His to Steal

Ch. 24: The Truth (Part Two)

Sutton

Because you're mine.

I'm in bed, still honestly a wet and needy mess after Nicolai's visit to my room earlier, and I keep coming back to one thing.

He still hasn't told me why he left.

After everything, that's the one thing I still don't have an answer to.

I gave him the answer he wanted. I should get my answer. It's only fair.

Throwing back the cover, I wrap my robe around my body and tie it at the waist before cracking my door open and peeking out into the hallway. There's no one to be seen, and Jason's room is on the other side of the penthouse. Creeping across the hall to Nicolai's, I tap a quick knock on the door, keeping it as quiet as possible.

I hear a shuffling from inside and a couple seconds later the door creaks open. "Sutton? What the hell are you doing?" he asks, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I need to talk to you," I hiss. "Can I come in?"

"I—" He looks around and down at his pajama clad body. "Yeah, come on in."

I slip inside the door when he opens it wider and immediately love the space he's created for himself. The overhead light isn't on; instead, the room is illuminated by a standing lamp in the corner and a couple of table lamps with soft lighting, there's modern furniture made of some kind of dark wood, and it smells like clean linen.

Not to mention, he's wearing pajama pants that hang low on his hips, showcasing not only that gorgeous V that leads to a place I've always dreamt of going, but all those beautiful tattoos. But all too soon, he grabs a t-shirt and pulls it on over all that glorious skin.

Damnit.

He grins when he sees my disappointment. "Figured you might want to focus while we talk. You were kind enough to wear the robe for me, so..."

I just shake my head and sit down on the end of his bed, leaning back against the footboard. He sits at the opposite end, pulling his legs underneath him.

"What did you want to talk about that couldn't wait 'til morning? Not that I mind the late-night visit."

I clasp my hands in my lap and play with my fingers before speaking. "I told you something earlier...when you asked. And now, I—"

He leans his head back and exhales. "Oh, I should have known this was coming."

"It's only fair, Nicolai."

"Go ahead," he says with a gesture that expresses the same sentiment.

"You didn't tell me why you left. We sort of got off track that day at your house. I need to know. The real reason."

He sighs and hangs his head for a moment before looking me in the eye. "You won't like it."

I shrug. "I don't care. I just need to know if the reason Jason gave me is true. Because that would gut me, but at least I would know."

He shifts to his knees and moves closer to me. "What did he tell you?"

"He said you wanted to go. That it was your idea, and no one told you that you had to. That you could have had a job with the Ring as long as you wanted it," I say, keeping eye contact with him. And when I see the color drain from his face, I know Jason was full of shit.

"That's bullshit, Sutton. I—" His face goes from pale to blood red as his anger mounts. He jumps from the bed and paces the length of the room, his fists clenching and unclenching with the clear need to hit something.