Sunshine sat in her car and wiped the tears from her eyes. It was Nickolas� birthday and they just had another fight. That�s all they seemed to be doing the past couple of months. She had no idea what started it all or why. Everything was pissing Nickolas off and she had no idea why. She tried doing something nice for his birthday and he hated it. He didn�t even like his presents. It seemed that all he cared about anymore was his drinking and partying. They didn�t even do anything together. Hell, they didn�t even make love anymore. They haven�t made love for the past five months or so. He didn�t even touch her the way he used to and it made her wonder if there was another woman.
It was something she was wondering for quite some time and she hated the thought. She didn�t want to think about her husband screwing around with another woman. She loved Nickolas and she knew he still loved her�or so she hoped. She didn�t mention any of her suspicions to her husband, because it would just upset him even more and she didn�t want that. Then again, if they knew each other as well as she thought then he already knew what she was thinking. And if he did then he apparently didn�t care how she was feeling. She felt hurt, angry, upset, and worst of all betrayed. Betrayed by her own husband. Betrayed by the only man she ever loved.
She looked at the house and slowly got out of her car. She stood there a moment then walked back to the house and went inside. She didn�t want to do this. She didn�t want to feel the way she was feeling. She didn�t want to hurt, to be angry, or be upset and she definitely didn�t want to feel betrayed. She wanted to straighten this all out with Nickolas and go back to what they had. She walked into the parlor and saw Nickolas standing by the window looking and waiting.
They looked at each other a few minutes and Nickolas walked over to her and said, �Come here.� He held out his arms and she just looked at him. �I mean it. Come here.�
�I just want to know one thing,� Sunshine began, �is there another woman?� Nickolas just looked at her surprised. �Well is there, Carter?�
�Of course not. Don�t be ridiculous.� She just looked at him. �I love you, Sweets, and only you. There is not another woman and never will be.�
�Then explain your behavior towards me. We don�t spend anytime together. You don�t touch me anymore, hell; we haven�t made love for the past five months. Something�s going on with you and I want to know what it is.�
�Nothing�s going on.�
�Don�t stand there and lie to me, Nickolas. All you do is drink and party with your friends and don�t give a second thought about me.� She sighed. �We have been through so much together and to top it off the tabloids are having a field day with this. I love going into the supermarket and reading about my husband in strip clubs and what not.�
�Do you think I like reading about my wife with Brad Fischetti?�
�Don�t even bring him into this. If it wasn�t for you choosing your friends over me then I wouldn�t have been hanging out with Brad.�
�It was more than hanging out, Honey.�
�Do you believe everything you read?�
�I didn�t have to read it, because I�ve seen it.�
�Then who the fuck where you looking at? Brad and I only hang out and nothing more. If I wanted Bradley I wouldn�t have married you. And if I knew this whole jealousy thing with Brad was going to continue I wouldn�t have married you. Fuck, Nick, I love you and don�t want anyone else.�
�Don�t give me that.�
�What? Am I not allowed to tell you how much I love you now? Is that so wrong?�
�No it�s not, but don�t tell me you love me then go be with some other guy�most of all Brad.�
�What do you want me to do, Nick? When I�m not working or doing any of the superstar stuff I love coming home to you. I love being with you, but lately you prefer your friends and partying over me. Brad is the only person I have to hang out with. My other friends have jobs of their own and a family to take care of and I don�t want to bother them with our marital problems.�
�But you�ll bother Brad with them. He�s waiting for that perfect moment for me to fuck up completely and get into your pants. He doesn�t care that you�re married and he doesn�t care that you�re in love with me. He�s there for you, because he wants to come between us and he�s doing a hell of a job at it too.�
�I don�t want Brad, because I want you. I love you and nothing or no one is going to change that.� He just looked at her. �I took this time off so we could concentrate on our marriage and on the family we�re going to have because of Danielle. I want us to work this out.�
�Then stay away from Brad.�
�Excuse me?�
�If you want this marriage to work then stay away from Brad.�
She shook her head. �No.�
�Why not? You want to work this out yet you won�t do as I asked.�
�You didn�t ask, Nick, you demanded. If I have to stay away from Brad then you have to stay away from Brent and the guys.�
�They�re my friends.�
�And Brad�s mine, but you don�t care. All you seem to care about anymore is yourself. You don�t care about how I feel.�
�Yes I do care.�
�But you always leave me home by myself while you go out with your friends. I try to give you a nice birthday dinner, but you hate it. You even hated my gifts.�
�I didn�t hate your gifts and I didn�t hate dinner.�
�We didn�t even make it to dinner before you got a stick up your ass.�
�Sweets, I�m sorry.� She shook her head and walked from him. �What the hell do you want from me?�
�The truth! I want to know what is bothering my husband!�
�Nothing.�
�Ugh!� She walked from the parlor and he followed.
�Where the hell are you going?�
�I�m leaving, because I ain�t putting up with this shit.� She opened the door and Nickolas grabbed her before she walked out. �Get your damn hands off me.�
�You�re upset and I�m not letting you drive.�
�I�m angry and I�ll take a cab.�
�I don�t think so.� He kicked the door shut. �Neither of us is leaving this house until we settle this.�
�I�m leaving and you can�t stop me.� She pulled her arm away and went to open the door again. Nickolas stopped her and pinned her against it. �What the hell are you doing?�
�Making you stay.� He put her over his shoulder and carried her back to the parlor. �I want to be with you on my birthday and we�re staying here and enjoying this dinner you went through all the trouble of making.� He set her on her feet and they looked at each other. �Either we stay here together and work this out or you walk out that door and we end it right now. Which is it going to be, Sunnie? It�s your choice.�
CHAPTER 2
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