Keira's POV

The weatherman wasn't wrong. It's chaotic out there. It's don't the delicate pelting of the rain against the the windows but loud violent winds. This house is old so it's rhythm is equally scary. The lights went out. We are seated with a single candle on the table and I'm watching it burn out. After this, we sit in the dark.

"I can't stop saying thank you for saving me from this weather."

"It's okay. Where do you fine from Tom?" I can't pick up an accent. I have an accent, a southern one. It's mild but it's there. Tom doesn't have any.

"I'm from Vermont."

"How did you end up here?"

"I was visiting some friends in Philadelphia. My car won't make it. I guess the road trip was overrated." He chuckled.

"You seem familiar." I noted. Is it his eyes or his smile?

"Maybe I have one of those faces. But you don't. You are beautiful." He whispered. He has a soothing voice. "Easy. Don't make a face. I'm married. But I can't forget to mention it when a woman is beautiful."

"Thank you." I noticed the wedding ring on his s finger. I didn't notice it till now. Nick is also married but that didn't stop him...

He hasn't been returning my calls. Is he angry with me? I'm yet to know. Tomorrow I'll go to his house. I just have to see him. I won't enter but I'll go to his house.

"The man in your life must be proud."

"Why would you assume there's a man in my life?"

"Because you're too beautiful for any man to leave you alone."

"I have a boyfriend." I informed him. "Just putting it out there."

He chuckled. "Noted. No more complements. Are you from the South?"

"Yeah. What gave me away?"

He looked around the house. "You choice of decor. Your accent."

"This not my choice of decor. My parents... my father is from Texas. My mother is Native American... Red Indian."

"That's interesting." He smiled fleetingly.

Silence took over. We sipped from our mugs quietly.

My mind drifted back to Nick. His silence is troubling. If not for this storm I would drive over to see him. Think of the devil and he calls.

"Excuse me." I got up to answer in the dining room. "Nick."

"Hi." It's not him.

"Who is this? Why do you have Nick's phone?"

"Nick is passed out. I'm calling you from a bar in Manhattan. I need to close up and he can't stay here."

"How did you know to call me?"

"Because I asked him and he said Keira. You are Keira?"

"Yes. Yes I am. Text me the address, I'll pick him up." I returned to my guest. "I'm leaving for a bit."

I already locked all the doors except the guest room and the kitchen.

"In this weather?" He asked me.

"I need to pick someone up. It's important."

"I'll come with you." He offered.

I won't refuse the company. I just hope we make it there without incident.

*

The bartender has been patient with us. We encountered obstacles along the way but we have made it.

"Where is he?" I asked once he let us in. He pointed to a man on one of the booths. I touched his face. "Nickolas?"

"He's knocked out cold. I had to cut him off. He got violent with other customers." The bar tender informed me. He does have some bruises on his face. "And he hasn't paid his bill."

"How much?"

"$298."

I raised my eyebrow. "$298? That much?" No wonder he is passed out.

"He was buying rounds for everyone."

"Can I pay you tomorrow?" I asked him. "I don't have enough with me. I can settle half-"

"I'll take care of it." Ton offered. "It's okay."

He gave the man a card. Moments later he came back. I tipped him. "Thank you for not throwing him out."

"He sounded sad." He noted.

"Let me carry him out." Tom volunteered and he effortlessly out Nick over his shoulder. I opened the back door of the pickup truck and he out Nick in there. I was driving when we came but now I think I'll let him drive so that I can sit in the back with Nick.

I have never seen him like this. I let him rest his head on my lap. He is completely knocked out. I hummed to myself through the drive as I gently stroked his short blond hair.

"Is it always like this?" Tom asked me. "You picking up his tab and picking him up in this state?"

"Oh no! He is never like this. He's just going through a difficult patch."

He adjusted the rearview mirror. "You are a kind woman."

He kept her s eyes on the road through the rest of the drive. When we got back, he helped get Nick out of the car. At that moment when the rain hit his face, his blue eyes shot wide open but they slowly closed. He must be really high. He helped me carry him to the bedroom.

"Will you be okay?" Tom asked me.

"Yes I will. Thank you so much. I will refund what I owe in the morning."

"Don't worry about it. It's my gratitude for letting me stay. I'll go to bed."

"Good night Tom."

I locked the door after he left. Keith's clothes are really coming in handy today. I gave him a sponge bath and dressed him up all over again. I made sure to cover him before cuddling next to him. I'm happy he's here even in this condition.

*

A knock on the door startled me awake. It took me a moment to walk to the door. "Yes?"

"Good morning." Tom smiled at me. He's dressed in his own clothes. "I want to take off. I called AAA. I'll be all right."

"Oh... Okay. Well don't let me delay you."

"Thank you so much for your generosity. It was lovely meeting you and your boyfriend. Pass my regards. Have a lovely day." He walked away only to stop. "Oh! By the way! The barn door held through the night. All right. Bye."

"Bye Tom."

I listened as he we t down the steps until the front door opened and closed. I went to the window off the staircase to see him get into the AAA car. His SUV is being towed. I watched until they left.

"Kei."

I turned immediately. "Nick!" I can't help but smile. "You're awake."

"Where am I?"

"You are in my father's house. You told the bar tender to call me. Remember?"

He ran his hands over his face. "Whose clothes are these?"

"Keith's."

"Is it all right if I shower?"

"There's a bathroom in the bedroom sweetie."

He went back to the bedroom.

Is it me or is he a little colder than usual?

Nick's POV

I feel ashamed.

The last thing I wanted was for Kei to see me like that. Ever since I started drinking, I haven't had a clear enough mind to just talk to her. I think about her often but when too high out of my mind, I can't approach her. I embarrassed that she came to get me.

I have spiraled and I have spiraled fast! It helps m not to think. I need a blank mind. There's just too much shit going on in my life for me to want my mind to think.

She's having humming as she fries some eggs.

I have endless missed calls from my mother. She's the kind to call repeatedly until her call is picked.

"It rang all night. I wasn't sure I should answer." She informed me. She caught me off guard when she settled on my lap and straddled me. She kissed my lips ever so gently. I have missed this too but something feels wrong and I think I'm the problem. I broke the kiss. "What's wrong?"

My hands slipped through the silk robe, feeling her bare skin. There are moments prior to this when I wouldn't have passed off a chance to have her. It's all I wanted to do since we first made love. But now I can't help but connect her presence in my life with every single thing that has gone wrong.

"I'm so sorry that you had to see me like that."

"It's okay sweetie." She kissed me again. This time I barely responded. Her grimace is enough to show her confusion. "Nick if I have done anything-"

I got up and set her down on her feet.

"It's not you. It's me. I have a lot of shit to figure out and I think we need space."

"Space?" She wrapped her robe around herself. "Why?"

"It's not going to work when I'm like this. Kei, I think you came into my life at the wrong time. I was impulsive. I should have waited before pursuing you.

"Please don't say that..." her eyes teared up. "Nick please don't say that."

"See you around."

Walking out, putting distance between us, is breaking my heart. I should have done this earlier. I would still have my job at Bale Industries. I wouldn't have crossed paths with the police.

I got into the cab waiting for me and saw her standing at the door. Her beautiful eyes are glistening with tears. I turned away to end my suffering. The taxi driver away and when I turned to look at her, she is standing on the spot where the taxi was. She's such a beautiful woman. She deserves better.

I have to resolve not to drink anymore. The funny thing is that I tell myself this just before I drink.

"Stop here." I reached for my wallet and paid the driver. "Thanks man."

He drove away as I entered the bar. "We are not open!" The bartender announced. When he paid attention to me he frowned. "Dude, you have a problem."

"I'm not here to drink. Don't give me a drink. I want to settle my tab."

"It was settled."

"Who settled it?"

"The man Keira came with."

"How do you know Keira?" I questioned him.

"Easy dude. Easy. You said I should call Keira. I called her. She drove through a storm to come get you." There was a storm? She drove through a storm? Now I feel like an asshole for walking out on her like that. "The guy she was with picked up your tab."

"She was with a man? Was he old?"

Maybe her father.

"He looked a little older than you but not old. If he was old he wouldn't have carried you on his shoulder like that."

"His name?"

"She called him Tom."

"Tom?"

He stopped polishing the glasses. "Look dude, I don't mean to meddle in your business but I think that man was shady and Keira seems like a good person. She called him Tom but when I printed out the receipt, it wasn't the name I got. His name was Romano Mancini."

Fuck!

He got that close to Kei. He carried me out of this bar. While I was passed out... I thought I saw him! Yes! I opened my eyes, I saw him! But I was too high to make sense of it. I was too high to have done anything for her if his intention was to hurt her. He spent the night in the same house as I did and also with Kei.

Fuck!

"Did you tell her?"

"The way he looked at me when I realized it, was scary. I backed off." He answered.

"Thanks."