Reparation(85)

“I'm not trying to buy you, you stupid bitch! Just fucking open it!” he yelled back. People were starting to stop and stare at them.

“Go fuck yourself. This is why I didn't want you here, why I don't want to see you. You ruin everything,” she growled at him. He glared back at her.

“You know what? Fine. Fine. I can't make you be with me, you're right. You wanna be fucking stupid, then go be fucking stupid. But don't be with him. Don't go be with him, just to not be with me. That's stupid. I can bear the thought of you being out there alone, without me. What I can't bear is the thought of you being out there with the wrong man.”

Tate didn't know what to say to that – Jameson, willing to let her go. Jameson, simply begging her to not be with the wrong person. She was at a loss. It didn't matter anyway. She still hadn't found her voice when she felt an arm slide around her waist.

“Are you okay? Excuse me, mister, you can't just -, oh.”

Nick and Jameson stared at each other. She felt like she was going to melt into the floor. The two had never met. She had never wanted them to meet. They were from different spectrum’s of her life. Jameson was the dark. Nick was the light. The two weren't ever meant to meet.

“Tatum,” Jameson's voice was full of warning, but he kept his eyes on Nick.

“I didn't realize you were here,” Nick started, glancing at Tate briefly before going back to Jameson. “I'm Nick Castille.” He held out his hand. Jameson did not shake it.

“I know who you are. The question is, do you know who I am?” Jameson asked, his voice full of steel. Nick nodded.

“I am very aware of who you are. Is he bothering you?” Nick asked her, his arm getting tighter around her waist. She pulled away from him, moving to the side of them both.

“No, just give us a minute, he was about to leave,” she said quickly. Jameson snorted.

“I'm not fucking going anywhere,” he replied.

“She asked you to leave. You need to leave,” Nick stressed. Jameson moved his stare to Tate.

“Unfinished business, Tatum,” he told her in a soft voice. She shivered.

“Not anymore, Kane,” she whispered. Nick glanced between them and stepped forward.

“Alright, enough. You're obviously upsetting her. Time to go,” He told him. Jameson barked out a laugh and stood to his full height, a good two inches over Nick.

“I'm not going anywhere. Didn't she tell you? The whole point of my existence is just to upset her,” Jameson informed him. Tate actually laughed at that one. Nick just got angry.

He never did quite get my sense of humor.

“That's it. You need to leave, or I'll get security to kick you out of the hotel,” Nick warned him. Jameson laughed again.

“Try it. I'll buy this hotel, then redecorate the interior with your small intestines,” Jameson threatened.

“Stop it,” Tate finally piped up.

“Wanna say that again? I didn't quite hear you,” Nick growled, stepping closer to him.

“I don't repeat myself to people like you,” Jameson growled right back.

“Probably because people like me are too far above you.”

“Yet not far enough above me that I couldn't make you regret ever touching her.”

“Stop it!” Tate shouted, pushing her way between them. She put a hand on each chest and shoved. Nick took a step back. Jameson didn't move a muscle.

“Tate,” Nick said, his tone no-nonsense. She glanced at him.

“Give us a minute,” she urged. Nick's eyebrows almost went into his hairline.

“Are you kidding me? After everything he's done!? Tate, don't let this guy ruin what we -,” Nick started to argue, when Jameson stepped foward, pushing into Tate so see she was trapped between the two of them.

“Stop!” she hissed, trying to push them away from each other again.

“'This guy' was here long before you ever were, and he'll be here long after you're gone,” Jameson warned him. Nick glared and stepped forward as well. Tate was officially squished, her shoulders pressing against a chest on either side of her.

“Yeah, well, I'm the guy who's with her right now, not you,” Nick snarled. Jameson laughed demonically.

“You so sure about that?” he challenged.

“I was sure last night.”

It happened so fast, Tate didn't even see it coming. For a big guy, Jameson was pretty quick. He gave a sharp jab with his right arm, slamming his fist into Nick's nose. Tate shrieked as Nick stumbled backwards into a wall. She turned and hurried to his side.

“I didn't even see you yesterday! Why would you say that!?” she demanded, grabbing his head and forcing him to look up. Blood was coming out of both nostrils, and from his teeth, but nothing looked broken. He managed a chuckle.