seat and Jimmy in the back. When they pulled out onto the road, heading toward Calamity's, Jimmy asked, "What are you thinking, Nic?"

Nic didn't answer. His mind was still racing. He had to gain control and get his mind focused.

"Nic, you do realize that place is going to be swarming with cops, right?" Jimmy asked. He sighed when Nic didn't answer. Nic just continued to stare ahead through the windshield.

Raymond slowed down as they pulled up on the opposite side of Calamity's, to an onslaught of black and white police cars. "Nic, I'll go. There's no point in risking it," Jimmy suggested, as he opened up his door.

"No. I'm going," Nic stated, looking around for Victoria.

"Nic, I know you're upset, but—," Jimmy started, before Nic interrupted.

"Upset, huh?" Nic said, as he continued to stare out of his window looking for the object of his affection. "I don't think upset covers what I'm feeling right now, Jimmy." When he finally spotted Victoria, he got out of the car and slammed the door.

"I told you, I'm not sure. I didn't see the car. I dropped my phone and was looking down when I first heard the shots," Victoria recounted for the third time to a different cop. She was exhausted, shaken and just wanted to be with Nic.

"I understand you're tired ma'am, but we need to get this information while it's fresh on your mind. Now can you tell me again what time you were walking out of the restaurant," the police officer asked, while looking down at his notepad.

Victoria sighed. "I think it was—"

"Are you okay?" Nic asked, as he spun her around and glanced over her body as if she needed medical attention. Victoria immediately latched onto him wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head into his chest. Her whole body began to shake and she started sobbing. He pulled his coat open, and encased her inside with him as he kissed the top of her head several times. She knew her tears and makeup were probably ruining his expensive shirt, but she just couldn't let go.

"Nicolas Andretti the fourth...long time, no see," Nic heard a familiar voice say. Fuck. He turned around to see his suspicions confirmed. Detective Marsh was staring at him with that damn smug smile that Nic always wanted to knock right off his face. Marsh had been promoted the day Nic's father died. He remembered seeing him standing in the distance at his father's private funeral. The bastard had been following him closely throughout the years and just never seemed to really go away.

"Marsh," Nic stated dryly.

Victoria sniffled and peeked her head out from under Nic's coat. She wanted to see who this Marsh guy was. He was a skinny man who had blond hair, but was graying. And prematurely from the look of his young face.

"Hi miss...?"

"Her name is Victoria Davis, sir," the police officer who had been questioning her said.

"Miss Davis. How do you know my good friend, Nic?" Marsh asked, smiling down at her.

Victoria didn't know much about what Nic did, but she wasn't about to open her mouth and tell this man anything. But luckily she didn't have to. Nic started guiding her towards his car.

"Hold up a second Nic, we weren't done questioning her," Marsh said.

"Yes you were," Nic said over his shoulder.

"Don't forget who you're talking to, Nic. Wanna take a trip downtown?" Marsh warned.

Nic stopped and turned toward Marsh. "You want to try?" Nic countered, staring the man down.

Victoria wasn't sure what to do. She sure as hell didn't want to get on any cops shit-list, but Nic appeared to be done with the conversation. She glanced back and forth between the two men, while trying to wipe her eyes and nose.

Detective Marsh's smug smile reappeared. "Well, I guess there's no reason to--if you haven't done anything wrong, now is there?" he said.

Nic turned back around and ushered Victoria across the street, towards the Escalade. 

"Don't go too far Miss Davis. I'd still like to ask you a few questions regarding the incident today," Victoria heard Detective Marsh ask in the distance.

Jimmy had transferred to the front seat, while Nic opened the door and guided Victoria into the backseat. He held her close to his body, with his arms wrapped protectively around her. But no one said a word. Raymond rarely ever said much of anything. Jimmy wasn't sure what to say. Victoria was too tired to utter another word and Nic was too busy thinking about what his next step was to talk to anyone. So they traveled in silence all the way back to Nic's house.

*****************

Victoria winced in pain from trying to pry her puffy eyes open. She sat up in Nic's bed and pushed her wild curls from her face. She glanced at the night stand for the time. 10 pm. She sighed. All the images from earlier that day came flashing back. The loud noise, screams and shattering glass. She was praying that it was just a nightmare, but she knew that wishful thinking was all in vain. But just as suddenly as those visions had come, Victoria couldn't breathe. She quickly grabbed her chest and forced herself to take deep gulps of air to calm her breathing.

She finally composed herself, walked out of the room and down the long hallway. When she reached Nic's office door she was about to knock when she heard Nic's voice, more animated than she had ever heard before. She cracked the door open and saw Jimmy and Nic arguing.

"Nic, all I'm saying is you don't know for sure that Sonny did this. It could have been a number of people," Jimmy said.

"No. I know it was him," Nic declared, with his hands locked behind his head as he paced back and forth. Victoria observed him. He too, looked exhausted.

"But what if it wasn't, I mean--,"

"It was," Nic contradicted.

"But--,"

"They shot at her, Jimmy! They fucking mowed down the front of her workplace to get to her. If you think I'm going to let them have a second chance, then fuck you," Nic said, walking around to his desk. He sat down and laid his forehead against the cool, flat wood.

'Shot at her?' Victoria thought. What the fuck? It was a drive-by shooting, they weren't targeting her. Why would someone want to kill her? Victoria remained silent, listening outside the door.

"You see, that's what I mean. You said 'they'...who's 'they', Nic? You have to be certain before you go accusing another mob boss's son of something like that. Just use your head."

Victoria pushed the door open and walked in.

Nic glanced up at the door when Victoria entered. Her eyes seemed weak and still glassy from her crying herself to sleep.

"Nic, Jimmy's right. Those people could have been aiming at anyone. I mean, they shot at the entire restaurant," Victoria said, glancing back and forth between both men.

Nic sighed and smiled up at her. "How did you sleep?"

"Alright. Are you okay?"

"Not really," Nic answered honestly. "How about you go grab yourself something to eat and let Jimmy and I finish up here. I'll join you in a moment."

"But Nic, I probably should call that guy back, the police officer that was asking all those questions," Victoria suggested. She watched as Nic just shook his head.

"No, I'll take care of this. You gave your statement and you're done. You don't remember anything else as far as they're concerned, okay?"

Victoria placed a hand on her hip. "What do you mean you'll take care of it? I'm sure the police will find the people in no time."

"I don't want the police to find the people. I want to find them so I can question them myself. Ask who hired them."

"What? Nic, leave this to the cops. Let them do their jobs."

"Victoria—go eat. I'll join you later," Nic commanded.

"Nic, I—"

"Victoria! End of discussion," Nic said, narrowing his eyes at her. She just didn't understand that he didn't want her involved in this any more than she already was.

"No, don't start that with me. It's NOT the end of the discussion! What are you planning to do?" Victoria asked.

Nic sighed. "Victoria, the less you know about me and what I do, the better for you. You can't give anyone any information if you don't know it, now can you? And that's the way I want to keep it. I don't want you getting in trouble or having to lie for me."

"Do you really think it was Sonny?"

"Yes," Nic answered. He heard Jimmy exhale noisily.

Nic got up from his desk and walked over to Victoria. She was standing there staring at the ground and shaking her head.

"I don't understand," she whispered to him, before he leaned down to capture her lips.

"I need you to do something for me," Nic said, sliding his hand through her thick curls. She looked up at him, her eyes already starting to glass over again.

"I need you to go away for a little while. Just a short time until I can get all of this handled."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Victoria, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you."

"I don't want to leave you. Plus, I have a job. The insurance company is fixing the windows tonight, so we are returning to work tomorrow."

"No, you're not. I'll talk to your manager and--," Nic tried to say, while Victoria shook her head back and forth like a child.

"No, I'm not going to let someone scare me into--," Victoria started, until Nic grabbed her head with both of his hands and forced her to look up at him.

"This isn't a fucking game, Victoria. This is real. This is serious. This hit was set up to look like gang violence. But trust me, this wasn't some gangbanger with a grudge. And I can't think straight if I'm worried about your safety every second. Your bags should be arriving her in a few more minutes, then you leave."

"What? My bags?"

"Yes. I didn't want you going back to your apartment to do it, so I had Minka and Raymond pack you some clothes. Jimmy will escort you to another location," Nic said.

Victoria pushed herself from Nic's grasp and back toward the door. "When did you do all this? And what made you think I was going to go?"

"While you were sleeping and I knew you would be going because it was never going to be a negotiation," Nic stated matter-of-fact.

Victoria scoffed. Perhaps he had a point, but this was all happening too sudden. Her life was being uprooted for what could possibly be nothing at all. Maybe she could play the emotional card. "But I love you and I don't want to go."

"I love you too, and that's the only reason I'm sending you away. Trust me, it will make sense when you get there," Nic said. He quickly glanced down at his cell phone and then back to Victoria. "Raymond's here. It's time for you to go."

******************

In the car ride on the way to...well, wherever she was going, Victoria thought of her morning. She had woken up, had a big bowl of cereal and then went into work. Never in a million years would she have thought her day would turn out this way. One minute she's separating the marshmallows from the other bits of cereal in her bowl, the next she's caught in the middle of some mob war. Life was indeed strange. Jimmy had told her to go to sleep if she could, because they had a long way ahead of them. Her eyelids were heavy, and although she protested, she was asleep in no time.

Jimmy glanced in his rearview mirror at Victoria. She had her head resting against the window and her eyes were shut. She was definitely a beautiful girl. And one of the sweetest people he had ever met. He really hated that she was going through this and he couldn't imagine what Nic must be feeling. No one had ever tried to hurt Jimmy's family. Ever. He hoped that Sonny wasn't involved. Because if he was, that would mean Paul Marcone would have to get involved, and this would be the beginning of something truly ugly.

After a few more hours of driving and one gas stop, Jimmy turned onto the familiar street that led to an iron gate. He punched in the code and drove down the long driveway.

Victoria's head bobbled against the glass, waking her up. She quickly wiped her eyes as she stared out of the window. Everything was pitch black except for a faint light above the door of a two-story house. 

Jimmy parked the car and hopped out to open Victoria's door.

"Where are we?" she asked, right as the front door opened. 

Out stepped a thin, beautiful woman with a nice tan. She had long wavy black hair and a wide smile. Victoria turned to look at Jimmy, but he was getting her bags from the trunk. She tried to go help him, but he pushed her toward this beautiful stranger. Victoria sighed and cautiously walked closer, when she noticed bright blue eyes. Eyes she'd seen a million times. 'Oh my God,' Victoria thought. This was Nic's mother. No doubt about it. Victoria immediately became nervous. She quickly smoothed her shirt down, trying to look somewhat presentable after hours asleep in a car. 

"Oh my God, Jimmy, look at her! She's beautiful!" the smiling woman said, while staring in Victoria's direction. 'Well, that's a promising start,' Victoria told herself, as she moved closer to the house.

"Hi Victoria, I'm Nic's mother, Marianna," she said.

"Hi Mrs. Andretti, nice to--," Victoria said, before she was ambushed with a huge hug.

"Oh, don't you dare start with the Mrs. Andretti crap. It's Marianna, you hear!" she said, squeezing Victoria tightly. When she finally released her hold, she scooted Victoria into the house, almost closing the door on Jimmy.

"Jeez, Marianna. What am I, chopped liver?" Jimmy joked, as he placed the bags on the floor and quickly hugged her.

"Oh, you know I love you. I'm just so excited to finally meet her. I mean, I hate it's under these circumstances," Marianna admitted, shaking her head. "But even still, I'm so glad you're here," she said looking in Victoria's direction.

Victoria wasn't quite sure what to do, but she was making a mental note to herself to curse Nic out for not warning her that she'd be meeting his mom. 

"Well, I guess I'm glad to be here—I mean I'm glad to meet you," Victoria said, nervously looking around. 

"And you must be hungry. How could you not be? Come," Marianna said, winking her eye, as she quickly marched down the hallway.

Victoria followed Marianna to the kitchen. "Can I help you with anything?" Victoria asked, looking around the large designer kitchen that looked as though it belonged on some fancy cooking show.

"Absolutely not! Sit down and rest yourself. My Nic says you're a waitress. That means you spend all day serving people...well let me serve you. Jimmy, get in here!" Marianna yelled in a slightly Italian tinged Northern accent, while opening the fridge and removing several dishes.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Jimmy yelled, bursting through the kitchen doors. "Now you see where Nic gets it from," Jimmy whispered to Victoria. She covered her mouth and tried not to laugh.

"Isabelle and the children are well, si?" Marianna asked, as she warmed up two plates packed full of food.

"They're good. I have her staying at her mother's until all of this blows over," Jimmy answered.

Victoria looked at Jimmy. His wife and kids were hiding out too...all because of her? And now Nic's mom was having to take her in. She felt like shit. She tried to stop the first two tears that dropped, but then she couldn't quiet her soft sob. She felt Jimmy squeeze her hand. "It's okay, Vicky."

"Why are you crying, cara mia?" Marianna asked, rushing to Victoria's side, placing her arm around her.

"I'm sorry—I just—I didn't mean for this to happen. I feel like I'm imposing on you, and Jimmy had to send his family away—all because of me. I feel awful," Victoria admitted, trying to wipe away her tears.

"Don't you dare feel that way! This is not your fault. Not at all. You can't help the fact that there are crazy people in this world," Marianna said, grasping her tighter.

"It's not your fault, Vicky. And no one is blaming you," Jimmy added. He glanced down at his vibrating cell phone. "Oh shit."

"Che cosa?" Marianna asked, walking back to the kitchen to retrieve their food.

"I forgot to call Nic to tell him we had arrived," he exhaled. He clicked open the phone. "Hey--yeah, we're here, I forg—I know, I know, I'm sorry. But we're here now--yeah, hold on," he said as he passed the phone to Victoria.

"Hello?" she said, wiping at her tears. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?" Nic rushed out. 

"Yes, I'm fine. I just feel bad that everyone is having to do things because of me." 

"That's not your fault," she heard him say.

"I know, your mother already said that." 

"I love you, get some rest and pass the phone to my mom," Nic said.

"I love you too," Victoria whispered, before she passed the phone to Marianna. "He wants to speak with you."

"Mio figlio!" Victoria heard Marianna say, as she walked back into the kitchen, and proceeded to talk to Nic in Italian. So much for eavesdropping. 

"How long do you think I'll have to be here, Jimmy?" Victoria whispered.

"I'm not sure. Hopefully no more than a few days. Why, is Marianna already getting on your nerves," Jimmy smiled.

"No! No, I mean, she's great as far as I can tell. She's so friendly. It's just that I miss Nic already. And I'm sure you miss your family."

Jimmy patted her on the back. "It should only take a few days to get everything sorted out, and then it should all go back to normal."




Seven Days Ch. 08



"Jimmy! Get in here..per favore!" Marianna yelled from the kitchen. "Nic wants to speak with you again."

Jimmy laughed. "I love that woman," he said, before he hopped up and walked further into the kitchen.

After dinner Victoria could hardly keep her eyes open. She felt like she had already slept most of the day away, but her eyes just couldn't stay open any longer. Marianna showed her to the room she'd be staying in, and Jimmy brought up her bags. Marianna gave her another hug, said goodnight and walked out of the room. As if on cue, Victoria fell back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. After a few minutes of reflection, Victoria closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber.

****************

Nic didn't sleep at all. He sat at his desk sketching, trying to calm his nerves. He knew he couldn't make a move until he got a few more answers, but his gut along with years of experience knew that Sonny was behind this shooting. He never trusted him, even when they were kids. He glanced at the clock. It was already four in the morning. He wanted so badly to call Victoria, and just hear her voice, but he didn't want to wake her up. 

Nic was about to start on a new sketch when he heard his stomach rumble. He couldn't even remember the last time he had eaten. He walked down to the kitchen and poured himself a large bowl of Victoria's sugary cereal. He normally didn't eat things like this, but in some weird, childish way he felt he was closer to her by doing so. He took a big bite and surprisingly, it was pretty good. He stared down at his bowl as he thought about what steps he had to take next. He needed to call favors in on some people around town who always had their eyes and ears open.

"Nic, mind if I join you?" he heard Antonio ask from the kitchen door.

Nic kicked out the chair beside him for his answer.

Antonio walked in and grabbed a bowl of cereal for himself as well. He sat down in the chair that Nic had offered and took a few bites of cereal as the two of them sat in silence.

"This whole thing is crazy, huh?" Antonio asked, not being able to stand the quiet.

Nic just stared straight ahead while taking another big bite of cereal.

"I remember the first time I met her. She was at your party—in that red dress. She seemed so out of place," Antonio laughed. He turned to Nic and noticed his expression hadn't changed.

"I mean in a good way. Well, I mean, not that your guests are bad, but—well, she just seemed different," Antonio tried to quickly correct. When Nic didn't respond, Antonio exhaled and continued to eat his food. He was slowly learning what Nic did and didn't like. And apparently him talking was one of those things Nic didn't like.

Antonio swallowed another bite and was about to take his food elsewhere, when he heard Nic speak.

"She really pissed me off that night she left with you."

Antonio looked at Nic. "I know, I'm sorry about—"

"I think that was the first time I realized I felt—that my feelings were crossing over the 'business' line. I had asked her to leave that night," Nic continued.

Antonio sat back down, not really knowing if he should say something or not.

"But of course she had to run her mouth, and I just couldn't let her go after that," Nic admitted with a smile, remembering that night vividly.

Antonio gave a nervous laugh also. "Well, hopefully after all of this blows over, everything can go back to normal. She's had a very crazy year. And can you believe her dad? What an asshole, huh?" 

"What do you mean?" Nic asked, placing his spoon back in the bowl.

"You know, with the way he treated her and everything," Antonio said, taking another large bite. He looked over at Nic and stopped mid chew. Fuck! He quickly swallowed. "Oh man, I thought she told you. You probably don't want to hear about all that stuff now."

"Told me what? What did her father do?" Nic asked, sliding his bowl away and sitting straight up.

Antonio shook his head. He just HAD to open his big, fat mouth. "Nic, she should probably be the one to tell you this," he said trying his best to back his way out of this admission.

"I'm asking you. What did her father say?"

Antonio knew he had no option now. Shit. "He...um, he called her some names and then kicked her out of their apartment."

"Like what?" Nic continued.

Antonio really didn't want to tell Nic. Victoria was going to kill him for even bringing this up. What a big fucking mouth he had.

Antonio exhaled. "Well basically he called her a whore and a slut and said he didn't want her staying in their apartment because she had...um, well slept with you to clear their debt. And then he kicked her out," Antonio answered, lowering his head. This was all a personal matter, and really none of his business.

"So then she went to your house," Nic said, staring at the side of Antonio's face. Nic wasn't sure if it was the fact that his girlfriend's life had been threatened and now he was separated from her, and hearing Antonio tell that story on top of it all, but he was furious. He wanted to fucking break something...or shoot something. After all this blew over, he was paying her father a visit. 

Nic stood up and stretched. His body hurt, even up to his teeth. He walked out of the kitchen without another word to Antonio. He had to get rid of this energy. It wasn't a nervous energy, but more of an adrenaline rush he kept feeling. Anticipating when the shit was going to hit the fan. He walked up to his bedroom and changed into a loose shirt and workout pants. He had to run...anything to keep from getting in his car and fucking up Sonny Marcone.

*****************

The next morning, Victoria awoke with sunlight streaming down on her. She wiped her eyes and walked to the window and peered through. Her mouth dropped wide open. All she could see was plush green land, a creek and several horses. She saw a stable in the distance and a few other animals. This was a ranch. She had never been to a ranch before. She ran into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

When she was done, she finally opened her suitcase. 'Damn Minka,' Victoria thought, as she rummaged through all of the short, tight designer clothes Minka had picked out for her. Nothing in her bag even remotely looked comfortable. But at least she had packed her Converse for her. She put on a cute shirt and skirt, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

Victoria walked downstairs, to find Jimmy and Marianna sitting at the kitchen table laughing and sipping coffee.

"Good morning!" Marianna said in a cheery tone, getting up to give Victoria another bone crushing hug and kiss. "Did you sleep well? Tell me the truth? If you were not comfortable, I can get another mattress."

'Another thing Nic gets from his mother,' Victoria thought with a smile. "No, I slept wonderfully. I guess too well, since you guys were up way before me," Victoria said, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"Nonsense! You had a very difficult day yesterday. You deserved your rest. Did you miss Nic?"

"Um, yes, I did."

"You are so in love with him, si?" Marianna asked, with a huge smile on her face.

Victoria looked over at Jimmy, who was trying to hide his smile behind his coffee cup raised to his lips.

"Yes. I am." Victoria simply stated, as she grabbed a cup of coffee. "Marianna, do you mind if I look at some of the photos you have in the living room?"

"Go ahead. I have a beautiful family," Marianna said, filling Jimmy's plate with what was easily two pounds of food. 

Victoria smiled as she grabbed her cup and walked into the living room. Modesty didn't run in the Andretti family either. She walked over to a stand where she saw some black and white pictures of Marianna when she was younger. She was absolutely stunning. Her hair was pinned back in a prim and proper way and she was wearing a floral dress with what now would be considered vintage high heels. She had a huge smile on her face as she stood holding a tall man's hand. Victoria could only assume that this was Nic's father, Nicolas Andretti III. He was definitely handsome. Actually, other than Nic's eye color, which he took from his mother, Nic looked just like his dad, including the cold stare and lack of expression. 

"That's my late husband," Marianna said behind Victoria. "Good business man. Not the best husband and father, but he tried. Some men are good family men, some aren't. But he always made sure we were provided for."

"And you have five kids?" Victoria asked, turning around to look at Marianna.

"Yes, four boys and one girl. She's the baby," Marianna said, as she grabbed a picture of her children when they were all young. She handed it to Victoria. She spotted four different young men and a young girl. They all had jet black hair. Only Nic and the younger girl shared the same eye color as Marianna. The other boys had darker, brown eyes. In the picture two of the boys and the girl were standing on steps in front of a house, and two other boys, one being Nic, were sitting on the steps.

"This one is Marcus, he's the oldest," Marianna said. Victoria stared at the young man that Marianna had pointed at. He was just a tad overweight and he looked miserable, even though he was smiling. He wasn't as handsome as Nic, but he could be more pleasing to the eye, if he didn't look like it was killing him to smile.

"He's a police officer in Chicago. He divorced a few years back, and is now married to his job."

"He's a cop? How does that work with, well--Nic and his occupation?" Victoria asked, trying to tiptoe around the sensitive subject.

Marianna laughed. "It doesn't, that's the problem. Those two barely have a civil word to say to each other. Anyway, this is Vincent, he's two years older than Nic. He's a principal at a high school and married. He's the only child of mine that's given me grandchildren. Two girls, seven and four. I don't get to see them much," Mariana said with a sigh. "They live so far away and don't make it up here to see me, but I get pictures all the time." Vincent was much shorter than his older brother, Marcus, but at least his smile was pleasant.

"Two grandchildren, that must be nice," Victoria added.

Marianna elbowed Victoria. "You and Nic could give me more," she said, staring at the next child in her photo. Victoria started to say something, but then decided against it. Marianna was definitely more forward than she was used to. Nic never opened up about anything, yet his mother couldn't stop talking. But she enjoyed someone who could finally give her some more insight into Nic's personality.

"Um, how old was Nic in this picture?" Victoria asked, looking at Nic and the other young boy who was sitting on the steps with him.

"Hmm, I think he was seventeen or eighteen in that picture. I think that was the last time I had all of my children in the same place. Now I can barely get two of them in the same room together."

Nic was an extremely handsome teenager. Not as physically overpowering as he was now, but the same handsome face and long limbs. He was the only one in the picture not smiling, but the young boy beside him was grinning brightly and had his arm resting on Nic's shoulder. He was handsome too. Probably the second best looking of the boys, Victoria thought, secretly rating her man next to his brothers. Nic being first, of course.

"And who's the one sitting with Nic?"

"That is Bobby," Marianna said, with a sadness laced in her voice. "He was killed shortly after his twenty-first birthday."

Victoria sucked in a gasp. "What? Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"It was hard on all of us. Bobby was so charming and friendly to everyone. He and Nic were really close since they were only a year apart. I guess it was the whole, opposites attract. He and Bobby's personalities were nothing alike, but they got along the best."

"Do you mind if I ask what happened?" Victoria asked.

"Bobby had a gambling problem. He would borrow money, gamble it away and then try to talk his way out of it. He borrowed from the wrong people one day, and...well, he went missing."

"Oh my God, I know that must have been torture," Victoria said, as they both walked over the couch and sat down.

"It was. He was missing for two months. I remember my Nic saying, 'Don't worry mama, I'll find him'. You see, we didn't know if something had happened to him, or if it was the drugs. He had gotten hooked on some bad things and would disappear. He didn't want us to see him like that. But he'd always come back clean and sober with a big smile on his face. I miss that smile," Marianna said, staring at Bobby's picture. "But then I got a call from my husband saying that his body had been found. Actually, his head had been found, but the rest of his body didn't wash ashore until weeks later."

Victoria thought she was going to be sick. She had heard of several missing people's stories that ended in tragedy like this. Even the ones that made national TV, but to know of someone who actually went through it--a mother who had to know her child's body was dismembered, is something quite different. She didn't even know what to say. She felt tears rush to the corners of her eyes.

"Nic went with my husband to identify what was left of the body. Neither one would talk about it. But I was a complete mess after that."

"God, I can't even imagine," Victoria whispered.

"About a month after we buried Bobby, the guy that Bobby had borrowed the money from went missing. And that's when the police came snooping around here. But in my husband and son's business, I don't ask questions. And a part of me was relieved that some justice had come from my son's death. I know it's not right, but when you lose a child, you don't think rationally."

Victoria thought about the fact that Nic could make people disappear. It sent a shiver up her spine. And not because of what he could do, but the fact that he could be caught. And that was a new line of thinking for her. 

"And this is Juliet, my baby girl. She's a spunky one," Marianna said with a smile. "She travels a lot. She never spends more than a few months to a year in any place. Right now she's backpacking through Europe for the third time with her new boyfriend. And from there she said they plan to settle down for a year somewhere in Australia," Marianna said, rolling her eyes. "I love her to death, but I told her to settle down and find a husband. I'm not getting any younger...and speaking of that, do you want babies?" Marianna asked.

Victoria almost choked on her coffee. "Um, I would like to have children some day. I'm not sure--"

"—how many do you want?" Marianna interrupted.

"Oh, well I'm an only child, so I guess one."

"What?! One! No, Nic's Italian...he's not going to do just 'one'. Nope. You need four or five to have a good size family, you know," Marianna said.

"Well, I don't think Nic wants kids in his line of work," Victoria said.

"Oh, tush, he'll want babies. They all do in the end—to pass on their genes or seed or whatever. I can just imagine! You two will have beautiful children! I can't wait," Marianna said, hopping up and walking to the kitchen. Victoria just smiled and shook her head. She continued looking at the photos around the house. She spotted several of Jimmy, Nic and Bobby when they were young. The three of them together looked so devilish. Jimmy was handsome as well and about fifty pounds lighter. Isabelle's cooking must have gotten to him right after they married.

Victoria walked back into the kitchen and almost dropped her cup when she saw Jimmy cleaning his gun on the kitchen table. 

"Hey, Vicky. I'm going to run into town for a few things, I'll be back in about thirty minutes, okay?" He asked, spinning the cylinder and then locking it.

"Uh, su-sure.," Victoria stuttered. Jimmy smiled, placed the gun behind his back and walked out of the kitchen.

"Okay, I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Victoria admitted to Marianna.

"Unfortunately it's a necessary evil in their business. So--are you opposed to having a traditional Catholic wedding? Oh, are you Catholic?" Marianna asked, sitting down at the table.

"Um, no. I'm...uh, my folks didn't attend church regularly, but I think we were Methodist."

"I told my children that when I become a grandmother, I want only two things. One, I'd like for my grandchildren to be Catholic. And two, I'd like for my grandchildren to learn Italian. Are you opposed to either of those things when you and Nic have children?" Marianna asked hopefully.

Victoria quickly shook her head. It didn't matter to her, just as long as they were healthy.

"Good! You are amazing, you know that? I'm so glad he got rid of Amber. I only met her twice, and that was too much. She was loud and obnoxious and I have no idea why Nic married her. But I see he came to his senses."

Victoria laughed. Marianna was just too much. How was she so open and playful when Nic was so serious all the time? He must have taken after his father in that respect. But Victoria didn't want to disappoint Marianna. She obviously thought her relationship with Nic was at the level of marriage and kids, but Nic had made it obvious that he wasn't ready for either of those things. So Victoria changed the subject.

"You have beautiful horses, Marianna," Victoria said, walking to the sliding glass doors that led to the back yard from the kitchen. 

"Thank you. Want to meet them?" she asked, wiping her hands off.

"Sure. I'd love to," Victoria said. She had never actually touched a horse before...or seen one up close. She was definitely experiencing a lot of new things with the Andretti family.

They walked outside to the stables and Marianna pointed out each horse, giving her their name and a brief history. When they came to the last stall, a huge pitch-black horse came to the door and stuck its head out.

Marianna reached out to touch it. "And this beautiful horse is Victoria."

Victoria giggled at the fact that they shared the same name. But the horse was absolutely beautiful. She may not have known much about horses, but this one seemed special. Unique among the others.

"You can touch her, she's very kind," Marianna said.

Victoria reached out to rub the side of the horse's face. She was incredibly soft, and had long eyelashes that lined dark, soulful eyes.

"She's stunning," Victoria whispered, almost in a trance. "When did you get her?"

"Nic bought her for me a few months ago. And she's named after you."

Victoria glanced over at Marianna, who was beaming from ear to ear. "What?"

"A few months ago, he bought her for me, and I just thought she was the most beautiful horse I had ever seen. But he made me promise that I would name her Victoria. I didn't ask any questions, but I knew something was different."

"Nic can be—very surprising at times," Victoria said, shaking her head. She thought Nic had hated her months ago.

"Yes he can be. You know...he told me how you two met," Marianna said, feeding the horse pieces of hay.

Victoria's head jerked up. What?! No...he didn't. "He told you what?"

"I know the whole story. The arrangement...everything," Marianna said, glancing over at Victoria.

Victoria outwardly groaned and dropped to the ground. "Oh God, you must think the absolute worst of me. Oh my God, how embarrassing," Victoria whispered. She covered her face and cursed.

Marianna dropped down in front of her and gently pulled her hands away from her face. "Don't you dare cover your face in shame. If anyone should be ashamed it's my Nic...and believe me, I told him so."

Victoria stared at Marianna's kind eyes. "I didn't do it just because of the money. A lot of it was because I didn't want my mother hurt. She's a good person who was just dealt a raw hand...the hand being my father. I just didn't want her hurt, and I wanted a new start for her," Victoria admitted.




Seven Days Ch. 08



"You don't have to explain anything to me or anyone else about your decision. We do strange things for those we love. When I was younger, if someone would have threatened my kids that way, I would be on my back in a second. I mean, legs up, ready to hand him a cigarette afterward...wrong or not."

Victoria burst into laughter at Marianna's overly honest and funny admission. She laughed so hard that she fell backwards from her squatting position and pulled Marianna with her. The two of them lay among the dirt and hay, until their laughter were no more than light giggles. Victoria had to grab her side to ease the pain in her stomach from laughing so hard. Then they both collectively exhaled. 

"I needed that," Victoria whispered.

Later that night, Victoria dialed Nic as she lay in bed. She twisted a curl around her finger until he answered his cell phone.

"Hey baby," Nic said groggily into her ear.

"Hey you. Did I wake you?" Victoria asked. It was only eleven, and Nic usually never went to sleep early.

"No. I just dozed off, but I wasn't in the bed. I'm at my desk," he told her.

Of course he was. Where else would he be? He couldn't possibly be like most human beings and sleep in a comfortable bed.

"You sound sleepy, let me let you go, and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"No. I'm awake and I want to hear your voice," Nic said.

Victoria giggled. "I'm not used to this...more romantic side of you."

"Neither am I," he admitted.

"I like it though."

"Do you? What else do you like?" he asked in his low, seductive voice that drove her crazy.

"Nope, not going there. I'm in your mom's house, Nic," she whispered in the phone. "I'm not about to talk dirty to you."

She heard him chuckle, then sigh.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Did my mom show you around?"

"Yes she did...and I learned a lot about you." She laughed when she heard him groan. "Don't worry, it was all good. Your mom wouldn't dare say anything bad about HER Nic," Victoria mocked. "She really is an amazing woman though. Don't know what the hell happened to you."

"Watch it," Nic teased.

"I met Victoria today."

"Ah, Victoria. She's a looker, isn't she?"

"Yes. You are full of surprises."

"I wish you were full of me," Nic growled.

"Nic! Stop it!" Victoria yelled, then lowered her voice, while she peered around the room. "Your mom could be listening."

"If my mom is in your room right now while you're trying to sleep, then I have bigger problems than I thought I did," Nic joked.

"Eww, you are so gross. Okay, I'm hanging up. Good night. I love you."

"Good night, baby. And I promise to have everything settled soon. I love you," he said. Victoria clicked off the phone and stared up at the ceiling. Settled? Was that code for someone had to die for things to be back to normal? She couldn't lie to herself, she would be glad when this whole thing was over and behind them—but at what cost? She hoped it turned out to be nothing more than some gang members trying to scare someone they had seen enter the restaurant. Yes, that was what she was hoping for. She squeezed her pillow, wishing it were Nic, and closed her eyes.

********************

Poor Jimmy. He got the raw end of this hideout deal. He was stuck in a house with two women who did nothing more than talk about Nic and girlie things. Most of the time they would forget he was even there. It wasn't until Victoria asked him why he was forced to stay here with them and was not with his family that he got a chance to explain his presence.

"My wife and kids are fine. I talk to them several times a day. The reason I'm here is because there aren't many people that know where Nic's mom lives. Something similar to the shooting you experienced happened to her a few years ago, so Nic moved her here."

"You don't regret having to live here," Victoria asked Marianna.

"No, not at all. I love living here. I always hated the city. Too crowded and too much noise. My husband loved it though. He wouldn't have wanted to live anywhere else. But it was never my scene," Marianna said, pulling her wavy, raven hair into a bun.

Victoria's phone began to vibrate. She glanced down at it and didn't recognize the number. But she decided to answer anyway, hoping that it was Nic calling from another phone. "Excuse me," she said, getting up from the table.

"Hello?" she asked, walking through the sliding glass doors of the kitchen and out into the back yard.

"Victoria? Hello, it's Paul Marcone," she heard him say.

"Paul! Hi, how are you?"

She heard him chuckle a little, no doubt because of the surprise and enthusiasm in her voice. "I'm fine, Victoria. I actually want to know how you are. I heard about everything that happened. I'm so sorry," he said.

"Oh, yeah. I'm okay now. It was just—shocking, I guess."

"I can only imagine. I hate you had to go through that, and I'm so glad that you weren't hurt," he said. 

"Thank you," Victoria said. Then she waited, but Paul didn't say anything.

"Is everything okay?" she asked him.

"Well, I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me and then perhaps do me a huge favor. I hate to even ask this of you, but--"

"Of course! Anything, Paul. After everything you've done for me, of course you can ask me."

"Thank you, Victoria. This will mean so much to me. I guess, firstly, I know this will be difficult for you, but is there any reason you would think my son is involved in the attack on you?"

Oh, Victoria didn't want to be in the middle of this. But she owed Paul big time, and she would never want to go back on her word with him. She wasn't totally convinced it was Sonny's doing, but she wasn't totally unconvinced either.

"Um...I mean, Sonny and Nic don't have the best relationship—well neither do Sonny and I for that matter. I—I never had a reason to suspect him of trying to do something like that. I mean, well, I hate to talk about your son, Paul."

"I know, but he's no angel. I understand, but I'm just trying to figure out what's going on. Please continue, I won't be offended," Paul said.

Victoria was about to speak again when Jimmy walked outside. He gave her a strange look. "Who are you talking to, Vicky?" he asked.

"Paul Marcone," she mouthed.

Jimmy narrowed his eyes at her. "You need to hang up. Now."

"Jimmy, I--,"

"Now, Victoria. This is serious. Let Nic and I handle this. Better yet, hand me the phone, I'll talk to him," Jimmy suggested, reaching for her cell phone.

Victoria moved it out of his reach and covered the mouthpiece. "No! Jimmy, when I had no one, Paul was there for me. I'm not about to turn my back on him now. If Nic wants to be mad at me, I'll deal with it, but I'm going to talk to Paul about this."

"Fine, but I have to tell Nic that you were talking to him," Jimmy said. He turned his back and grumbled something else as he walked back inside.

Victoria sighed. She knew Jimmy was just doing what he thought was best for her. She should be grateful, but Paul meant a lot to her too. She placed the phone back to her ear.

"Paul? I'm sorry about that."

"No, I'm sorry. I guess I'm causing problems for you," he exhaled.

"It's fine. I can handle it. Um, to finish what we were talking about, I never got any vibe from Sonny that he'd ever hurt me, but he did do and say things to get under my skin. And Nic's."

"Like what?"

"Well, the very first night I met him, he had come to Nic's for something, and ended up betting Nic in a pool game. The stakes—well, the stakes being me and Sonny's car," Victoria admitted, still feeling shame from that night.

Victoria could no longer hear Paul breathing. "Paul?"

"I'm here, Victoria. Please continue."

"Okay. Well, he lost the game and seemed really pissed. And, well, he invited me to this party, and I thought he was finally being nice to me, but it turned out he did it to get under Nic's skin. He had lied to me and said Nic wouldn't be there, but the whole time he knew that Nic would. And—well, he did say that he was glad to know using me got to Nic so bad. And then that was the last I heard or saw of him," Victoria finished.

After a few minutes of silence, Paul finally spoke. "I'm sorry my son has been such a troublemaker for you. I just don't understand how he thinks sometimes."

Victoria chewed on her bottom lip. She felt so bad for Paul. He didn't deserve to be going through this.

"Victoria?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you think my son is capable of something like that?"

Victoria did not want to answer that. Because in all honesty, she wasn't sure, and that might offend Paul.

"Paul, I—I'm not sure, to be totally honest with you."

"But Nic thinks he is," Paul stated.

"Yes."

Paul sighed again. "Victoria, I really hate to ask you to do this, but if I could cash in on a favor, I'd greatly appreciate it. You see, I know my son isn't perfect. Far from it, and as the years have passed, we've grown apart. A lot. But he's still my son. He's the only thing I have left from my wife. And if she were alive, she would want me to protect him in any way I can. I love Sonny, even if he's caused me so many problems. It's just the two of us now. I asked him if he caused this, and he looked me in the face and said no. And that's all I can ask of him. So, I guess the favor I'm asking of you is—could you talk to Nic for me? I would myself, but I can't seem to get through to his phone, and going over there isn't the smartest thing to do in my position at the moment. So, if you could just tell him that I know he's angry, and has every right to be. I would be too, were I in his place. But if my son is a target, I can't let that happen and I will defend Sonny by any means necessary. Do you understand what I mean, Victoria?" Paul asked.

Victoria's mouth was dry and she couldn't breathe. Was it really coming down to this? Her palms began to sweat. "Paul, I—I..."

"I would never consider hurting you, Victoria. You have nothing to worry about. But I can't let Nic go after my son. I just can't. I'm hoping that it won't come to that, which is why I'd like you to speak to Nic for me. Would you?"

"Ye--es," Victoria croaked out. She quickly cleared her throat. "Yes, I'll talk to him."

"Thank you. And I've kept you away for a long time, so I'll let you go. Thanks Victoria, and goodnight," Paul said.

"You're welcome, and goodnight," Victoria whispered, and then clicked off her phone. She took a huge breath of the cold night air before she walked back into the house.

"What did he want?" Jimmy asked, leaning against the counter.

"He said he asked Sonny if he had anything to do with the shooting the other night. Sonny told him no. And he wants me to let Nic know that and that he will defend his son if Nic goes after him," Victoria said. She sat down at the table rubbing her cell phone in her hands. "I guess I should call Nic now."

Victoria spent the rest of the night trying to convince Nic to meet with Paul Marcone. After a few idle threats and then sweet talking, Nic agreed to at least speak with Paul. Victoria felt as if some steps in the right direction were being taken.

********************

"Nic, our contact finally came up for air, but he said he didn't know who did the shooting. But he can guarantee that it wasn't gang related," Antonio reported, as he removed his coat and sat down in front of Nic's desk.

Nic leaned back in his chair. "No shit, so now we're still at square one. Marsh wouldn't have been investigating if it was just gang related. He's too big for that."

Raymond entered. "Mr. Marcone is waiting downstairs for you, Nic. Want me to bring him up?"

"Thanks Raymond. And no, I'll meet him down there."

When Nic reached the bottom step, the two men quickly shook hands. Remy, Paul's right hand man was standing in the distance. Raymond stood opposite of him staring him down. Remy cleared his throat but Raymond didn't flinch.

"Would you like him to come in with us?" Nic asked Paul, glancing over at Remy.

"No, that won't be necessary. I trust you," Paul said, as he followed Nic into his billiard room. Nic closed the door and offered Paul a drink.

"Thank you," Paul said, taking a glass of Scotch. Nic didn't drink, but he leaned against the pool table waiting for Paul to make the first move.

Paul took a small gulp. "So, Nic. First, I want to offer my sincerest, heartfelt apologies for what happened to Victoria."

"You have nothing to apologize for, if you had nothing to do with it," Nic dead-panned.

Paul exhaled. "I see. Well, down to business then. I asked Sonny if he was in charge of the hit on Victoria and he said no. That's all I can do is ask him. And since he told me no, I have to believe him."

Nic continued to stare at Paul.

"Nic, I don't want it to come to this, but if you target my son...I'm going to come back after you."

Nic slowly nodded his head. "Paul, you do what you feel you have to do. And I'll do what I feel I have to."

"Your father wouldn't want this, Nic."

"My father's dead."

Paul shook his head again and swallowed the last of the Scotch in his glass, then placed it on a table. "Well that's that. Thank you for meeting with me," he said to Nic.

"My pleasure," Nic replied.

Paul turned and walked out of the billiard room. A few seconds later, Antonio walked in. "Everything okay, Nic?"

"Find Sonny Marcone," Nic said, as he walked around Antonio and out of the room.

********************

It had been a full week since Victoria had seen Nic. Although she adored Marianna, she was ready to go back to the city. Back to Nic, her job and her life. And honestly, she was going a bit stir crazy waiting around the house. Jimmy, for the most part, sat around watching TV and babysitting her, while Marianna would work on her garden.

The day before Victoria had followed an old stable hand around, while he tended to the horses, but today seemed to be passing by so slowly. Nic hadn't called and she hated the fact that she had none of her books to read. She really needed to get out of the house for a while.

Victoria had just finished loading the dishes into the dishwasher when Jimmy announced that he was heading upstairs to take a quick shower. She noticed his keys sitting on the kitchen counter. She bit her bottom lip then looked outside at the garden. Marianna seemed preoccupied with her plants. She turned to glance down the hallway, and she didn't hear Jimmy, so she assumed he was already in the bathroom upstairs. She walked over to the counter and quickly picked up his keys. One little visit into town couldn't hurt, right? She'd only be gone just a few minutes, and plus, she wanted to surprise Marianna by cooking tonight. So she was totally justified in picking up some groceries for dinner.

'No harm,' Victoria thought, as she twirled the key ring around her finger and hurriedly exited the house. She knew this would piss Jimmy off, since he said she wasn't allowed to go anywhere without him, but he'd learn to get over it.

Plus, according to Jimmy, this town was so small, it's not like anything would happen to her. She finally pulled into a small parking lot and hopped out. She walked down the main street, looking at the old fashioned stores and antique shops. It looked like time had just stood still for this town. She envied some of the people walking by in comfortable clothes, while she kept pulling down this incredibly short, off the shoulder, light yellow dress Minka had packed. But at least her feet weren't hurting, since she chose to wear her trusty Converse. She was sure Minka would have fainted seeing her shoe choice with this dress, and for some reason that brought a small smile to her face.

Victoria finally made her way back to the grocery store. She quickly grabbed a few items, and walked back to Jimmy's car. A large black van had parked so close to the car, she could just barely squeeze between it and the door. "Asshole," she mumbled to herself as she stuck the keys into the car lock.

"Miss, do you have the time?" a voice said from the van behind her. Not bothering to turn around, Victoria reached into her purse to look at the time on her cell phone, when a large hand covered her mouth and yanked her backwards into the van.

Victoria let out a muffled scream, while her arms and legs flailed. She heard the door slam shut right as a damp cloth was placed over her nose and mouth. Soon she became dizzy and everything faded to black. 

**************

Jimmy's hair was still wet when he came downstairs. He looked around and everything seemed so quiet. Too quiet. He walked into the kitchen and opened the sliding glass doors leading out to the back yard. Marianna was still sitting on the ground, tending to her garden. He scanned the yard quickly, but he didn't see Victoria.

"Marianna, where's Victoria?" he asked.

She looked up and wiped her forehead. "She was in the house a few minutes ago. She may have gone up to her room."

Jimmy nodded and walked upstairs. "Victoria?" he said, as he knocked on her door. After a few moments of silence, he opened the door, but she wasn't in there either. Jimmy scratched his head as he walked back downstairs and into the kitchen. He was about to check the stables, thinking she could be looking at the horses when he noticed his keys were missing.

"Fuck!" Jimmy shouted, as he ran to the door. His car was gone. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number. It rang and then went to voicemail. "Shit," he groaned, as he dialed her number again and again, each time getting a few rings and then her voicemail.

Jimmy walked back outside. "Marianna, do you mind if I take your car. Victoria left, and I want to make sure she's alright."

"Yes, you can use my car. The keys are in the first cabinet on the right. I'm sure she is fine. She's been in the house for a week straight. She probably just needed some air," Marianna said, dusting the dirt from her pants.

"Air or not, I still answer to Nic, and he's going to be pissed if he finds out I let her out of my sight," Jimmy complained.

Marianna laughed and patted him on the back, as she walked past him and into the house.

Jimmy drove into the quiet, small center of the town. Truthfully, the town was only made up of a few old shops, a post office, one grocery store and two small restaurants. It didn't even have its own police station or fire department. They had to share those luxuries with a bigger city a few miles away. So it wouldn't be too hard to find her.

Finally, after just a few minutes of driving around, he spotted his car. He pulled up beside it and hopped out. He looked around to see if she was anywhere near, but when he walked over to the driver's side of the car, he froze and his heart skipped a beat. This was not happening, no, no, NO! His keys were stuck in the lock, while her cell phone and a small bag of groceries were scattered and crushed on the ground.

This was not fucking happening.

"Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck!!" Jimmy whispered to himself. He pulled out his cell phone and took a deep breath. He dialed Nic's number and waited for him to answer.

"Yeah," Nic answered.

"Nic...oh, shit. I swear to God, I came looking for her as soon as I found out she had left" Jimmy rushed out, "Nic, I think—I think someone took her." "What did you just say?" he heard Nic ask in a low voice.

"She's gone," Jimmy huffed out. Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut only imagining what Nic must be thinking of him. He had one simple task to do. One simple fucking task. 'Don't let her out of your sight,' Nic had told him before they left for Marianna's. He couldn't hear anything coming from his cell phone. No breathing, no noise, nothing. Was Nic still there?

"Nic?" Jimmy whispered.

*****************

Victoria finally opened her eyes. Her head was swimming and she felt sick to her stomach. She was lying on a cot in the middle of some dingy room. She tried to raise up, but her hands were duct taped behind her, and her feet were bound too. She started to panic. Were it not for the duct tape across her mouth, she would have thrown up. Everything started blurring, as tears formed in her eyes. 




Seven Days Ch. 08



A few seconds later she heard a door open. She looked to the far corner of the room and saw a man approaching. He was dressed in all black, including a ski mask over his head.

"Good morning, love," the man said with a thick Irish accent. "Glad to see you awake. Now we can finally get down to business."

He walked over to her and gently pulled the duct tape from her mouth. Victoria stretched her aching jaw. She lifted her body up and swung her legs over the edge of the cot.

"What do you want?" Victoria asked, shakily. The man slowly swept his eyes over her body and bare legs. "I want what any red blooded bloke would want," he said, as he stepped closer to her. "Money." 

Another man soon entered the room, dressed similarly. "Hey, do you want the phone now?" this one asked, with an American accent.

"Yes, I would. Thank you," the other man answered, still staring at Victoria. "So, here's how this is going to work. I'm going to call your husband, and you are going to demand, oh, something simple. Just five hundred grand from him, and I'll hop on and make the pickup and drop off arrangements. Sound like a plan, love?"

Husband? Victoria was so confused and scared, and she was pretty sure whatever they had drugged her with, was still making her loopy. Were they mistaking her for someone else? "I don't know what you're talking about," said, as she focused in on the green eyes behind the mask.

"So...you're going to play that game, Victoria," the guy said.

"I—I'm not playing with you. I'm not married and I don't know why I'm here. I don't know what you want? Did Sonny send you?"

His stance made him look unconvinced. "And you're lying because...?"

"I'm not lying!" Victoria shouted, then quickly lowered her voice. "Who are you?"

"I'm Moe, that's Larry, and Curly is downstairs with a gun, so don't try anything silly, like running away, because we will catch you," he said. "So, now that introductions are out of the way, how about we make you a little more comfy before we call your old man. He quickly pulled out a switch blade, causing Victoria to jump. He placed the blade at the top of her leg and slowly slid the smooth side down the inside of her thigh and down her legs until he reached her ankles. He cut the tape and removed the remnants. "There, that's better. Easier access," he said, as he grabbed her ankle. Victoria tried to kick him, but he grabbed both her legs and pulled her off of the cot and onto his lap, straddling him. Victoria tried to push him off, but her hands were still tied.

Victoria screamed, "Don't you fucking touch me!"

"Not to worry, love. We can have fun later, but business right now. Tell me your husband's number," he said, pulling out a cell phone.

Victoria wasn't sure what the hell to do or who he expected her to call. 

"I don't know who you want me to call," she said again, right as his hand came smacking across her face. Victoria felt as though her head had exploded. All she could feel was the sharp stinging imprint left from his hand. She slowly turned back towards him with daggers in her eyes.

"I hope you got the message. Now stop fucking with me and give me his number!" he shouted, causing her to flinch.

Victoria wasn't sure what to do or say. Maybe he thought she was married to Nic, and that's what this was about. She didn't want Nic to be hurt because of her, but if she didn't give them something, they might kill her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "but I don't know who you want me to call," she said, flinching again, anticipating the hit.

*****************

Antonio and Eddie stood waiting inside Nic's office. Ever since he had gotten the call from Jimmy, he hadn't said a word. He walked outside and stood facing out toward the back. It wasn't until Jimmy had called Eddie to explain everything, that they understood Nic's mood. He hadn't moved from that position in over twenty minutes. He could have been a marble statue. One very tense, marble statue. 

"Maybe one of us should go check on him," Antonio said to Eddie.

"Why, are you volunteering yourself," Eddie answered.

"Um, I'm the newest one to the organization...and I'm pretty sure if I walked over there, he'd toss my ass over the balcony," Antonio said, gazing over at Nic's still form.

"I saw him do that once."

"What?!" Antonio said, jerking his head back to Eddie. He had to be kidding.

Eddie sighed, "I'll go." 

He walked outside onto the balcony and carefully over to Nic. Eddie stood side by side with him and turned to look at Nic's profile.

"Nic, I'm sure she's okay. Look, if someone took her, it's to get at you, right? Well, if that's so, they will want to show you they have her. They're not going to hurt her...at least not until they show themselves," Eddie said, turning to look out at the back yard too.

Nic didn't say anything, he just continued to stare out. Eddie leaned against the marble railing. A few more moments of silence passed before Eddie heard Nic speak.

"Do you believe in karma?" Nic asked.

Eddie shook his head. "Nic, you know I'm too logical for that."

"Yeah, that's what I used to think. But now, I'm not so sure. It's like every sin I ever committed is coming back on me tenfold, but it's using the only woman I've ever wanted to make a life with. That I've ever fallen in love with--the only one...that has to be karma."

Nic's world was crumbling right before his eyes. This was all happening because of him. Victoria hadn't done a damn thing wrong—this was all him. And Sonny, or whoever this was, had him right where they wanted him. He would do or give up anything for her. For the first time in his life, he felt the cold sting of defeat and heartache. 

BUT Nic knew it wasn't in his nature to go down without a fight. Whoever had the balls to do this...didn't realize what they had done. They had unleashed the demon within him, and there wasn't a single place the culprit could hide. 

And just like that, a switch had flipped inside of Nic. He turned around and marched back inside his office.

"Get every contact we have on the streets, and see if they've seen Sonny. Tell them I'll offer a generous reward for whoever has the correct location," he said to Antonio. "Eddie, get the tracking kit in case anyone calls and touch base with Jimmy and make sure he has questioned everyone near the spot of Victoria's disappearance."

********************

"What's taking so long?" the American asked, walking closer to Victoria. "Why won't she give you the number?"

The Irishman continued to stare at her. He walked over to a desk and pulled out a small piece of paper. He walked back over to her and held a black and white photo of her inside Calamity's. "Is this not you?" he said in a sarcastic tone.

Victoria looked up from the photo. "Yes, but I'm not married."

"Right, and I suppose you're going to tell me your husband's not a wealthy banker. You know, I didn't want to do this the hard way, but you leave me no choice," he said, pulling out his blade. Victoria knew she had to think quickly.

"Wait! Wait...I, um...think about it. If I were some rich man's wife, why would I be working as a waitress? Look at the photo, I'm in my uniform," Victoria said.

The two men exchanged quick glances, and then looked down at the photo. The American scratched his head, as the Irishman kneeled down beside her.

"This photo could have been taken before you married him," he said.

"I'm not married! I only have a boyfriend, and his name is Nic Andretti," Victoria yelled, feeling her options running out.

"What the fu—who did she say?" the American asked.

"Bullshyte," the Irishman said, standing up.

So...they had heard of Nic.

"Nic Andretti. I'm his girlfriend," Victoria announced, as the tables began to turn on this whole twisted deal.

"The fucking mob boss?! Shit man, what the fuck did you get me into?!" the American shouted at the other man.

"Keep your fucking voice down! And besides, she's lying," the Irishman said, staring at Victoria. 

"I can give you his number if you don't believe me," Victoria said.

"Fine. I'll call your bluff," he said, opening the cell phone. "What's the number?" Victoria gave it to him and he dialed. As soon as it started ringing, he roughly grabbed her chin and got within an inch of her face. "If you're lying to me, I will slowly cut you inch by fucking inch until you bleed to death. Got me?"

Victoria swallowed and began to shake. She wished she could close her eyes and disappear. Even though the phone was next to his ear, she could hear it ringing. 'Please Nic, pick up the phone,' Victoria prayed.

********************

Nic was in the middle of dialing another contact when his cell began to ring. He didn't recognize the number, but perhaps Antonio had gotten through to someone who had some information. He answered it.

"Yes?"

"Is this Nic Andretti?" a muffled voice asked. 

"Yes. Who's this?" he asked, before the phone went dead. Nic felt a cold chill travel up his spine. He quickly snapped his fingers at Eddie, who had fallen asleep on the couch. Eddie hopped up and rushed over to Nic's desk.

"Pull the last number back up and track it. That motherfucker just called me. I know it's whoever has Victoria," Nic stated.

Eddie grabbed the cell phone. "Okay, but you have to get him to talk for at least twenty seconds." Nic nodded.

******************

"Well?" the American asked in a worried tone, looking at the other man, who slowly lowered the phone from his ear. "Was it him?!"

The Irishman subtly nodded his head.

The American threw his hands up in the air. "Oh great! Just fucking perfect!! Oh man, I didn't sign up for this! I didn't sign up to fuck with the mob, Jesus Christ, man!"

"Calm the fuck down and let me think!" the other hollered back.

"I'm not going to calm down! Get that rat bastard who set this up on the phone and find out what the hell he's trying to pull," the American screamed.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up and let me--," the Irishman said, before his phone started ringing. All three of them stared at it.

"Should we answer it," the American asked in a frightened tone.

The Irishman slowly brought the phone back up to his ear and clicked the talk button.

"Put Victoria on the phone now," Nic growled out.

"I don't know what--"

"Put her on the fucking phone!" Nic yelled, squeezing his cell phone. After a few moments of silence, he heard some background noise and then the sweetest voice in the world.

"Nic?" Victoria asked.

"Baby, are you okay?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"Yes, I think so. Nic, I'm scared," she whispered to him. 

"I know, I know baby. But listen to me, no one is going to hurt you. Say okay if there are less than five men."

"Okay," Victoria said.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you and I'll find you. Put him back on," Nic requested. When he heard the man breathing through the line again, Nic closed his eyes.

"Now that you know who I am, know that I won't be contacting the police. The best you can hope for is to let her go, leave town as fast as you can, and pray I can't find you. But if you make this even more difficult...you're dead. I WILL find you and no amount of negotiating or money is going to keep me from torturing you and then killing you. Pass that message along to whoever you're working with," Nic said, and hung up the phone. 

"Got him. He's about three hours northwest of here, at this address," Eddie said, writing it down.

Nic called Jimmy. "I got her location. Tell Harry to get the plane ready, and call Damon. I might need his help. Have a car waiting for us when we get there. I'm sending you the address now...she's only about forty minutes from you, but hang tight until we get there."

"You got it, Nic. See you in a bit," Jimmy said, before he hung up the phone.

Nic turned to Antonio, "We leave in five minutes. I hope you've learned to shoot that gun," Nic said, as he walked out of the office.

Antonio took a deep breath. Oh, fuck.

*****************

The one with the Irish accent quickly stepped away from Victoria, and left the room. The other one followed after him, asking him what Nic had said. When they closed the door, Victoria felt her whole body shake. She had been that close to death. But Nic said they wouldn't hurt her and that he would find her. She laid back down on the cot and stared at the ceiling. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten or drunk anything, but she was sure nothing would go down anyway. Her stomach couldn't handle it.

Victoria heard shouting, but she could only make out certain words. Whoever the Irishman was talking to, he was screaming at, telling the person that they had backstabbed him. He mentioned something about Nic and there not being a banker, and they had been set up. 

Victoria closed her eyes, so she could concentrate on hearing the rest of what the Irishman was saying. "I took the gag off because I wanted the phone number—I don't care what you told me not to do—get your ass here! Hello? Hello?!" she heard him yell. Then it sounded as though he smashed something. A few minutes later, the two of them rushed back in.

"I say we just drop her off at the closest stop, and get the hell out of here. We were obviously set up. I mean, that's his girlfriend, dude! What the fuck, he's going to kill us!" the American shouted.

The Irishman grabbed him by the shirt. "You're getting excited again. Shut up!"

The American finally calmed down. He sat on Victoria's cot and placed his head in his hands. If Victoria didn't despise them so much, she'd actually feel a little sorry for him at least. He obviously had gotten in way over his head, when he thought it would be a simple cash reward. But now Victoria was even more confused. So...someone had set these guys up into thinking they were kidnapping a banker's wife? Who would go through all that trouble? Victoria could think of one person, but for Paul's sake, she hoped it wasn't his son.

*****************

Paul was asleep when Remy came into his room and handed him the phone.

"Sir, I think you'll want to take this call."

Paul quickly sat up on his bed. "Thank you," he said to Remy, before the young man walked out.

Paul put the phone to his ear. "Sonny?"

"Hey Pop! Word around town is that you were looking for me? What's up?"

"Where the HELL are you?

"I'm somewhere."

"I just got word that Victoria was missing. Please, PLEASE tell me that has nothing to do with you."

"That has nothing to do with me," Sonny answered flatly.

"Are you telling me the truth? I can only protect you if you are honest with me."

"I'm telling you the truth, Pop. I didn't even know she was missing. Nic must be a wreck, huh?" Sonny said.

"I'm sure he thinks you are behind this," Paul sighed. "I'll meet you in a safe place so we can figure out what our next step will be. I've already warned him about targeting you."

"Maybe Victoria ran away. I wouldn't blame her, he's a little crazy," Sonny said with a laugh.

"It's not funny. She didn't run away, and she doesn't deserve this. If it weren't for our disagreement regarding you, I'd be out there helping him look for her."

Sonny scoffed. "Pop, I'm sure it's nothing. And when Victoria turns up, he'll probably be so glad to have her back, that none of this will matter," Sonny said, as if he were bored with the whole situation.

Paul exhaled. "Obviously son, you've never been in love. I would have ripped down the fucking walls of every building and house searching for your mother if something like this happened. And then, anyone responsible would no longer be breathing. You don't think Nic feels the same? Trust me, he does, and this is going to get worse before it gets better, I'm afraid."

******************

On the plane with Nic were Antonio, Raymond and his friend, Damon. Damon was a huge guy, ex-Navy SEAL who cashed in big checks with bounty hunting. Nic had employed him several times over the years. He was a trustworthy guy who could kill a man with his bare hands, and proudly bragged about that fact. 

The four of them stepped off the small plane and into the vehicle that was waiting for them. Antonio glanced over at Nic. He seemed calm, but Antonio couldn't be sure. Nic never really showed much emotion. At least not to him, but Antonio was freaking out. He felt constricted in the bullet proof vest he was wearing. And the handgun he held felt like it weighed a ton. 

"Stop the car," Antonio whispered. They all ignored him. "Stop the car, I'm going to be sick," Antonio yelled, as he opened his car door. Raymond slammed on the brakes. Antonio hopped out and vomited on the ground. He quickly wiped his mouth, and got back into the car. 

"Sorry," he whispered to Nic. But Nic said nothing. He just rolled two bullets in between his fingers and stared forward through the windshield.

A few minutes later, they pulled up to an abandoned house, hidden from the street. Jimmy was there, waiting. They all got out of the vehicles and separated, surrounding the house.

*****************

The American was leaning against the wall, now that his nerves weren't so frazzled. But the Irishman was pacing back and forth, checking his phone every few minutes, to make sure it was still working. Apparently the person who had given them this false information had not called back, nor had they shown up.

Victoria ignored the rumbling in her stomach, as she thought about dying in a place like this. Death had never crossed her mind much, but now it seemed to be surrounding her. She just couldn't believe this had happened—or was happening. Things like this just didn't seem to happen in real life. People didn't just kidnap you off the street. She had read about it, seen it in movies or in the news, but it still seemed very distant from her life. Her train of thought was interrupted by someone yelling downstairs. She jumped and screamed when she heard a gunshot. 

"Go see what that was!" the Irishman screamed at the American. 

The American went flying out of the door right before she heard another gun shot.

"Nic!" Victoria shrieked, hopping up from the cot and running for the door. The Irishman grabbed her around the waist and held her tightly against his chest. She felt his breath quicken and the cold metal tip of a gun press against her temple. Victoria shut her eyes tightly, praying that she would make it out of here alive. "Oh God," she said, as she heard the door fling open.

A second later, Nic came through the door. He saw the man holding the gun to Victoria's head. Her eyes were closed.

"Victoria?" Nic said, keeping his gaze and gun on the man.

Her watery eyes immediately opened and her heart skipped a beat. 

"Drop it!" the man holding her yelled. Nic kept his gun trained firmly on him, while the other guys stood to the side of Nic, aiming their guns in kidnapper's direction as well.

"I mean it, or I'll put a bullet through her fucking head!" he warned in an Irish accent.

Nic slowly lowered his weapon. "Lower your guns," Nic said to the group behind him, as he kept his eyes on the culprit. They all obeyed. "Victoria?" Nic asked.

"Y-yes?" she choked out.

"I love you," Nic said, steadying his hand.

"I—I lo-ove you too," Victoria said, shaking uncontrollably.

"You trust me?"

As soon as Victoria mumbled yes, she saw Nic quickly raise his gun as a loud pop sounded throughout the large room, and in an instant, something whizzed past her head. She squeezed her eyes shut as a wet, warm liquid was splattered against the side of her face and neck. The man behind her released her and she heard a thump.

Everything seemed to slow down. She couldn't hear anything, as her body wilted to the hardwood floor. She couldn't catch her breath. She felt arms wrap around her. She wasn't sure if it was Nic or not, but she wasn't going to open her eyes to find out.




Seven Days Ch. 08



"Are you okay?" she heard someone ask, as they pulled the duct tape from her hands. Victoria didn't say anything. She couldn't breathe.

"Victoria! Are you okay?" she heard again. She slowly opened her eyes to see Nic hovering a few inches from her face. She felt so dizzy as she glanced to the side and saw the Irishman...or what was left of his head lying on the ground beside her. She immediately started screaming at the top of her lungs, while trying to wipe the blood from her body.

"Oh my God!! Get it off me, get it off me!!" Victoria cried, kicking and pushing Nic away, still struggling to remove the blood. She looked over at the body again, which caused her to scream hysterically.

"Calm down baby, don't look at him, just look at me," Nic said, trying to turn her head away from the dead body. But Victoria kept pushing his hands away. Nic finally grabbed her tightly and lifted her up from the floor. "Ssh, baby. Calm down," he whispered. 

Victoria was mumbling unintelligibly in Nic's ear, as he carried her out of the room. When they reached outside, he placed Victoria in the back seat of the black Sedan and closed the door. "Jimmy, can you help Damon get rid of the bodies and evidence, and meet us at this hotel," Nic said, handing him the address. "I think we should drive back instead of fly, to give everyone a chance to...relax, before we get back to the city."

Jimmy nodded and glanced through the dark tinted window. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked.

"I don't know," Nic answered honestly. "Antonio, Raymond, you guys come with us," he said as he hopped in the back seat with Victoria.

*****************

Antonio received the keys for all of the rooms, and passed them out. Victoria quickly snatched the key from him and marched past everyone and straight into her and Nic's room, slamming the door behind her. She hadn't said a word to anyone since she had been rescued.

"Hey Nic, want me to grab you a drink. I think you might need it," Antonio said, looking at the shut door to Nic's room. 

Nic exhaled, "No. And thank you for today. You did well." Antonio gave a small smile as he turned and walked across the street to the closest gas station.

Nic went into their room and placed the other key card on the counter. He wasn't sure what to say to Victoria. He walked to the bathroom and leaned against the door frame, quietly observing her. She was bending over the sink, washing her hair. It looked as though she were rinsing red dye from her curls.

He picked up a towel from the rack and tried to wipe the blood from her neck, but she snatched it from him before he could touch her.

"Vic—"

"Don't talk to me," she snapped.

"It will be okay," Nic said.

She raised up and glared at him, with tears in her eyes and red water dripping onto her light yellow dress, blending into the permanent blood stains. "With all due fucking respect, it will NOT be okay! I'm washing blood and brains from my hair...it is NOT okay," she croaked out in short breaths.

Nic continued to stare at her.

"Will you please get out so I can take a shower?" she asked.

Nic stood there a few seconds longer, before he turned and left the bathroom. He grabbed his keycard and walked out of the room.

Victoria quickly peeled the dress from her body. The bottom portion of her dress was still a light, soft yellow. But the top half was drenched in red. She placed it in the sink and got into the shower.

This all seemed like a nightmare. She just wanted to wake up from it. The only dead body she had ever seen was at her great Aunt Cynthia's funeral, who had died when she was a teenager, and even that had freaked her out. Now here she was washing some man's blood from her body. Blood that could have easily been hers, had one thing gone differently. To be alive, she was grateful, but her feelings were all mixed up at the moment. She just wanted to go home and forget about this whole frightening ordeal. She scrubbed and scrubbed until her skin felt raw and she became short of breath. She was so sick of crying, but she could no longer hold it in. She sat down in the shower as the warm water cascaded down on top of her, and she sobbed.

Nic leaned against the sedan. This whole day had been bittersweet. He was so unbelievably happy that Victoria had not been hurt. He didn't even want to think of his life without her. But now she didn't even want to talk to him. He knew she had every right to be upset with him. He was pissed that he had placed her in this position and he didn't know how to make it better. But one thing he did know, was that this had to be Sonny's doing. It had to be. And when he caught that bastard, Paul's son or not, he was going to torture and kill that fucker.

Nic was thinking of what he was going to say to Victoria, when his cell phone started vibrating. He looked at the number. "Hey mama, I—yes, she's fine—no, I checked her she's fine. At least physically anyway." Nic sighed, "I know, I know, but it's been a rough day. I promise to call you tomorrow morning and give you an update. Love you and good night."

Jimmy and Damon pulled up right as he ended the conversation with Marianna. Both of the men were covered in blood, which they tried to hide with jackets.

"Antonio has your key, he's in room 103. It's not much, but we needed a place that we could enter and exit from the outside," Nic said to Damon. He shook his hand and thanked him for all of his help.

"Anytime, Nic," Damon said, as he grabbed three bottles of bleach from the back of the car and went to knock on Antonio's door.

Jimmy closed his door and went to stand beside Nic. "You know I'm truly sorry for taking my eyes off her, even for a few minutes. This all happened because of me," Jimmy said, leaning his head back.

"No, it happened because of me. You're a true friend, Jimmy. And she's safe now, and that's all that matters."

Jimmy nodded, but remained silent.

"She's going to leave me," Nic stated, staring off into the distance.

"You don't know that. She's just in shock from everything that has happened," Jimmy said, trying to add words of comfort.

"No. She will, because I don't know how to make this better," Nic quietly said.

"Yes you do, Nic," Jimmy said, as he walked around to the trunk and removed more bottles of bleach and a small bag. He slammed the trunk shut and returned to stand in front of Nic. "It won't be easy, but I'm sure you'll figure out how to make this better," he said handing Nic the bag, "I picked this up for her on the way. Figured she would need it," he stated, then walked to Antonio's room for his key.

Nic glanced inside the bag and then watched as his friend disappeared into one of the rooms. He stood there for a few more moments, before he walked toward his room. 

Victoria was sitting on the bed when Nic entered. She was only wearing a small white towel wrapped around her body, and another wrapped around her hair.

He walked over and sat down beside her on the bed. What he wouldn't give to pull that towel off and fuck her until they were both dead tired. He was sure that could cure this somber mood. He handed her the small bag.

Victoria reached into the bag and pulled out a white shirt and a pair of pajama pants. No bra or panties, but at this point, she didn't even care. She turned away from him and quickly put them on, knowing no doubt his eyes were on her. When she turned around, he stared at her shirt and gave a small chuckle.

Victoria glanced down at the shirt. It read: World's Best Mom! in bright blue letters.

"Sorry, I think that's all he could find around here," Nic said. Had Victoria not been so upset, she might have been able to see the humor in it, but right now, she just couldn't. She sat back down on the bed to put her shoes on.

"Victoria," Nic said, reaching for her hand.

"Don't," she said, pulling away as she stood up. "Nic...I can't do this. I may not live a glamorous life, but that's not me anyway. I don't know what I was thinking to even consider this lifestyle," she stated, no longer able to hold it in.

"Victoria, when we get back to the city, I promise, I'll find out who was behind this, and make sure it will never happen again. I didn't protect you as well as I should have and--"

"Do you see what I mean? Protect me?! If this was a normal relationship, you wouldn't have to. I want a normal life!" she shouted. "A normal boyfriend or husband who has a normal job, so I can have a normal fam—just normal. I don't want this! My father robbed me of a normal childhood and I'll be Goddamned if I let you rob me of a normal life!" Victoria felt as though she were having a mini breakdown in some hotel in—she didn't even know where the fuck they were. This whole situation shouldn't have happened, and she started getting pissed.

She pulled the towel from her head, letting her damp curls fall down her back. "Well, at least this time I was worth five hundred grand," Victoria mocked. But instantly she felt guilty for taking such a jab and the look of hurt in his eyes stung her.

"Just push the knife in further Victoria, as if I don't feel like shit. I know this is all my fault. I—I don't know what else to say other than I'm truly sorry I put you through this. When we get back, I swear I'll make things better. No one will be able to get to you again."

Victoria stared at him. "So you'll keep me in hiding?"

"I don't know, I'm still trying to think everything through."

"Is that what you think I'd want? Is that your definition of normal?" Victoria shook her head. "Nic...it's over."

"Don't say that. I can make this work, I—"

"I love you, Nic," Victoria whispered, tears finally spilling over the brim of her eyelids. "So much...but I can't. I'd lose me if I stayed. This isn't just Tiffany's, this is far worse, and I can't handle this. I—I," Victoria couldn't finish. She had to leave. She felt like she was slowly being smothered. "I called Antonio, and he has agreed to take me back home tonight. And don't be mad at him, I begged. I realize things might not be safe, so I'll check into a hotel when I get back." She tried to walk past him but he grabbed her hand.

"Please don't do this, Victoria. Don't leave me again," he whispered, close to her ear. He just couldn't take it this time. The first time she left was because of what he did and said. This time...she was leaving because of who he was. And that was something that couldn't easily be changed.

Victoria looked into his apologetic eyes. She would miss him. Her body, her heart...all of her would cry for him, but she just couldn't stay. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She wrapped her hands around his neck, and pressed her body against him as she caressed his tongue with hers.

Nic wrapped his arms around her waist, as he kissed her back even harder. He had wanted to feel her in his arms for over a week, and now she was. Maybe everything would be better after all. Especially if he could remove her clothes and get to what he desired. What would make both of them feel better. But before he could pull her pajama bottoms down, she pulled away from him.

"Goodbye, Nic," she whispered, as she backed up toward the door, still facing him.

Nic's heart sunk...again. He wasn't sure what to say. Were anymore words even needed? She wanted normal, and that's something he wasn't. He started walking towards her until she held up her hand.

"No. Just stay away from me...please. When we get back to the city, just stay away," Victoria whispered.

Nic stopped in his tracks, his heart breaking with every step she took closer to the door. As she opened the door, he had to tell her again, even though he knew it wouldn't stop her. "I love you."

He watched as she disappeared through the door and quite possibly out of his life forever. The second time around was ten times more painful than the first time she had walked out on him. But he couldn't lose her. Not again. He'd fucking go through hell and back if he had to, and right now—he had to make another move. A move he knew wouldn't be easy, and could change his life forever. But he knew he had to try, because the price of losing Victoria was one he was no longer willing to pay. A checkmate was fast approaching for the old Nic Andretti, and this time it would take much more than a poem to convince his love to risk it all for him.

*

Hey! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter of Seven Days. Chapter 9 will be the last chapter in this story and I hope it won't take me so long to deliver it to you. 

Check my bio for updates, and thank you all for reading--comments and feedback are welcome!

Soular 



Seven Days Ch. 09



Victoria was so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open. The trip from that hotel in the middle of nowhere where she had left her heart behind was a blur. She had slept most of the time while Antonio drove back. She slightly remembered him singing along to some rap song, but then she was out again. 

She did however wake up right as Antonio was pulling up to some lavish hotel, and she vaguely remembered telling him to keep on driving until they reached something she could afford. A Motel 6 or something like that. But Antonio just laughed, insisting that Nic would kill him if he dropped her off at such a place, plus she didn't have her purse with her. And now that she had physically seen Nic kill a man, maybe Antonio had a point. The valet who took their car gave her a once-over. She was sure she looked ridiculous. She was half out of it, and was wearing a silly t-shirt with no bra. But luckily they had stopped by her apartment, and she had quickly gathered some extra clothes with her eyes half shut. 

When they walked through the hotel room doors, she thanked Antonio and tried to march straight to bed, but he grabbed her hand.

"Wait a second, princess. I need to talk to you."

"Oh, Antonio, please, please, can it wait until tomorrow. I don't even know what I'm saying right now, I'm so tired."

"I know, but Nic said I need to get what's in your head now, while it's still fresh. Then you can go to sleep, okay? Now did those guys say anything, anything at all?"

Victoria plopped down on the couch and rested her head in her hands, covering her eyes. She really didn't want to think about anything from earlier that day. The whole ride back she had been trying to block it out of her mind. 

She started relaying the details to Antonio as she remembered them. Once she was done, she walked to the bedroom and dropped onto the bed. 

Antonio sat down on the couch. He was about to turn the TV on when he heard Victoria yell something. He hopped up and walked to the bedroom door.

"What was that princess?" 

"T-Tell Nic I'll pay him back for everything and mmph frog nop tim," she said, with her face buried into the pillow. Antonio laughed when the rest of her train of thought turned even more unintelligible and then he heard a snore.

"He'd rather have you back than the money, Vicky," Antonio whispered before he left the room.

*******************

Nic didn't sleep after Victoria left the hotel. And instead of staying the night, he woke Jimmy, Raymond and Damon up, telling them he wanted to head back into town immediately. They all agreed, realizing that there was a real chance that Victoria still wasn't out of danger.

After they dropped Damon off at his car, the rest headed back over to Nic's place, and then Jimmy went home, praying Isabelle wouldn't kill him. 

Nic had asked Antonio to check in with him every hour, and so far Victoria was still asleep.

"Hey Nic, I—I don't know what the hell all this means, but Vicky--Victoria told me that the kidnappers thought she was a banker's wife. And that they had a photo of her working at Calamity's and they were talking to someone else on the phone...and well, it seems as though that person set them up. At least that's what one of the guys said."

"They didn't give a name?" Nic questioned.

"No, she said they never said any names, other than the three stooges."

"Did she remember anything else?"

"Only that they seemed really confused. And when they found out that she was with you, they got scared and realized they had been double-crossed."

None of it made sense to Nic. Why the fuck would Sonny go through so much fucking trouble? He might not have had all the pieces together, but he knew without a doubt that Sonny's ass was dead.

"Oh! She did mention that whoever it was they were talking to on the phone got really pissed that they had taken the tape off her mouth. They apparently weren't supposed to talk to her."

"Alright. Well, watch over her and continue to give me reports."

"Will do," Antonio said, and then hung up.

Nic leaned back at his desk and closed his eyes. He had so many questions swirling around in his head. Who gave Sonny information on where his mother lived? That's information he never even told Amber, and she was married to him for three years. Jimmy was the only other person, and he trusted Jimmy with his life. Jimmy would never double-cross him. Who else could be involved? 

And he quietly chastised himself for losing control. He had planned to kill all but one of them, but when that fucker had the gun up against Victoria's head, he knew he was going to kill him on general principles. But now all they had were three dead bodies and were back to square one. Nic knew he couldn't move in on Sonny until he could pinpoint evidence on the prick. There had to be some link. Something...

Nic pulled out a bottle of vodka to slow down the many thoughts that were racing through his head. He poured a shot and downed it, then poured another. But as Nic was staring at the colorless liquid in the shot glass, it came to him with the strongest of clarity. Clarity that shook him to his very core, causing him to drop the bottle and the glass. 

He knew who set this up. 

Motherfucker!!

Nic knew Jimmy was already at home, and probably asleep in bed by now, but he needed to talk to him and explain his theory. He quickly dialed Jimmy's number. When he picked up Nic said, "I know who it is. Bring all the stuff that you and Damon took off the bodies."

*****************

Antonio walked into the bedroom to check on Victoria for the tenth time that night. Actually it was morning by then. She was still passed out and still snoring. 'God, she is so beautiful,' Antonio thought. Honestly, he never believed that she and Nic belonged together. They just seemed so different. He remembered the first night he met her at the party. She was so fucking sexy in that red dress, and she seemed so nervous. As she was talking to him that night while he was passing out hors d'oeuvres, he couldn't stop staring at her lips. She had the most perfect, plump set of lips he had ever seen. And she had this cute innocence about her, like she didn't know she was getting the attention of every straight man in the room that night. And maybe she really didn't. He could definitely see why Nic was so attracted to her...physically she was a walking wet dream, but her personality didn't really fit her body. She seemed awkward and uncomfortable around people. Like she didn't know what to do with her hands, or even what to say. And secretly that's what turned him on. And apparently Nic too.

Antonio sighed and walked back out of the room. He sat down on the couch again, and was about to take his shoes off when Jimmy called. 'Jesus man, she's okay,' Antonio thought.

"Hey Jimmy, she's--"

"Change of plans. Nic needs us to come to his place right now," Jimmy said, then hung up.

A chill immediately ran up Antonio's spine. Nic wanted him to leave Victoria, who could be in danger, to come to his house at four in the morning? It didn't make sense, but for some reason it scared the shit out of him. Should he tell Victoria, or should he just leave?

Antonio decided to just leave. He grabbed his jacket and walked out the door. When he pulled up he noticed Eddie's car out front as well. This must be an urgent meeting of the minds.

When he entered, he noticed Eddie sitting in the hallway typing on his cell phone. He looked up and greeted him.

"Well, looks like they found the culprit," Eddie announced, sliding his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. 

"Oh! Who is it?" Antonio asked.

"Don't know, apparently they have him in the basement. Wonder if it was Sonny after all," Eddie said nonchalantly.

Antonio sat down. "Well at least she's okay now."

"Who?" Eddie said, staring at the screen of his phone.

Antonio glanced at him and rolled his eyes. "Victoria, of course."

"Oh. Yeah, good thing you guys got there in time," Eddie said, yawning.

Antonio rolled his eyes again. Eddie had no personality whatsoever. Antonio had tried talking to him on several occasions, but Eddie just always had a distant look in his eyes. Like he really didn't care about anything but business. Something Jimmy had warned him about beforehand, but Antonio being the talkative guy that he was, tried to break the ice, but it never broke or even thawed.

Finally Jimmy came up from the basement and stared at both of them for a second, before he said for them to follow him.

Antonio really didn't want to go down there. He didn't want to see whatever it was they were about to do to this poor bastard. Of course the guy deserved it, but Antonio couldn't stomach it. Seeing brains splatter against a wall from earlier that day was enough for him. 

When they finally reached the bottom stairs, they turned to the right and entered into a small room. One Antonio had never been in. It was dark and smelled like bleach. They both looked around to see who the prick could be, but they found no one. Where was the mystery man?

"Hello gentlemen," Nic said from behind them. Antonio jumped, and turned to look at him. Nic looked so calm and collected, dressed in all black...including black gloves. What the hell was going on? Antonio gulped and looked around the room again. He saw Raymond standing over in a corner with protective goggles and a blow torch, turning it from bright orange to burning blue. What the fuck?!! Antonio thought he was going to hyperventilate.

Nic walked in front of them and stared. After a few seconds, he spoke. "As I was sitting in my office a few hours ago, something came to me. Very clearly. I was careless when it came to my mother. I was cocky and too trusting that nothing would ever happen to her again. You see, whoever went after Victoria, knew where my mother lived. And that's not information I give out to anyone. Only myself and Jimmy know. Or knew. And Jimmy, you didn't try to kill my girlfriend, right?"

"Fuck no."

"Of course not. And Jimmy, if someone tried to kill Isabelle or your girls, what would you do if you caught them?"

"I'd skin the motherfucker," Jimmy said with a straight face.

"As would I," Nic said, as he turned back around and started walking around the small cramped room. "I wracked my brain trying to find out who else would have known where my mother lived. That's information I even kept from my ex-wife. Who would know?" Nic said as he circled the two men.

"Then, it came to me. The one tiny loophole that I had been overlooking, because I never actually received them. Do you know what that was, Antonio?" Nic asked, turning to look at him.

Antonio's breathing quickened. He was going to be sick. 'Please, God, what is he getting at,' Antonio thought. "No," Antonio whispered.

"Bills. My mother's bills that had her residence on them. Bills that were entrusted to my accountant," Nic said, turning his attention to Eddie.

Nic watched as Eddie's eyes widened. 

"Ni-Nic, I-I, I don't know what you're talking about," Eddie stuttered out, turning to leave but running straight into Jimmy, who was behind him. He glanced back and forth between both men, while Antonio slid back against the wall, grabbing his heart. He had thought he was dead. That they were going to kill him for whatever reason. But it was Eddie!

Nic continued to stare at Eddie. "Antonio said that Victoria mentioned the guys thought her husband was a banker. Makes sense...I'm sure you quoted them a bunch of phony facts and numbers that seemed legit since you used to be the head accountant at one of the largest bank corporations. You would know enough to make three strangers believe you. And you also knew that hiring them to shoot at her would cause me to send her away, because that's what I had done with my mother. But you knew I wouldn't keep her away for long, so you thought of another way to get rid of her. But you weren't betting on the fact that they would disobey you and remove her gag. That they would contact me."

"I swear t--to you Nic, I—I swear, I had nothing to do with any of this. I mean, anyone could have known where your mother lived," Eddie begged, now visibly sweating for all of them to see.

"Really?" Nic stated flatly.

A cell phone started ringing, causing Eddie and Antonio to jump in the small space.

"I think that's your phone ringing, Eddie. Go ahead and answer it," Nic said, staring the smaller man down.

"Uh, no, it can wait," Eddie whispered.

"Answer it," Nic demanded, narrowing his eyes.

Eddie nervously reached into his pocket. His hands shook as he clumsily flipped open the cell phone. "Hello," he croaked out.

"Hiya, Eddie," they all heard Jimmy say from behind him. Antonio watched as Eddie seemed to crumble right before his eyes. 

"Recognize that number?" Nic asked.

Eddie didn't say anything. He just stared down at the floor and mumbled to himself.

"Jimmy got that phone off the dead Irish guy. Funny how the last number just so happened to be yours. How could such a smart man make such a costly mistake?" Nic asked, turning his back and walking away.

"Nic I...oh God," Eddie muttered. "I ju--just wanted you to be th--the best, you know. Like yo--you've always b—been. With no distractions. She was ca--causing problems. I was, shit, I was just trying to help. We—we were a great team...I was just trying to help."

Nic turned back around. "Help? By killing the woman I love?"

"By, um, clearing your mind," Eddie whispered.

Nic quickly walked back over to Eddie and punched him square in the face, breaking his glasses...and perhaps his nose. "Did that clear your mind, you fucking coward?!" Nic yelled, as Eddie grabbed his face, and writhed in pain on the floor. 

Nic pushed his hair back. "Raymond, hand me the knives."

Raymond walked over to Nic and handed him two knives, one big, one small. Antonio thought he was going to be sick. 

"Antonio you might want to step out of the room for this next part," Nic warned without taking his eyes off Eddie, who was still lying on the ground. 

Nic sure as hell didn't have to tell Antonio twice. He jetted for the door, but before he closed it, he looked back at the unbelievable scene unfolding in front of him.

"Any last words, Eddie?" Antonio heard Jimmy ask.

Eddie's entire body was shaking. "Yes. Please make it quick," he whispered.

"Not a chance in hell," Nic said, as he approached Eddie, with the two shiny, sharp knives in front of him.

That was enough. Antonio slammed the door and tore up the steps as he heard Eddie's scream pierce through the quiet house. 

Antonio walked outside and sat on the steps. No, he couldn't do this. This was not the life he wanted to live. No matter how much money and glamour could come with it, it's not what he wanted. He didn't know if it was even possible to leave the business, but he had to talk to Nic. He wiped his sweaty brow and closed his eyes as the cool night air hit his face.

****************

The next morning, Victoria woke up to the sounds of knocking. She quickly hopped out of bed, threw on a robe and ran to the door. She looked through the peephole at a man in a black suit with a tray. She cautiously opened the door a few inches.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Good morning, Mrs. Andretti. Your husband wanted to make sure you ate something as soon as you woke up," the man said, pushing the door open and moving around Victoria to set the tray on the table. He turned around and smiled at her.

"He's not my—I'm sorry, I don't really have any cash on me. You know, for tips," Victoria admitted.

The man continued to smile as he walked to the door. "No worries at all, Mrs. Andretti. Your husband has paid quiet handsomely to ensure that I, and only I, deliver all things to your room. Your room will be cleaned once a day by Janice, and I will accompany her inside and stay until all is done. I will see you again at lunch, and please don't hesitate to call me for anything, no matter how big or small. You can dial the number on my card which is on the tray, or dial the front desk and ask for Ellington, which is my name," the man said "Good day."

Victoria closed the door and leaned against it. 'Damn Nic,' she thought with a smile. Before she could walk away from the door, she heard knocking again.

"Yes, Elling--," she started to say as she opened the door, but quieted when she realized who it was.

"Miss Davis, how are you?" Detective Marsh asked, although Victoria could tell he really couldn't care less if she were fine or not. He pushed past her and walked into the living room.

"I'm fine, thank you. How did you get up here?" Victoria asked. 

Marsh flashed his badge to her. "It's amazing what this little badge can do. Nice room. What do they call this, the penthouse, right?" he said, walking around.

"I guess," Victoria answered, pulling her robe tightly shut.

"Yeah, I'm thinking that's what it's called. I wouldn't know. I'm just a lowly detective making an honest living. Hell, I'd have to fork over my kid's college tuition to stay in a room so fancy. Quite a step up from your old neighborhood."

Victoria walked toward the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked, trying to be nice in hopes that he would leave soon.

"Sure. Coffee, black. Thanks. So, how is it that you know my good friend, Nic?"

"We dated. We recently broke up, end of story," Victoria stated matter-of-factly, as she poured him some coffee from her breakfast tray.

"Is that right," Marsh said, grinning and walking toward her.

"Yep."

"Why did you break up?"

"That's really none of your business," Victoria said, handing him his cup.

"I can question you here in your comfortable hotel room or downtown under some harsh florescent lights if you don't play nice, Victoria," Marsh warned. "And remember, it's not nice to lie to a detective."

Victoria was scared. She had never even been given a ticket before, and here she was about to lie to a cop.

"He's married to his work. I've been an afterthought for the most part. So it wasn't a hard decision."

"And what work might that be?"

Fuck! Perhaps she shouldn't have brought up anything dealing with his job.

"His restaurants and club."

"Hmm...are those the only businesses that you know of?"

Victoria tried not to swallow. "Yes."

"And you wouldn't be lying to me, correct? Because that would not work well in your favor."

"No."

"What about--"

"Excuse me, Detective Marsh, but I thought you were investigating a shooting at Calamity's. What does any of this have to do with Nic?" Victoria asked.

"Nic might be related."

"You think he's a suspect? That he would level his own girlfriend's work place with an Uzi, then show back up to the scene of the crime to comfort me?"

"I didn't say he was a suspect, I said he could somehow be related. And how do you know it was an Uzi?"

"I don't, I just guessed. It was a lot of shots at once like I stated in the report that day. And I highly doubt Nic has anything to do with it. But truthfully, I don't know much about him anyway, so if you have questions about the shooting at Calamity's, I'll answer, but more on Nic, I won't be able to help you," Victoria said, praying that he couldn't see through her bullshit.

Marsh just continued to stare at her, and then slowly sipped his coffee. 

Victoria wanted him to leave so bad. She didn't like this guy one bit. He seemed like he was just waiting to catch her in something. The less she said, definitely the better.

"Where did you go?"

"What?" Victoria asked.

"You left town...even though I asked you not to. Where did you go?"

"I, um, I was scared after the shooting, and decided to take a vacation to Nic's mom's house."

"And where does she live?"

Not a chance. "Okay, this is going to sound silly, but I was on some pretty heavy medications, and I don't really remember going or coming. It's a small town, and I'd probably never remember the name of it."




Seven Days Ch. 09



"Try," Marsh said, staring her down.

Victoria sighed. Why wouldn't he just leave?! "Hmm, nope, not coming to me. I'm sorry. But if I think of it, I'll call you."

Marsh made a clicking noise from the side of his mouth, as he walked closer to her. "So when you say you were Nic's girlfriend, does that mean he paid you?"

Victoria almost choked. "What?" she asked, setting her cup down.

Marsh continued to stare at her. "Basically, did he pay to fuck you? A lot of men like him have these mistresses that they set up. I know he was with you while he was still married. He was paying for you to stay at his condo, and I'm assuming the tradeoff was sex, am I right?" Marsh asked, taking another sip.

Victoria glanced down at her cup of coffee. An asshole like Marsh wouldn't understand that she and Nic's relationship was so much more than that. That she loved him and he loved her. A man like that couldn't possibly understand that Nic wanted more than just sex from someone like her. No matter where she came from. But she figured in this case, the more Marsh thought he was right, the better. Let him think falsely. So Victoria held her tongue.

"Yes," Victoria whispered.

"Thought so. And how did you two meet?"

"He financed my father's restaurant."

"And are there any documents to prove this?"

"I don't know, it was between the two of them. I just worked there."

Marsh walked around the counter and stood in front of her. He placed his cup down and slowly raked his eyes over her body until he reached her eyes. Victoria was disgusted at his open gaze. She pulled the short robe tighter to her body.

"And how much did he pay to keep you?" he asked, leaning so close to her, she could smell the warm coffee on his breath.

It hurt every time. Every time someone equated her worth to money. Her body as something that could be bought. And she knew Marsh had said it to hurt her. But she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

She placed her hands on her hips. "More than you can afford," she shot back at him.

Marsh grinned and stepped back. "Touche," he said, taking another sip from his coffee and turning around.

"Well, Miss Davis, if you have any more 'useful' information regarding the shooting...or Nic Andretti, do let me know," he said, walking to the door. He opened the door, but stopped before he exited. "Or information on Jimmy Vitelli, Raymond White, Eddie Larkin, and the new guy, Antonio DiCaro, who I believe, according to hotel security, checked you into this hotel. Nic sure is a generous ex-boyfriend to let you use his card. Good day."

Victoria tried to shut the door, before he stopped it. "Tell your boyfri—excuse me, your financier that he will make a mistake, and I'll be there when he does."

Victoria tried to look bored as she rolled her eyes. She finally shut the door and leaned against it. Shit, he probably saw right through all of her lies. Especially since he knew Antonio checked her in with Nic's card. Victoria felt sick to her stomach. She needed to lie back down. But before she could reach the room, she heard her cell phone ringing.

She didn't recognize the number, but she recognized the city. "Hello?"

"Vicky?"

"Mama?" Victoria asked, not believing who it was. She hadn't heard from her parents in...well, since that day.

"Oh my God, child, are you alright?" her mother said, worry in her voice.

"Yes, mama. I'm fine."

"Thank God. I didn't know what had happened. A cop stopped by the apartment asking questions about you and that man."

"What? What did you tell him?" Victoria asked, sitting down on the couch. She prayed her mother and father didn't say anything that Marsh could use against her.

"I didn't know what to tell him. I said that after you and your father got into an argument and he, well, he made you leave and you were living with that man for all I know."

"Mama, is that exactly what you said? Nothing else?"

"Yes, I believe that was it. I mean, I didn't know what to say, I hadn't heard from you in months. I just told him that your daddy didn't approve of who you was with, and that we hadn't seen you. Was that okay?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah, that was good. Thank you."

"He said something about a shooting, and since we didn't know what he was talking about, he wouldn't tell us. What shooting?"

Victoria leaned her head back against the couch. "Well, I worked at this place named Calamity's and there was a shooting. They're just investigating the place and everyone who was a witness."

"Oh. But you're okay, right?"

"I'm fine, mama."

"Good."

Neither knew what to say. Both were remembering that last day Victoria spent with her parents.

"So...how's daddy?" Victoria asked. She wondered if she really even cared, but she asked anyway.

"Same," her mom sighed into the phone. She didn't offer anything more, and Victoria didn't ask further.

Victoria heard her mom clear her throat. "I got your number from that cop, I hope that's alright. I just hadn't heard from you and didn't know if you were okay, considering this whole situation you were in. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind," Victoria said. She waited, as she heard her mother go silent and then sniff.

"I—I miss you, Vicky. So much," she heard her mother whisper. "Maybe...I could stop by and see you?"

A warm feeling flooded through Victoria's body. She really had missed her mother, no matter how awful they parted. She and her mother were always on the same team, and they both knew how difficult her father could be. Victoria remembered so many times wishing her mother would just leave him. That one day she would tell Victoria to pack and they would head out into the world on some adventure that would take them to some exotic location where her father wasn't allowed. She had wished so bad, but it never happened. Instead the further her father was involved in his failed businesses, the more he dragged her mother down with him...and her mother's spirit.

But for the most part, Victoria stayed out of her parents' relationship. She kept her mouth shut, did her homework and reported to her father for work. And the day she graduated from high school, when most kids receive a party, money, car or college-bound gifts—the next morning Victoria received her first double shift. The first of many to come, but she did it without complaint. She had thought about just getting on a bus and never looking back, but it was her mother's sad face that kept her from leaving.  

"Um, sure. You can come over," Victoria said, wiping away a tear as she gave her mother the address to the hotel. She quickly showered and changed into a cute shirt and jeans. She pulled her curls back into a ponytail and sat at the counter, waiting for her mother to arrive. 

As she sat waiting, she hoped she looked presentable. The last thing her mother really knew about her was that she had slept with a stranger to pay off a debt. Not exactly something she ever wanted her mother to know...even if she had done it for her.

The phone ringing caused her to drift from her train of thought. She hopped up and sprinted to the counter to answer it.

"Mrs. Andretti, there's a Mrs. Olivia Davis here to see you. She gave us the name Victoria Davis, but when she described you, I thought I would check with you first," Ellington said.

"Yes! Yes, that's my mother. I'll be down to get her."

"No need, ma'am. I'll personally see her upstairs for you."

"Oh. Well, thank you." Victoria would never get used to people treating her like she actually mattered. She walked to the door and waited. In a few minutes, she heard a knock and immediately pulled open the door.

"Mrs. Andretti, your mo--," Ellington tried to get out before Victoria moved past him to hug her mother. She didn't know why she felt so emotional about their reunion, but she did.

"Hey mama," Victoria said, smothering her mom. Olivia hugged her back and the two walked into the hotel room.

"Oh, thank you Ellington," Victoria said before closing the door.

Inside, Victoria offered her mother something to drink and the two settled down on the couch. Olivia picked some imaginary lint from her blouse and Victoria tried to think of something to say.

"I've never been in a hotel this beautiful before," Olivia said finally, looking around.

"Yeah, it's really nice. I still don't know what I'm doing here."

Victoria stared at her mother. She looked really tired and Victoria knew why. It took a lot of energy to deal with her father on a daily basis. 

"So, that man said your name was Victoria Andretti. Anything I should know about?" her mother asked, glancing at her fingers and then raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, no. We're not married. I think Nic...I don't know why he did that, maybe for less questions."

"I'm confused, Vicky. I thought, well, that whole debt deal you had with him, and now he has people calling you Mrs. Andretti? What's going on?"

Victoria walked over to the couch and sat down. "Mama, it's all so confusing. But I'm going to be honest with you about everything that's happened, so you can understand, and see if I made the right decision."

Olivia nodded, sat down beside Victoria and placed her purse on the floor. She looked over at her only daughter. "Okay, lay it on me."

Victoria told her mother the whole story. She left nothing out as she told her about how at one point she couldn't stand him, but somehow fell in love with him. She told her about their trip to Bali, the shooting, kidnapping and end result. Her mother would every now and then raise her hand to her mouth or chest, but remained quiet.

"So, that's how I ended up here," Victoria finally said, standing to pour them something to drink.

Olivia shook her head. "Well, he sounds like an interesting man, Vicky. Dangerous...but interesting. But you two aren't together anymore, so what will you do now?"

"I don't know. Do you think I made the right decision?"

Her mother sat her glass down on the table. "Now that I can't tell you. All I can say is that if you are waitin' for that man to change...it might not happen. I've been waitin' for your daddy to change for years, and you know that's been a losing battle. But I don't know this Nic, so I can't judge him."

"Mama, that didn't help at all."

Olivia laughed. "I'm sorry, but I'm just saying what I know."

The two retired to the table once Ellington brought up their lunch. A fancy feast of things neither one of them had ever heard of.

At first they ate in silence, but then Olivia spoke.

"Vicky...I'm sorry."

Victoria looked up from her plate. "For what, mama?"

"For everything that happened that day. I'm so sorry."

Victoria felt a heavy sadness cloud over her. Remembering her mother's face that day as she said nothing and let her dad kick her out. Her lack of response hurt Victoria more than her father's heated words. 

"Mama...why didn't you say anything? Why did you let him do that? I don't understand...I just--," Victoria couldn't finish her sentence. She stared down at her plate. Suddenly, she had lost her appetite, but she continued to take small bites. Anything to keep from looking at her mother.

Several seconds went by before she heard her mother answer. "I guess I was just so sick and tired of arguing with him. It was making me sick, and I decided to be weak instead of strong. I can't believe I let him put you out on the street. If I had it to do over again, I would have told HIM to leave, and I hope you believe me. I'm so sorry, Vicky," Olivia stated, dabbing the corners of her eyes with her cloth napkin.

Victoria knew she wasn't ready to forgive just yet, but one day she would have to let it go. Despite everything that had happened, her mother was very important to her. But today she just couldn't let it go, so instead she changed the subject.

"Why didn't you ever leave him? If you say he wouldn't change, then why stay?" Victoria asked. She picked over her food while she waited for her mother to answer.

"I guess I held onto the hopes that he would change. At some point, I waited and waited, but he never did."

"So...why are you still waiting?"

"I'm not."

Victoria dropped her fork and looked up. "What?"

"I left him this morning. I took my bags to Roberta's place, and that's where I'll be staying until I figure out what to do next."

"What?" Victoria repeated, jumping up from the table and hugging her mother.

"See, we both can be strong by ourselves," Olivia said smiling and holding her daughter.

***************

Nic sat staring at the empty wall in his room. He had taken a shower, but had yet to put anything on, other than the towel that was wrapped around his waist. After they had gotten rid of Eddie, he had barely gotten any sleep. He thought figuring out who had caused Victoria harm would have made him feel better...but it didn't. He thought that torturing that son of a bitch would have made him feel good...it hadn't. Because even after all of this, sure she was safe, but she wasn't with him. She had asked that he stay away from her. But there was no way in hell that was even possible for him now.

He sat staring at the wall, but looking beyond it, as images of Victoria's face flooded his eyes. Her beautiful smile and long, wild curly hair. He had memorized every contour of her face and body. His favorite expression of hers was right after she came, she would slowly open her eyes to look at him. If he could freeze that look, he'd carry it with him always. That look caused his heart to flutter.

But Nic knew what she wanted. Normal. Something that his lifestyle was not. Nic sat thinking long and hard about his next move. As the wheels in his head started turning, he hopped up to get dressed. He knew exactly what the next step was.

****************

Later that night, Victoria was sitting on the couch, devouring an entire bag of Doritos while watching Jeopardy. She felt she could officially say she had the strangest life in the world. One minute she was living with her parents in a shitty apartment working overtime, the next she was under ball and chain of a mob boss. One second she's in Bali, the next she's cleaning brains out of her hair. And now she was in her pajamas watching a game show.

Truthfully, she was trying to do anything to take her mind away from Nic. But calling Marianna earlier that night didn't help. Although she was so happy to hear her voice, once their conversation had ended, the loneliness set in even more. But speaking with Marianna made her feel closer to Nic in a way, especially since Marianna kept persuading her to get back together with him.

God, she wanted to. She had barely been away from him for two days, and she missed him like crazy. Maybe she had overreacted. Maybe she should have given him a chance. He did find her and save her life. That in itself should prove his love to her. 

But a part of her didn't want to go through the pain and suffering that Marianna had gone through. Or the constant waiting that Isabelle had to deal with. Victoria didn't want to live in hiding or be overly cautious and wary of every person who entered her life. Even someone just asking for the time. She didn't want to be scared all day, every day.

Victoria stared down into the empty bag right as she heard a knock at the door. Ellington, no doubt, coming to bring her dinner. But this time she would look through the peephole first, just in case it was Marsh.

"Yes?"

"Message for you, Mrs. Andretti," Ellington said. 

Victoria opened the door to find Ellington holding a silver tray with a rose and a card on it in one hand, and in his other hand a large silver bag.

Victoria grabbed the note, rose and bag. "Thank you," she said, shutting the door as she read the card. 'Don't think. Put on the dress. A car is waiting for you downstairs.'

Victoria's heart trembled. But what about the other night and—don't think! She was going to see Nic. She smelled the rose and exhaled. This man made her crazy.

She quickly ran to the bathroom to shower, put on the dress and a little makeup and then went out of the door all in less than twenty minutes. She decided that she would listen to his message and not think about what she was doing. Sure her mind kept trying to tell her to run...run far away. But...her heart told her something much different.

As Victoria rode the elevator down, she giggled to herself to think of Raymond opening her car door as he always did, and him driving her like he had done in the past to whatever location Nic wanted. It had been a while, but she tingled all over just thinking about it.

Once she reached the front of the lobby, she pushed open the hotel doors and froze. An instant tingle coursed its way through her body. Nic was leaning against a fire red Lamborghini. She had not been expecting that. Usually when he said a car is waiting, it was someone else ready to drive her to him. But even from a few feet away, he was staring at her with this intensity that she had never seen in another human being. Like he was claiming her with just his eyes alone. 

"Hello Victoria," Nic said, as she approached. Her beautiful smooth milk chocolate skin seemed to glow and the simple, short black dress he had provided for her hugged her delicious curves even better than he had imagined. She was stunning, resembling the first night he had met her, when she had been wearing a similar albeit, cheaper dress.

"Hi Nic," Victoria whispered back. He was penetrating her soul with those piercing blue eyes of his. Any guard she had tried to build up in the short ride down the elevator had now crumbled. 'Talk about tall, dark and handsome...his picture should be the epitome of that phrase,' Victoria thought. 

"You're mesmerizing...as always," Nic said, drinking in her striking face and sexy body. 

"Thank you," she answered, but then started to feel self-conscious, because Nic continued to stare at her. She quickly glanced down at her dress and smoothed it out. She glanced back up at him, and he still wasn't saying anything, just gazing.

Nic finally shook himself out of his trance and opened the passenger door for her. This woman...drove him crazy. "May I escort you to dinner?" he asked, when his brain was up and running again.

She nodded to him, then quickly spoke up, "Yes." She got in and he gently closed the door. 

When Nic got in the car, Victoria's nostrils filled with his masculine scent—a scent that made her pussy quiver. Just being this close to him, started flooding her brain with past memories of their hot encounters. He glanced over towards her and gave a small smile before he pulled the car onto the street. 

Neither one said a word while he drove them to their destination, but Victoria couldn't help but stare at his profile. Even though it was dark in the car, the neon blue lights of his dashboard gave her a faint light. It was about the tenth time her mind had screamed, 'He's gorgeous'. She started to get wet, just thinking about his strong body covering hers. She finally turned away and stared out of the window, to keep from embarrassing herself. 

The further they drove, the more the streets began to look familiar, and before long she recognized exactly where they were. She couldn't help but smile.

After a few more minutes, they pulled up in front of his condo. When they got out, Victoria greeted Sam. He held the door for her and smiled brightly back at her. "Long time no see, Miss Victoria," he said.

Nic grabbed her hand and led her to the elevator. They both stared at one another on the ride up, but neither spoke a word. Almost 48 hours ago, she had a gun to her head and he had shot someone right in front of her. But now...it's as if that had never happened. The magnetic pull they had towards each other clouded out everything else.

Once inside the condo, Nic removed his coat and walked to the kitchen. Victoria closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar place. So much had happened here, and it felt just a little strange to be back. But perhaps this time, strange in a good way.




Seven Days Ch. 09



Nic walked back over to her and handed her a glass of champagne. "I owe you an Italian dinner, and I never go back on my word," Nic said, taking a sip from his own glass.

Oh, yes, she remembered that morning. The morning he had promised her so many things and left her broken hearted.

"Yes, I think you do," Victoria smiled, and took a sip. "Want me to help with anything?"

"Nope. Just sit your pretty little ass down."

Nic rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands and started removing several things from the refrigerator. He cleared a space on the island in the kitchen. Victoria sat on the bar stool opposite of him, and observed. For someone who didn't cook often, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

"Nic?"

"Yes?"

"What am I doing here?" Victoria asked, leaning her elbows on the counter. 

Nic was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "I want to give you something that I've never given anyone else."

"Your cooking?"

Nic smiled, "No. While I'm preparing our meal, I'm going to give you an opportunity to ask me anything you want. And I'll be completely honest."

Victoria immediately perked up. There was so much she wanted to know about him. "Nothing's off limits?"

Nic exhaled. "Nope. You can ask me anything."

Victoria thought hard about what her first question would be. She didn't want to scare him off, so she asked a simple one first.

"Okay. I'll start off easy. What's your middle name?"

"Sebastiano...or just Sebastian," he stated as he chopped a tomato and added it to some spectacular chicken dish he was in the process of making.

"Nicolas Sebastiano Andretti...ooh, I love that." She stared at him and noticed a small smile in the corner of his mouth, even though he wasn't looking at her. But now on to more burning questions. 

"Did you sleep with that Kim girl the night you took her out?"

Nic looked up at her. "No, and I can't believe you even remembered her name."

"Well, it was a pretty devastating night for me. I remembered everything about it."

Nic grabbed some spices from a cabinet but didn't say anything.

"Why don't you call me Vicky, like most people?"

"Because Vicky is plain, and you're anything but," he stated matter-of-factly, as he placed the dish into the oven. He poured another glass of champagne and leaned against the counter. "Next question."

Victoria smiled. And to think, her whole life she had always thought herself plain.

"Hmm, what was your dad like?"

Nic glanced down at his glass. "He was a quiet man. But that was mainly due to the fact that English was only his second language. Mostly every time he spoke to us, it was in Italian," Nic said, trying to figure out what to say about him. "He wasn't the most involved father, but that taught us to be independent. My mom was the only one who could really make him smile. That's about it in a nutshell."

"You look a lot like him," Victoria said, taking in that bit of information. It was the first time Nic had even mentioned his father. Everything so far that she had learned about his family had been from Marianna. 

"Yeah, I know," Nic said as he sipped his drink. 

Victoria knew that this next question might hurt, but she really wanted to know. She wanted to know all she could about Nic, and not secondhand from someone else.

"What was your brother Bobby like?"

Even though he probably tried to hide it, Victoria saw Nic tense up at the question. He glanced down at his glass then back up to her.

"Victoria, I'm sorry. I know I said nothing is off limits, but can we hold off on that question?"

Victoria nodded. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry."

The next question, Victoria wrote down. She had learned a few things from Nic. 'How many people have you killed?' was scribbled on a piece of paper and she slid it towards him.

Nic just looked at her. "Do you really want to know that?"

Victoria looked down at the paper and then back up to Nic. "No, I guess I don't," she whispered, as she tore the piece of paper up.

"Okay, new question. When's the last time you cried?"

Nic chuckled, "This wasn't the brightest idea. Hmm, can I get back to you on that one also?"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Yes." So much for the Q&A.

When dinner was finally ready, Nic prepared both of their plates, while Victoria set the table. It was a beautiful candlelight dinner and the food was amazing. Nic really could cook...or at least he could cook Italian food. Marianna would be proud.

"This was delicious, Nic. Thank you," Victoria said, drinking the last bit of her champagne. 

"Am I forgiven?"

"I was never mad at you Nic, I was just scared. Nothing like that had ever happened to me, and I didn't know how to react to it. I still don't," Victoria said.

"Then, what can I do to make it better?" Nic asked.

"You can start by telling me what you're thinking," Victoria answered.

"That's it?"

"Yep, just tell me what you're thinking without guarding yourself. Even if it makes you look vulnerable, I want to know."

"Alright. Stand up," he said, as he walked over to his entertainment system.

Victoria did as she was told, eyeing him cautiously as he flipped through a group of CD's. When he found the one he was looking for, he placed it in the CD player, and the smooth, romantic sounds of an old rhythm and blues song drifted through the air.

"Oh, this is a beautiful song, I've heard this before in a movie. Oh, What a Night, right? What's the group?"

"The Dells."

"I didn't know you listened to oldies."

"I listen to a little of everything. Come here," Nic whispered.

"You come here," Victoria teased.

Nic smiled and slowly walked over to her, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her to the living room floor. Victoria admired his long, lean yet muscular frame underneath his dress shirt and dark jeans. He turned around to face her and flashed the most beautiful smile. Her knees literally felt weak.

He pulled her close to his body and started moving slowly with the music. 

"Close your eyes," Nic softly uttered. Victoria glanced up at him for a moment, then obeyed.

"The night my parents met, this was the song they danced to. My dad had told my mom that night, in broken English, that he was going to marry her," Nic said.

Victoria kept her eyes closed as she thought about Nic's father and Marianna dancing. What a beautiful couple they made.

"He also whispered to her during the song what he thought their lives would be like. I'd like to try that."

Victoria continued to sway to the music and listen to Nic's deep soothing voice.

"For whatever reason, our bodies crossed paths, and in those special moments, I lost my heart to you. And I'm sure I'll never get it back. But as long as I can hold you close..." Nic stated, tilting her head up toward him, as she slowly opened her eyes, "...then you can keep it. I love you more than words can express Victoria Davis, and non posso vivere senza voi."

Victoria knew her eyes were glassy, but she couldn't help it. Everything he had said to her caused goose bumps to caress her skin. And when he leaned down to kiss her, she thought she would melt. The room was slowly spinning and she couldn't tell if the song had stopped or not.

"Wha—what did that mean? The last part," Victoria asked.

"I can't live without you," Nic answered, before delivering her another soul shattering kiss. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He lowered his kisses to her neck as she pushed her fingers through his smooth jet black hair.

"I can't live without you either, Nic. I love you," she whispered back, loving the feel of his soft lips nipping at her sensitive skin. She closed her eyes and threw her head back, to give him full access.

Nic started carrying her towards the bedroom, placing his free arm out to the side to guide him, while he continued to lick and kiss Victoria. When he finally reached the opening to his room, he gently deposited her onto the bed. He pulled the tiny black dress over her head, and peeled off her undergarments. He had to admire her body. It was damn near perfection, and he was going to spend all night worshipping it.

He quickly discarded his clothes and lovingly gripped her ankle. He kissed the bottom of her foot, and then planted small kisses all the way down her leg until he reached her sweet spot.

Victoria arched her back, in anticipation for what was to follow. After a few torturous moments, she felt his warm, wet tongue enter her pussy and move in a small circular motion, causing little jolts of electricity to ignite in her head. She gently pulled his smooth hair and moaned. "Damn, Nic...ohh."

But Nic didn't want her to come just yet. He started slowly crawling up her silky toned body until he reached her face. He captured her bottom lip between his teeth and lightly bit the soft flesh. He then kissed her swollen lips again as he entered her sex. Home, sweet home. Only her pussy could grip his cock, like it was made just for him.

Victoria stared up at him, as his powerful thrusts shook her. She raked her fingers down his back until she reached his ass. She squeezed it as he ground deeper and deeper into her dripping wet pussy.

Nic kissed her again, resting his body further down onto hers, feeling her full round breasts meld into his chest. Their hips connected and rocked back and forth in a rhythm that only their bodies knew. A dance that their bodies had memorized with each other.

Victoria licked and kissed his collarbone, tasting the slight salty mixture of his sweat. She closed her eyes again, feeling that familiar itch in her lower section, that only he could scratch. He always seemed to reach places within her that she didn't know existed. Her toes hurt as they flexed and her legs began to shake. It was coming. Her breath was shortened and she could feel herself panting.

"You going to come for me, baby?" she heard him whisper in her ear. She nodded her head, when she felt his teeth bear down on her neck.

"Oww," Victoria moaned.

"I asked you a question, and you didn't answer it," he growled.

"Yes, Nic, I'm about to c--come," Victoria said, as her pussy tightened around him and her eyes rolled back. "Aahh, Nic...oh, baby," was all she could manage as wave after wave of delight washed over her body.

"That's it sweetheart," Nic said, as he began to pick up the pace. It had been too damn long since he had felt her body respond to him. He could feel himself losing control, as he continued to force his full length into her tight pussy. He could feel her body clamping around his member, forcefully massaging it. "Oh, Victoria...shit". Nic pushed deep and released a flood of his come into her. After a few moments, he stilled himself, as his lower half produced minor spasms until he was completely spent.

Neither one could move a muscle, nor did they want to. But Nic soon realized that he was probably crushing her. He tried to roll off of her, but she held onto him.

"No, don't move yet," she whimpered.

Nic looked down into her eyes. They were misted over and her mouth was slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something else.

"I'm not going anywhere, baby," Nic assured her, as he kept their bodies connected.

She raised up and kissed him. And when she laid her head back down on the bed, she stared up at him. "I love you."

"I love you more," Nic whispered as he felt his dick stirring again. Yes, they were both going to be sore from this reunion.

Later that night, after two more sessions of lovemaking, Nic and Victoria lay in bed, still entangled in each other's arms and legs. 

At first, Victoria couldn't tell if Nic had fallen asleep, but every few minutes she'd feel his lips against her forehead, and she knew that he wasn't. She always felt so safe in his arms. Strong arms that held her as though she were some precious gem. Perhaps it was because in this moment she felt safe, or satisfied, but whatever the reason, a calm came over Victoria, and she could no longer deny it. She had sacrificed things all her life, and mostly she didn't have a choice. But now she would make sacrifices for something she truly wanted more than anything else...and it was clearly her choice.

"Nic, I can handle it," Victoria said, as she kissed the tips of his fingers

"Handle what, baby?" Nic asked, his sleepy voice betraying him.

"This. Your job, your lifestyle, everything. I mean, I can't promise that it won't be hard for me, but I will try. I love you and I don't want to be apart from you. And I promise I won't give up on you again," Victoria admitted, lifting her head to gauge his reaction.

Nic stared down at her. He didn't say anything, but he kissed her. Victoria knew this would be a long road to travel, but for her there really was no other option. She had to be with him. She shifted her body, so that she was straddling him, with her head resting on his chest. She loved the feel of his chest softly rising and falling with each breath.

"Victoria?" Nic asked.

"Hmm?" she replied, not bothering to lift her head.

"Did you still want to know about my brother, Bobby?" Nic asked.

But this question however, did cause Victoria to raise her head. She hesitated a moment before she said "If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to."

Nic exhaled, "No, I probably should. Bobby was...well, nothing like me. All-round nice guy. He had an interesting sense of humor and usually made friends with everyone. But God, could he talk. Never shut up."

Victoria laughed, as she rested her head back onto his chest.

"And he never got punished by my mom. She never could, because as soon as she would get mad at him, he'd flash this big smile or puppy dog look, and she was done. Had mom completely wrapped around his finger. Hmm, let me think what else I could tell you," Nic said more to himself, than Victoria. "I guess something else that was interesting about him was that he hated fighting and violence. Didn't even like violent movies, but he never turned his nose up at my father and I, like my other siblings did."

Victoria laced her fingers through Nic's larger ones, as she continued to listen. It was extremely rare when Nic shared something, and she always felt so special when he did. She almost didn't want to move, so she wouldn't break whatever connection they had at the moment.

Nic cleared his throat. "I think one of the reasons he was like that, was because of an incident that happened when we were kids. We had gotten my father's handgun and like idiots, were playing with it, even though we had been warned a hundred times. Jimmy was over at our house that day, and said he could tell it wasn't loaded. So Bobby started swinging it around and then pointed it at my mom's favorite vase and shot. That son of a bitch was so loud, I swear I heard it ringing in my ears for days. Bobby dropped the gun and never picked another one up. It scared the shit out of him. But oh, did my father wear our asses out for that," Nic laughed.

"Oh my God, he should have," Victoria laughed, thinking about the three of them looking devilish in the photo she had observed at Marianna's house. 

Both were quiet as several minutes passed. Victoria wasn't sure if Nic was done talking. She waited a few minutes longer before she said anything.

"You know, your brother...his personality kinda reminds me of Antonio, don't you think?"

Nic thought about it. Over the years, he had tried not to think about Bobby, but now remembering a few of his brother's traits...yes, he and Antonio were similar. "Yeah, I guess he does. Always knew I liked that little prick for some reason."

Victoria giggled again. "He's a good guy. You just make him nervous all the time."

"Good," Nic whispered, then laughed when Victoria swatted at his arm.

"He would give anything to be like you. He thinks you're the coolest guy in the world. But don't tell him I told you this," Victoria said.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Nic thought about how Antonio could help him with his newest project. He needed to set that plan into motion as soon as possible.

Nic seemed to be deep in thought when Victoria interrupted him. "Nic?"

"Yes?"

"Want to tell me about the last time you cried?" Victoria felt Nic's body tense up beneath her. Maybe she was prying too much. He would tell her more things in time. He didn't have to give her his whole life story tonight while lying in bed. "Nevermind, I'm sorry. I'm being way too nosey."

She felt his muscles relax, and she hugged him tighter. At least he wasn't mad at her for asking. He would tell her when he was ready. She was about to tell him that she was ready for round four, when he spoke.

"About ten years ago, was the last time I cried. It was the day I had to identify my brother's...remains."

Victoria looked up at Nic, trying her best not to look so shocked. She shifted herself so that her face was hovering over his. She lowered her lips to his and kissed him. "Baby, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready." She saw him nod his head, but he didn't say anything, which was definitely out of character for Nic. He hated when people did that.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Then finally after a few seconds, he said "I'm fine. I just haven't talked about this in a long...ever, actually. I've never said a word to anyone, not even Jimmy."

More silence. Victoria waited, looking into his eyes. He was avoiding eye contact with her, but she knew this was probably one of the most difficult things he'd done.

"That day I thought I could take it. I wanted so badly to believe it wasn't my baby brother, you know. I always thought I could protect him. But when the police called my father and I into the morgue to identify his hea...fuck."

Victoria felt his breath quicken and he turned his head away from her. She slowly turned his head back toward her. Although the room was dark, she could see the slight moisture in the corners of his eyes. "Ssh, you don't have to say any more. I love you," she whispered, kissing him again and again.

It was so long ago, Nic thought it couldn't possibly affect him the same way, but he was wrong. All of those feelings that he had been avoiding for ten years came crashing down on him. And what made it even harder on him was that he still looked at Bobby as a seven year old who wore a Superman cape for almost a year straight. He had worn it to school, to the dinner table, to bed...for a solid year, he wouldn't part with it. It had come with a Halloween costume of Nic's, that he soon regretted giving to his little brother. Or Nic would remember him as the annoying twelve year old who followed him around everywhere he went. At the time it had been frustrating, but he later learned it was because Bobby thought of him as his idol or hero. It took his mother telling him that for Nic to understand. That happened one day when Bobby interrupted a make-out session Nic was having with some neighborhood girl, because he wanted to play baseball. When Nic complained to his mom about Bobby's ever present nature, he left out the make-out session, but got an explanation as to why Bobby was following his every move.

"He's your younger brother and he loves you. Even though you two are only a year apart, he would love nothing more than to be just like you. And you should be proud of that, Nic. Not annoyed. You're your brother's keeper, you know," his mom had told him years ago. Why the hell couldn't he have kept him safe? 

"Nic, it's not your fault what happened to him," Victoria whispered, bringing him out of the past. He looked up at her concerned, yet loving face.

"I should have been able to protect him better than that."

"Don't think about it," Victoria said, laying small kisses all over his face.

No, he wouldn't think about it anymore. He grabbed Victoria and rolled her onto her back. He was ready to feel her wrapped around him for the...well, he had lost count.




Seven Days Ch. 09



****************

The next morning, Victoria pried her eyes open when she smelled the sinful aroma of French toast. She freshened up in the bathroom, grabbed her black dress and put it on, then walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, beautiful," Nic said, placing her breakfast on the counter, as she entered.

"Good morning. And do you ever get any sleep?" Victoria asked, as she stood on her tip toes to deliver him a kiss.

"Sometimes," Nic admitted.

Victoria looked at her food. "This whole domestic side of you is still such a surprise. I'm trying to get used to it." She placed a forkful in her mouth, and wanted to moan with how good it was, when she noticed he wasn't eating. "Are you not eating?"

"No, I don't like French toast."

"Then why did you make it?"

"Because I know you like it. I'm not really big on sugary foods first thing in the morning," he stated, as he opened the morning paper. Victoria watched him as she ate. He looked as though he had a lot on his mind.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes," Nic answered, but didn't offer any more. 

She nodded as she stuffed more food into her mouth. When she was done, she turned to look at him, and he was observing her. "That...was so good."

"Glad you liked," he said, although she could tell his mind was still elsewhere.

Victoria stood up and stretched. "Hey, I didn't even check, but are all the clothes you bought for me still here?"

"Of course."

"Okay. I have to get dressed and go into Calamity's and see if I even still have a job."

That brought Nic's mind back into focus. "What?"

Victoria started to walk to the back of the condo. "I need to go back to work soon. I have rent. My roommate probably thinks I've moved out...if she's even there. I swear that girl spends so much time away," Victoria yelled over her shoulder as she entered the bathroom.

She quickly showered and then walked to the bedroom and into the closet, with a small light blue towel wrapped around her body. She began shuffling through the clothes. She looked behind her and noticed Nic leaning against the door frame watching her. Oh, she could be playful. She slowly pulled the towel from her body and dropped it to the floor. She stood there completely naked, with her backside to his open stare.

"Hmm, what to wear," she said to herself, smiling, knowing he was looking. After a few seconds, she felt his arms snake around her and he buried his face into the side of her neck. She tilted her head back and moaned as he lightly bit his favorite area.

Nic slid his hands to her breasts and began to squeeze and roll her tight chocolate nipples between his fingers. And the further she stuck her tits out for his pleasure, the more her fleshy, perfect ass pushed into his crotch. Damn, he was already hard.

Victoria parted her mouth to moan when she felt his hand grasp her neck and tighten. "Nic," she whispered, as she felt his other hand slowly travel down her stomach and stop at the entrance to her essence. His fingers lightly grazed her sensitive folds as he rubbed her clit.

Victoria couldn't think, she didn't know where to put her arms, so she placed one up and behind her to grip his hair and the other she placed over top of his hand that was exploring her soaking pussy.

"You want it?" Nic teased close to her ear, squeezing her neck harder as he slowly inserted two fingers inside her. Such sweet torture.

"Nic...," was all she could manage.

"Tell me. Do you want it?" he growled.

"Yes, baby."

"What do you want?"

"I—I want you to make me come," she whispered, right before he inserted a third finger and began pumping in and out at a faster pace.

"Ooh, God, ooohh," Victoria muttered, as her body jerked. But Nic's arms kept her from moving too far, as he continued to lovingly assault her pussy. He wasn't reducing his speed, and he was quickly driving her crazy with his unrelenting attack. She just couldn't take it. And no more sounds could escape her throat as his hand tightened again.

Her back was pressed tightly to his front, and she loved the feel of being totally naked when he was fully dressed. It made her feel...freaky, and she loved it. She felt herself gasping for air right as her lower region exploded and she saw stars. Her legs felt wobbly and the butterflies in her pussy that traveled to her stomach and up her spine made her entire body feel as though it were on fire. Victoria could feel the sticky, wet feeling between her legs, as Nic released her neck and removed all but one finger. One finger that continued to tease her delicate and overly sensitive clit.

"Oh, damn," Victoria whispered to herself. When he finally removed the last finger, Victoria turned around and kissed him. She felt his tongue rolling around in her mouth, and still she wanted more.

When they pulled apart, Nic watched in awe as she grabbed the hand he had made her come with, and began sucking off her own juices. One by one she sucked and licked each of the three fingers which were covered in come.

"Mmm," she moaned, and then raised up on her tip toes to kiss him again. Nic was so hard, it hurt. He wanted to fuck her crazy. Screw gentleness.

Victoria watched in anticipation as he quickly removed his shirt and pulled down his pants and underwear. She squealed when he picked her up and roughly held her against one of the closet walls. He braced his arms underneath her legs and held them far apart. Victoria could tell by the look in his eyes, that this was purely lust and about his release only. She braced herself as he swiftly entered her to the hilt. She gasped from the sharp pain of his entire thick member penetrating her so forcefully. 

The wall had no give, so she was forced to take this pounding, and that really turned him on. The look of pain and pleasure written on her face.

He could feel his cheeks clenching as he pounded into her over and over again, never yielding. He was so close.

"Do you want me? My come?" Nic asked, breaking her out of her daze.

"Yes," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder while his body pumped ferociously in and out of her.

Her simple answer was all he needed to push him over the edge. He felt that wonderful, well-known feeling as his dick jerked and began squirting his pearly seed deep into Victoria. He groaned as it seemed to last forever and he felt his knees giving. When he was sure he didn't have a drop left, he slowly pulled out of her and let her rest her feet on the ground.

"Nic, that was--," she started, but he cut her off by kissing her. Her swollen lips tasted so good. Every part of her tasted so good.

When they finally parted, Victoria grabbed her towel and tried to take a second quick shower, but Nic joined her and 'quick' turned into almost an hour long escapade. They were definitely making up for any lost time together.

They both finally made it back into the closet to look for clothes. When Victoria was dressed, she turned to look as Nic was watching her again. He had yet to put on a shirt, and only had on a pair of jeans with no shoes. And damn, if he didn't look like an ad for...something sexy. 'Down girl,' Victoria thought, as she was about to walk past him.

He held out his arm, blocking her exit. "Yeah, about Calamity's...we need to talk about that," he said.

"Why, what's wrong?" Victoria asked.

"I don't want you working there anymore. One, it's not safe."

"I thought that's why you got rid of those guys...so now it should be safe, right?"

Nic stuck his hands in his pockets. "You're right. It should be. So, the real gripe I have is I don't like you working at a place like that in an outfit like that."

Victoria shook her head. "Nic, you've seen me in skimpier things. Hell, half of them are in this closet."

"Yes, but that's different."

"How so?"

"Because I'm with you when you wear them. Men know that you belong to me...they don't know that at your workplace."

Victoria scoffed, "Belong to you?"

"Yes," he answered matter-of-factly.

"Hmm, didn't realize I was like a dog. Or cattle," Victoria said, rolling her eyes.

Nic walked over to her, and stood so close that his body was lightly grazing hers. He stared down into her face, while she tried to resist his charms, by placing her hands on her hips.

"I thought this was my pussy," he said, as he traced his fingers up her thigh and under her skirt. Victoria didn't answer for fear that her voice would betray her due to the instant connection she felt with his fingers. Instead, she continued to stare at him.

"And my heart," he whispered, as his fingers trailed from under her skirt, up to her breast and over her heart. "At least I thought they were."

Victoria opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't think of shit to say. Damn, he was right.

When she eventually found her voice, she said, "Fair enough. But Nic, that's my job and those outfits aren't THAT bad, you know."

"Maybe not on less shapely girls, but on you...men see tits and ass."

"Okay, you're exaggerating. No they don't," Victoria laughed.

"Yes, they do," Nic said, not finding the humor at all.

Victoria backed away from him and walked out of the closet. She went down the hall, and grabbed her purse from the table. Before she could make it to the door, Nic grabbed her arm.

"Wait, I'm not done talking about this," he said, pulling her towards him.

"Nic, there's nothing more to discuss. I understand your concerns, but it's my job until I can find one that's better."

"You do realize that you don't have to work. You know I'll take care of you," Nic whispered to her.

Victoria pulled away. "You see Nic, that's—that's exactly what people think. I—I," Victoria tried, but couldn't finish. This whole thing could be so frustrating.

Both of them stood there staring at each other.

"I forgot to tell you last night, but Detective Marsh came to see me while I was at the hotel," Victoria mentioned, breaking the silence.

Son of a bitch. Nic exhaled to keep his temper in check. "What did he want?"

"He just asked me questions about our relationship and if I knew of anything illegal that you've done. Of course I played dumb, but he, well, he insulted me. He thinks that I'm just your girlfriend who you pay to sleep with. And I let him think it so he wouldn't ask more questions, but I—I don't like that people think that about me. And I realize that it started out that way, but I don't want people to continue to think that way," she said, quickly wiping a small tear in the corner of her eye.

Marsh was an absolute dick, and Nic wanted nothing more than to punch him in his smug face. He could see the embarrassment on her face of dealing with people thinking this way. Marsh, her father, Sonny, Amber...hell probably more people than he realized because they never said it to his face. They just looked down on her. And she had never said a word about it until now. And this was all because of the way he had treated her. He had no one to blame but himself.

"Well, job or not, people are going to think what they want, but at least I feel better about myself if I don't sit around your condo all day waiting for you to come and...well, you know."

Nic knew he would have to lose this battle to win the war. It was his fault and he'd have to deal with it. Plus, he had some other matters to attend to. He slowly nodded and turned to walk toward the bedroom.

Victoria wasn't sure if she should follow him, or just walk out of the door. She chose to leave, because she at least needed to see if she still had a job. Once she paid the cab driver, she turned and flinched when she walked by the sidewalk where she had ducked down from the glass. She stared up at the new shiny window. You wouldn't have even known there was a shooting over a week ago. When she walked in, she noticed Tracy flirting with a new bartender that she didn't recognize. She headed over to them.

"Hey Tracy," Victoria said, before Tracy pounced on her. 

"Oh my God," she said in her thick southern accent, as she hugged Victoria. "How are you? Where have you been? Do you still work here?" Tracy shot out question after question.

"I'm fine. And I don't know if I still work here or not. Is Greg around?"

"Yes, sweety, he's in the office."

"Thanks," Victoria said, as she made her way towards the back of the restaurant. She knocked on the door.

"What?" she heard him answer.

She pushed open the door and saw him sitting behind the desk counting money. He froze when he saw her and then smiled.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in. How are you?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Can't complain."

"So, I know I've been gone a little while, but I was kinda wondering if I was still employed here?"

"Do you want to be?"

"Yes."

"Then you are," Greg said, looking back down at the money. "I can put you back on the schedule starting tomorrow...cool?"

"Oh, gosh, thank you Greg," Victoria said. Then she stared at him skeptically. "You don't even want to know where I've been?"

"No, it's all your business. Well, that and the fact that some guy called me the day after the shooting to say you would be gone for a certain amount of time, but he wouldn't tell me how long or where. He was just a little scary on the phone. Boyfriend?"

Victoria placed her hand over her face and nodded, "Sorry about that."

"I figured. All the good ones are taken," Greg smiled at her. Victoria smiled back, and as the uncomfortable moment passed them by, Greg cleared his throat.

"So, anyhow, you're on at five tomorrow. See you then," he said as he continued to count.

"Thanks Greg," Victoria said, walking out of the office and closing the door.

***************

"You sure Nic," Jimmy asked. "You know, there's no going back after this."

Nic nodded, "Yes, I'm sure."

"Well, I'm happy for you. I never thought I'd see this day. And over a woman at that," Jimmy smirked. 

Nic was finally setting his plans in motion. He couldn't delay it any further. He knew he was taking a huge gamble, but damn if she wasn't worth it. He loved her and he hoped what he was doing would truly show her exactly how he felt about her.

"So, just those we have deals with now, right? Anyone else will just eventually get the message, right?"

"Right."

"And you sure you want to give me what you did? I mean, I thank you, but it's too much Nic. I wouldn't feel right."

"It's yours. Tell Isabelle it's a small compensation for keeping you away all these years."

Jimmy smiled, as he pulled out his cell phone and began making the first of many calls. 

Nic walked back into his office, to find Reuben still busy making and printing documents. He never thought lawyers could be trustworthy, but over the years, Reuben had proven that he could be. But a slight sting hit Nic's nerves. He had thought Eddie trustworthy as well. Even more reason to continue with his plans. He still didn't have all the pieces in position, but if everything turned out like he envisioned it would...then he would be one happy man. A man who probably didn't deserve it, but that was between him and his maker.

Nic had already spoken with Jimmy and Raymond, only one left and that was Antonio. 

When Raymond brought Antonio into Nic's office, Antonio looked nervous as always. He quickly glanced back and forth between Nic and Reuben.

"Hi, Nic. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, Antonio. Have a seat," Nic said, while he signed documents.

Antonio felt so anxious. He never wanted to say or do the wrong thing around Nic, which of course he always did. But at least Nic looked calm and relaxed. He wasn't sure who the guy was beside him, but he just hoped that the whacking had stopped with Eddie.

"Antonio, this is my lawyer, Reuben. He's present today to make sure everything goes smoothly," Nic stated, shuffling a group of papers.

"If this is about the other night, I feel like I should stop you, before we go any further. I really need to tell you--," Antonio started.

"Now...is not really the time to bring up anything from the other night," Nic warned, narrowing his eyes.

"I understand. But basically Nic, I just want to tell you that I don't think I'm the right guy that you're looking for. I mean, I thank you for the opportunity you have given me, and maybe in a few months when I'm back at Best Buy I'll be kicking my own ass, but I just can't do this anymore. And I know you called me in here today, but truthfully, I was going to ask to speak to you about all of this. I'm sorry if I've let you down in any way," Antonio finished. He had been practicing that speech all morning and made sure to look Nic directly in the face while delivering the news.

Nic leaned back in his chair. "You have done everything that I have asked you to do. I have no complaints."

Antonio exhaled. "Thank you, Nic."

"What is it that you want to do, Antonio?"

Antonio smiled. He knew exactly what he wanted to do. "I really, really want to own my own club. I mean, that would be the best. And who knows, maybe in time open up one on the west coast too. Those cool exclusive kind that only let in hot people and celebrities. I have so many plans for it." 

Jesus, this kid did remind him of his brother. Nic nodded, "I thought so. Sign this."

Antonio stared down at the document. "What's this?" he said, picking up the pen.

"It's a document that states I'm turning over fifty percent ownership of my club to you."

Antonio thought his eyes were going to pop out of the sockets. He couldn't have heard that right. There was no way. "Wait, I'm sorry Nic. What did you say?"

"I'm leaving, Antonio. For good. Jimmy is in the process of giving my clients alternative, trustworthy sources, so I'm out. And there's not really any going back at this point. I'm cutting all ties with the business and pretty soon this city as well. I called you in here today to let you know of my plans. I'm turning over ownership of both of my restaurants to Jimmy. And I spoke to Raymond. He doesn't really want full responsibility, so you two will be co-owners. He preferred to just stay on as head of security for my--well you and Raymond's club if you accept."

Antonio couldn't believe it. Him?! An owner of a club...which was like a dream come true. "Hell yes!! I mean, yes, of course. Are you sure? I mean, this is me we're talking about. You sure Raymond is cool with this?"

"If you haven't noticed, Raymond doesn't really like being around people...or talking to them, or dealing with them, so he's just fine as head of security, while you're in charge of operations. So yes, I'm sure. Don't fuck it up," Nic said.

"No, sir! Of course not. I just...oh, man. I can't believe this," Antonio said, running his hands through his hair. His momma is going to be so proud. Her boy, finally making it in the world.

"We've had our problems in the past, but you're a pretty good guy and you deserve it. Invest well and it will pay off big time. Reuben will have you sign all the documents."

Antonio stood up and leaned over the desk to shake Nic's hand. "Thank you so much, Nic. I can't even tell you how wonderful this is. I mean, shit, thank you. I swear I'll name my first born after you...even if it's a girl. Really, thank you."

"You're welcome, Bobby," Nic said, as he started looking over more documents.

Antonio wasn't sure who the hell Bobby was, but Nic looked extremely busy. So he hopped up and walked toward the door, but then turned around. "Hey Nic...where will you go? What will you do?"

Nic gave a small smile, but didn't answer.

*************

"Honey, I'm home," she heard Nic say as he entered the condo. She jumped up from the couch and ran to give him a big kiss, knocking him back against the wall.

The past couple of days with Nic had been absolute bliss for Victoria. He still conducted private calls, but he had been spending almost every day with her. And they had come to a compromise with the Calamity's situation. She would continue to work there, but her hours had to be cut back and she had to move in with him. At first she protested, but he had said it was for her own safety, and with her hours cut back...she wouldn't have enough for rent anyway. Victoria soon realized that she had painted herself into a corner. Sometimes she would forget exactly how smart and manipulative her man could be. 




Seven Days Ch. 09



So, the few belongings that she actually owned were neatly packed away in his condo. She had wondered why he didn't want her to move into his house, but he said he had his reasons. At first, it stung...but she had to trust that his reasons weren't anything to do with him not thinking highly of her. She trusted him. And since he practically lived there with her, it helped to ease the sting. 

"If I get to come home to this every night, then I'm sold," Nic mumbled in between her kisses.

"I'm sorry, I just missed you," Victoria said.

"Missed me? I've only been gone for a few hours."

"You've been gone since eight this morning, and it's now six."

Nic stared at her, before a slow smile crept across his face. She was crazy about him, that's for sure. And he loved it. At least he wasn't in this alone.

Victoria's eyes widened, "I mean...well, it seemed like a really long time." She tried to back track realizing how insane she probably sounded. But she had missed him.

"I love you too, baby," he said, patting her on the ass as he walked into the kitchen and sat a bag on the counter. "Don't peek in there."

Victoria was curious, but she didn't want to ruin his surprise.

When he emerged from the back room, he was in his navy blue workout pants and a soft looking dark gray shirt. His hair was wet and slicked back, and he looked absolutely adorable.

"Do me a favor. Go sit out on the terrace and look sexy," he said.

Victoria was wondering what the hell was going on, but she said nothing. Instead she walked out onto the terrace and sat down at the table. It was a warm night, so she only had on a pair of short cotton shorts and a white tank top. She wasn't wearing a bra, but she figured he would appreciate that. She stared out at the sky. The stars looked as though they had been spray painted onto a black canvas. 

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she heard him say from behind her. She turned and he was staring at her. He had a fancy plate in one hand, two champagne bottles in the other hand and a champagne bottle underneath his arm.

Nic sat the tray of chocolate covered strawberries on the table, and then quickly poured a glass of champagne for both of them.

"Nic, this looks...amazing, what's going on?"

"We're celebrating," he said, handing her a glass.

"Celebrating what?"

Nic sat down and took a sip. "New beginnings." He picked up a chocolate covered strawberry and brought it to her lips. She stared right at him and took a seductive bite, and then closed her eyes and whimpered. 

"That's good," she said, opening her eyes. 

The woman can bite a strawberry and send blood pumping through his dick, Nic thought. He leaned over to kiss and lick her lips, tasting chocolate and champagne. "Very good," Nic said, licking his own lips.

"So, what new beginnings are we celebrating, Mr. Andretti?" she asked.

Nic leaned back in his chair. "A beautiful virtuous woman once told an unmoving arrogant prick that there is always a place for decency and at the end of the day, money isn't everything and it never was. Well this prick finally listened. I'm out, baby."

Victoria continued to stare at Nic. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

"I'm out of this business. For good. Nothing else illegal."

"What?" Victoria whispered. "You're—you're..." She couldn't even finish the sentence. "Oh my God!" she screamed as she hopped up and straddled his lap.

"I'm so happy! Are you serious?" Victoria kept asking him over and over, in between kisses. 

"I'm serious, baby," Nic said, as he gently pulled her back to look into her eyes. Beautiful brown pools that were quickly watering up. God, he loved her so much, and now it was time to show her exactly how much.

"I love you and I have one more thing to tell you," Nic said, lifting her up from his lap.

Victoria quickly wiped her eyes. There was nothing else he could possibly tell her that could match the feeling of elation that she felt at the moment. She sat back down in her chair and waited for the other news.

Nic stood up and pulled something from behind his back. It was a book. When he handed it to her, she knew exactly which one. Her book of 100 Greatest Love Poems. 

He walked around behind her and kissed the top of her head. "I added something else to it...it's at the bottom of the other poem I wrote in the back," he whispered in her ear.

Victoria smiled and opened the book to the last page. She quickly skimmed over the beautiful Italian cursive of the first poem he recited for her. But when she reached the bottom, she only saw a few words scribbled on the page. She leaned closer to read them: 'I Love You. Turn Around, Beautiful'. 

Victoria crinkled her brow as she turned around. "Nic, it just says--," she started, then froze. Her hand went to her mouth in utter shock. She came face to face with Nic kneeling behind her, with a familiar looking blue box tied with a white ribbon, in his hand.

"Victoria?"

"Yes," she quickly replied.

Nic raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Is that a yes because I said your name, or yes because you know what I'm about to ask?"

"Both," Victoria whispered, visibly shaking at this point.

"Marry me?"

"Yes! Absolutely," she shrieked, as she leaned over to kiss him. Her legs were complete jello as she slid over top of him, straddling his knee. She couldn't even breathe, but she knew it was a combination of shock and joy, which she could possibly die from.

Who would have even thought this possible? The first time they had met, she had been scared to death. And when he had walked briskly into the his office and sat down in front of her, he was probably the most handsome man she had ever seen. Next to his actor friend, Mr. Big Time, who she had crushed on for years in various films—a fact that she still hadn't told Nic. 

But it had been Nic's eyes during their first meeting that caused her to shiver. They looked so cold and empty. But to look into them now, instead of a blue glacier storm, they resembled something more peaceful. Like a cool, calm crystal lake. She felt as though she could stare into them forever.

He pulled the bow off of the light blue box and opened it. The most jaw-dropping, gorgeous diamond ring was staring back at her. He slid it onto her finger and kissed her again. She was almost afraid to close her eyes for fear that she'd lose the small platinum trinket, which she was sure cost more than her car.

"Do you like, baby?" Nic asked.

She didn't know what else to say. At this moment, words were so underrated. There wasn't even a phrase she could utter to explain the feelings she felt. Nothing. So instead of trying to inarticulately tell him that she loved him, she pressed her lips to his mouth and kissed him deeply.

As their lips continued to lock, Victoria thought about everything that had happened. She was engaged? To Nic Andretti? Life...could be full of impossible, yet incredible surprises.

***************

The next day, Victoria couldn't stop smiling, even as they cuddled on the sofa watching some mystery romance movie on Lifetime. She was practically in his lap with her head leaning back against his solid chest. His arms were tightly wrapped around her, while her fingers mindlessly stroked the top of them, loving the feel of the smooth delicate hair that lightly covered his masculine limbs.

Every few seconds, she would stare down at her diamond ring. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever owned, and definitely the most expensive. She had debated on asking him how much it cost, which was tacky, but she couldn't help it. But she decided against it, telling herself that it would make her even more self-conscious than she already was.

Telling Marianna earlier that morning had been fun. She screamed through the phone into Victoria's ear, almost causing a slight ringing, and then proceeded to babble on about babies this and babies that. Jimmy and Isabelle had called her together on speaker phone to congratulate her on "slaying the beast". They were so cute and funny over the phone. They finished each other's sentences...and when Jimmy said something Isabelle didn't agree with, she would argue back with him, and eventually he'd just laugh and say she was right.

When she called to tell Antonio, she could tell he was in complete shock. The last news he had heard was that she had broken up with Nic. Victoria could also tell there was just a hint of disappointment in his voice, but he still congratulated her and wished them the best. He told her about the new things he has lined up for the club and how grateful he was to Nic. He already moved his mom out of the place she was in, and into a small house with a washer and dryer. That's all his mom cared about, and he joked that she probably slept in the laundry room the first night.

"I know who did it," Nic whispered to her, bringing her thoughts back to the movie.

"No way! We've only been watching it for fifteen minutes. You can't already know who the killer is. I doubt we've even seen everyone."

"Trust me, I know."

Victoria turned her head toward him to give him a kiss when her cell phone started ringing. She leaned over the table and plucked if from her purse. The screen read private, but she was pretty sure she knew who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Victoria. It's Paul," he said.

"Hi, how are you?"

Nic could hear that it was a man's voice on the other end. He hated this new feeling of jealousy that was overcoming him. Actually, it wasn't new. He had felt it the second day they were together, when Sonny had wanted to bet her for a night. That slight tinge from the green-eyed monster had reared its head even then. But Nic knew for a fact that Victoria didn't really hang around other women, so he wondered who this guy was. His mother, Jimmy and Antonio were the only people he knew that had that number, and they...nevermind, he knew exactly who it was. Paul Marcone. He also had her number, since he had called her while she was staying with his mother.

"I'm fine, now that I know you're safe," Paul said.

"Oh, thank you," Victoria said, before Nic snatched the phone out of her hand and pressed speaker. She twisted around to grab it back from him when he put a finger to his mouth. Victoria sighed.

"I would have liked to have called much sooner, but under the circumstances, I felt it was best to keep away. I hope you understand."

"Oh, of course. Even you just calling now means a lot."

Silence.

"So is everything okay now? I'm assuming that the guys responsible were handled?" Paul asked.

"Um," Victoria said, as she watched Nic shake his head. "Um, I don't really know about all of that stuff, Paul. They don't tell me those things." Victoria hated lying to Paul. She knew for a fact that the three guys who had kidnapped her were dead. She saw that with her own two eyes. But for whatever reason, Nic didn't want Paul to know about any of that.

"Of course. And that's probably the best thing. I'm just glad you're back home and safe."

"Thank you. So am I. How's Sonny? I know you were worried about him."

"Sonny, well, he's Sonny. He's fine. He actually spent the past few weeks vacationing with some girl in Amsterdam. But he refused to tell me until last night because he knew I would have disapproved."

Victoria looked at Nic when he pinched her arm. He mouthed, 'Ask if he's still there?' Victoria narrowed her eyes at him mouthed back 'No.'

"Well, that sounds like Sonny. I'm sure he had fun though."

"Yes, but it was irresponsible. Especially with everything that was going on," Paul said, then he chuckled. "You know, I used to think that because Nic and Sonny grew up together, that maybe some of Nic's more honorable characteristics would rub off on my son. But over the years, they became more enemies than friends."

"Well, all of it is silly to me, and perhaps both of them should grow up," Victoria said, looking at Nic and sticking her tongue out.

"That's exactly what my wife would have said," Paul laughed, then sighed. "Well I'll let you go. But I just wanted to make sure that you were safe. And if you ever need anything, you know you can come to me."

"Thank you, Paul. And likewise. Good bye," Victoria said, then clicked the cell phone shut.

"If you ever need anything?" Nic repeated, glaring at her. "What, is he supposed to be your genie in a bottle now?"

Victoria could tell by the clipped tone Nic was using, that he was pissed.

"That's not what he meant. It's just he knows for a while I was having a hard time. And he doesn't know that you and I are together. He was just trying to be nice."

"Nice, huh?" Nic said as he scratched his slight five o'clock shadow. "How nice?"

"Don't even go there. You weren't there when he just handed me seventy thousand dollars, knowing it was going to his competition and that he would probably never get it back, but he did it anyway. And he didn't want anything in return."

Nic turned away from her as his face burned with shame. Was she throwing their past relationship back in his face? "You mean like I did," Nic said, moving away from her and standing up to stretch.

"No, that's not what I meant. I wasn't comparing you two. There's no comparison. I look at Paul more like...like a father figure. And you...well, I definitely don't see you as my father," Victoria laughed, but then quieted and cleared her throat when she noticed that Nic wasn't cracking a smile.

She stood up, walked over to him and placed her arms around his waist. "I don't need anything from Paul, Nic. He's just a really nice older man who holds you in very high regard, you know."

Nic knew that she was right, but he still couldn't help feeling possessive over her.

"Well, just know from now on if you need something, you come to me, capisce?"

Victoria laughed. "Si, capisce!"

*************

"I can't believe that's where you want to go for your honeymoon. You're going to pass over Paris, Venice, Rio de Janeiro and other spectacular places for an aquarium?" Nic said, shaking his head still in disbelief. He stared over at his wife's beautiful face. His wife...he loved that. They had been married approximately twenty minutes. Twenty amazing minutes.

Victoria had shocked him in not wanting a big wedding. Actually, she hadn't wanted a wedding at all, insisting he was all she needed. And she also commented that there wouldn't be many people, if any, to invite on her side, other than her mother. Her outlook on it had been a welcome change. He and Amber's wedding had been small, but very expensive, mostly due to Amber. And half of the people who were there, Nic wasn't friends with, so he had spent most of the reception talking to Jimmy and Raymond. Yes, he preferred Victoria's low key approach. They had gotten up early that morning and gone to City Hall. The whole process lasted less than ten minutes, but they couldn't stop touching and kissing each other.

Victoria smiled, and nodded her head. "Yep. You've been to all those other places right?"

"Yes."

"I want to experience something new with you. Somewhere you haven't already been and something you haven't already done. Since you and I have been together, we've visited some amazing places, dined in the finest restaurants...but I want to do this, well more my style if you don't mind."

He looked over at her, while she was piling a fork full of pancakes in her mouth.

"Izz good, huh?" she smiled at him, chewing around her food. He had to chuckle.

"It sure is. Because there's nothing better than pouring sugar on top of carbs and shoving it into my mouth," Nic joked, biting into his pancakes.

Victoria lovingly rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe this. I'm essentially spending what is supposed to be my wedding reception at The International House of Pancakes and you want to spend our honeymoon observing fish."

"Have you ever been to the Aquarium?"

"No."

"Neither have I, but I've always wanted to go. Hey, you asked me what I wanted."

"Which I now regret," Nic said, then dodged a packet of sugar that she threw at him. "But I still love you, Mrs. Andretti."

Victoria smiled. She would NEVER get tired of hearing that.

**************

A few days later, they set out for their honeymoon. Victoria was so excited. She loved the thought of experiencing something new with Nic that he'd never done. 

But when they pulled into the Aquarium entrance, her heart sank.

"Oh, shit," Victoria said, as she stared at the empty parking lot. "It must be closed today. I swear, I checked it online and it's supposed to be open all year long."

"Hmm," Nic muttered, as they parked.

"Nic, we might as well turn around. I'm sorry."

"Well, we're already here, we can at least check and see if they will be open tomorrow."

Nic escorted Victoria to the ticket booth. Standing there was a man dressed in one of the park's uniforms and a big smile.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Andretti. Welcome to the Aquarium."

Victoria's mouth dropped and felt like it hit the pavement. Did he really close down the park for them? She looked up at Nic who pretended to be surprised, like he didn't know.

"Hi," Nic said, shaking the man's hand.

"Right this way, sir," the man said, leading them inside the large building. All of the lights were on, but there wasn't another soul in sight. No lines to view the exhibits, no screaming, crying kids, or cameras flashing every few seconds. Just them and the beautiful marine animals. 

Victoria couldn't stop shaking her head. She still couldn't believe it. "Oh my God, Nic...this is, it's amazing," Victoria whispered as they moved from tank to tank. She had never had the time nor money to spare to visit this Aquarium. She was mesmerized by the fish, which came in all different sizes and colors. Some were absolutely terrifying like the eels and tiger sharks...others were adorable and she would 'ooh and ahh' over them, like the penguins and seals. 

Nic walked closely behind her, again more interested in her than what they were viewing, but Victoria was quite alright with that. Every now and then his hands would grope her, but he tried to be good and somewhat pay attention.

One brightly colored fish kept following her as she walked back and forth in front of the tank. It was the cutest thing and she kept laughing at it.

"Nic, I think he likes me just as much as you do," she giggled.

"Hey, come here and close your eyes," Nic said to her, pulling her away from the stalker fish. Victoria complied and when he told her to open them, she screamed and jumped back into his chest. Staring right at her was probably the ugliest fish known to man. It was giant grouper. He was twice the size of her and had the biggest mouth that was sure to cause her nightmares.

Nic laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry baby, I'll protect you," Nic whispered into her ear.

As they continued on their tour, they walked past a tank full of jellyfish. Victoria observed their electric, neon colors and how smoothly they flowed through the water.

"Now these, I like," Nic said, staring at them.

"Hmm, beautiful and dangerous...just like my husband," Victoria retorted sarcastically. Nic chuckled as he grabbed her hand and led her to another tank.

When they reached the final room, Nic opened the doors and Victoria gasped. 

It was a large room, and the tank was from floor to ceiling and covered two walls. The tank was filled with brightly colored coral reefs and fish. And located directly in the middle of the room was a small table, beautifully decorated, with two silver covers.

"Nic, I--," Victoria was speechless. Again.

"I figured a little of your style and mine mixed together, and we couldn't go wrong with this honeymoon."

Victoria looked at the bright blue water from the tanks and then to their table. This was all way more than she would have ever expected. 




Seven Days Ch. 09



Once they sat down and Nic removed the covers from their food, Victoria could finally speak.

"Nic, thank you. This has been so incredible. Something I will never forget."

"I'm glad you like it, baby. I enjoyed it too."

They ate and talked for hours, enjoying every moment they were there. In the car on the way back to his condo, Victoria fell asleep. He sat in his parking place staring at her sleeping form for several minutes before he begrudgingly woke her up so they could go inside. 

Inside the condo, Victoria stood in the bathroom brushing her teeth and flossing. Nic stood behind her, just observing. She felt a little self-conscious, but as his wife, this is something she would normally be doing in front of him. She smiled at him in the reflection of the mirror, to ease her embarrassment. But he didn't smile back. He just continued to stare at her.

Victoria grabbed her birth control from the sink and popped one of the tiny pills out. She lifted her hand to her mouth about to swallow, when Nic's hand stopped her, causing her to drop it down the drain.

"Nic, I--," she started, before he turned her around and began kissing her. Oh, his kisses were always so sweet and powerful. She felt him pull the pack out of her hand and she heard clanking noise as he dropped it into the trash. Victoria's eyes widened, but then closed as his tongue caused her to moan.

When he finally pulled away from her, Victoria's eyes were still closed and her lips still puckered up. She slowly opened them to stare into his. "Are you sure?" she asked.

She could read the look in Nic's face. Yes, he was sure. And instead of replying, he kissed her again, and then led her out of the bathroom and to their bedroom for an unforgettable end to an already magical honeymoon.

**************

Nic shook his real estate agent's hand. He had finally done it. After three separate cleaning crews and he and Jimmy carefully inspecting every inch for any leftover evidence, he sold his house. Fully furnished, because he didn't want to drag anything from his old life into his new one. He wanted a fresh start...in a new place. He only kept clothes, a few books, drawings and other personal keepsakes.

Getting rid of everything, including his old occupation was more refreshing than he thought it would be. He never thought he would have ever traveled down this road, and especially not for a woman. He had resigned to believe that he would never have marriage like some people did. The kind of marriage where you damn near ran red lights because you couldn't wait to get home to your wife. Or every time you saw something or heard something interesting, you thought of your spouse first because you knew they would like it. Victoria was indeed his entire world. And if that made him look weak to some people...fuck them.

They may not have had the fairytale meeting that some people share, but his love for her was no fairytale. It was as real as anything he'd ever felt in his life and only kept growing stronger with each passing day.

**************

"Hey Vicky," Olivia said in her usual tired tone.

"Hey mama, how are you?"

"I'm okay. Am I disrupting you from anything?"

"No, you're not. I'm just packing our clothes," Victoria said, as she kicked another box out of her way. Nic had told her about selling his home and buying a new one in California. He had said it while they were lying in bed, so matter-of-factly. That was Nic, though. There hadn't really been any discussion about it, and she wanted to be mad, but she couldn't. She really wanted to go. So instead of blessing him out, she went down on him. So much for feminism.

"So when do you officially leave?"

"In two days," Victoria said, still not really believing how quickly this all happened. Her mother got quiet.

"What's wrong, mama?"

Olivia exhaled. "Well...James is sick."

Victoria immediately stopped tossing items into the boxes. "What?"

"Yeah, apparently the doctors have told him he has stomach cancer. But he's as stubborn as ever and is refusing treatment."

Victoria had a flood of emotions running through her, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what she felt. Her father was sick and possibly dying?

"Do...do you think I should go see him? I'm not sure if he would even want to see me," Victoria said, sitting down on the closet floor.

"I'm sure he does. Even if he's still mad after all this time, he would still want to see you."

"Does he know about me being married?"

"If he does, not from me. I don't really speak to him all that much. Legally we still married, but that's about it. But I did go visit him earlier this morning."

"Okay. Thank you for telling me."

Victoria hung up with her mother. It had been several months since she had last seen her father. After he had kicked her out and called her several awful names, she had thought that she would never forgive him. And she still hadn't. But God forbid that he should die without her having a chance to reconcile with him.

She grabbed her purse and left the loft.

***************

Victoria hated hospitals. She couldn't remember the last time she had actually been in one. The weird smell and everything was eerily bright and white, even though people were sick and dying. It made her feel nauseated.

She had signed in at the front desk and walked back to see her father. His door was closed, but she gently knocked.

"What?" she heard her father ask in a pissed off manner.

Victoria took a deep breath and walked in anyway. She noticed her father sitting up in the bed watching sports on TV. He turned and glanced at her and then focused back on the game.

"Hey daddy," Victoria said, trying to let it not bother her that he ignored her entrance. But he still didn't answer. 

"Mama told me you were sick. How are you feeling right now?"

Still no answer. Victoria squeezed her hands closed and walked closer to the bed. "Are you going to ignore me?"

Finally he turned to look at her. "What do you want?" he snarled.

"I just wanted to see you, since you haven't been feeling well."

"Well maybe I don't want to see you. I still have nothing to say to you."

That stung. A lot. She glanced up at the TV and focused on the players running up and down a basketball court. She wasn't going to let her father get away with treating her like shit this time. She looked back at him.

"Funny how you hardly ever said a word to me when I was doing things the right way. No appreciation, nothing. But the moment I do one thing wrong in your eyes, you are so quick to cut me off."

"You and your mother were just ungrateful and you both looked down on me."

Oh, this man was delusional. "Daddy you had a hundred get rich quick schemes that you would constantly make me and mama help you with. We both sacrificed so much to help you, and you never seemed to give a damn about us."

James cut his eyes toward Victoria. "You were just a spoiled child."

Victoria almost laughed incredulously. "Are you kidding?! You never spoiled me a day in my life. I didn't even know what the hell that meant until I met Nic. And in case you're wondering, this is a wedding band," Victoria said, holding out the ring for her father to see. 

"We got married and will be moving to California in two days. Look daddy, I came here to see if you were alright. Not to get into an argument with you. There are things you've done that upset me, and there are things I've done that upset you. But there's no reason why you and I can't at least talk about it."

"I meant every word I said to you!" her father barked, raising his voice. "You are no daughter of mine! You think just because he puts a ring on your finger that you can erase that fact that you was nothing more than a gold digging whore with no self-respect? It won't. Now get the hell out of my room!"

Victoria stared at her father. He looked even older than she last remembered. She picked up her purse and walked towards the door, but then turned back around. "You know, I'm done trying to understand you. Trying to figure you out. You are just a mean old bitter man. I tried to love you over the years, but you made it damn near impossible. And at the end of the day, I look around and I have a family that loves me. What do you have?" she said, then walked out.

**************

Nic could tell that the plane ride was making Victoria anxious. She was so excited, she could hardly contain herself. She had told him that she was more than ready for this new chapter in their lives. 

Nic had already flown out to see the house that he bought earlier that month, but Victoria had yet to see it. He hoped she would like it. It was located in a cute, quiet gated suburb with its own private park. The moment he saw the house, he knew that this was the one she would have picked out. 

When they finally pulled up to the house, he noticed Victoria's eyes widen. "This is our house?" she whispered. Our house. He would have to remember to play that over and over again in his head, because her saying it gave him a warm feeling. He watched as she eagerly hopped out of the car and ran to the door. Nic laughed to himself as he pulled the key from the ignition of the rental car and got out.

He followed behind Victoria as she walked in and out of every room at least three times. The first time she was shaking her head in disbelief. The second time she was learning where each room was and by the third time, she was mentally placing different things in different areas.

The house really was a nice place for a family. And Victoria really appreciated the pool. Back home, it stayed a little too chilly to really enjoy a pool, but here...the weather was perfect, and she was sure they would be taking full advantage of it.

They didn't really have any furniture, something Nic said he was leaving up to Victoria. She was extremely nervous about that venture because there was definitely a difference in decorating a small one bedroom in a rusty old apartment, and a five bedroom house with lots of space. But she was up for the challenge.

The few items that they had actually packed would be arriving the next day, along with the cable company so he could use his computer on a secure network. Not that security really mattered anymore, when it came to his business prospects. Something he could finally breathe about.

That night they had takeout while sitting on the floor in the dining room. At that moment life couldn't get much better. Nic was happy. Truly happy for the first time in a long time...but he started feeling uncomfortable. When they went to sleep on the soft carpeted floor in the master bedroom, Nic couldn't fall asleep. He could hear Victoria lightly snoring, but this dark feeling looming over him...the same one he had felt in Bali, was bothering him. And although he wasn't superstitious, he knew not to ignore that nagging feeling.

**************

Over the course of a week, they finally got several things up and running and Victoria had been picking out little household appliances here and there. She still wasn't quite ready to take on the task of fully decorating.

Nic had driven her to the site where his new office would be. She could tell he was excited although he tried to play Mr. Cool about it. He was finally going to be an architect, something he had wanted to do since college. But they still had a little while to wait before all of the plans were finalized.

When Nic wasn't there, Victoria spent most of her time on her cell phone answering calls from her mom, Marianna and Isabelle. Those three checked up on her so much, that she highly doubted another kidnapping plot would ever happen. 

But it was on a random Tuesday when her whole life changed. Oh, boy did it change. She had been feeling a little off, so she did what most women did in that situation. Visit the local drugstore.

Victoria just couldn't believe it. She could, but she couldn't all at the same time. Pregnant?! She sat there on the bathroom counter for what felt like an hour, but in actuality had only been five minutes. Pregnant. It's definitely something that she and Nic wanted eventually, she just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. Really soon, since they had only been married for a little over a month. She knew Nic would be happy about it, because he's the one who tossed out her birth control, but she still didn't expect it to happen SO soon. She didn't know what she felt. A part of her was ecstatic. But the other part was scared shitless.

She hopped off the counter and wrapped the device in a huge wad of tissue and placed it in the trash. Eventually a big smile spread across her face. They were going to have a baby. 

The next day a quick but suspenseful trip to an OB/GYN in the area confirmed what Victoria had suspected. But she wanted to break the news to Nic in a memorable and...sexy way. 

**************

Nic was worn out. He had been on the phone all day with different contractors and business investors for his company. He would be so glad when the little details were out of the way, and he could get it up and running. 

When he unlocked the front door, the inside of the house was much darker than normal. He noticed there were several candles lit, giving the room a warm glow. And the heavenly smell of cooking must have connected to his senses, because his stomach grumbled as if on cue.

He quietly closed the door and walked toward the bright light coming from the kitchen. And just like that...his hunger was forgotten, as he could feel his manhood rising. Victoria stood with her back to him, giving him the perfect view of her supple, round rear in a pair of light pink lacey panties that showcased the lower part of her ass cheeks. And a garter belt clipped the sexy thigh high stockings in place, which led down to "fuck me" heels. And that was just the back of Victoria. Goddamn.

Nic loosened his tie and sat his keys on the counter. The small jingle caused her to turn around and face him. Her tits sat perfectly in the light pink lace bra. God bless Minka. He had to remember to give her an extra tip. His wife was fucking hot!

"Hey baby," Victoria said, smiling at him. She loved the pure animalistic expression on his face. Well, for those games, he'd have to wait.

"Like what you see?" Victoria asked, slowly spinning around, with a spoon in her hand as she licked the white chocolate from her fingers. The contrast was not lost on him, as his mouth parted.

"Oh, yeah," Nic whispered. 

"Well, tonight...we'll call underwear night," she said, as she cleaned off her hands and walked toward. She immediately kneeled, and Nic closed his eyes on instinct. But instead of doing what he...well, hoped, she unbuckled his belt, yanked his pants down and stood back up. Then she removed his tie, jacket and unbuttoned his dress shirt.

Nic stepped out of the pants puddle by his ankles. Once everything else was removed, including socks and shoes, he stood there in his black boxer briefs.

Victoria grabbed his hand and led him into the living room and over to the couch, the only piece of furniture they had in the room. 

Nic couldn't help but stare at her ass as she swayed her hips back and forth in front of him. 

"Okay, you sit down right here," Victoria said, patting the sofa. When Nic sat down, she straddled his lap.

"I have something I want to give you," she whispered.

"Is it this?" Nic said, reaching down to stroke his fingers between her legs. "Because if it is, I'll be the happiest man in the world."

Victoria giggled and pulled his hand away. "No."

Nic couldn't stop touching her. He wanted to plaster his lips all over her body, along with his hands and other body parts. He buried his face into her neck, and pulled down one of her bra straps.

"Wait, wait, Nic," she said, trying to stop his roaming hands over her breasts, but he wasn't making it easy. He felt so damn good, and he lightly pinched her nipples through the lacey barrier.

"Nic, uh, stop. I want to give you something first," Victoria said, pushing him back. He finally leaned back and sighed.

Victoria reached under one of the sofa pillows and pulled out a thin rectangular shaped gift, wrapped in bright yellow paper. She could barely contain her smile as she gave it to him.

"What the hell?" Nic muttered as he looked at it, then back at her.

"Open," she said, still beaming from ear to ear.

Nic stared at his wife, then started to remove the paper from the gift. He could feel it was hard, and more than likely a book. Once the last shred of bright yellow was removed, Nic flipped the book over.

"Goodnight Moon," he said, then looked up at Victoria with quizzical eyes.

Victoria smiled, "That was the first book my mom read to me as a baby."

Nic looked down at it. "Yeah, my mom too, but--," then Victoria felt his body jump underneath her. His head snapped to her face and his eyes were wide. He quickly looked down at her stomach and then back up to her face.

"Are you--"

"Yes," Victoria whispered, her eyes searching his back and forth for any disappointment. Luckily, she didn't see any.

"Are you sure, I mean ha—have you actually been to th—the doctor," Nic rushed out. Victoria laughed. That was the first time she had ever heard him stutter over his words. Normally he was never taken off guard either.

"Yes. She confirmed it. Are you happy?" Victoria asked, biting her bottom lip.

"Am I happy?" Nic asked incredulously. Of course he was! He could barely think straight. They were going to have a baby. A little tiny person who they would have to take care of. Holy shit!

"Have you told anyone else?"

"No. Just you. I wanted you to be the first," Victoria said, leaning toward him for a kiss. But in that moment, Nic's lust took over. He pushed her back and gently moved them from the sofa to the cushioned carpeted floor. 

The way he felt at the moment, he didn't have time to waste removing anymore clothing. He rolled over on his back and pulled her with him until she rested on top. He pulled down the top of her bra, until her full heaving tits rested over the top. He leaned up and gently licked and nipped at the hard buds. Victoria pushed his underwear down, as his dick finally sprung free. He moved her thin, almost see-through panties to the side and slowly lowered her down onto his waiting member. Both of them sighed in unison.

Even though they had already made love early that morning before he left, he just couldn't get enough of her. And now hearing that she was pregnant with his child, just caused a jolt of horniness to travel down through his body, settling in lower region.

Victoria leaned her head back as she rocked her hips smoothly over his, loving the feel of his thick cock sliding in and out of her stretched pussy. His large warm hands grabbed her tits and massaged them, causing her body to respond by rocking faster.

"Mmm, damn Nic."

Oh, her body was gripping his dick so tightly, he knew he wasn't going to last as long as he normally did. But truthfully he had been worked up from the moment he saw her standing in the kitchen. His dick had started hurting, he was getting so hard.

Victoria leaned down to kiss him as she felt the scalp tingling sensation and she started to orgasm.

"Oh, Nic...Nic, ugh," she mumbled as her body shook, and her eyes rolled back.

Nic held his wife's back tighter, squeezing her soft breasts against his chest, while he pushed deep inside her and came.

After a few moments, Victoria finally spoke. "Damn, that was...it was...," she said, searching for the right word.

"Astounding, mind-blowing, incredible and a million other adjectives that my brain is too tired to think of."

"Exactly," Victoria huffed out, a little out of breath from their workout.

"I'm going to be a father," Nic said, more to himself than her. He still couldn't believe it. He had wanted it...the night he threw out her pills, but fuck that wasn't that long ago. He had to thank his father for his good little swimmers he thought with a smirk.




Seven Days Ch. 09



"Everything is going to change for us. Or at least that's what people say," Victoria said.

"I'm ready for it," Nic said, praying that he really was and that the dark cloud he was feeling would go away for good.

**************

Victoria stared at the computer screen. She knew that Nic and Marianna might be against it, but she really did want to take some online classes...and who knows, maybe go back to work. And it wasn't that she didn't appreciate a break from her ten straight years of working, but it still felt awkward to not have to report somewhere at a certain time. She knew taking care of a family could be a full-time job in itself, but it never hurt anyone to still take a few business classes. 

Besides, a small part of her did miss putting in an honest days work. She was sure she was crazy, because many of the women she knew would probably think her life was a dream. And it was...she had to admit. Nic was all that she could have imagined and more as a husband. He still carried the same edge as a business man that frightened and turned her on, but he also was more loving and caring than ever. And he smiled. Not the huge cheesy grins, but he did manage genuine smiles for her every morning and every night. Yes, she did have a wonderful life. But she was confident that her husband would be understanding and would accept any decision she made regarding furthering her education. 

Victoria turned off the computer and walked into the kitchen to wash off some dishes she had purchased the day before, when out of the corner of her eye she saw something and screamed. She quickly covered her mouth and ducked down behind the counter. Then she heard a small tap, and she looked over the counter top to find Detective Marsh staring at her, tapping his keys on the sliding glass doors leading out to their patio.

Victoria immediately righted herself and walked over to the door. She slid it open only enough to speak to him.

"Detective Marsh, what are you doing in my back yard?"

"Oh, is this the back yard...I had no idea," he said in his smug voice. "Nic home?"

"No."

"I'll wait for him."

"Well, have fun out there," Victoria said, closing the door, right as Marsh stuck his hand through and pushed it back open.

"I'll wait inside, if you don't mind," he said, pushing his body through the door. Marsh looked around and then pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket. "Do you know what this is?" he said, waving it in Victoria's face.

"No."

"It's a search warrant for this house."

Victoria didn't know what to do. There was nothing that she knew of that Nic shouldn't have in their house. She decided to call Nic to warn him about Marsh.

She turned to leave the kitchen when she heard Marsh speak.

"I wouldn't go warning him if I were you...your phones are tapped and that wouldn't look good for you."

Was he bluffing? Victoria turned back around. "I was going to the bathroom, if you don't mind. And why are our phones tapped."

"Sure you were," Marsh stated flatly. "And that's classified."

Victoria placed her hands on her hips. "But maybe I should call him. Because if you're going to search our house, he needs to be here," Victoria said.

"Nah, I'm not going to check your house. Nic's too smart to keep anything here, am I right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't. Like you don't know that Nic had ties to a criminal underground. Or that he sold weapons illegally, along with other unauthorized technology. And that he killed people."

"That's not stuff that my husband would have been involved in," Victoria said. She really didn't know what else to say, but she knew Marsh was smart. He was probably keeping a mental record of everything she said to use against her.

Marsh continued to stare at her. His eyes raked over her body again in that dirty, lustful gaze that she hated. Like he was imagining what she looked like underneath her clothes. Luckily she had on more than a robe like the last time she was with him, but just barely. She had opted for a pair of shorts and a tank top due to the heat and cleaning their massive house.

"Every time I see you, you seem to do better and better. One moment you're working at Calamity's Bar and Grill, the next he has you staying at some swanky hotel, and now you're here in this large house with a pool and everything. You must be doing something right," he said, grinning at her. 

Victoria narrowed her eyes at him. She couldn't stand this cocky asshole! She knew what he was insinuating and she refused to bite.

Instead, she walked over the sink and started loading their dishwasher with the new dishes. She heard Marsh move around the counter and stand closer to her. Victoria just decided the best thing to do would be to ignore him until Nic came home, which would hopefully be soon.

Victoria saw him shuffle through the baby magazines that she had left on the counter. Fuck.

"So...he finally put a bun in the oven. How far along are you?"

"None of your business," Victoria replied, not bothering to look at him.

"You know," he started, standing awfully close to her, "Nic and I aren't so different. I mean, granted I'm an upstanding, law-abiding citizen, and he's a criminal who sold illegal material to the scum of the earth...but I like to think we have similar taste, you know?"

Victoria decided to just ignore him. She rinsed out more dishes then loaded them into the dishwasher.

"Who knows, maybe you and I would have gotten together under different circumstances."

Victoria rolled her eyes, but tensed when she felt him lean closer to her.

"I mean, who knows, it could have been my kid you're carrying," Marsh whispered as he twirled one of her curls through his finger.

Victoria quickly swung around to glare at him, slinging soapy water from a cup that splattered onto his dress shirt.

"Shit!" he said, as he scooted backwards and wiped the water from his clothing. 

"You make one more comment to me like that, and so help me I'll tell my husband and he will kick your pathetic ass!" Victoria warned, pointing her finger at him.

Marsh chuckled as he grabbed a paper towel and blotted at the water stain seeping into his shirt and tie. "That wasn't very nice, Victoria."

"Fuck you."

***************

Nic was pulling into their neighborhood, when he noticed a rental car parked awkwardly on their street. He had been involved in his old lifestyle too long to look at things like that as coincidence. He pulled up beside the car, and noticed it was empty. He got out and peeked inside. He saw a blue file sitting on the seat and at the bottom of the file written in ink was Nicolas Andretti IV.

Goddamn that asshole. What the fuck did Marsh want?!

Nic got back into his car and pulled into his driveway. He got out and entered the house, trying to calm his temper. He walked into the kitchen to find Marsh staring at Victoria. When Marsh finally noticed him, he took a noticeable step back from Victoria.

"Nic!" Victoria yelled, as she ran over to hug him. He returned her hug tightly while keeping his eyes on Marsh. After a few seconds of a stare down, Nic looked at his wife and kissed her. "Hey, baby."

He then turned to Marsh. "What the fuck do you want?"

"That's no way to greet an old friend," Marsh smiled back.

"Since you're not a friend of mine, get the fuck out of my house. You have no jurisdiction here," Nic said, holding onto Victoria.

Victoria was confused. She looked back and forth between Nic and Marsh. "But he said he had a search warrant," Victoria stated.

"He lied," Nic stated cooly, never removing his eyes from Marsh. "Now get the fuck off my property before I forget you're a cop."

Marsh stared at Nic, but decided not to call his bluff. He didn't want to push his luck since technically he was there on his forced vacation. 

He walked towards the door, but turned to look at Nic. "You may think just because they have some snot nosed kid from the FBI on your case, who doesn't know his asshole from a hole in the wall, that I've given up. I haven't...and I won't."

As soon as Marsh's foot crossed the threshold, Nic slammed the door.



Seven Days Ch. 10



Nic turned to look at Victoria.

"Nic...shit, I'm sorry. What an asshole," Victoria said, shaking her head in disbelief. That prick Marsh just lied to her. She felt like a fool. "I got nervous and a little scared that he was going to try to cause problems at your office, so I let him stay here instead."

"Are you okay?" Nic asked, rolling up his sleeves. He was so fucking sick of Marsh. There had been numerous times in the past when he had wanted to take that nosey fuck out, but he knew that would draw too much attention. Killing cops wasn't really his thing, but he would have loved to make an exception for Marsh.

"Yes, I'm fine," Victoria answered. She had thought about telling him about Marsh's comment to her, but she didn't want to make it worse. No matter how much of a jerk he was, he was still a cop. "Nic, why is he bothering us all the way out here?"

"Because he's an asshole and he can't let go of a ten year grudge against me. If he shows back up here, call me and call the police," Nic told her, as he kissed her again and then went upstairs to take a shower before dinner.

Victoria leaned against the counter. She wasn't sure if he was upset with her or not, but she would make sure to be more careful from now on.

****************

Click...BANG! 

"Fuck!!" Nic shouted, as he raised up in bed. He quickly glanced around the dark room and noticed he had startled Victoria from her sleep.

"Nic!" Victoria screamed, pushing the covers from her body and moving closer to her husband. "Nic, what's wrong?"

Nic couldn't say anything. He just sat there, sweating and trying to compose himself. Victoria was trying to grab onto him, but he was holding her at an arms length. He couldn't believe he shouted like that, all because of a nightmare. How pathetic.

"Are you okay?" Victoria asked, worried.

Nic swung his legs off the side of the bed and rested his face in his hands. "Yes, I'm fine. Go back to bed, baby."

Victoria knew that this was his way of shutting her out. She watched as he stood up, pulled on some workout pants and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He didn't bother turning around. "I need some fresh air."

Nic quickly jogged downstairs and out the front door. The cool night air felt good against his sweating skin. He closed his eyes and plopped down on the cold brick steps. He needed to get his shit together.

A few seconds later, he heard the front door open. Victoria walked down the steps and turned so that she was facing him. He looked up at her as she sat down on his lap.

She caressed his face in her tiny hands. "Nic, are you sure you're okay? You know you can tell me anything."

Not this. He just couldn't. She didn't need to be stressed out anyway.

"I'm fine, baby. Let's go back to bed," he said as he stood, holding her in his arms. He smiled when she giggled and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his neck.

But then she pulled back so that she could see his face. "I almost forgot...you never carried me over the threshold!"

"I didn't? Well, I'll make up for that now," Nic said, kissing his wife's sweet plump lips and carrying her back into the house and upstairs to bed. He gently laid her down and removed what little bit of clothing they had been wearing.

The moment he entered her body, he immediately relaxed. Yes, this was what he wanted to think about when he fell back asleep. His wife and his child. That's all he needed and all he wanted to dream about.

Even after their lengthy lovemaking session, he held her close in his arms until she fell back to sleep—never wanting to let her go.

***************

It was early Saturday morning, and Victoria was trying a new color for the baby room for the third time. Nothing seemed to fit...but not knowing the sex of the baby affected her choice as well.

"Shit," she whispered to herself when the light sea green color she applied to the wall dried darker than she had hoped. She was about to call Nic out of his study for his opinion, when she heard the doorbell ring.

The sound startled her for a second, because they definitely didn't have many visitors, and Nic preferred it that way. Actually, none if you didn't count the different maintenance men.

Victoria trotted downstairs and looked through the oval glass of the wooden door. She saw a tall, nice looking older black man. She opened the door.

The man looked down at her and instantly smiled. "Hi. I live a few houses down, and I just wanted to welcome you and your husband into the neighborhood. I saw a moving truck a few weeks ago, and my apologies for just now coming, but I wanted to wait until you got settled," he said, as he extended his hand to her.

Victoria immediately smiled back, taking in his warm eyes and pleasant smile. She offered her hand as well. "Thank you so much. I'm Victoria Andretti."

"Nice to meet you Victoria. I'm Jackson Branson."

"Would you like to come in?" Victoria asked, making room for him to enter.

"Are you sure, I don't want to impose. You look like you're busy," he said, giving her a once-over with her paint splattered clothing. She realized how crazy she must look.

"Not at all. Plus, I need an excuse to take a break. Let me call my husband," Victoria replied. "Nic, I--," she turned to yell, but quickly quieted when she saw her husband standing right behind her.

Nic had been standing at the top of the stairs when he heard his wife talking to someone. The guy's voice didn't sound familiar, but Nic still didn't trust many people. The moment Victoria invited the stranger in, Nic had quietly begun descending the stairs to make his presence known.

"Nic," he said, offering his hand to the stranger.

"Jackson. Nice to meet you." The two gave each other a firm handshake, never taking their eyes off one another. Victoria inwardly groaned. Men...always sizing each other up.

But then Jackson turned and glanced around. "This is a really beautiful home. I always wanted to get a peek inside. Just the two of you?"

Victoria patted her tummy. "Well, we're expecting, so soon to be three," she smiled.

"Congratulations...that's wonderful. My grandbaby was born not too long ago. 'My beautiful handful' is what I like to call her," Jackson chuckled.

"She sounds absolutely adorable," Victoria said, grabbing ahold of Nic's hand.

"She is...but I'm biased," Jackson stated, smiling back at her.

Victoria glanced behind her and then turned back to Jackson. "I'm sorry, we only have one sofa right now. I've fallen behind on getting that stuff," she admitted. "But please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Jackson walked over to the couch and sat down. "Oh, sure. Coffee, please. If it's not too much trouble."

"Of course not. Nic?" Victoria said, turning to her husband.

"I'm good, baby."

When Victoria walked out, Nic decided to question this stranger a little further. He couldn't help it. His old lifestyle made him wary of people who came claiming nothing but good intentions.

"So...what line of work are you in?" Nic asked, leaning against the wall.

"I'm a Commander with the U.S. Navy SEAL program. Used to be an active SEAL myself, before age started creeping up on me. How about you, Nic? What do you do for a living?"

Both men stared at each other for a moment. Something about knowing Jackson's background made Nic uneasy.

"I'm an architect. I recently opened up my company downtown."

"What did I miss?" Victoria interrupted, as she came bouncing back into the room, handing Jackson his cup. She walked over to Nic, and leaned against him.

Nic placed his arm around her shoulders. "Our new neighbor is a Commander in the Navy SEALs," he said, with not much enthusiasm in his voice.

Victoria's eyes widened. "Oh, wow. Shouldn't we call you by title or something?"

Jackson chuckled. "No, you don't have to."

Victoria looked up at Nic, to see if he had any more questions, but he just more or less stared at Jackson. Victoria started feeling uncomfortable. She decided to fill the awkward space with more questions.

"Your granddaughter, what's her name?"

"Brienna. It's a mixture of her mom and dad's name."

"That's beautiful. Brienna. Do you get to see her often? Do your daughter and her husband live in the city?"

Jackson took another sip of his drink. "Actually, I see her quite often. They live about fifteen miles east of here. And my son, Brandon, I see him all the time. He's also a SEAL in my unit."

"Oh, well that worked out perfectly!" Victoria said.

"Well, it took a long road to get to perfect. Very long," Jackson muttered, as he took another sip.

"Well, I'd love to meet them...that way I can get some baby tips from a new mom," Victoria said.

"Great, I'll let them know," Jackson said.

Another awkward silence filled the room.

"So, I guess I should be heading off now. I have some work to finish up," Jackson stated, while standing. 

Victoria felt awful, but she wasn't sure what else to say to convince him to stay longer. Nic sure wasn't helping.

"Would you like me to take this to the kitchen?" Jackson asked, holding up his cup.

"No, I got it. Thank you so much for stopping by," Victoria said, taking the cup from his hand.

"My pleasure. And thanks for the coffee."

Victoria and Nic walked with him to the door. "It was nice meeting both of you," Jackson said, before he walked down the steps and hopped into his car.

"You too!" Victoria yelled and waved goodbye.

Nic closed the door, barely letting her get her hand inside.

"Jesus, Nic. That was rude!"

"So let me get this straight...you invite not one—but two Navy SEALs to come visit us?"

"It's not like they're cops, Nic." Victoria defended.

"But I'm sure they are really good at what they do. And I don't--," he started.

"Quit being so paranoid," she said, placing her hands on her hips.

Nic closed his mouth and slowly nodded. "Paranoid, huh?" he said, while scratching his chin. He turned and walked back upstairs without another word being exchanged.

Later that night, after a quiet, uncomfortable meal on the living room floor, Victoria opted to cool off in their pool. They both had stayed too busy to actually enjoy it when they first moved in, so maybe tonight they could christen it with a little foreplay. Or so she hoped. He still had barely said a word to her since she called him paranoid.

They were near the deep end of the pool, so the water rested around the top portion of Nic's chest. Victoria held onto him by wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She wanted him to talk to her. In truth, he hadn't really been the same since he woke from that nightmare a few nights before. She was starting to get concerned about him.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and stared into her husband's solemn face. His stare out into the back yard suggested that he was deep in thought. She wanted him to let her into those hidden parts of his mind so badly.

"Nic?"

"Yes," he answered, still staring out.

"Are you mad at me? For letting Jackson in and for calling you paranoid?" Victoria asked. He turned his head to look at her. "No."

But that was all he said. No smile, no other explanation...just 'no'. Victoria tried to shake her hurt feelings and kiss him. But when her lips connected with his, she felt no passion returned. She sighed and decided to try a new tactic.

"I can't wait to see Marianna tomorrow. I pick her up at the airport at noon. Want us to stop by your office for lunch?"

Victoria watched his face again. He didn't even bother to acknowledge her conversation this time. His gaze never shifted from the water. 

Victoria wasn't sure if he was mad at her or not, but she couldn't stand being ignored. If he would only tell her what was wrong. She realized that divulging his feelings wasn't something he was used to or liked, but she was his wife, and he needed to open up.

After a few more moments of silence, Victoria pushed away from him and slowly paddled to the shallow section until her feet touched the bottom of the pool. She climbed out and grabbed her towel, wrapping it tightly around her.

"Where are you going?" she heard Nic ask. Well, two can play that game. She ignored him and walked into the house.

She quickly showered and changed into one of his t-shirts. She grabbed a baby magazine that was lying on the nightstand and got into bed. Her back was to the door when she heard him enter their room. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she watched him remove his swimming trunks, giving her an eyeful of his beautiful...well-endowed body. He stalked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Victoria listened as the shower turned on, wishing she was in there with him. She knew she was being a little difficult, but she couldn't stand when he shut her out, with no explanation. Didn't he realize she was crazy about him, and couldn't stand to see him hurting?! She continued to mindlessly flip through the magazine when the door to the bathroom opened. She chanced another small glance, and noticed he still hadn't put anything on. Instead, he slid into the bed and turned the lamp on his side of the bed off.

She sighed and loudly turned another page.

"I'm sorry, baby," she heard from behind her, as his arms snaked around her waist. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's nothing, really."

Victoria turned to face him. "But you were thinking about something. Just tell me."

Nic remained silent.

"Nic, whatever it is, I'd feel better if you--"

"We don't have to talk about it anymore. I'm good," he quickly said, cutting her off and turning to lie on his back. Nope...she wasn't going to let this go so easily.

Victoria sat up in the bed. "Nic, you're doing it again. You're shutting me out. Don't do that!" she warned.

"It's because I don't want you being worried with all of the shit I have going on in my head, Victoria. You don't need to deal with that."

"But I want to help you."

Nic was getting aggravated. "I don't need any help, now just let it go, okay?"

"Nic, I--"

"End of discussion," he snapped.

Oh, he had to say that phrase. His 'shut up, don't say another word, none of your business' phrase that drove her crazy. She had always thought to herself that if he ever said that one more time, she would scream. In fact...

"Aaaahhhhhh!!!" Victoria shrieked.

Nic quickly sat up, looking at her like she had lost her damn mind.

"What the fuck?" he fumed.

Victoria didn't bother answering him. Instead, she clicked off her night lamp and turned on her side, facing away from him. This was driving her crazy. Was something wrong? Were there still loose ends that hadn't been tied up before they moved? She wished he would trust her and just open up. But no, Nic went into detached, closed off mode when something bothered him. Would it always be this way?

****************

"Aah!! How's my nuora?" Marianna squealed when she spotted Victoria in the crowded airport. The two embraced tightly.

"I'm good, how are you?" Victoria asked, returning her hug.

"I have another grandbaby on the way, so I'm just perfect," Marianna gushed, as she reached down to stroke Victoria's stomach. Although there was barely a bump, Victoria felt a little self-conscious about her weight.

Once they packed Marianna's bags into the car, the two headed to the new house. Marianna talked a mile a minute, switching into Italian every now and then as she talked about her children and what they were up to, and about her telling them the news of Nic being married and having a baby. His older brother, who was a school principal, and his baby sister, the hippie nomad, were ecstatic and very happy for Nic. The only grim reaper of the bunch was the oldest, divorced brother. He had told Marianna that he knew his younger brother, and Nic would fuck it up somehow. He already didn't get along with Nic, and this just gave Victoria even more ammo to not like him.

Victoria barely got a word in before they pulled up to the house. Once inside, Marianna quickly looked around downstairs then headed straight upstairs. Victoria shook her head, because she knew exactly what Marianna was looking for. When Victoria finally made it upstairs, she snickered to herself when she saw Marianna open the door to the would-be baby's room.

"Bingo!" she heard Marianna say. "What color are you two thinking about? I hope not plain white."

"No, we'll change it when we know the sex of the baby. But...you see why I need your help, right? I've never decorated this much on my own."

"Not to worry, we'll get this all taken care of. So, is Nic still at work?"

"Yes, he'll be home in a few hours. He would have come with me to pick you up too, but he had several back to back meetings. Want to unpack and settle in?"

"Sure, just show me to my room."

When Marianna's clothes were put away, she joined Victoria in preparing dinner. Even though Victoria kept telling her to sit down and relax with Marianna there was no such thing. But at least they now had a table to sit down at. That's the one thing Victoria insisted upon having before Nic's mother showed up. They at least needed some minimal furniture, and she would do the rest of the shopping with Marianna while she had her help.

Victoria knew it was very traditional...maybe a little too easy, but she decided to fix spaghetti. It was the only Italian dish she could for sure make and not embarrass herself. Marianna showed her a few tricks to make it even more spectacular. Less sauce, more flavor—don't drown it like most Americans do, Marianna told her.

Nic knew his mom was inside. He should have called her when she landed, but he still couldn't shake this funk he was in. He hated that Marsh knew where he lived. He knew that it was only a matter of time before his location was no longer a secret. But he just had to make sure that from this point on, all of his investments were legit. He couldn't make any mistakes--not that he ever could.

He pulled the key from the ignition and got out of the car.

As soon as he opened the door to the house, the scrumptious smell of Italian food filled the air. He placed his keys on the table near the door and walked toward the kitchen.

Both Victoria and Marianna had their backs turned to him, so Nic was able to sneak up behind his mother and wrap his arms around her. She jumped, completely startled, but then relaxed.

"Ciao!" greeted Marianna.

"Mi sei mancato," Nic whispered into his mother's ear, letting her know that he had missed her.

"Anch'io," she replied, turning around to hug her son.

When Nic released his mother, he turned to look at Victoria. She still had her back to them, while she chopped vegetables for a salad.

"Hey, Victoria," Nic said.

"Hey, Nic," she answered, not bothering to turn around.

Immediately Marianna knew something was wrong. The air was thick with tension. Nic didn't rush over to hug Victoria and she had barely acknowledged his presence. She looked back and forth between her son and his wife, until she settled her glare on him.

"'Cos'hai combinato?" Marianna asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I didn't do anything, Ma," Nic said, answering his mother. "I'm going upstairs to change clothes."

At dinner, you could hear a pin drop. The only noises that trickled through were those of their silverware clanking against the dishes. After quietly filling their plates, the three of them ate in silence. Nic sipped his wine and looked over at his mother.

"How was your flight?" he asked, trying to relieve the tension.

"It was nice. Could somebody tell me what's wrong?" Marianna asked, addressing the pink elephant in the room.

Victoria turned to Marianna. "Honestly, I don't know," she said, then turned to her husband, giving a noticeable fake smile. "Nic, wanna answer that?"




Seven Days Ch. 10



"Nothing," he said, taking another sip of his drink.

"And that's the answer I get as well," Victoria said, picking over her food.

Nic glared at Victoria. "You going to do this in front of my mother?" he said, with his cold stare.

Victoria knew that Nic was a private person, and she was wrong for trying to drag Marianna into their disagreement. But she just wanted validation that she wasn't crazy in being upset with him for being so closed off.

"Well, if that's the only way I can get you to talk about what's been bugging you, then I have to play every card I can," Victoria said, sliding her plate out of the way.

"I'm not discussing it further," Nic stated in a clipped tone.

"Nic, I--," Victoria started.

"Dinner was delicious. Goodnight, mom," Nic interrupted, pushing loudly back from the table. He picked up his plate, dropped it in the kitchen sink and walked out.

Victoria sat there shocked. She hated pushing him that far, but she was desperate to get this out in the open, hoping that his mother's presence would help. Not the right way to go about it, but the only way she knew at this point.

"Marianna, I'm sorry. I should probably—"

"Yes, go. I'll clean up down here. Don't worry about a thing," Marianna said, rising up from the table.

"Thank you," Victoria whispered, as she stood up and walked out. She went upstairs and found Nic sitting on the bed, changing into a pair of running shoes. He looked up at her when she entered.

"I'm going for a jog," he stated, standing up.

"This is so unfair, Nic," Victoria said softly.

"I can't believe you did that in front of my mother," Nic said, heatedly. "This was our business and--"

"No! Not ours...yours, because you won't let me in," Victoria huffed.

"Fine, then it's my business and I don't appreciate you dragging other people into it."

"Don't you realize you're treating me like you did when I didn't mean anything to you?! When I was just your living blow-up doll!"

Nic's mouth dropped open. He quickly glanced toward their open door, knowing his mother could probably hear everything. It's not like she didn't know how they met, but still, hearing Victoria speak that way about it, shamed him and pissed him off at the same time.

"Why don't you keep your fucking voice down," he quietly said, while staring angrily at her.

Marianna stood at the bottom of the steps, drying off a plate. She hated eavesdropping on them, but she didn't like that they were fighting. And, in her book, pregnant women get a free pass for their erratic behavior. Their hormones are all over the place and their feelings can be hurt more easily. She didn't want her son yelling at Victoria. If it lasted for a few more minutes, she would just have to go up there and break it up.

"Are you going to throw that in my face every time we get in a disagreement?" Nic asked.

"No, and I didn't mean to say it to hurt your feelings. But I'm your wife, not your girlfriend or even what I was before. This is different and it hurts me to see you bothered or stressed out about something. Maybe I could help, but you'll never know because you won't talk to me."

"Drop it," Nic warned.

"No!"

Nic grabbed a sweatshirt and walked out of the bedroom. He noticed his mom at the bottom of the steps. He knew she was going to try to stop him, but he needed to leave before he said something he would regret. Usually in life, when he wanted someone to leave him alone, he'd say something awful to them, and they quickly learned to quit fucking with him. He had even done that to Victoria a few times in the past, when they were under different circumstances. But he knew he needed to leave before he did it again.

When he reached the bottom step, his mom grabbed his arm. "Nic, she just wants to help you and she's in a fragile state right now, son," Marianna quietly said.

"I'll be back in half an hour," Nic said, as he quickly kissed his mother's forehead and walked out the door. He had to get the hell out of there and burn off some of his stress.

Marianna walked upstairs to check on Victoria. She was sitting on the bed, staring at the wall. Marianna went to sit down beside her.

"Is this how he treated Amber?" Victoria asked, still looking at the wall, as her mind raced.

"Oh, cara mia, he didn't love her. He never showed her the affection he shows you. He loves you."

"I feel so close to him sometimes...then other times I feel like there's a stranger sleeping beside me. I felt that we had made a giant leap forward when he opened up about Bobby, but since we've been here, he's been closed off and stressed. I don't know if something is wrong or if something happened to cause this. He's woken up twice in the middle of the night due to a nightmare, but he won't tell me."

Marianna sat and listened.

"This isn't how I imagined our marriage. I guess I should have known it was too good to be true. I really thought living here would make a difference. I never know when Nic the husband or Nic the mob boss will come walking through the front door," Victoria expressed, as she wiped a tear away.

Marianna grabbed her hand. "Only thing I can tell you is to concentrate on the baby. Nic will come around, eventually."

"I know you say that Marianna, and no offense, but did your husband come around? Nic said his father was closed off too."

Marianna nodded her head. "Actually, God rest his soul, he never did. That man died with secrets I probably didn't know about."

"That's what I thought," Victoria mumbled, as she hopped up from the bed and walked into the closet. 

Marianna slowly ran her hand over the bed covers, smoothing out the lumps, when she suddenly heard Victoria's strained breath. She stood up and was about to go into the closet, when Victoria came barreling out of it with a suitcase in her hands. 

"No! Victoria Andretti, put that down right now!" Marianna ordered, rushing over to her.

Victoria ignored Marianna and placed the suitcase on the bed. She wasn't permanently moving out, but she wasn't sure what else to do. She was tired of this back and forth with Nic. He had done it with her when she was just his "arrangement", he had done it when she was his girlfriend, constantly saying, "the less she knew the better," and now, even with her being his wife and the mother of his child...he was doing it again. Well, fuck that, Victoria thought. She loved him more than anything, but she could move back home if she wanted to be ignored. She wasn't even sure where she would go—and she was sure she wouldn't stay any longer than a few hours, but she could at least check into a hotel until she could clear her head.

"Victoria, listen to me! He'll be back in a few minutes, and talk to him then. You don't know what you're doing because you're very emotional right now. I know what I'm talking about," Marianna pleaded, as Victoria walked around her, throwing several articles of clothing into the suitcase. She then walked into the bathroom and quickly grabbed her toiletries.

When she realized nothing was registering to Victoria, Marianna quickly stepped out of the room and called Nic.

Nic glanced down at his phone, which was vibrating. It was his mother. He stopped jogging and answered. But before he could even say anything, Marianna started firing off in Italian what was going on. Victoria was packing? What?! He told his mom to calm down and he was on his way. He clicked off his phone and started sprinting back to their house.

Victoria was in the process of dragging her bag downstairs when the front door flew open. Nic was standing there breathing hard and looking up at her.

Even though his stare caused her entire body to burn, she ignored him and continued to drag her suitcase further down the steps. But she couldn't help it--the tears started to form and they eventually fell. She knew what she was doing made no sense, but she felt that she had to make a move. Nic was the one who taught her that life is like a chess game. You can't just sit there after your opponent makes a move. You have to move as well. And this was really the only move she ever really had with him. She looked back at him as he quickly ascended the stairs.

When he reached her, he ripped the bag from her hands as he wrapped his free arm around her waist and hoisted her up. Instead of pushing him away, she held onto him tightly as he reached the last step. He pushed their door open and dropped her bag on the floor, as he held her tightly. Her face was pressed into his neck, and he could feel her warm tears against his skin.

Neither one said anything for a few moments. Nic gently lowered her so that her feet were touching the ground. He pushed her hair away from her face and tilted it so that she was looking at him. Her big doe eyes were unsure and hurt from how he had treated her. He leaned down to her mouth and whispered into her lips, "Don't ever do that again. Don't leave me," he said, then kissed her deeply, his tongue invading and wrapping around hers.

Victoria moaned into his mouth. She hated when he cast his spell on her, as she quickly lost all senses. For a brief moment, she had forgotten what she had done, until he said 'don't leave me'.

When their lips finally parted, both were breathing heavily, as Victoria spoke. "Nic, this is really the only card I have left to play with you. I can't cancel your credit cards, or physically fight you...I don't have anything to stop you, except leaving. It's--it's all I have," she admitted, looking down at her hands, ashamed to admit that she felt so powerless with him. After a few seconds of him not saying anything, she spoke again. "When you hurt, I hurt, Nic. Don't you understand that?" she whispered to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed in his masculine scent. 

"I know, baby. I know," he quietly admitted, while kissing the top of her head. "I'm going against my better judgment here, but I'll tell you. I just didn't want you upset because of my problems. But I guess it defeats the point if you are upset anyway, and you don't know them."

Victoria nodded and grabbed his hand to lead him over to the bed.

Nic exhaled. He didn't really know where to start, but he had to open up.

"Remember when we were in Bali, and I kept having that feeling that something bad was going to happen?"

Victoria nodded again.

"Well, that feeling came back. And I can't shake it. And now...fuck, this is really hard to say to you, but I keep having this recurring dream..." Nic really didn't want to finish that sentence. He didn't want to let Victoria into that dark place.

"Baby, it's okay. You can tell me anything," Victoria encouraged, as she lightly squeezed his hand.

"In the dream, someone, um...someone is holding a gun to our baby's head and they pull the trigger."

Victoria immediately gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.

"Yeah, I know, and that's not the image I wanted to place in your head."

Victoria pulled her hands down. He told her, so she needed to pull herself together and not make him feel worse.

"It's okay baby. It's just shocking, but it's also just a nightmare. That's all."

"Victoria, I've just done so much bad shit over the years, I can't get off this easy. I can't get the perfect wife, the perfect life...it just doesn't work that way," Nic sighed, lying back onto the bed.

"First off, I'm nowhere near perfect, Nic," Victoria smiled, trying to lighten his mood. "Actually, some could say being with me is your punishment, you know."

Nic didn't crack a smile. She leaned back on the bed beside him.

He began to speak again. "I feel like here I'm unprepared to deal with certain things. At least back home, I had Jimmy and Raymond. I had my gated-in house...I felt like I was on my A game at all times. I felt like I could protect you. Here I feel like my guard is down."

"Nic, you're in a different occupation here. No one knows the old you. This is a chance for us to start over."

Nic wasn't so sure. It couldn't be this easy. So far, nothing in his life ever was. But he didn't want to worry Victoria anymore, so for better or worse, he would try to be completely honest with her. Because although he would never admit this to her...talking to her did make him feel better. 

"I love you, you know that?" Nic asked her.

"So I've been told. I love you too," she whispered back to him.

"I'll do better about my 'feelings'," Nic said, rolling his eyes. "But don't expect any Barbara Walters tears or anything. That's not gonna happen."

"Well, I've already seen your tear up, so there," Victoria replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Yeah, well you're the only one, so don't go sharing that with everyone. Not my mom or your new friend, Jackson. Copy that?"

Victoria swatted at his arm. "Don't be jealous. But Jackson didn't introduce a wife, so maybe he's still single," Victoria contemplated, tapping her finger against her chin as if in deep thought. "He seems like a man in touch with his emotions."

Nic rolled her on top of him and slapped her ass. "If you don't want him hurt, I suggest you stop all thoughts in that direction."

"Please, he's a SEAL. Aren't they supposed to be from the school of 'the baddest of the bad', or something?"

"Yeah, well I'm from the school of, 'you fuck with me, you go missing', so your friend should keep that in mind," Nic stated, as he dodged another playful swat from Victoria.

"Silly man," she said, hugging him.

*****************

Nic, staying very true to his word, was more open with Victoria. When he was having a down day, he would tell her, and much to his surprise, she usually could brighten his outlook. He had forgotten how sarcastic and funny she could be.

And their house started to feel more like a home when Victoria and his mom started decorating. He gave them free reign. He knew that Victoria wouldn't go crazy with his credit card, but his mom...that was a different story. 

But there was one room that he did want to help Victoria with and that was the baby's room. This was all new territory for both of them, and two minds were definitely better than one.

Victoria noticed a significant change in Nic. He was more calm and relaxed now. And he hadn't woken up from a bad dream since the night that had started their argument.

But, at the moment she was inwardly groaning. She hated these awkward business parties Nic had to attend. And plus she felt a little heavier than normal, for obvious reasons, so she had absolutely nothing to wear. It was just a tiny little paunch she had, but to her, it was still a different body. But Nic loved it. He said it made her look even sexier if that was possible. Of course, he could have just been trying to make her feel good about her changing body, but either way, she needed the boost of confidence. This whole pregnancy thing was all so foreign to her. She never dreamt of being a mom, let alone Nic Andretti being the father. 

She remembered the first time she saw him, when he had walked into her father's restaurant years ago. He looked so young, yet intimidating. She had been cleaning off a table when she looked up at the group of men entering. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He glanced over at her and then turned his attention towards the kitchen.

Yes, they had definitely come a long way since that day. But she brought her attention back to the task at hand. She needed to figure out what dress to wear.

Nic had called her earlier that day, and asked her to be ready. Well, since she was forced to go to these lame, stuffy parties she would try something a little different. She grabbed the dress of her choice, and slid it on. Tight...much tighter than she last remembered. But whatever, it would have to do.

Once she was dressed she sat on the couch until she saw his car lights in the driveway. Showtime.

Nic was about to get out, when Victoria opened the front door. Goddamn, she...just Goddamn. She looked so fucking good, he wanted to march her ass right back upstairs and put their new bed sheets to good use. She was wearing a short, off the shoulder red dress with thin strapped high heels. The dress was extremely tight, due to her current condition, that turned him on. He could see the slight bulge in the lower section of her stomach. He never thought he'd be one of those men that got turned on even more by their pregnant wife...but he was learning a few new things about himself since Victoria had come into his life. She had her curly thick ringlets swooped into a messy updo and minimal makeup, which is exactly how he loved to see her face.

Even though his windows were extremely tinted, Victoria knew that he was staring at her. She smirked at him and walked toward his newest toy, which was a Ferrari. This man spent way too much money.

When she got closer, Nic finally got out and gave his wife a noticeable once-over. He walked over to the passenger side door and opened it for her.

"You're going to make this very distracting for me, Victoria," Nic growled, as he squeezed his wife's ass as she got in.

Victoria smiled. She knew she had chosen a more risqué dress, but chalk it up to hormones, because she was feeling frisky tonight. She was definitely going to try to make this party interesting for herself. She turned to look at him when he got in.

"Okay, let's make a bet then," Victoria said. "If I can distract you at least three times tonight, then we get to leave early, okay?"

Nic thought about it. "Alright. And how will you know if I'm distracted?"

"Smile at me."

"Game," Nic said, squeezing his wife's smooth toned thigh, and then rubbing his hand further up.

Victoria pushed it back down. "Nope, you have to wait until we get to the party."

When they finally arrived, Victoria realized this party was just like the previous parties they had attended. She even saw a few familiar faces from the past get-togethers. None who she actually knew their names, though. She held tightly to Nic's hand as he walked through groups of people, shaking hands and introducing her. They finally approached a larger group of men. She recognized one of the men, Sam. He worked for Nic and was his Vice President of Designs. He was a pretty nice guy, but Victoria couldn't stand his wife. From the moment the two were introduced at an office party, his wife Rhonda seemed to look down on her. Victoria wasn't sure if it was because she was much younger...or black, but after their initial greeting, Victoria didn't have two words to say to that snooty bitch.

"Hello, gentleman, this is my wife, Victoria Andretti," Nic said, as Victoria said hello to the large group of men.

A thin balding man grabbed Victoria's hand and shook it. "No wonder Nic never seems to be stressed," he joked. "Nice to meet you Victoria."

Victoria smiled back and surveyed the group. They were all staring at her. It was times like these that she wished she paid more attention to what her husband did. So she'd at least have some talking points. Well, she did have a mission tonight, and she needed to get started, so she could get the hell out of there.

As Nic stood there speaking with the men, Victoria slowly slid her hand from his waist to his ass and pinched. She heard Nic pause just briefly before she looked up and saw a slight grin from the corner of his mouth. One down, two more to go. 

After a few more minutes, Victoria finally excused herself from the group and went to look at some interesting paintings on the wall. Anything to take her mind off this dull party, until she could think of another distracting trick. But as she was looking over the artwork, she was really drawn in by a painting of a mother holding her child. She was so mesmerized, that she didn't notice her own little audience staring at her. 

"So, who are you here with?" she heard a raspy voice ask. Victoria glanced to the side and noticed a tiny older woman. She was in very good shape with a few thick pieces of perfectly placed white strands through her short dark brown hair.




Seven Days Ch. 10



"Hi. My husband's Nic Andretti. The tall one with his hands in his pockets," Victoria pointed out. The woman followed her finger until she spotted him.

"Oh, he's very handsome. I think my husband introduced me to him at the last party. My name is Hilary McCray. Nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand to Victoria.

"I'm Victoria. Nice to meet you as well."

Hilary gave her a once-over and then turned back to Nic. "You and your husband make a very handsome couple. You should come to one of our parties. We throw a big bash every month. Spectacular key parties, and I'm sure our regular guests would be thrilled to meet you two."

"Key party? Is that like a costume party, or something?" Victoria innocently asked.

Hilary smiled. "Sort of."

"Oh, well that sounds nice. We'd love to come. Thank you," Victoria smiled, as she looked over at her husband. 

"Hope you do join," Hilary said, handing Victoria her card.

Well, at least she had met one nice person. But Victoria still had some distracting to do. She walked over to the bar and asked the bartender for three olives. He handed her a large toothpick with the olives impaled on it. She turned to look at Nic.

Once she had his attention, she slowly and seductively licked the top olive. He narrowed his eyes at her and tried to rejoin his conversation. But she could tell that curiosity got the better of him, and he glanced in her direction again. She took that opportunity to quickly place the entire toothpick with all three olives in her mouth and slowly pulled them off. She closed her eyes and moaned.

But then something didn't feel right. Her eyes flew open as she coughed and patted her chest, trying to dislodge the olive that had gotten stuck in her throat. In an instant, she felt Nic standing beside her, patting her back.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

It finally went down and Victoria turned her watery red eyes up to her husband. "Oh my God, that was embarrassing," she said, as she took a sip of the water he handed her.

Nic had to laugh. Hard. Now that he knew she was okay, that was one of the funniest things he had ever seen in his life. It was so Victoria to do something like that.

"Well, at least that's smile number two," she said.

"Hey, no fair," Nic said, trying to calm his chuckle.

"Yep, it is. The deal was just distracting you. Even if I'm choking."

"Oh, you have learned some tricks from me," Nic said, placing his hand on his wife's ass. "But you still have one more smile to get from me before we can leave. And this one has to be sexy. No falling down or choking, okay?"

"Fair enough."

Victoria tried again to get Nic's attention throughout the night, but nothing seemed to work. And she didn't feel daring enough to flash him any skin, considering people could be watching.

But then, she came up with the perfect plan. The most daring thing she had done in front of this many people, but she had to try. She called the bartender over.

Nic was bored to tears, but he'd learned the art of looking like he was listening intently, even though his mind was far, far away. Truthfully, he was thinking about Victoria. He glanced up at her again, and she was just looking at him. She hadn't tried anything else. Maybe her shyness won out and they would be staying longer. He had kinda hoped that she would have won, so they could get the fuck out of there.

He was about to make a comment on something one of the men had said, when he noticed the bartender started walking toward their group with the largest grin on his face. He was carrying a tray with a champagne glass. But upon further inspection...this wasn't an ordinary champagne glass. Well, the glass was, but its contents were definitely not. Along with the sparkling champagne, was something else. 

When the bartender finally reached their group, he whispered into Nic's ear that the glass and the note were from his wife.

Nic stared down into the glass and smiled. He couldn't help himself. Damn that little minx! She had stuck her tiny black thong into the drink. He couldn't even look at her just yet, knowing she had won. He could see the men in his group through his peripheral vision, and they were staring at the glass. Someone coughed, but their mindless chatter ceased.

Nic turned the note over and read it. 'When do you plan on fucking me? Love, your wet and willing wife.'

Nic's dick turned hard within a millisecond. That was it.

He grabbed the drink and the note and excused himself from the group. He heard over his shoulder one of the guys whisper to the group, "Well, fuck, can I marry her?" Not a chance in hell, Nic thought as he approached Victoria. She was all his, from head to toe.

Victoria waiting in anticipation as Nic closed in on her, like a hawk zoning in on a defenseless, small mouse. When he reached her, he stared down at her and slowly sipped the champagne, pulling her delicate article of clothing out with his teeth. He grabbed her hand and leaned down to her ear. "You win, baby. Now let's get the fuck out of here before I give this entire room a show."

Once the valet retrieved his car, Nic could barely pry his hands from his wife's body. When they did finally get in, Nic pulled the car out and hit the gas, propelling the car onto the street. Victoria reached into his pants and massaged his dick. He leaned his head back against the headrest and moaned.

"Fuck, Victoria," Nic whispered as he slowed the car down. He pressed the button to remove the top of the car as he pulled over by the side of a building. There were no cars in sight, which was good for what he had planned for her. 

Victoria looked over at Nic, becoming antsy from whatever it was he had in his mind at the moment. He quickly pushed his seat back and leaned over her to unbuckle her seatbelt. 

"Are you still wet and willing?" he asked.

Before she could say a word, he was half lifting and pulling her over to his side, until she straddled his lap in the tight space.

He slid his pants to his thighs and pulled her down onto his lap, while his hard thick member entered her sweet, wet pussy in one effortless glide. Both of them gasped in unison.

"Oh, Nic," Victoria whispered, with her eyes closed. Once she was fully adjusted, she began to roll her hips back and forth, in a smooth, rhythmic motion, causing both of them unbelievable pleasure.

Nic pulled the top of her dress down, exposing her tits. He massaged them, rolling each nipple around his fingers before he licked and lightly bit them.

"Shit," Victoria moaned, as he continued to fuck her.

Nic felt like he couldn't get as deep as he wanted in such a small space, but he damn sure was going to try. Sexually, this woman drove him to the brink of madness, and she had since the first time he'd made love to her.

"Nic, wait, oh...I'm coming, oh!" Victoria shouted, as her head rolled back and her body jerked with the intensity of her orgasm.

But Nic needed more. He opened his car door and stepped out, with Victoria still wrapped around his cock. He leaned her up against the side of the car and started to drive in and out of her with tremendous sex-crazed force. This was the penetration he needed. His lips found hers as he passionately kissed them, until he was sure he had lovingly bruised the tender flesh.

Then he could feel his own orgasm take over his body, causing him to ram into her one last time, as he stilled and emptied his essence deep within her. Nic wasn't sure how long he held her against him, completely spent, but he knew he wasn't done with her. Not by a long shot.

Later that night, Victoria knew the true meaning of exhaustion. Nic wouldn't let her fall asleep until he had staked claim in every hole in her body at least twice. She felt sore, but she knew the aching that coursed through her body was due to how much her husband wanted and loved her. She fell asleep in his arms with a contented look upon her face.

*****************

Marianna racked up her share of frequent flyer miles over the next few months, flying back and forth, so she could dote over her daughter. And the more Victoria started to show, the happier Marianna was. Nic warned his mother not to be so overbearing, but she rolled her eyes at him, and proceeded to pick out maternity clothes for Victoria, and food she should be eating, and books she should read. Marianna obviously didn't understand the meaning of overbearing.

Victoria was still trying to deal with the changes in her body, mentally and physically. She would never admit this to Nic or Marianna, but it felt as though some tiny little creature was inside her, and at any moment, it would pull an Alien, and she'd be Sigourney Weaver, trying to fight it off. She wondered how much weight she would gain. At first, when she stepped on the scale, it was fine. The next few times after that, she cringed. The last time she stepped on the scale, she burst into tears.

And although Nic continued to assure her that she was the most beautiful woman in the world, she still felt so awkward. And when Victoria got to the point where she could no longer touch her toes or even tie her shoes, she felt completely useless.

But there were perks of being pregnant, which she later figured out, much to Nic's displeasure.

Nic walked into the twenty-four hour grocery store that was all the way across town. His eyes were half closed as he mindlessly walked up and down the aisles. Pickles...where the fuck were they? he thought. Once he saw a jar, he made a bee line to the aisle that housed peanut butter. The thought made his stomach queasy.

When he finally made it to the cashier, he slowly reached into his wallet for cash, and just then the cashier started laughing. Nic looked up, barely able to focus. It was a young black kid, chuckling while placing his items in a bag.

"What's so funny?" Nic mumbled, placing ten dollars down.

"Oh, nothing. Sorry man, I was just tripping because it's two in the morning, and you're buying a jar of pickles and peanut butter. Your girl pregnant?"

"Yes."

"Mine too. She has me bringing home the craziest shit. So, I feel your pain," the young guy said, as he handed Nic his change.

Nic smiled. "Well, congratulations...and thanks for the support," he said, grabbing his bag to leave.

"Thanks man, you too," the kid smiled back.

When Nic pulled into their driveway, Victoria was standing by the door, waiting on him. Jesus, she was staring at the bag like it was a million dollars.

"I'll make it for you, just go back upstairs, okay," Nic whispered when he reached her. She nodded and he patted her rear when she turned around.

"Okay. But, um, just make sure to put extra pickles on it okay. I want a lot, you know," she said over her shoulder.

Nic walked into the kitchen and quickly fixed what he figured was probably the two nastiest foods that could go together. Victoria had awakened him, really wanting a peanut butter and pickle sandwich. He almost gagged at the thought. Once he made it, he poured her a glass of water and marched upstairs.

She was sitting up in the bed, waiting for him.

"Oh, thank you so much, baby," she said, damn near snatching the plate from his hand. He grinned and sat the drink down on her nightstand.

Nic crawled into bed and looked over at his wife. She was so cute. Her little feet were wiggling back and forth under the cover and she had the plate resting on her swollen belly. 

He turned around and closed his eyes.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Nic opened his eyes and slowly rolled over and looked up at her. Crunch, crunch, crunch, he heard again, as his wife bit into the sandwich. He looked over at the clock. It was already three in the morning, and he had a meeting with his company at nine.

He rolled back over and placed a pillow over his head. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Damn those fucking pickles! The sacrifices we make for the ones we love. Nic squeezed the pillow tighter over his head.

*****************

Victoria had tried to catch an afternoon nap, when her cell phone started ringing. At first she hadn't planned on answering it, but she noticed on the caller ID it was her mother. She was sure she was calling to bug her about the status of the baby.

She and Nic had wanted to wait until the baby was born to know the sex, but the anticipation had been killing them. They had to know, and were pleasantly surprised when it was a boy. It honestly didn't matter to Victoria, but she could tell that Nic was secretly thrilled about that. Then came the hard part of deciding a name.

Victoria had wanted Nicolas Sebastian Andretti V, but Nic was dead set against it. He didn't want to go that high with the numbers and he felt like that name was cursed. He said their kid needed a fresh start. 

But Victoria still wanted the kid to have a part of Nic's name, so they went with Sebastian Andretti. The real argument came with the middle name. Victoria wanted his middle name to be Paul, explaining that her son would be named after the two best men she knew. Nic eventually conceded, since Paul was a simple name, but he did insist that he was to be called Sebastian, and not Paul. Victoria agreed. So Sebastian Paul Andretti it was. 

"Hey Mama," Victoria said, raising up from the couch to answer her phone. 

Silence.

"Mama?" she asked again.

"Vicky, I um...damn," her mother whispered.

"What's wrong, mama."

Her mother paused again, before she spoke.

"Vicky, James...died this morning," her mother said through sniffles. 

Victoria couldn't breathe. She wasn't ready to hear this. She wasn't ready. 

"No, mama," Victoria whispered, holding her hand over her mouth. She knew that this was a possibility, but she honestly thought that her father would fight through it. He couldn't possibly die. 

"I'm going to take care of everything. And I'm fine, so don't try to rush back here. I'll let you know when the funeral will be, okay?" Olivia said, her voice no longer cracking.

Victoria nodded her head, knowing full well her mother couldn't see it, but she was still too shocked to speak.

Finally when she found her voice, she whispered, "Okay," and hung up. Victoria wasn't sure how long she sat there, but she couldn't move. She couldn't think. Her father was dead...and the last thing she ever said to him was throwing in his face that he had no one.

When Nic arrived back home, he knew immediately that something was amiss with Victoria. At first he thought the house was empty, because several lights were off. He called her name and walked upstairs to find her sitting on the floor in the baby's room trying to put together the expensive convertible baby crib his mom had bought weeks ago.

"Hey baby," Nic said, eyeing his wife suspiciously. "I told you I was going to do that."

She didn't look up. "I know, but I thought I could get a start on it." Victoria really didn't know what the hell she was doing. And for some reason the directions didn't make any sense to her. But she needed something, anything to keep her mind occupied.

"Are you alright?" Nic asked, kneeling down beside her.

"Yes," she answered, as she picked up a metal bar. "Well actually, I guess I should tell you that my father died this morning."

Nic was taken aback. "What?"

"He's dead," she said, smashing one end of the metal bar into the wooden crib. It wouldn't fit, so she kept on banging it against the tan wood, trying to make it fit.

"Hey, hey," Nic said, grabbing the bar from her. "Stop, okay. Just stop. Talk to me."

Victoria snatched the piece back. "I'm fine. I wasn't even close to him." She started pushing the metal bar into the wood again. "Shit, why won't this fit?!"

"Because it's the wrong piece. Now put the fucking bar down and look at me," Nic commanded. He knew she was hurting. His wife was extremely sensitive, especially in her condition. 

Victoria threw the bar down and stared at her husband. She knew it was coming. Those tears that were bubbling underneath the surface. Her bottom lip started to shake and she erupted into tears.

Nic immediately reached out to grab his wife. "It's okay, baby," Nic whispered, wrapping her in his arms. He could feel her tears soaking the collar of his shirt.

"I—I was so me—mean to him the last time I sa—saw him," Victoria whimpered. She couldn't feel lower if she tried. In the back of her mind, she had expected her father to recover. Not to die alone in a cold hospital room.

"You didn't have the best relationship with him, and that's not your fault. He pushed away many opportunities to know the most beautiful, interesting and kind woman in the world. You reached out to him that last time, and you didn't have to. He rejected your plan to mend your relationship and there wasn't anything else you could do, baby. Trust me, you did more than most people would have done."

Victoria tried to calm her breaths, which were suddenly infused with hiccups. She closed her eyes and Nic slowly pushed her onto her back. He laid on his side, rubbing his hand over her full tummy.

"I probably shouldn't go to the funeral. But then again, if I don't show up, I'm not sure who else would, other than my mom. He didn't really have any friends, and didn't really want any."

Nic leaned over and kissed her. "It's entirely up to you. I'll be by your side either way."

Victoria smiled for the first time since her mother had delivered the devastating news. "Didn't I use to not like you at one point?"

Nic laughed. "Oh, I heard 'I hate you, you bastard' a few times."

Olivia called back the next day to give Victoria some details regarding the funeral. It would be in two days and they were just having a small private service at her mom's old church. A church Victoria hadn't been to since she was five and they had an Easter egg hunt. Her father didn't like church people. He always used to argue with her mother that those women were always in their business.

"They don't do anything except gossip. Too busy gossiping to pay attention to what's going on in their own homes," he argued. Her mom would just shake her head, and every now and then go to church without him.

But before they could fly back, Nic and Victoria visited her physician and got a second opinion on her flying so late in the pregnancy. Both were fine with it, but she had to get up and walk around every few hours, and it would be better if they broke up the flights into two separate connections.

When Nic had their first class tickets, he called his mom and Jimmy to let them know he'd be coming into town for a few days because of Victoria's dad. Of course, Marianna was happy, but it was bittersweet, due to Victoria having to go through such a hard time.

After the longest travel day in Nic's life, they finally made it back to the city. It only took two connection flights, plus a four hour nap for Victoria at a hotel, before they boarded their third plane, and finally near the end of a sleepless day for Nic. 

Once they arrived in town, they stayed at Victoria's mom's apartment. Nic had wanted to just stay at a hotel, but her mother insisted they stay with her. But before Nic argued, he figured Olivia didn't want to be alone during this difficult time, so he relented.

Victoria embraced her mom and the two cried for a bit, before Victoria said she was tired and headed to her mom's room to sleep. After Nic had tucked her in and kissed her, he went back out and sat down at the kitchen table. Olivia was sitting with a warm cup of tea in her hand. This was the first time they had ever been alone together. She turned to look at him.

"You know, I was scared when my husband got involved with your father," she said, finally taking a sip. "I thought it was dangerous getting involved with the mob."

Nic slowly nodded but didn't say anything. He took in her appearance. She could definitely be a beautiful lady, but she looked as though she had lived a hard life. There was no fire behind her eyes, no energy in her words.




Seven Days Ch. 10



"And then years later, my daughter getting involved with the mo—well, with you, frightened me even more. I was so scared that night she didn't come back from visiting your restaurant. And she refused to tell me what was going on...but a few weeks later, we started hearing some stuff. And it wasn't too nice," Olivia said, setting her cup aside.

Nic leaned back in his chair. "I realize that how we met isn't the ideal story. But aside from not being as gentle and kind as I could have been, I don't regret doing what I did. It brought Victoria and me together, and I am forever changed because of that. And I love her more than anything in this world."

Olivia stared at her handsome son. "Well, with that I have to agree. I'm getting a grandson, so that should say something." And after a second pause, she spoke again. "I—I never told James about the baby. I regret that. I mean, who knows...that could have been the changing factor in how he saw Victoria. I mean, who can hate a baby, you know?"

Nic nodded again. "That might make Victoria sad, so I think we should keep that to ourselves," he suggested.

"I agree," Olivia said, as she sipped the rest of her drink.

****************

The next day, Victoria and her mom got dressed, while Nic made a few business calls. His company was expanding, but he hadn't expected it to expand so fast. Not that he was complaining...but fuck, they had several projects that he needed to review and construction sites he needed to visit. To try to keep up he had his team emailing him different files, with pictures that he would approve or disapprove. 

"Are you sure this dress isn't too tight on me? It's a little more snug than I had hoped," Victoria asked, wobbling out of the back room and into the kitchen.

"You look beautiful, as always," Nic said, placing his phone on the table.

"You always say that."

"Because it's always true."

Victoria stood there looking at him. "Nic, I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I want to remember him like that. I mean, not that I really have any better memories, but I...I don't know if I can go in there," she whispered.

Nic walked over to her and hugged her. "Yes you can, and I'll be by your side every step of the way."

Victoria nodded into his chest and the two walked out together.

Olivia had gone to the church earlier that day, to make sure everything was set up. Nic held onto his wife's hand, as he drove them from the apartment to their destination. When they finally arrived, Nic parked the rental car on the busy street in front of the church. 

"I doubt anyone even showed up," Victoria sighed. 

"Well, you and your mom did, and wouldn't that be all that mattered to him?" Nic asked, as he turned to his wife, about to give her a kiss. But he stopped when something caught his eye in the passenger side mirror.

Nic immediately straightened up and glanced in the rearview mirror. No, he wasn't seeing things. He noticed a gardener who had been lightly digging in the same spot, while he pressed a finger to his ear. And from his passenger window, he noticed a man in an ill fitted suit sitting on a bench reading a newspaper. The guy on the bench glanced at the gardener and then went back to his paper. A paper that he hadn't bothered to turn the page. 

Fuck, it was finally happening. And of all the days. In the back of Nic's mind, he knew he shouldn't have returned to the city. He knew it was the wrong choice, but he wanted to be there for Victoria. He saw a car slowly pull past him and park in an empty spot about two cars in front of him.

He turned to Victoria.

"Baby, I need you to listen to me closely. In about thirty seconds, I'm going to be arrested. Call Jimmy and tell him to call my attorney, Reuben, okay?"

Victoria's heart started racing. "What?!" she said, as she quickly glanced around. She didn't see anyone. "What are you talking about?!"

"Listen, in my office at our house, there's an old dark blue design book from my college days. You'll see it. There's an address taped to the back of the book. It's to a specific bank, where I have a security deposit box. The combination is the day we buried my brother. Ask my mom. If for some reason you need to make a quick getaway, everything you'll ever need to disappear is in that box. New identities, contacts, money...everything, and I--"

"What?! Nic, you're scaring me. I--," Victoria said, shaking.

"Victoria, listen! I only have a few seconds. Did you remember what I said?"

Victoria was trembling as tears started pouring over the brim of her eyes. "Ye—yes."

"Repeat it. Quickly," Nic said, looking around again. They were closing in on him.

"Call Ji—Jimmy, tell him to call Reuben. Look at the back of the dark blue book, the combination is Bobby's funeral day," Victoria repeated, still shaking. She started to notice different people approaching them. She cried even harder.

"I love you," Nic said softly, turning her head toward him and staring into her tear streaked face.

"I love you, too," Victoria whispered, before a loud thunderous voice caused her to jump.

"Nicolas Andretti, put your hands up where we can see them and step out of the vehicle now!!" 

Nic knew that voice. Marsh. He hated Victoria was being dragged into this messy situation.

"Put your hands up, baby," Nic told Victoria, as he did the same. A young guy dressed in a cop uniform quickly opened his door. Nic noticed Marsh approaching. He slowly got out when several men rushed him.

Marsh grabbed him, turned him around and pushed him toward the hood of the car.

"Try telling me I don't have jurisdiction now, motherfucker," Marsh whispered to him, while practically cutting off Nic's circulation with handcuffs, and pressing his face into the cold metal of the car. 

"Don't you hurt him!" Nic heard Victoria scream as she got out of the car. She tried to rush over to him, but a large cop grabbed her arm, almost causing her to lose her balance. Victoria tried to push the cop away until he pulled out handcuffs. As the cop roughly jerked his nine month pregnant wife back toward him...Nic saw red.

"Get your fucking hands off her!" Nic yelled, pushing back from the car, as the back of his head accidentally went flying into Marsh's face, smashing his nose. Marsh immediately released him to grab his face, which was now bleeding. Three more cops instantly jumped on Nic, causing all of them to hit the pavement. The other officers approached the struggle, drawing their weapons on him.

Marsh tilted his head back to stop the bleeding, while his men struggled with Nic. "Just keep racking them up asshole. Assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest," Marsh said, as he walked over and knelt down beside Nic. "Nicolas Andretti, you're under arrest for the murder of Donald Jenkins. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say, can and will be used against you in the court of law."

Nic looked over at Victoria. She was shaking and crying, as a female police officer was now talking to her, obviously due to her delicate condition. Several people had stopped on the streets to stare at the spectacle. 

"You have the right to an attorney during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you—but we all know you can, you fucking prick. Do you understand these rights?"

Victoria couldn't speak, she couldn't move and she could barely think. Everything had happened so fast. One minute she was preparing herself to see her father for the last time, the next, guns were being drawn on her husband and he was being arrested for murder.

As soon as they finished reading Nic his rights, she watched as they roughly pulled him up from the ground and placed him the back of a police cruiser. Victoria watched the car carrying her husband all the way until it made a turn out of her sight.

She quickly pulled out her cell phone and dialed Jimmy. In a rush of tears and jumbled words, she tried to explain to Jimmy what happened and for him to call Reuben. Jimmy said he'd call Reuben and he was coming to pick her up.

"Okay," Victoria whispered, as she shakily shut her phone and waited, scared out of her mind.

***************

Marsh stepped into the interrogation room holding a cloth to his nose. He threw a few files down onto the table and stared at Nic.

"Nicolas Andretti...I finally got you, you fucker. And don't worry, I fucking own this precinct. There are no cameras rolling behind those mirrors. Just you and me. Together at last."

Nic's wrists were raw from the tight handcuffs, but he refused to complain about it. First, it wouldn't do any good, and second, he wouldn't give that asshole the satisfaction. He stared back at Marsh with a bored expression.

"So Nic, this is how we're going to do this. Believe it or not, I have an amazing proposition for you. How about you walk out of here today--no questions asked. You leave, go see your wife and fly back to California. How does that sound?"

Nic didn't blink.

"Well, the powers that be don't think you're important anymore. After all, you've gone legit, so there's really no reason to harass you. Although I personally think it's fun. I've made it no secret that I despise you and everything you stand for."

Marsh dabbed his nose again, to make sure there was no more blood leaking out.

"But, the way this works is...you are free to go. After all you're only one man, and the amount of money and manpower we've put behind you...well, some don't think is justified. BUT...if we could bring in a few more people, well, then we will be doing pretty damn well."

Nic continued to stare blankly at Marsh.

"So, I'll let you walk out of here today...if you roll over on a few people."

"Who?" Nic asked, finally speaking.

"Glad you asked. Paul and Sonny Marcone, Jimmy, Raymond and Antonio. Eddie was on that list, but we can't seem to find him," Marsh said, narrowing his eyes at Nic. "But those five, and you are free to go. Clean slate."

Nic leaned back in his chair. "Sorry about your nose," he said, then smiled.

Marsh shook his head incredulously. "You fucking asshole, don't you realize what I'm offering? The moment that prick lawyer of yours shows up, this offer is off the table, you understand."

Nic sat in silence again.

"This isn't noble Nic, this is stupid. What the hell do you owe those other men, huh? You'll be easily convicted and go to prison, my friend. Where they rape and eat men like you for breakfast. Fuck, half of them are probably your friends, now that I think about it. Maybe you would be better off in there with that scum."

Nic yawned.

Marsh slammed his fist down on the table. "Are you really going to take a chance on going to prison and giving another man the ability to raise your child and fuck your wife? All because you didn't want to snitch on your friends? Because, trust me...a hot little number like Victoria, she's not going to stay single forever."

Nic didn't budge. 

Marsh hated this bastard. More than any other criminal he had ever tracked. Nic seemed to get the goods in life, while men like Marsh were left with a bitchy ex-wife, two mortgages, ungrateful kids and an ulcer. Yes, he definitely hated Nic. So right now, he was going to fuck with him.

Marsh smiled at Nic. "Too bad I didn't get a chance to put that sexy wife of yours in handcuffs. I would have enjoyed it. And who knows, I might even move in on Victoria. Make her promises that I'm doing all I can to get you out. When they are vulnerable like that, you never know what they might do. I can definitely think of a few things I would do with her."

Nic knew what Marsh was trying to do. Anything to get a rise out of him...to make him crack. But he had forgotten just how much of a calculating man Nic could be. He'd let Marsh have his fun for now...but he would definitely get that motherfucker back.

"You know, you shocked our whole department when you married her. I mean, come on man...not many men marry their charity case whore...who does that?" Marsh laughed out loud. He pretended to wipe a tear away. "Fuck her? Absolutely! Marry her? Absolutely not! Didn't your old man teach you any better?"

Nic's face never changed, but inside he was boiling. He squeezed his hands together, trying to concentrate on the pain of the handcuffs. Anything to distract himself.

"Oh, that's right...your old man passed away years ago. And your loser brother. What was his name, Bobby?"

Nic kept digging the handcuffs further and further into his skin. He knew they were probably bleeding by now.

"Yeah, I saw the pictures of what they did to him. Fuck, they made a mess, didn't they? But, you know what I say...serves the fucker right. He was nothing but a drug addict anyway, so who gives a shit if you only had half of his body to bury," Marsh laughed.

Nic continued to stare, but gave nothing away.

Marsh sighed. "I'm trying to help you, Nic. Trust me, I don't like giving you this offer, but it can save your sorry ass. Just take it. Give me some info on those five and we'll call it a day, okay?"

Suddenly the door flew open and Reuben rushed through. "My client doesn't have to say a word to you, and anything you've said, either show me the tapes, and if they weren't rolling, then that will be brought up if this goes to trial." He walked over to Nic, and sat his briefcase on the table.

Marsh stood up. "He's all yours, counselor," he said before he walked out and slammed the door.

***************

Victoria was lying on Jimmy and Isabelle's bed. Marianna had been pacing back and forth in front of the bedroom door, asking her every few minutes if she was okay. 

When Victoria and Jimmy had first arrived at his house, she had screamed at him for not taking her to the police station. She wanted to see Nic, and see if he was okay. Isabelle and Jimmy had to physically hold her, to keep her from walking to the nearest bus station. Finally, Jimmy saying that Nic would be pissed at her for putting their child in jeopardy, worked. Victoria eased up and finally agreed to go into their house. 

"Look Vicky, he's my best friend. Do you think I would let anything happen to him? Fuck no. I'll handle this, I swear," Jimmy had told her before he left.

Isabelle tried to get her to eat, but Victoria didn't want any food. She only wanted Nic. She asked Isabelle if she would call her mother and explain what happened. Victoria would have done it, but she quickly became exhausted and eventually cried herself to sleep on their bed. 

A few hours later, she awoke to the touch of Marianna feeling her forehead. But then she closed her eyes again. She later heard her mother's voice as she and Marianna talking in the hallway. She tried to eavesdrop to see if they had any new information on Nic. 

As she was trying to listen, the bedroom door opened wider and in walked Paige, Jimmy and Isabelle's youngest daughter. She was four years old and had wavy dark hair like her mother, but a round face like her father. She crawled onto the bed beside Victoria.

"You hurt?" she asked in a tiny voice, as she looked at Victoria's stomach.

Victoria was too tired to answer, but she nodded as a tear slid down the side of her face and into her hair.

"Where you hurt?"

"My heart," Victoria croaked out. But when Paige's little brow furrowed as if she didn't understand, Victoria quickly said, "And my head hurts."

"My mommy always kiss my boo boo's to make it better," Paige said, as she snuggled closer to Victoria. She leaned over and kissed her head. "Now you feel better?"

Victoria smiled. "Yes. Thank you."

Paige smiled back at her, hopped off the bed and quickly sprinted out of the room. Victoria felt empty again. She rubbed her stomach and drifted back to sleep.

It was dark before Jimmy showed back up, and he brought with him Raymond and Antonio. Victoria didn't know why, but just seeing the three of them made her feel ten times better. At one point, she had been so frightened of them...well, not Antonio, but the other two...and now the sight of them was the only thing making her happy. She hugged Raymond and Antonio so tightly, she felt as though she couldn't let go.

Jimmy walked her to a back room and closed the door. "Vicky, it doesn't look good." Victoria immediately felt nauseated. Jimmy hugged her and sat her down on the bed.

"Listen, Reuben is doing all that he can. Basically, inside sources told me that someone snitched on Nic, and will testify in court that they saw Nic murder a guy name Donald Jenkins three years ago. Which is pure bullshit, because the Russians killed him. But the cops have video footage placing Nic and Donald at the same place, almost at the same time, a few hours before Donald was killed."

"But you said Nic didn't do it?" Victoria questioned, looking up at Jimmy.

"He didn't. But they have a witness who says that they saw him murder this guy. And that's all they need. That...and a jury to be convinced, which depending on the credibility of this witness and Nic's old occupation...it might not be good."

Victoria just kept squeezing her hands together as she continued to listen to Jimmy.

"That asshole Marsh was trying everything he can to get Nic to crack. He even offered him a deal to let him go if he snitched."

Victoria's ears perked up. Finally, something good could come out of this. "On who?"

"Me, Raymond and Antonio. Paul and Sonny's names were thrown in the deal also."

Victoria knew the thought crossing her mind was selfish, especially since Jimmy had three little adorable girls, but she couldn't help but think about it. Her mind raced wondering what Nic would do, until Jimmy broke her out of her train of thought.

"Vicky...he's not going to turn me in. He would never do that, just like I would never do that to him. That's not even an option, you know?" Jimmy quietly said.

Victoria's heart sank, but she tried to ignore the bile rising in her throat. "So, he's going to prison," Victoria whispered, still unable to believe it.

"Well, tomorrow will be his bail hearing...but Reuben said it's more than likely the judge will deny him bail, because he has lots of money and is a flight risk. And being accused of having ties with the mafia, they don't take that lightly."

"When can I see him?"

"I'm not sure. I'll ask Reuben tomorrow, okay? But you need rest. You look tired. Have you eaten today?"

"I've had plenty of rest, and I'm not hungry."

Jimmy grabbed her hand and led her out of the room.

When they walked back into the main room, all eyes were on her and they all looked concerned. She plopped down on the sofa. Antonio came to sit beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him.

"It will be okay, Vicky," he whispered to her.

*****************

The next morning, Victoria was awakened by Marianna bringing her in a large plate of food.

"Good morning, cara mia. You are eating today. Every bite," she demanded, as she sat at the edge of the bed, watching Victoria like a hawk.

Victoria didn't feel like eating, but she started stuffing the food in her mouth just to please Marianna.

"How are you able to stay so calm?" Victoria asked, pausing in between bites.

Marianna thought about it for a moment. "Because I can't help my son right now. All I can do is pray for him, but there's nothing I can help Reuben or Jimmy with. What I can do for him is watch over you and his baby growing inside you. Those are the things I can do, and I'm going to do them, because I love him, I love you and my grandson. Now eat."

Victoria ate in silence as she took in Marianna's words. Her mother couldn't stay, because she had work, and had already taken two days off for the funeral. But she said she would stop by afterward.

When Victoria was done eating, she walked to the bathroom to relieve herself, but before she sat down on the toilet, she felt a major cramp. She grabbed the underside of her belly and rubbed. But then she felt it again. What the hell?




Seven Days Ch. 10



She grabbed ahold of the sink before she felt a gush of liquid pour out from underneath her dress. Holy shit!

She stared down frantically at the water running down her legs. "Oh, God...no, no, no, no, please," she whispered, as she slowly opened the bathroom door. But no matter how much she prayed, she knew her water had broken.

"Marianna," Victoria weakly shouted. "I need to go to the hospital."

Marianna came around the corner, "Hey, what did you—oh my God!" She rushed over to her and called for Isabelle. Antonio had been asleep on the couch as the women rushed Victoria to the door. He immediately jumped up and grabbed his keys. The three of them helped her into the back seat. Marianna got in the back with Victoria and Antonio and Isabelle sat up front.

They reached the hospital within a few minutes and Victoria was escorted to a room. The nurses came in to examine and prep her. 

Victoria was freaking out. Her life was about to be changed forever, and Nic was nowhere around. She kept pleading to Marianna that the baby couldn't come right now. This wasn't even her physician she had been seeing over the past nine months. This was all so wrong.

"Whether you want him to or not, Victoria...he's coming. You have to focus on that."

Victoria tried her hardest to listen to the nurses and the doctor, but she started crying. It wasn't supposed to be like this. But then the crying was no longer about Nic...it quickly became about the intense contractions she was having. They started coming faster and harder.

She vaguely remembered her doctor talking about her being almost fully dilated. She felt Marianna grab her hand. She looked up into the warm blue eyes. Blue eyes similar to Nic's, and in a way, that calmed her down.

After a few more moments, she was told to start pushing. She did, but every push started burning. "Aaah!!" Victoria screamed, as she leaned back against the bed. She felt like she was being ripped in two. Nic would have made this all better. He always knew what to do to make everything okay. Her heart felt like it was breaking...among other things. The pain brought her mind back to the task at hand.

"Victoria, we need you to breathe and push, okay?" the doctor said.

"I can't, I can't," she yelled back. "It hurts too much, fuck!"

"Squeeze my hand," Marianna suggested.

"Yes, you can. The more you push, the sooner the pain will be over," the doctor calmly responded.

Victoria closed her eyes and raised up, pushing harder, despite the intense pain she was feeling. She felt as though the veins in her forehead were popping.

On the final push, she heard the doctor say, "That's it, we have him," and Victoria fell back. She opened her eyes and saw to the side, two nurses standing over the baby. Their baby. Sebastian. She could see his little pale arms flailing as he cried. And in that moment, everything seemed to stop for Victoria.

It's as if everyone in the room had frozen, except for her son. Any pain that she was feeling subsided as four swinging appendages held her attention. At that moment, nothing else mattered.

Once the nurses were done, they brought him over to her. Victoria held her breath in anticipation as he was gently placed in her arms. Oh. My. God.

Her son had beautiful, shiny black curls that were sparse, but enough to lightly cover his head in perfect little waves. And the cutest, tiniest round nose and pink lips she had ever seen. He opened his eyes for a second to look at her, then closed them back and went to sleep.

Victoria was stunned. She couldn't take her eyes off him. He was absolutely perfect. In every way, shape and form. Perfect. There were no other words to describe him or this moment.

"Oh, I love you," she whispered to him, kissing him for the first time.

Victoria looked up at Marianna. She had tears in her eyes, and she also seemed to be stupefied by the presence of this tiny little being. A product of her and Nic. Nic...

****************

Nic sat in his cell, staring at the wall. He wanted to know how Victoria was doing. He had thought about her during his bail hearing earlier that morning. He wasn't paying close attention, because Reuben had already said he would be denied...which he was.

He hated that his wife was having to go through this. She was pregnant and already dealing with her father's funeral, now this. He wanted so badly to talk to her.

Nic was deep in thought when Marsh walked up to his cell. He decided he would ignore the fucker.

"Well, well, I should bring you a cigar. Congratulations. One of my officers who was watching your wife, confirmed that she just gave birth to a healthy baby boy."

Nic's head snapped toward Marsh as he narrowed his eyes at him. Was he fucking kidding?

"Don't believe me? Here are some pics he took of them going in the hospital," Marsh said, sliding photographs underneath the bars. "Too bad you weren't there to witness it," Marsh smiled in a smug voice, as he turned to walk away.

Nic's heart started beating rapidly. That asshole had to be lying. He slowly got up and walked over to pick up the photos. He flipped through them. His hands started to shake when he saw a picture of her being put in the backseat of Antonio's car and pictures of them arriving at the hospital and his mom escorting Victoria inside. Nic suddenly couldn't breathe. He dropped the photos to the ground as if they electrocuted him. 

Nic staggered backwards until his calves touched his cot, and then he slowly sat down. He had missed his son being born. He hadn't been away from him more than a few hours since he was conceived...and on the most important day, because of his past lifestyle and FUCKING MARSH, he had missed it.

Nic considered himself a sane and rational man. And under any other circumstances, he would have found a cool place in his mind...some place he could go to make the rational next step. It was that process that usually allowed him to win. It was one of the reasons he was so successful. But at this moment...no such place existed. All he felt was an intense firestorm coursing through his skin, his blood...his entire body. 

He fucking lost it. 

"GODDAMN IT!!! Motherfucker!!!" Nic yelled, as he slammed his cot into anything that could break over and over again. Everything was a blur, but he refused to stop until the flames inside him quelled.

He never heard anyone behind him and he never heard his cell opening up. All he heard was Marsh's words running over and over in his head, torturing him since there wasn't a fucking thing he could do inside here. 

"I'm gonna fucking KILL you!! You're a fucking dead man!" he shouted, as several guards tackled him to the ground. He struggled, pushing two of them off of him but they eventually pinned him down. By the time they had the cuffs on him, he was completely spent. Physically, mentally, but most of all emotionally--wondering when this hell would end.

*************

Later that night, Victoria woke up in the hospital bed. She glanced over to the side, and saw Isabelle reading a magazine. She glanced up at Victoria when she heard her stir.

"Hey there," Isabelle said.

"Hey," Victoria croaked out. She glanced around the room. "Where's Sebastian?" She sat up quickly...a little too quickly, and she felt a slight pain.

"He's in the nursery. Don't worry, your mom and Marianna haven't let him out of their sight."

Victoria sighed. "I wish Nic were here," she admitted. "He doesn't even know."

Isabelle placed the magazine on the table and went to sit down on the hospital bed. "Actually, Vicky, he does."

"What? Did Jimmy tell him?"

Isabelle exhaled. "Unfortunately, no. That detective guy told him. It wasn't pretty from what Jimmy told me."

"What?!"

"Well, Jimmy was on his way to the jail to tell Nic, but when he got there, they said that he couldn't have any visitors, and they had him in another holding cell. Jimmy waited for hours until Reuben got there, met with Nic and came back out to explain what happened. Reuben said that Nic was, well...he was devastated."

Victoria leaned back in the bed. She barely had a second to cover her face before a wave of tears gushed out. She hated feeling so helpless. When her husband needed her the most, there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. When Mr. Parker had harassed her and threatened to kick her family out, Nic had come to save the day. When she was abducted and held for ransom, Nic had risked his life to save her. And now when he was the helpless one...all she could do was fucking cry. How pathetic.

"Oh, honey, I didn't say that to make you cry. I just thought you'd want to know what happened today," Isabelle said, hugging a distraught Victoria. "It will be okay."

Victoria wished like hell she could believe that. But there was a very real chance that her husband could be going to prison for a long time.

Isabelle pulled away and handed her a box of tissue. Victoria wiped her tears and her nose, while she gasped for air.

"Hey, I know what will make you feel better," Isabelle smiled, as she walked out of the door.

Victoria stared up at the ceiling. This was officially the happiest and saddest day of her life. But before she could ponder on that any longer, her door opened back up and in walked her mother, carrying Sebastian, with Marianna and Isabelle following closely behind. They were all smiling at her.

"Guess who is hungry? Mio nipote," Marianna said, with a huge grin across her face.

Victoria had completely forgotten about this part of motherhood. She felt a little uncomfortable with so many eyes staring at her, but she tried to grin and bear it. Her mother handed her the baby. He was awake and staring, as his cute little soft arms moved in unsteady patterns. His little feet were kicking underneath the thin blanket. She slid the left side of her shirt down, and held her son to her breast. She looked up at the three women watching over her.

"Am I doing it right?" Victoria asked.

"Si," Marianna said, as the other two women nodded in agreement.

Here goes, little one, Victoria thought, as she pressed him further to her bosom. And just like that...he latched on. That was easy. At least something on this day had been easy.

Although Victoria had researched a million things from the moment she found out she was pregnant, she learned more in the few hours after her first feeding from her mom, Marianna and Isabelle than her entire nine months worth of research combined. Go figure.

And poor Antonio. All of the women had pretty much forgotten that he had been waiting in the maternity waiting room since they had first arrived at the hospital. When he finally came into the room, they passed the baby to him, and it was the funniest thing. He looked so uncomfortable and unnatural, that it gave Victoria a good laugh. The first laugh she'd had in what seemed like a long time.

**************

Antonio had met Jimmy at the police station, while he waited on new information regarding Nic's case. But Antonio had to get out of there. Cops made him paranoid. He wasn't sure if it's because he smoked pot, or not, but they made him nervous.

He quickly stepped out and walked around to the back of the station. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit one. He closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet smoke which seemed to calm his nerves. He was about to take another drag, when he heard a woman's voice. He glanced to the side and saw a tall blonde stalking out. But this wasn't just any tall blonde. This was Nic's tall blonde. Nic's ex-wife, Amber. And she was talking to that snake, Marsh. What the fuck?!

Antonio almost choked, as he coughed and sputtered. The two turned their attention toward him, but not before he made it back around the corner just in time. Oh, this was all so fucked up! So she was the snitch?!

Antonio ran back inside. "Jimmy, I need to speak with you now," he said.

Jimmy glanced at him. Antonio looked as though he had seen a ghost. "What?"

"In your car," Antonio said, as he turned and walked out of the station.

Jimmy glared at him, as if to say this better be important, and followed him out.

Once they were both inside the car, Antonio turned to Jimmy. "I know who they have as a witness."

"Who?"

"Amber."

Jimmy sat there staring at Antonio. "How do you know?"

"I saw her a few minutes ago, leaving through the back way and talking to that detective," Antonio excitedly reported.

Jimmy nodded. That was all he needed. "Thanks, kid," he said, as he got out and walked back into the police station.

*************

"Well Nic, looks like you really fucked up yesterday. Threatening to kill a detective just doing his duty? Why, what did I ever do to deserve that," Marsh taunted, leaning against his cell. And as always, Reuben was there with Nic.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nic answered.

"Sure. Several guards heard you yell that you wanted to kill me."

"No they didn't."

Marsh stared at Nic skeptically. "I never took you for a lying man. Cold-hearted killer, but not a liar. They heard you, asshole."

"Yeah, they heard me threaten to kill someone, and it was my attorney. He's been falling down on the job, haven't you noticed," Nic dead-panned.

"Yep, and Nic already apologized to me for that and...I'm not pressing charges, just so you know. So, no harm done," Reuben smiled.

Marsh quickly glanced back and forth between the two men. Damn it, they were good! Fuck, he was hoping that threat would be the final nail in the coffin. Marsh exhaled and walked away from Nic's cell.

Later that night, Amber was leaving one of her favorite little hot spots. She was drunk off her ass, but refused to catch a cab home. So, she drove, crossing a few lines here and there, but she managed to make it back to her apartment just fine, stumbling out of the car.

When she entered her swanky apartment, she didn't bother turning on the lights, as she started removing her boots and walking very unsteadily toward her bedroom. Fuck, it was already three in the morning, and that annoying twit, Detective Marsh wanted her to come back down to the station again in the morning. Although this was the perfect revenge, it was taking a lot out of her. She was depending on Marsh to keep her identity hidden, until the day she had to testify. Then she would turn on the tears and recite her script to the jury and judge. "Your honor, when we were married, I was scared all of the time that he would turn back into a monster. He hurt people. Good innocent people, and all I could do was stand back and watch, too afraid that if I told, he would hurt me too. But I'm tired of living a lie!"

Her mind drifted to Nic. She would never admit it out loud, but she missed him. And not in a romantic way, although the sex...she really did miss, but she missed walking into a room knowing he was usually the most dangerous man in there. That had really turned her on the first night she met him. She had been dancing her ass off at his club. She had heard of him and his reputation, but she had never had the chance to meet him. And that night her friend pointed him out as he talked to the DJ. He had two guys beside him, who looked more like bodyguards. It took her off guard how handsome he was. 

So, she and her friend devised a plan. They snuck up to the VIP section, and she bribed the guard into letting her in. Once she was up there, she saw him sitting in a dark corner, talking to a few people. She knew her short dress and long legs would catch his attention. She hiked up her skirt even more and walked right past him, pretending to ignore the group. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw them all looking...including him. And from that night, her plan fell into place. She had to cut several women down to size, who were his regular...well, 'other women', but Amber put them in their place. She knew he still messed around on her, but as long as they all knew she was the top, and they were just for his quick amusement, then she didn't mind. The houses, cars, clothes, jewelry and vacations were more than enough to squelch any feelings of jealousy.

Even after they had separated, she still knew that she was the main woman in his life. His wife! Until that girl. She didn't know how, or why she was in Nic's life. At first, she thought she was like the others who would do anything for him, just to have him acknowledge them. But this girl seemed different. She actually seemed like she didn't like him, and that is the part that Amber didn't understand. 

But Amber had trashed her bedroom when she had found out he had gotten married and had moved out of town. With a baby on the way?! Nic Andretti?? Married with a kid? What the hell did that girl do to him? It just wasn't right. What did she have that Amber didn't? It would never work. Nic wasn't the domestic type. 

Amber knew of the detective who had been giving Nic a hard time for years. She had also thought he was annoying, but when he called to tell her that Nic's new wife...oh, those words burned in her mind. New wife... Anyway, his new wife's father died, so Nic would more than likely be coming into town, and if she snitched on Nic, and agreed to testify in an open court, then Marsh could for sure put Nic away for a long time. Revenge is definitely sweet. And his wife would be without a husband and have to raise the baby by herself. Stupid whore, Amber thought, right as she tripped over something, and fell to the floor. She laughed at herself, until she noticed what she had tripped over was a black leather shoe. A man's shoe...that was still connected to a man's leg...and body. She followed the path up until she saw the stranger sitting on her couch in the dark. Only, it wasn't a stranger.

"Hiya, Amber," his familiar voice said, right before a black bag went over her head.

***************

"No fucking way!!" Marsh screamed. This was not fucking happening. How could the bad triumph over good? Was there no justice in the world?! Was he the only sane person alive that knew Nic Andretti was nothing but bad news?!

"Yep. Apparently Mrs. Andretti...I mean, well, the ex-wife...she will no longer testify and she says she was mistaken. She said her ex-husband isn't involved in any type of underground crime. She was just a jealous ex-wife," the Police Chief told him.

"But sir, can't you see someone got to her? Jesus, we're just going to let him walk? Just like that?!"

"Yeah we are, because the DA said there's no case and he's dropped the charges. Nic doesn't even live here anymore and from what you've told me, he's legit, so quit wasting valuable man hours on a dead-end case. You copy that?"

"But--"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Inspector Javert! Give it a rest unless you plan on drowning yourself too."

Marsh ignored the reference to Les Miserables. He could hardly think straight and wanted to throw up. He stared down at the ground. How had that bastard managed to pull this? How did he know it was Amber? How...? That was all Marsh could repeat over and over in his head.

Then he perked up for his last attempt at fucking Nic Andretti over. "Could I still hold him on charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer?"

The Police Chief turned to look at him. "Are you kidding? Get the fuck out of my office and start working on people who are actually STILL in the underground crime circuit...you know, the bad guys." And with that, the Chief glanced back down at his desk, and shuffled through some papers.

Marsh shook his head and walked out of his superior's office. He slowly walked over to his desk and stared down at years and years of files, paperwork and pictures of Nicolas Andretti IV. That prick had finally won. Marsh slung everything on top of his desk to the floor in a fit of rage. Damn that son of a bitch!!

*************

Nic slid on his watch, and grabbed his wallet before he walked out of the jail. A place he never wanted to see the inside of again. Although he knew Reuben was the best at what he did, his freedom was because of Jimmy. 




Seven Days Ch. 10



Jimmy had always come through for Nic, ever since they were little kids, and now was no different. Nic saw his best friend and Raymond waiting in the SUV. He walked over and hopped in the front passenger seat.

"Good to have you back," Jimmy stated, as he pulled onto the street.

Nic turned to him. "Do I even want to know?"

Jimmy kept his eyes on the road. "Well, Amber had a change of heart. I guess being sedated and waking up in a cold morgue drawer can do that to you. I think she thought because you're out of the business, that you've changed your ways—gone a little soft, and she wouldn't be in trouble for being disloyal. Well, I told her...as I opened up the drawer every now and then, that just because you were out of the biz, didn't mean I was. So, I said that this time I would be friendly and let her out if she promised to play nice. Next time...I told her I might be forgetful."

Nic faced the windshield. He tried to feel sorry for Amber...but he couldn't. Not one ounce of remorse. She was a vindictive bitch, and she was lucky that it had been Jimmy who 'persuaded' her to play nice. The old Nic...maybe even the new Nic, would have dangled her ass upside down from a building until she got the message...and still, the thought of letting her drop eased his mind. 

"And by the way," Jimmy said, in afterthought, "Detective Marsh's car was blown up, and he was beat up and mugged. Crazy world we live in."

"When did this happen?" Nic asked.

"Oh, it hasn't happened yet. I'm psychic, didn't you know?" he smiled over at Nic.

Nic nodded. Karma was certainly a bitch.

Nic's palms started sweating the closer and closer they got to Jimmy's house. He had asked everyone not to tell Victoria that he had been released. He wanted to surprise her. 

But at the moment, he could hardly swallow or keep a single coherent thought in his head. He would be seeing his son, Sebastian, for the first time. And he had to laugh at the fact that he didn't want to disappoint him. Although Sebastian was less than three days old, the thought of not being the father he wanted to be, frightened the shit out of Nic. He had already missed one important event, and he swore to himself that he wouldn't miss another.

When they pulled up to Jimmy and Isabelle's house, Nic exhaled, and wiped his palms over his pants.

Jimmy patted him on the back. "You'll be fine. I'm telling you, you have a handsome kid, man." Nic nodded and got out of the car.

When Nic walked in, several people quietly greeted him, including his mom, who couldn't stop hugging him. Everyone was trying really hard to keep quiet, so they wouldn't alarm Victoria who was in the back room with Sebastian. Nic removed his coat and followed his mom towards the back, his heart beating a hundred miles a minute.

Nic exhaled again and gently pushed the door to the master bedroom open and walked inside. He saw Victoria sitting on a small sofa, nursing their baby. She quickly glanced in his direction, and then back down at the baby. But obviously something registered in her head that this wasn't the regular perons checking in on her. She immediately did a double-take, her eyes growing wider, as she tried to stand. "Nic!" she squealed, but then quieted when he put his finger to his mouth. He could see that Sebastian was bundled up and at peace, and he didn't want to disturb him.

Victoria quieted, but was smiling from ear to ear. Her glassy eyes housed tears that were at the brink of spilling over and down her face at any moment. Nic walked over to the sofa and kneeled down in front of her. He finally broke eye contact with her to stare down at their son. Sebastian's eyes were closed, but his little jaws flexed in and out drinking as much milk as he could. 

If someone offered to pay Nic a billion dollars to explain how he felt at that moment, he would have lost out, because he honestly had no words. Nothing came to his mind, as he sat watching in awe at this beautiful moment. He looked back up at Victoria. She was staring at him, and then quickly wiped a tear away with her free hand.

"Hey baby," he whispered, as he leaned over his son and kissed his wife. 

"Hey," she whispered back, returning the kiss, and feeling empty again when he had to pull away. She could have continued kissing him for the rest of the afternoon.

After a few more tugs, Victoria felt Sebastian let go, and his little mouth opened. They both could see his tiny little pink gums as he fell back to sleep.

"Wanna hold him?" Victoria asked.

Nic looked up at her. "Um, sure. But I've never done this before, you know," Nic nervously said.

"I know, but you have to learn, right?" Nic sat down beside her on the sofa, and Victoria smoothly passed a sleeping Sebastian to his father for the first time. 

"Is this good?" Nic whispered to her, his arms feeling like steel bands, although his son felt surprisingly light.

Victoria giggled. She wasn't used to seeing Nic so unsure of himself. For the most part, he had been the most cocky, arrogant guy she had ever met. Now to see him looking to her for help, amused her. He was so cute when his guard was down.

"Yes, but just relax. You aren't going to hurt him," she said, sliding closer to the two men in her life.

Nic finally took a breath and relaxed. He gently pulled Sebastian away from his chest, so he could get a good look at him. His eyes roamed over every inch of his son's tiny fragile body. From his dark hair, to his cute nose, tiny feet and even his fingernails. Everything about his son was perfect. 

Funny, he had just met Sebastian less than ten minutes ago, and already Nic knew in an instant without thought that he would give up everything he had, including his life, for his son. That was the truest statement he'd thought in a long time.

Nic gently rubbed Sebastian's forehead and his soft, full cheeks. He lightly tapped his nose and then he bent down to kiss him. "First time I ever kissed a boy," Nic joked. Victoria laughed and leaned over to kiss Sebastian as well. 

Sebastian surprised both of his parents by suddenly waking, staring up at Nic. He gave a small yawn and continued to stare.

Nic's eyes widened. "He has blue eyes," he whispered in surprise.

Victoria looked down at Sebastian. "Yeah, for now. There's no guarantee that they will stay that color, but who knows."

And for a moment, it looked as though he smiled at them, before he closed his eyes, yawned again and went back to sleep. Both Nic and Victoria looked up, when they heard the door close. Nic chuckled. No doubt his ever-watchful mother looking in on them. But he was happy for her. This was something she had wanted for a long time.

"I hope Marianna hasn't driven you crazy," Nic said.

Victoria smiled, "No. She definitely smothers, but you know what...I haven't had that for a long time, so I welcomed it."

Nic continued to look at the little bundle in his arms. "God, he's just so amazing. I can't believe we created this. We definitely have to do this again."

Victoria scoffed. "Slow down there, buddy. I'm still healing up down there, and you're talking about more? Um, nope...you don't get to mention more until a few years from now."

Well, that would be up for debate, but for now, Nic would let her think she won. 

"Whoa, whoa," Nic said, getting tense again. His son's face was contorting and turning red, as his legs started moving all around. He sucked in a few breaths of air before he belted out a strong cry. "Oh, shi—crap, what did I do wrong?" Nic didn't know what to do, so he just handed Sebastian back to Victoria.

She stood up from the couch and walked him around. 

Nic leaned back observing his wife. He watched her cute full hips sway back and forth, as she lightly bounced Sebastian. He couldn't think of a more beautiful sight. 

How the hell did life bring him here? A little less than two years ago, he looked at people differently. In one glance at Victoria, he thought he knew exactly who she was. Someone who would never matter to him, and who was weak. Someone he could prey on. But Victoria sliced and diced that version of Nic Andretti to shreds, and amazingly she didn't do it by force. She didn't do it by being more cunning, or by any other sneaky methods. She accomplished a feat no other had, and she did it with love. Selfless, generous, unwavering love. 

He remembered thinking that he had planned to teach her a lesson the first night they met, for trying to throw a temper tantrum in his restaurant. But boy, did he find out he was the one being schooled.

He had been such an asshole back then. Nic got up and walked over to Victoria. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, Victoria. I'll never forgive myself for that."

"There's nothing to forgive. I don't blame you for that, Nic," Victoria whispered back to him. "All that matters to me is in this room right now."

Nic smiled down at his wife, before he captured her sweet lips. "Ti amo, bella."

"I love you, too," Victoria whispered back.

****************

Life back in California had really changed. From the moment Sebastian was born, Victoria had been constantly surrounded by people, but now...the scariness of being a new mom started setting in. Luckily, Marianna had practically moved in with them, so she was a tremendous help. Especially on those days when Victoria cried herself to sleep from lack of sleep. 

And Nic was amazing. Even though he had to get up early in the morning for work, he took turns with her when Sebastian would wake up in the middle of the night. One night, she had woken up, and Nic was gone. She walked to her son's room, and Nic was leaning over his crib, just watching him.

But tonight was a different story. Both of them had been worn out, when Sebastian flexed his little lungs and belted out a cry.

"It's your turn, baby," Victoria mumbled, digging her head further into the warm comfort of her pillow.

"No, he's calling for you," Nic mumbled back.

"What?"

"You can't tell the difference in his cries? This cry is for you, not me."

Victoria raised up and stared down at her husband with one eye still shut. "You are so full of shit."

"I have to get up in four hours...that trumps your card," Nic retorted, and turned over facing away from her.

Victoria slid closer to Nic, and pushed him right out of the bed. She had to hold in a giggle, when she heard him hit the floor with a thud. "Fuck," she heard him whisper.

"First off, you didn't carry an entire other person inside your body for nine months, and you damn sure didn't squeeze a watermelon through a hole the size of a lemon like I had to do...so that does, and will ALWAYS trump any card you throw my way. Now...I think your son is calling you," Victoria spat out, folding her arms across her chest.

She didn't hear anything for a few moments. Shit, maybe she pissed him off. She was just joking.

"Nic?"

"It's actually comfortable down here. Can you hand me my pillow?" he asked, yawning.

Bastard. Victoria grabbed his pillow and leaned over the bed to hit him with it, when he quickly grabbed her wrists and jerked her down on top of him. She shrieked as she slammed into his hard chest.

Nic hugged his wife tightly. "See, I told you it was nice down here."

Victoria couldn't quit laughing. She slowly rose up and straddled him, placing her hands on his chest.

"You could have hurt me," she said, looking down at him.

"Never," Nic whispered, as he raised up to kiss her tender lips. He placed his hand behind her neck, forcing himself deeper into her mouth. She moaned while his other hand slowly inched further up her thigh.

Then her eyes widened as she pushed him away. "Oh my God, we're awful parents," she said, as she hopped up from Nic, realizing that Sebastian was still crying his little head off.

"I'll get him," Nic said, grabbing ahold of her.

"No, I'm up now. I'll go. He's crying for me anyway, remember," Victoria spouted sarcastically as she pushed past Nic.

Nic beat her to the door, and quickly entered into his son's room, with Victoria laughing and cursing behind him. He walked over to his crib, and found his son staring up at him. His cries had turned into hiccups and little tears were drying on the side of his face.

Nic quickly picked him up and held him close. "It's okay, daddy's here. Mean mommy tried to keep me away, but I'm here now," Nic said, looking over at Victoria as he kissed his son's cheek.

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her smile. "He's probably hungry, so mean mommy needs to feed him." Nic sat down beside her, and gently rubbed his son's tiny feet, watching in wonderment as Victoria fed him. 

***************

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon when Nic and Victoria received some disturbing news. Victoria had just finished up an online test from a local community college. It was much harder than she thought it would be. She had to be extremely disciplined to do online courses. She had thought they would be a breeze, but with the lack of attendance in class, they made up for in homework assignments, quizzes and tests that were almost every other day—including weekends. 

But Sebastian was such a good baby, which was a plus during this time. He either slept or just amused himself by staring at different things, while she did her work. He rarely cried anymore, which Victoria tried to attribute to the fact that she could anticipate his needs before he felt the need to cry. But she needed to give him a bath before she started on her next assignment.

"Nic?" Victoria called out, as she walked into the living room. "Nic," she said again, before she quieted. Nic was lying on the couch on his back, while Sebastian rested gently on his chest. The two of them looked so much alike, that she snickered, remembering a joke her mother had told her. Olivia had said that it's a good thing James was gone now to rest in peace, because he would have had a fit with that boy's complexion. But over time, Sebastian was getting a little bit darker in tone. Victoria didn't care what color he was, she just loved him more than anything. And what she was staring at now, was quite possibly the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Victoria wasn't sure how long she lovingly admired her two boys, but she couldn't take her eyes away from them. Nic's eyes were closed and his chest was slowly rising up and down. And Sebastian's little face was turned to the side resting on his father's chest. His tiny little pink lips made an 'o' shape as he yawned, never once opening his eyes.

After what seemed like forever, Victoria quietly backed out of the living room and went back into Nic's study to open up her last timed quiz. She glanced at the photo by his computer. It was a picture Isabelle had taken of her that first day in the hospital, with Sebastian in her hands. She personally hated the picture because she had just woken up, and with all the pushing, sweating and lack of makeup ...she swore she looked hideous. But Nic wouldn't let her change it. He said it was his favorite picture.

Before the test, she decided to browse really quickly online, when suddenly she gasped and then screamed, "Oh my God! Oh no! No!" She quickly read over the story, and it appeared to be true. Her first thought was of Paul. Her heart went out to him.

Nic jumped when he heard Victoria's scream. He quickly stood up, holding Sebastian close to his body as he walked into his study.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"Sonny...he's dead," she cried, still half in shock.

Nic sighed and kissed the baby's head. "I know," he said as he walked over and sat down on the chair opposite of her. 

"You knew?" Victoria questioned, wiping her nose. "How did you know? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Jimmy informed me a few hours ago. I didn't want to upset you before you took your test," Nic explained, wiping his wife's tears away with his fingers.

"That article said that there weren't any suspects yet. Do you know who did it?" Victoria asked.

"No. But I'm sure it will come out eventually."

Victoria covered her face and groaned. But then she realized she needed to call Paul. She quickly stood and grabbed Nic's office phone.

"I have to call Paul. I know this is just...just killing him," Victoria sobbed, dialing Paul's house. She and Sonny had never really gotten along, but she knew how much Sonny meant to him. It was the only family Paul had left.

"Hello?" a voice answered.

"Hi. May I speak to Mr. Marcone?"

"May I ask who's calling?"

"Victoria Andretti."

"One moment."

Victoria stared over at Nic, who was looking back at her.

"Hello Victoria," Paul said, as his voice came through the receiver in his usual soft manner. Although she could tell immediately that he sounded tired.

She quickly sniffed, and then answered. "Hi, Paul. Oh, I'm so sorry. I just heard."

"Thank you. It's not really been a good day for me. I still can't really believe it, but..." he started, but never really finished.

"If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know," Victoria stated. Nic motioned for her to hand him the phone. "Paul, hold on one second, Nic wants to speak with you."

Nic handed Victoria the baby, as he grabbed the phone in return. 

"Paul?" Nic asked, as he started walking towards the kitchen and then out into the backyard.

"I'm here. How are you, Nic?" 

"I'm okay. I just wanted to let you know that Sonny and I didn't always see eye to eye, as you know, but I'm truly sorry for your loss. And if there's anything I can do...people I can put you in contact with regarding who's responsible for this, just let me know."

"Thanks Nic. That means a lot...and I might have to call you on that favor. They...he was, um...bad things were done to his body. Not much to really identify. I stood there staring at this slab of burnt flesh...not believing in a million years that this was my son."

Nic immediately felt his pain. That was one of the worst things he had ever had to go through in his life. And even though Sonny had been a pain in the ass most of his life, Paul didn't deserve this. He was a well respected, old school type of man in their game, and whoever did this, would pay.

"I'm really sorry. I'll ask around and see what I can find out."

"Thank you. I appreciated it, Nic. If you find out anything, give me another call. Tell Victoria I said thanks, and I'll talk to both of you later." Paul then hung up. He sat behind his wide desk, staring over at Renny.

"Sir, we're not sure yet, but some of our sources are saying that it was the Russians. That Sonny had gotten mixed up with them, and Anzor put a hit out on him," Renny said.

Paul sat there thinking about this new information. He had felt deep down that it had been the Russians. That Sonny had been in trouble, and Paul wanted to kick himself for not saying something to his son when he had the chance. He knew it wasn't like Sonny to up and fly to Amsterdam without letting him know. He knew something wasn't right with that story—but he said nothing, other than fuss at him for being irresponsible. And now his son was dead, and he could have prevented it.

Paul swiveled his chair around so that he was facing his window. He thought about Sonny as a young boy. He had been a funny kid. Always smiling and telling jokes. He kept his mother laughing, even on her deathbed. He remembered the day his wife took her last breath. Paul had thought he was dying right along with her. He wanted nothing more than to curl up on the bed, and close his eyes too. But it was his son hugging him from behind that brought his mind back, and he realized he still had family. His son, and he had sworn to his wife that he would protect him...and he failed. But one thing he would not fail at, was avenging his son's murder.

"Renny," Paul said, still staring out of the window, "let all of our guys know that we are on the hunt for the Russians, and to bring in Anzor, preferably alive...so I can deal with him myself."




Seven Days Ch. 10



Renny nodded and walked out.

****************

His hands were shaking, and he needed to slow down his breathing. Even though he knew it wasn't there, he still felt there was blood on his hands. He quickly wiped his palms across his jeans-covered thighs. Fuck, this was spinning way out of control.

He could bullshit and charm his way out of almost every situation. It was a gift he had. One that his father never fully appreciated. His old man wanted him to be more like him, old school. Or like that fucker, Nic. But that wasn't Sonny.

And until tonight, he had never taken another human being's life. Until tonight, he thought over in his head again. Fuck!

Sonny knew he shouldn't have gotten involved with the Russians. He had never played at that level before. That was more Nic's territory, because where Sonny liked to bullshit, charm and make an idle threat every now and then, Nic would just kill you. And that's exactly the same philosophy that the Russians had adopted. And Anzor...that Russian prick, believed that Sonny had stolen from him. But he hadn't! Anzor had sent some of his men after him, but they tagged the wrong guy. Some poor local criminal who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When the body was found, or what was left of the unlucky bastard, Sonny heard on the street about it, and speculation that it might be his body. That gave him an idea. He left an anonymous tip with the police that it was his body, then he hurriedly left town.

Sonny knew further investigation would eventually reveal to everyone that the body wasn't his, but he thought he would have at least a few days to get his shit together before he was a target again. He was wrong.

Sonny had already been traveling down south to escape this whole fiasco, when he felt like he was being followed. On the second day of his trip, the person made a move on him and Sonny panicked and stabbed the bastard. Only that bastard turned out to be Anzor's son, Viktor. Of all the fucking luck! Apparently Viktor hadn't believed the police reports, and decided to go after Sonny alone so he could prove something to his old man. Dumb fuck.

Viktor had moved in on him late that night, and tried shooting him. Sonny had managed to get the gun away from him, but then that asshole pulled out a knife. And this wasn't just any knife...that fucker had to be at least close to a foot long. Viktor was certainly larger than Sonny, but he wasn't as quick. Sonny managed to struggle with him, and quickly take him off guard by clipping him in his thick neck, a trick his father had shown him, and stealing the knife away. But it only stalled Viktor for a second. He grabbed Sonny by the neck, and started strangling him, before Sonny stuck the knife in his stomach. He had to stab him four times before that bastard stopped trying to choke him, and turned him loose. 

Sonny stared down at the body in disbelief. Viktor's cold blue eyes still looking up at him, but with no life behind them. Sonny couldn't think straight. He tried to drag the body over to a swamp near the library where the scene had unfolded, but halfway from the back of the building to the murky waters, SHE walked out.

Immediately the young black woman froze. She stared at him, then stared at the body. Her eyes widened. Before Sonny could get 'wait' out of his mouth, she screamed and turned to run back in the building.

Sonny picked up the gun and immediately sprinted after her. She tried to lock the door, but he got there just in time, forcing it back open. 

****************

A few weeks had passed, and life was finally getting back to normal for Nic and Victoria. Not that their relationship had ever been normal, but Sebastian brought that balance to their lives. Victoria couldn't stand to be away from him, even for a few hours. But they had agreed to go to Jackson's house for a family and friends get-together. Jackson seemed to be the center of a very large, unique group of people, and they all seemed to have so much respect for him. 

Victoria wasn't so sure that Nic would get along with Jackson's son, Brandon. Upon first impression he seemed extremely blunt, and dropped the f-word...a lot. But much to Victoria's surprise, he and Nic had already made plans to attend a Lakers game. And somehow, Brandon was able to make Nic laugh, which was not an easy feat. Nic rarely ever cracked a smile in front of strangers. And Jackson's daughter, Sienna, was really beautiful...and really young...but she seemed to have an amazing head on her shoulders. Very bright mature woman, who amused Victoria with the story of how she and her husband met. Victoria wasn't quite so ready to reciprocate with that kind of information...since she and Nic definitely didn't share the average fairytale meeting. But maybe one day, she would let Sienna in on that, since their story was no walk in the park either.

Nic and Victoria didn't want to bombard them all with a new baby, so they left Sebastian at home with Marianna, who was more than happy to take over. She had been visiting them, and was almost a permanent fixture in their home. So much so, that she basically spent every other month with them. She no longer had to pack for flights, since Nic had bought her a new wardrobe for her room at their house. And as overbearing as Marianna could be, Victoria loved having her there.

After they finally made it home from Jackson's house, Victoria was so sleepy, that Nic had to carry her upstairs to their room, kissing her ever so often along the way. But she wanted to check in on the baby first, so they walked into Sebastian's room and glanced in his crib.

Neither one of them could still believe that he existed. Nic stared down at him. Even though their son tended to look a little more like him, he prayed that Sebastian would have Victoria's big heart. Her optimism and outlook on the world. Nic had thought of what he would say the day his son was a man and came to him asking about how his and Victoria's relationship started. Nic thought about what he would say. And he decided that the truth was the best. To admit that he wasn't always a good person, but Victoria changed that. She decided to ignore the monster and look deeper to find the other person who had been hidden for years. And he hoped that answer would be enough. Only time would tell.

"Could he be any cuter?" Victoria asked, breaking his train of thought.

"I think he needs a brother," Nic whispered to her, pulling her away from the crib. "Let's get started on that."

Victoria laughed, as the two of them entered their bedroom. Nic went to take a shower, but Victoria didn't feel like budging. She was so tired, and instead opted to plop down face first on the bed, and stayed like that until she heard the shower cut off.

She finally crawled underneath the covers, when she remembered something. "Oh, hey Nic," Victoria yelled from the bed.

"What?" she heard him say.

"Some woman from that party we went to months ago invited us to her party. I forgot to tell you. It's a garden party, or key party...something like that. But she seemed nice, so I wanted to let you know."

Victoria watched as Nic slowly peeked around the corner from the bathroom with a quizzical look on his face, his hair still wet from his shower. He paused mid-stroke of brushing his teeth. "What did you say?" he asked.

"She wanted us to attend her party," Victoria yawned.

"Well, what kind of party is it? Garden party or key party?"

"Hmm, I think she said key. But what's the difference?" Victoria asked.

Nic laughed. "Well, a garden party is a bunch of stuffy rich people eating outdoors and dressed in formal attire. A key party is when married guys place their car keys in a sack and their wives pull them out, and sleep with whichever husband's key they pull out. Again, usually stuffy rich people. But different parties, baby."

Victoria almost choked, "What?! She couldn't possibly think that I would—oh my God, I can't...what is wrong with people?!"

Nic laughed, "My beautiful wife...making friends." He rinsed out his mouth and then stared over at her.

"Eww," Victoria said to herself. "I could never share you. Ever!"

"I almost followed a guy one night who slapped your ass while you were working at Calamity's. Definitely not the sharing type."

Nic watched as his wife stared over at him with a big smile. She was absolutely stunning...and even more so now than when he first met her, if that were possible. 

"So you were stalking me," Victoria smiled.

"Of course."

She laughed and shook her head. "I knew it."

"Hey, how much do you love me?" Nic whispered over to her.

Victoria pretended to think about it and then stretched her arms out. "This much."

Nic shot an eyebrow up. "Only that much, huh?" he said, scratching his bare, toned stomach.

Victoria widened her reach even more. "This much!" she said, trying to pull her arms completely in the opposite directions.

Nic sighed. "Hmm, only that much," he repeated, before he walked back into the bathroom.

Victoria sat there staring incredulously at the door. Her fucking arms hurt from that little demonstration of love. Okay, she knew what to do. She didn't know where these ideas came to her from, but they did. "Nic!"

Nic opened the door again and leaned out. Victoria was lying on her back, completely naked with her legs in the air. 

"I love you this much," she said, as she slowly started opening her legs until she reached a full, very spread V shape. Holy shit...instant blood rush.

Nic dropped his boxers and walked over to her. He slowly slid his fingers from her ankles down the inside of her legs and then bent down to the apex of the V and kissed her glistening love nest. 

Victoria whimpered, as he started to French kiss her pussy. She felt little jolts of electricity to her brain. He was working some kind of magic with his tongue. She ran her hands through his wet, smooth hair. "Ooh, Nic...ooh, don't stop," she moaned breathlessly. He continued to lovingly assault her clit, by licking and lightly nipping it, as her legs turned into jello. And then he hit her spot. Victoria's eyes rolled back as a powerful orgasm rolled throughout her body in intense waves.

Nic crawled up her body and positioned himself on top of her. She had yet to open her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her, wishing he could take a picture of her at this exact moment.

Victoria gradually pried her heavy eyelids open, and stared up at her handsome partner. She smiled at him. "What did you spell with your tongue? I know it was something, you always do."

Nic kissed her again. "I spelled 'mine'. And don't ever forget it."

"Never," she whispered back to him.

"And when did my innocent girl turn into such a sex kitten?" Nic asked, resting his body on top of hers. Her little display of affection was beyond hot.

"It's all your fault. You corrupted me," she said back, raising up to kiss him.

"Damn right," Nic muttered, crushing her lips to his, as his hard length entered her body at a torturously slow pace. He could feel every inch of himself being invited in by her tight pussy. When he finally bottomed out, they both lightly moaned. 

But he didn't start driving in and out of her, and she didn't start rolling her hips, driving him crazy like only she could do. He didn't bite her or place his hands around her neck, and she didn't beg him to do so. They just stared at each other, neither one able to move due to some invisible bond that they were sharing at that moment. 

Finally, Victoria spoke. "I love you, Nic Andretti," she said, looking into his bright, blue eyes. Eyes that used to be as cold as a block of ice. But that ice had melted away some time ago, replaced by happiness, hope and...love. Love for her, and love for their son.

"I love you more, Victoria Andretti," Nic whispered. "Always."

Victoria wrapped her arms around him, feeling the wetness of her tears seeping onto her cheeks. She remembered when she thought that in just seven quick days... she could make a new start for herself. She couldn't have known then how true that statement would become.

*

Thank you all so much for sticking with me on this story and supporting me with all your emails, comments and votes. Many of you I know your names and email addresses by heart and although I sound like a broken record, the support I've received really does mean so much to me. I also wanted to let you know that I plan on publishing soon, so please check my Literotica bio page for all of that information, including information on a new story, a follow-up story to Damn Dress, and Sonny and his mystery woman... And I just want to thank a few people, J for the wonderful editing, TangledinYou for being an amazing friend and sister, and August_Bouvier, for a wonderful suggestion;-)

Love, 

Soular