Chapter 69 Nikki

Well sh*t.
Listening as Bronson speaks of his past is daunting. His past is haunted, the ghosts are present, and he has no idea what to do with himself.
“I’m surprised you’re still here.” He states as I stare blankly into the fireplace. Bronson brought me in here to speak about his past and knowing that it is my favorite room in the house, besides the pool, I wonder if his goal was to make me not flinch at his story. It didn’t work, I flinched, but it wasn’t because of him. It was because of mine.
We are a lot alike, in more ways than he knows.
“Where else would I be.”
He shrugs, then walks over and sits beside me. The kiss form earlier comes to the forefront of my mind, and I wonder as I watch him lick his own and stare into my eyes, if he is thinking the same thing as I am. “I told you how terrible I was in my past, how I had no problem destroying people’s lives so that I could get ahead.”
“Bronson, you may have been a jerk, but I have no room to judge. I’m a criminal, and there is no honor in our little den of bandits.”
“Yes, but unlike you, I didn’t do what I did to survive. I thrived on it, took people for granted and threw them away when I was done.”
“Is what why you try and obtain mergers from companies that are going under? Are you trying to somehow make up for what you did in you past?”
“I never thought of it that way, but yes, I suppose I am.”
“Have you thought about reconnecting with your family?” He snickers then shakes his head and rubs his temples with his hands. Its late and we’ve been drinking, the two are never a good combination, but I don’t want to stop talking, not when I finally have him talking to me about his past, about who he really us. “I’m serious Bronson, I know you’re angry with them but–"
“No, Nikki, you don’t know. Your loyal to your family and I’m the a**hole that apparently took everything away from my family. I haven’t spoken to my father or my mother, not after the hundred or so times I tried calling them when I heard his firm went under.”
“You’re not the bad guy Bronson, and it’s up to you to get them to believe that.”
“Enough.” He shouts, then stands and walks over towards the kitchen. I follow behind him, stopping when I see him rifling around on the top shelf for yet another bottle of alcohol.
“I think we’ve had enough to drink.”
“And I think we’ve barely touched onto the real elephant in the room.”
“Bronson, this isn’t about us–"
“No? Nikki, I know I threw a lot at you, but I want to know what you thought about the words I spoke earlier?”
“Bronson, you are using our situation to avoid the real situation. Your family came to see you today.”
“You think I don’t know that? You think I wasn’t there when my dear sister accused me once again of destroying my family’s legacy? You don’t think I wanted to march after her, tell her how sorry I am, explain to her what really happened? They won’t believe me. Hell, I wouldn’t believe me. I use to stomp on people’s lives for fun, it only makes sense that I became the product of my grandfather’s imagination. I became the man my father hated more than anyone in the world.”
“Do you really think that’s true?”
My heart is beating rapidly against my chest as I come in closer. This isn’t a good idea, we have both been drinking, both have had emotional days, and at any moment, Cassandra could come inside and demand we explain to her what the hell is happening, but I can’t stop myself from blurting out the truth. Bronson has a golden opportunity here; one he will regret if he doesn’t understand its meaning.
“I know it is.”
“You’re selfish.” I state then turn. I know he will come after me, I know he will demand I explain. Before I could take one more step, his arm catches my retreat, swinging me back towards him.
“I’m selfish? You have the gall to tell me that I am selfish when you won’t even admit to your own demons haunting you at every turn.”
“That’s different and you know it. I don’t have my family Bronson, and that isn’t by choice.”
“You think it’s my choice to have them alienate me? You think I enjoy being alone?”
“But you’re not alone anymore, are you?” I ask then the room turns from foggy with tension, to clear and eerily quiet. Our hard breathing the only noise emanating from us.
I step back from him when I hear the door open and shut but neither Bronson nor I, take our eyes from each other as Cassandra steps into the room, her arm full of shopping bags as Landen carries even more behind her.
“What’s going on Bronson?” Bronson is the first to break our stare and look behind him at Cassandra, as she makes her way towards us. Landen, ever the smart man, places the bags down then scurries away quickly.
“Nothing.”
“Clearly not nothing, or that little orphan wouldn’t still be here invading our privacy.”
My anger bursts through my drunken state and I march over to the diva, my fists clenched at my sides. Before I can throw the first punch, Bronson steps in between us. I can’t see his face, but I can feel the heat radiating from him. His anger is coursing through him and it’s directed solely at his fiancé.
“Do not come in this house and speak to her that way.”
“Bronson –"
“No. You will not speak that way to a guest in this home. This woman is worth ten of you and you will show her some respect.”
“And what respect does she deserve Bronson?” She asks as her arms cross at her chest. “A woman like her, a criminal, deserves nothing of the sorts.”
“If you do not like her being here, then there is the door Cassandra. She is staying, so I suggest you get used to the idea.”
I don’t stay and find out what her reaction is. I simply turn away and march right upstairs to my room, slamming the door behind me. Bronson could have told her what happened between us right then and there, instead he took the cowards way out. He hasn’t fully opened himself to me, and until he does, I cannot be with him.