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Chapter Fifty-Seven
Point of View: Kayla

I thought I was going to hyperventilate before I got to Nick's house. My stomach was clenched inside me in a big fat knot and my heart was shuddering as it pounded. I didn't know what to do, Leon had scared the ever loving shit out of me. I'd never meant to get myself into the situation I was in, I'd never really thought things through, I'd taken advice from the wrong people and landed in the wrong places. Now, I was terrified for so many reasons. Not the least of which was the horrible, thick streak of raw, grey metal that stretched across the driver's side door of the Camaro.

I could see him on the balcony of his bedroom, looking out at the ocean, when I pulled into the driveway, and he looked down at the sound of the car, and waved. From that distance, he couldn't see the damage, and the knowledge that the wave meant he was excited to see me made me feel even guiltier than I already felt.

I had to tell him about Leon, but I was kind of scared he was going to think I was a whore because of what I'd done to get the part in the play. I'd thought I loved Leon, though, and the comment had been a fleeting, playful promise - something I'd said expecting to want to have sex with him, not something I'd meant the way he'd evidently taken it.

"Get me that part and I'll show you who can be sexy," I'd whispered in his ear.

"Oh yeah?" he'd asked, pulling me into him, "Now there's an offer I can't refuse..."

He'd been so gentle then.

I parked the Camaro and got out slowly as Nick disappeared from the balcony and I knew he was thundering through the house to the driveway. I swallowed back the ache in my chest, waiting for the burst of the door. I stood awkwardly, staring at the keys clutched in my hand, playing footsie with myself, trying to calm down. Tears were still streaming down my face and my neck still ached where he'd pressed into it too hard.

I don't know what Nick noticed first, the car or my tears. But his face folded in concern the moment he stepped out the door and looked at me and the car, and he shot forward. He engulfed me in a hug, "What the hell happened?" he asked, squeezing me to him. Unlike Leon's touch, Nick's released the tension from my body and the tears started pouring out full force into his chest and shoulder. He pressed his hand into my hair and tucked his chin onto the top of my head, "What happened, Kay?" he asked softly.

"I broke up with my ex," I sobbed. I could feel Nick glancing at the Camaro door over my head. "He wasn't happy."

"It's okay," Nick whispered, but I could hear the way he said it he was also upset about the Camaro. "It won't take much to fix it anyways," he whispered. That time he sounded more sincere.

"I didn't mean to tell him when he was so close to the car," I sobbed, "I didn't mean to ruin the car." I could feel goosebumps shooting up my arms.

"Baby," he whispered, he held me out at arm's length, "Baby it's okay, the car is fi--" he stopped in the middle of the word, his eyes lingering on my neck. The look of concern faded into one of anger, and his sudden change in attitude made my tears dry up like a well. "Kayla," he said, his voice stiff, "What did he do to you." It wasn't a statement, it was a question, but it was very final, very complete, not carrying the high ending as questions do.

"Nothing," I muttered.

"Kayla, his hand print's on your neck," Nick growled from deep in his throat. It was literally a frightening sound - not because I thought Nick would ever hurt me, but because... it just sounded like a terrifying monster, lying in wait for its prey, emerging from a cave.

"He just wasn't happy," I muttered, my hand flying up to my neck to cover it.

Nick took my hand away and stared at the spot, his eyes shifting from burning livid anger to smoldering, deep compassion. "Kayla," he whispered, his voice deep and throaty, "How long has he been hurting you?"

The question made me start crying loudly again.