Love & Loss

Chapter 57

Nico's POV:

I didn't say anything at first. I don't even know if I was able too, I just stared down at the boy who just told me that my whole life was about to be flipped.

And here I thought it was already bad.

Yet here I was, quickly beginning to feel the fear that the boy was showing in front of me.

"How?" I managed to stagger through an exhale.

Right after I spoke, my eyes darted around behind him, looking for any sign that my father might actually be right around the corner.

I didn't see, smell, or hear any sign of him, but that somehow made me feel worse.

He never stepped foot on this floor.

I haven't seen him on this floor ever since I hit my first century so why?

Why?

I kept asking myself that despite the fact that the answer plain, simple, and had been practically drowning me ever since I discovered it.

It was an answer I didn't want to accept.

Mostly because I didn't think this was going to happen this fast.

I thought I had more time to figure this out. More time to fix this!

"I don't know," Marcus began, his voice trembling, "I was just on my way to see him before I heard the door open from around the corner and the Lord began to speak to him."

I took a closer look at him as he spoke.

His face had shifted from red to pale, his complete and utter terror showing even though the subtle shaking of his irises.

"He started asking Carlo all these questions as to what happened to between you and him, and of course he had to answer. Apparently, he has some sort of other plans with Carlo. I only heard so much so much before-"

He grabbed at his sleeves as if the next thing he said was going to be somehow worse than the news he had already brought.

"Before what?"

His face contorted in some pained kind of confusion.

"He knew I was there," He choked out, "The Lord saw me listening in and he let me go! He didn't even try to stop me from getting this information to you!"

I think I felt my heart stop.

He knew.

My father knew everything and he wanted to make sure that I knew that.

Make sure that I knew that he had the upper hand in this.

I felt myself try to swallow through a dry throat as this tension in my chest seemed to build with every thump of my racing heart

What was he trying to do?

What sick plan was he trying to execute?

What was he gaining from all of this?!

Was it some sort of sick superiority check? Some kind of game?

What kind of game was it if he was allowing this information to get to me instead of leaving me in the dark?

If he wanted Khloe so damn bad then why is he dancing around it like this?! Both of us knew he could so easily just come and get her.

Oh shit.

I felt myself place my hand on my door as if that would protect what was inside.

That thought was so much more real now.

He could and the reality now is that he might.

I felt a bead of sweat roll down my neck.

What was I supposed to do?

I bit the inside of my lip as my next thought came to mind.

What the hell was I going to tell Khloe?

The situation just became astronomically worse and I hadn't even begun to tell her about it.

My heartbeat seemed to be getting louder in my ears.

I didn't want to lose her.

A sharp pain stung through my chest as the very thought of it.

But the possibility of that happening was greater than ever and I was at a complete loss at what to do.

Never in my life had I had to deal with something like this, never in my life have I ever felt this much fear.

Because never in my life had I had something so valuable to lose.

I've never loved something so deeply that the idea of losing them lead me to this.

"Nico, what's going to happen?" Marcus questioned quietly.

His panicked eyes looked up at me as if I was the last shred of hope he had in this situation.

And he didn't even know half of it.

"I don't know," I admitted.

His hopeful look vanished in seconds.

The next move depended purely on my father at this point, meaning I had to make a decision fast.

I had to do something about either him, or Khloe, but neither one of those was favorable.

"Go to Xander's room and tell him all of this," I began, "After that go into your room and stay there for the rest of the night. I don't need you getting in any more danger because of this."

He stood straighter almost instinctually as I talked, nodding after I was done.

"If you need me to do anything after this... Please..."

I returned his nod, feeling grateful that he was willing to help in whatever way he could.

Deep down I knew I wasn't going to ask anything of him that could put him in more danger.

For all, we knew he was already on my father's target list, and I wanted to protect as many people involved in this as I could.

Without another word he turned and ran off to do what I had asked.

I watched him until he turned the corner, checking again for any kind of presence besides his.

Still nothing.

I just stood there in the silence for a moment, knowing that I was going to have to regain my composure before I went back in there.

Once I did walk in Khloe didn't ask any questions.

I knew that she wanted to, but she was heeding what Xander had told her prior.

Which I was grateful for, but also hated deeply.

I knew that I wasn't masking this well in front of her, and I knew that she knew me well enough to be able to see through it even if I managed to.

Like an idiot, I kept silent about it.

I needed to try to make a rational decision about this before I brought her into it.

My time was limited but I didn't want to screw this up more than it was already.

I held her tighter than ever that night, absolutely refusing sleep to take me.