Only With Me (With Me #2)(59)

I felt his stare before I knew he was there. Nic stood in the dining room staring at me. I didn't like the way he was looking at me. There was something dark in his eyes, and it wasn't anything sexual. It was something else. Something I'd never seen before and it sent a chill through my whole body.

"Dad wanted to know if the desserts were on the table yet."

He never took his eyes off of me as he spoke.

"He knows it is here. Tell that old fool to stop tinkering with that piece of junk car and get back in here."

Nic nodded and turned on his heels.

I let out the breath I hadn't noticed I had been holding in. A buzzing sound came from my right. Glancing down, it was Nic's phone. My heart stopped when I read the preview of the text message.

Scarlett: You're all set with the tickets. Let me know if you need anything else. I miss

I instantly felt sick. Why was he getting a text from Scarlett? What did she miss? Him? His call? Their friendship? Their relationship?

My mind started spinning in a million directions. Every word that was said was a blur. The only thing I could think about was the text.

Nic sat back down next to me and I tried to relax. He glanced at his phone, swiped it open, frowned, and then pushed it into his pocket. 

Do I let it go?

Chewing on my lip, I placed my napkin onto the plate of desserts and stood. "I'm so very sorry, but I'm not feeling well. I think I need to leave."

Everyone jumped up. Nic, his parents, both his brothers . . . even Kira. They all came rushing over to me.

"Nicholaus, take her to the couch so she can lay down," Katerina said as she led the way.

I shook my head and called out, "No."

It came out harsher than I had intended. Nic stared at me with a worried expression.

Looking into Nic's eyes, I said, "I'd like to go home. Besides, Nic has a text I'm sure he is eager to answer."

Frowning, he looked confused. "What?"

Tears formed in my eyes.

This was my payback for all the lies.

The only thing I could do was whisper, "Scarlett." Turning, I looked at both Katerina and Dimitris and said, "Thank you so very much for dinner."

Katerina walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek then hugged me tightly. Dimitris followed her lead as she said, "Of course. Of course! I hope you feel better, Gabriella."

Kira who had been playing with her cousins most of the evening came rushing up to me. "Don't leave, Gabi! I wanted to play hide and seek with you."

Kilyn walked over to me and glanced between Nic and me. "Is everything okay?" she asked while bending down and picking up her daughter.

"It's fine," I said before spinning on my heels and quickly making my way out of the Drivas house.

I needed air.

I needed to think.





MY HEART WAS pounding in my chest. I wasn't sure if it was from hearing Gabi say she only had distant family in Italy or the fact that she had seen a text come through from Scarlett. Who in the hell was Antonio? The uncle who owns the bakery now?

I kissed my mother, Kilyn, and Phoebe goodbye. Shaking my father's hand, I ignored my two brothers and rushed out the door to follow Gabi.

She was walking as fast as she could toward my truck. Her phone was in her hand.

"Gabi."

"Don't talk to me, Nic."

"Jesus Christ, don't do this."

She stopped and faced me. Her eyes filled to the rim with tears she was fighting to keep back. "You told me there was nothing between the two of you. Yet, she is texting you. What does she miss, Nic? Your cock?"

Anger raced through my veins. "No, I asked her to do me a favor for work. She knows someone who owns a travel agency and one of the guys needed plane tickets. I asked if she could get her friend to help out."

Holy fuck. That lie came way too easy.

Gabi's face softened. The beginning of the message must have been making sense to her as she put the two together.

"What does she miss?"

Pinching my brows together, I asked, "What?"

"In her message, she said, I miss . . . That was all it showed."

I knew I had to tell her the truth. One, because I didn't want to lie to her any more than I was, and if she asked to see the text, she'd see that was what it said. "She said she missed me."

"Do you miss her?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Placing my hands on her arms, I looked directly into her eyes. "No. Not one bit."

Her shoulders dropped slightly and she let out the breath she had been holding.

Closing her eyes, she softly said, "I'm sorry. I don't know how much more of this I can take. I overreacted again."

I drew her in close to me. "It means you care."

Her arms wrapped around me tightly, as if this was the last time she would ever hug me. "I more than care, Nic."