CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33: THE PRICE OF LOVING YOU

Chrisly asked me to pick it up before Zayn walked back to our table...

I hesitated only for a second, then answered.

"Hello?"

Nicki’s voice came through, calm but firm.

"If you can’t make time, I’ll come to wherever you are. We need to talk soon."

I took a deep breath and kept my voice low.

"I’ll call you back in two hours and text you the address where we’ll meet."

"Don’t change your mind."

"I won’t."

Just then, Zayn walked back outside, heading toward our table. I glanced at my phone.

"I’ll talk to you later," I said quickly and ended the call.

As Zayn sat down beside me, the waiters arrived with my food, followed right behind him, placing the plates down carefully.

He watched me closely, his eyes following every movement as I started eating.

"You should eat too," I said softly.

He smiled, resting his elbow on the table.

"I cook every day," he said. "Just inhaling the smell is enough to fill my stomach."

I glanced at him. "You still need to eat. Don’t skip meals just because you cook."

He chuckled under his breath but didn’t say more.

I didn’t argue. I focused on my food while he watched quietly.

Nuala, on the other hand, wouldn’t stop. She kept throwing him questions, different kinds of questions, from the weird to the deep and random, until the very end of the meal.

When we finally finished eating, it was time to head home.

Zayn walked with me to my car. Nuala followed Chrisly to his car instead.

Zayn stepped closer.

"Nuala isn’t going with you?"

"She’s riding with Chrisly," I said.

"Why are you going back alone?" Zayn asked. "And why’s Nuala going with Chrisly?"

"I have something to handle." I wrapped my arm around his waist, pulling him slightly closer.

"I just want to handle something real quick," I murmured.

He studied my face. "It’s business, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Business."

He hesitated, then reached out, fingers brushing lightly against my hand. I squeezed his for a second, just enough. "Okay then," he said, his voice low. It was already getting late.

"I’ll call you later," I said.

"Be safe."

Chrisly’s car pulled out first. I hugged Zayn before leaving. My driver followed shortly after.

On the way, I pulled out my phone and texted Nicki the address of where he’d be meeting me.

Come straight. I don’t want to wait too long.

I paused, then added:

If I don’t see you on time, I’m heading back. I have something else to attend to.

I hit send, dropped the phone beside me, and leaned back against the seat.

No games. No delays. I meant every word.

When I arrived at the place, I didn’t see him immediately.

Ten whole minutes passed before Nicki finally showed up.

But when he did... I won’t lie. He looked hot.

Sharp haircut, clean fit, confident walk. He still had that effect, the one that used to make me pause.

But not today.

I didn’t let it get to me.

I kept my expression calm, unreadable, and eased my face the moment he stepped in.

"Hey," he said, voice steady.

"Hey," I replied.

No tension. No drama.

It’s just a casual exchange, like two people who barely had a history. Not like we were ever something.

Nicki took the seat across from me, but when I asked him to place an order, he shook his head.

"I’m fine," he said.

I didn’t push it.

He leaned slightly forward, his fingers laced together on the table as he spoke. "I’ll just go straight to the point, why I asked to see you."

I nodded, giving him the space to continue.

His voice was steady, but there was a weight behind it. "Four years ago, the day I left my place... I was actually on my way back to you. But then I got a call from your father."

That name alone tightened something in my chest.

"He told me to meet him. I was scared, confused... but also curious. I wanted to know what he had to say, especially after he caught us..."

He paused, eyes flicking toward mine. "after he saw us together. So I went to the address he sent."

Nicki exhaled slowly, gaze darkening with the memory.

"The moment I walked in and sat down, the first thing he did was slide a check across the table. He offered me money to stay away from you."

I raised a brow. "Which you took."

He held up a hand. "Just listen."

I stayed quiet, lips pressed together.

"He said if the amount wasn’t enough, he’d double it. Triple it. Whatever it took to make sure I disappeared from your life."

My stomach churned, but I didn’t say a word.

"I asked him why," Nicki went on, voice low. "Why was he so determined to keep us apart? He said, he insisted, that he would never allow his son to be in a relationship with a man."

Nicki’s jaw clenched. "I told him you had the right to live your life the way you wanted. That he couldn’t control you forever."

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"He didn’t like that. He got angry. Said there was no such thing as love between men. That it was unnatural. Wrong. He practically begged me to take the money and end things."

He paused there, waiting, maybe for me to say something. Maybe to breathe.

But I was frozen.

"I told him," Nicki continued, his voice low but firm, "that I couldn’t break up with you. And I was sorry, I couldn’t take the money either."

My chest tightened.

"He looked at me like I was insane," Nicki said, a bitter laugh slipping out. "Then he called me greedy. Said and quote, ’What kind of man chooses to sleep with another man?’ Like I was doing it for gain. Like loving you was some sort of trick."

Nicki’s eyes dropped to the table for a second before lifting again, locked on mine.

"I took every insult he threw at me. Every last word. I didn’t say anything because I knew if I opened my mouth, I might explode. But deep down... I was hurting."

He looked away for a moment, blinking hard.

"He made me feel worthless. Like I didn’t belong in your life. Like I was nothing more than a stain on your reputation."

Then he told me..."