Chasing Stars - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Nash's face was blank. It was blank for far too long before he did the worst thing he could have done in this moment. He pulled his hand away from mine.

I didn't know what to say. I had no clue. How do you politely inform someone that your boyfriend is the one who tried to kill them? And then even worse, my boyfriend shot you and forbid me from seeing you and I'm such a shitty person I obeyed.

He stood up. "Nash-" I started desperately.

He ran his good hand through his hair and began pacing.

"Nash please."

He spun around to face me and opened his mouth but then shut it abruptly and began pacing again.

I stood up and stepped in front of him putting my hands on his chest to stop him. "I'm sorry. Please Nash. I didn't know he was planning anything like that, I had no clue until he showed up at the hospital and-"

"And you left with him." He said in a harsh tone.

I pulled my hands from his chest and intertwined them beneath my chin. "Please try to understand. He said-"

"My God Kate." He put his hand back to his head and turned so his back was to me.

"He said he was going to kill you! That he was going to finish the job and if you got in our way again, oh God I can't, I shouldn't have even come tonight I-"

He spun around. "That's why you're sorry?" He demanded.

"I'm sorry for everything." I whispered honestly and kept my feet glued to the ground. "I'm sorry for getting you involved with Alessio and I, I'm sorry he's the one who, I'm just sorry. And more than anything I'm sorry for not being here for you but-"

"But?" He scoffed. "There's still a but to this?"

"Nash please just-"

"You're still with him, aren't you?" He said in a harsh voice and I shrank away. Nash was never like this with me, this even surpassed his bad cop voice. He was angry and hurt and I could see in his eyes he was questioning every single thing he knew about me.

"I'm sorry but try to understand-"

"Understand?" He threw his arm up and let it drop back down. "She wants me to fucking understand." He yelled to the otherwise empty room. "Stop." He said and held his hand out to me. "Just stop talking. Please Kate."

I bit my lip and lowered my head.

Nash was quiet for a long time, holding his head with his one hand in silence. Finally he flopped back down onto the couch. The room was quiet, so quiet that I could faintly hear the sound of a fan running in Ellie's room down the hall.

"Well." He finally muttered. "Kate." He said when I kept my head bowed. He stood up again and caressed my cheek. I tucked my lips together and inhaled sharply through my nose. "Please Kate, look at me." I looked up through my lashes and he cursed. "How the hell am I supposed to be angry at you when you look at me with those Goddamned doe eyes."

I raised my head. "I'm so sorry Nash, please. You have to believe me-"

"I know." He said gently. "And I'm sorry for snapping I just, well I don't really take to getting shot very well. Bit of an insult, wouldn't you say?"

I nodded slowly.

"At least I know who it was now. I mean, that's why I opened the door with a gun in hand. I didn't know who had shot at me before it could have been any of-" He stopped and then slowed down. "Any of his men. I was even a little worried the Bonnano figured me out."