Chapter 34 - Vegas?

"Are you okay? I came quickly because I was afraid he was going to try and hurt you."

Nicholas said as he rushed into her apartment, Cara was still on her sofa, visibly shaken to her bones.

She looked around, suddenly realising that Alexander had left and she was still in the same position that he had left her.

She looked up and saw Nicholas's face, there was worry etched all over his features. Alexander had barely been gone for five minutes and Nicholas had already arrived, he must have left for apartment the minute he left his.

"He left as soon as he came. We only exchanged a few words."

She said slowly and he nodded. Nicholas did a quick sweep of the room, there was no sign of violence or anything to even indicate that his brother had been around.

Cara looked shaken, but he was sure that was because of whatever they had talked about and not because he tried to hurt her.

"That's good. He didn't give me a chance to talk to him. But I will, I think we should, together."


He moved closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He had been so worried about her right after Alexander went after her. Several thoughts had gone through his mind and he had thought about the worst.

Cara shrugged his hand away.

"Don't touch me."

She said and Nicholas turned to her slowly.

"Cara I'm sorry things turned out like this. I promise you I'll fix it. I'll do everything I can to fix it."

"Fix what?"

Cara snapped as she looked up at him she was so tired, so damn tired.

All of her problems, she had brought them upon herself. Every single one.

It was stupid of her to even think that she could get away with everything she had done. So utterly foolish of her to even dream of the possibility of something different.

"There's nothing to fix! The wedding is still on. I hurt Alex and everything is just falling apart!"

"And this is all because of me! Because I was so foolish! Because I couldn't let you go!"

"Cara... Don't say that..."

Nicholas said... His voice slowly breaking.

He didn't want her to take all the blame, he had his own fair share out of the blame. Most of her problems had been brought on by him, nobody else but him.

He reached out for her and she slapped her hand away from her in anger.

There was a moment of silence between them, Nicholas was quiet, hurting, assessing the situation and wondering what was the best way he could reach Cara.

Cara on the other hand couldn't stop mulling over what Alexander had told her, after everything that had happened, she just wanted Nicholas out of her sight.

She sighed.

"If you really, really care about me, you'll give me space. Leave me alone."

Nicholas nodded.

"How long?"

He asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know. It can be forever. I don't fucking know!"

"Cara, we won't be able to fix anything if we're apart."

"Fix what?"

She asked.

What was there to fix?

Was there ever even something there in the first place?

Were they ever more than just a fling?

Had she not been fooling herself for so long?


Alex would never call off the wedding there was nothing she could do. And Nicholas was equally useless, to her and her predicament.

"There's nothing you can do. There's nothing I can do."

"I'm going to marry your brother."

The words alone made Nicholas flinched, he clenched his fists slowly.
He wondered what Alexander had told her, what they has talked about.

He raised his head to look at Cara and found her heading for her room. He wanted to go after her but then he stopped himself, maybe they did need space.

He dropped the present he had got for her on her coffee table. She had dropped it in shock when Alex was around and didn't take it with her.


He took it along with him to give her back.

He was going to find a way. A way around everything. He didn't care what he had to do but he was going to do it.

"I'll leave. For now."

He said as he turned to the door.

"I'll give you all the space you want. But I'm going to come back."

"For what?"

Cara spat out in anger.

Nicholas sighed.

"For you."

He answered after a prolonged silence.

"I'm going to come back for you."

With that he left.

Leaving Cara alone.

Alone alone with her thoughts.


But not for long.

Malory walked in a few minutes later, after encountering a brooding Nicholas on the way. He wouldn't even respond to her hello.


"What's going on with you?"

She asked as she walked into Cara's apartment and sees her seated and staring into space. From the looks of things she was already dressed for their trip but she looked distraught.

Malory had tried her cell for almost an hour, leaving a total of ten missed calls and four texts. Cara had not responded to any of them.

She even called Alexander, but he also didn't pick up. This made her believe that they had probably had a fight.

She wanted to just check if Cara was okay. She had seemed okay at the spa, but whatever she said with Jean seemed to have shaken her up a bit. And trying to extract answers from Jean had proven futile.

She was as slippery as an eel.

"I have called you so many times!"

"What's up? Have you packed?"

"And what is up with Nicholas? I saw him in the hallway and he just walked right past me."

So far, the mention of Nicholas was the only thing that got a reaction out of Cara. She turned and looked at Malory and shrugged.

Malory paused. No, something was definitely going on.

"What happened?"

She asked as she rushed to her friend.

She held Cara by the shoulders and shook her slightly.

"Please Cara. The truth this time."

Cara nodded.

Heaving a sigh.

"I have so much to tell you."

She said softly and Malory nodded.

"I'm your best friend! You can tell me anything."

She said and Cara nodded.

"I know. I just don't know how to put it."

She murmured while wiping her teats with the sleeves of her shirt.

"I've been cheating on Alex with Nicholas."

Malory felt like she had taken a blow to the stomach.

What?

She thought but tried to keep her cool.

She swallowed hard.

"How long?"

She asked and Cara shrugged.

"That night. The one I told you Alex and I had a big fight and I called the engagement off."

Malory nodded.

She patted Cara's back gently.

"That was when it happened?"

She asked and Cara nodded.

"Yes. We met at a bar, one thing led to another."

Malory nodded.

How could she have been so blind, how didn't she see it?

All the signs, they were right in front of her and she had missed it. Cara's sudden withdrawal, Nicholas suddenly showing up for events and her sudden unexplained absences.

The trip! They had even gone to the convention together and Cara became pissed off when Malory had mentioned it in front of Jean.

A more attentive friend would have connected the dots, but she had missed all of it.

"And what did Alexander say when he found out?"

"Did he call off the wedding?"

She asked and Cara shook her head.

"He didn't. He was very hurt and angry but he made it very clear that he wouldn't call off the wedding."

Malory nodded slowly.

Why though?

She had no idea.

"I've fucked up haven't I?"

Cara asked her friend with her eyes bloodshot with tears.

Cara was already hurt enough, she didn't need Malory chastising her and telling her about the errors of her ways.

Malory reached out for the mini tissues she carried out in her purse for emergencies. She handed one to Cara.

"Quite frankly, I have a lot to say. But I don't think now is the time."

"Yes. Yes you have fucked up big time Cara."

She said and Cara groaned as she held the tissue to her face.

"But trust me, there's nothing sitting here and crying will do about that."

Cara nodded.

"You're right."

"I don't even want to think about any of that."

Malory nodded.

"And you don't have to. In a few hours we'd be on a plane leaving New York and going to Las Vegas. You'll have a few days to yourself to think."

Cara looked sceptical. Malory leaned to her, she wanted to be sure Cara even wanted to travel in the first place.

"Do you still want to go to Las Vegas? Or should we cancel the trip?"

Cara shook her head.

"After all the reservations we made? Oh no!"

"Besides, I do need a few days myself. I'm going."