Chapter 302) Punch/Slap/Love

San Myshuno
Stargazer Lounge

Laughing, Liam pat Chase on the shoulder, while Colton was still telling amusing anecdotes about Chase and Colton’s band ‘2Dark 2C’s’ last tour together, featuring ViVa, which was Chase’s older sister and Liam’s wife Vivien’s stage name. Still chuckling, Liam glanced past Colton, his face instantly hardened, his smile vanished. Without a word he just walked off. Fast.

“Liam – what’s wrong buddy?” Chase called after him but tensed up too as he saw Liam rush towards Vivien, who was arguing with some man Chase didn’t immediately recognize. Vivien now slapped the man and the penny finally dropped for Chase.

“Oh crap! That’s fucking Alex Montgomery!” he said when the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Alex Montgomery was a lot of things, among them once upon a time a much-celebrated and very promising pro-football quarterback, all that fame and attention right at the beginning of his career had made him arrogant and entitled, but above all he once was an ex-lover of Vivien’s during one of their many breakups, this one preceding their divorce before they eventually reconciled and remarried, so above all he was a red flag for Liam – especially around Vivien.

Without skipping a beat, Liam had already grabbed the man, twirled him around to face him and planted a well-placed, hard punch into the man’s face, sending him straight to the ground, where he remained, T.K.O. Some women in the background screamed, Vivien shrieked, Chase hurried over to prevent the worst, while Colton, Hailey and Maddie did their best to keep the alarmed bouncers at bay and distract the other patrons of the lounge.

The next morning it quickly became clear that all attempts to keep this incident out of the public eye had failed miserably. It was one of the top headlines in every news outlet. THE breaking news. Pop icon ViVa’s lawyer husband on a rampage in an upscale lounge. UGH. Not quite the type of publicity Liam could use to increase credibility of his skills as an attorney. Luckily, his name was not really mentioned, he was basically just ‘Mr. ViVa’. Whatever, suited him just fine.

Smirking, Nick, keep staring at his dad during breakfast.

“Something on your mind, kid?” Liam asked unnerved. He already knew what that was about.

“Nothing dad. Or are you going to beat it out of me?” Nick chuckled, making his sister Aria-Grace giggle too, who put a magazine on the table, with Liam, Vivien and Alex Montgomery on the front page.

“I just might!” Liam ‘threatened’, annoyed, after reading the caption ‘ViVa’s husband got the Beats too!‘. Yikes. Not exactly what any parent wanted their kids to see. Vivien glanced at it, rolled her eyes and put the magazine out of sight.

“In your father’s defense, while we both don’t condone violence, once you are an adult, there are sometimes good reasons for what he did. Alex definitely is a walking, talking reason to get his ass kicked.”

“I know. Grandpa still has a lot to say about him, and I even remember him. What a douche. That dumbass can’t even behave professionally, got himself kicked out of all the major pro-football teams by now, and nobody wants to hire him anymore. I am just grateful that tool didn’t end up as my stepdad!” Nick sounded gleeful, while grimacing. (re-read all about it in two previous chapters, CLICK here and CLICK here )

San Myshuno
Enroute to a Nightclub

Friday night, Summer break, Nick’s heartbreak had him crawl out of his skin, his best friend Rohan refused to go out no matter how much Nick begged, all of Nick’s cousins were busy, most of his friends were away on vacation, so Nick took matters into his own hands, called the number a stunning beauty had slipped him some days ago and off they were to dance the night away – leaving the end open to see where the night might take them after the club. Nick definitely had some X-rated ideas for that.

Naturally, Nick went all out and hired a limousine to pick Eva up. It had the intended effect. She was very impressed and didn’t even try to hide her swooning over Nick and everything he had to offer.

“Oh man, Nick. I can’t believe we’ll be rolling up to the club in a friggin’ limo! Wow, San Myshuno is beautiful at night. I have never seen it like this. Nick, look.”

“No, I am looking at something a LOT more beautiful than some buildings and lights.”

“Nick … you are one smooth talker!” Eva giggled.

“Oh no, you got me all wrong, girl. I do a lot more than just talk. I walk that walk, babe.”

After arriving at the club

The moment they entered, before their eyes even had a chance to fully adjust to the darkness mixed with neon lights, and interrupted by strobe lights, someone appeared and shoved Nick away from Eva, whom he had his arm around.

Eva shrieked, Nick cursed.

“Nick, who the hell is that!?” Eva exclaimed.

“Yes, Nick. Tell her who the hell I am.” challenged the gorgeous brunette.

“Addy?!” mumbled Nick shocked, surprised, confused.

“Nick – do you know that crazy chick?” Eva wondered.

“TELL HER WHO I AM, NICK! TELL HER WHAT MADE THIS ‘CHICK’ SO CRAZY! TELL HER!”

“Okay, okay, fine. She’s my ex-girlfriend.” Nick finally said.

“I am your WHAT?! Che cavolo?! STRONZO!” Adrianna’s voice nearly tipped over, before she just slapped him. Hard.

(Author’s Note: Che cavolo – What the hell, Stronzo – a**hole)

“I can’t believe this! Ex? EX?! Ma, che sei grullo? How dare you?! Figlio di puttana!!!” Adrianna yelled, her eyes welling up, as she turned from him.

“Shit!” Nick muttered.

(Author’s Note: Ma, che sei grullo – Are you kidding me, Figlio di puttana – Son of a b*tch!)

“Unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE! Pezzo di merda!” Addy mumbled, trying to keep her composure as other patrons of the club started to enjoy the entertainment all this provided them, while Nick tried to get his own bearings about him.

When Addy started to walk away, he held on to her. Gently, but firmly. No, not like this.

(Author’s Note: Pezzo di merda! – piece of sh*t!)

“Addy, wait. Stop. You’re not my ex? I thought we broke up? Back in Tartosa … I thought that’s what you were REALLY saying without actually saying the words.”

“No. I was being honest with you, Nick. I thought you were the one person in this world I could be honest and myself with. I didn’t even understand why you got so mad at me, but I felt so bad, the way things ended. I came to see you at the rental every single day, but your parents kept blowing me off and then one day you all were gone – without ever coming to see me again. You ghosted me online, didn’t answer my calls or texts. So, since I felt I caused this … this …. ‘misunderstanding’, here I am. Guess what? You already replaced me! How could you?! Stronzo!” Adrianna sounded genuinely hurt.

“Yeah, I am a big fat stronzo, but I didn’t replace you! You have to believe me, I thought you dumped me, back when we talked outside your villa! I thought you were done with me. That’s why I was so pissed. Don’t worry about her, she is just some rando, just some chick, entertainment for a night, not important.” Nick tried to salvage the situation.

“NOT IMPORTANT?! SOME CHICK!? RANDO!?!!? GET FUCKED, YOU ASSHOLE!!!” this time Eva slapped, him, then turned on her heels, running out of the club, fuming.

“Damn – not my night tonight.” Nick moaned, rubbing his cheek.

“Oh, my poor darling. Che puttana, she had no right. You are not HER boyfriend and she’s not even Italian. Tssk. The nerve.” Adrianna’s soft voice went down like honey, as she gently stroked his cheek.

“Addy, can we talk, please. Outside?” Nick pleaded.

“Okay.” her reply was barely a whisper.

Outside they found a bench and sat down.

“Addy, I am sorry. I really thought you were done with me. That I didn’t fit into your new plan. I can’t be that, whatever you seem to want to be. Just sit on my ass and do nothing with my life, no matter how much money my family may have. Just can’t.”

“No, I get it. I thought about it and realized how that must have sounded. Honestly, I am so comfortable with you, I didn’t think before I spoke. Whatever popped into my head, I said. I know how you are, I know a career and purpose is important to you. And that’s not wrong. Maybe you can help me figure something out that would be right for me. I am sure there is something that I am good at and that interests me. Fashion comes to mind. There has to be something.”

“So, you don’t hate me now?” Nick wondered.

“Oh no, amore mio, io sono pazza di te. Non posso vivere senza di te. Ti amo. I could NEVER hate you, Nick. I just love you too much. I am hurt, but I am so happy to see you, it makes me forget about all that. I love you, Nick, and I missed you too much to even wanna deal with any of this. I just wanna move on and be here, in this moment, with you. I want to not hurt for a while.”

(Author’s Note: amore mio, io sono pazza di te. Non posso vivere senza di te. Ti amo. – ‘My love, I’m crazy for you. I can’t live without you. I love you.’)

“I miss you too, Addy. And I love you, so very much. It makes me crazy how much I miss you. And it makes me do crazy things. Come here, babe …” Nick pulled her close and kissed her, with relief he noticed her melting into the kiss.

“Oh, and Addy? I don’t know where you planned on staying, but that’s cancelled. You are staying with me, and my parents better like it. If my dad gets to go around punching people out, I get to have my girl stay with me. Let’s just test how good of a lawyer I will make one day. If they cause drama, we’re getting a hotel room. TOGETHER!”

“Oh, I am pretty sure your parents are expecting as much. How did you think I knew where to find you? They told me. And I told them I am in town for a week, supposedly staying with my sister Giulia in Newcrest, but they let me leave my luggage at the penthouse. In your room, where I got ready to come here.” Adrianna smiled, winking at him.

“Maybe my parents are actually pretty cool and woke. I might keep them. They definitely earned themselves a nice nursing home one day.” chuckled Nick, winking at Addy.

“So, what are we gonna do with the rest of the night. All dressed up with nowhere to go. Go back in the club or go to your place?”

“Take a guess!” Nick grinned, while already pulling out his phone to call back the driver.