echoes of silence *WWE Fanfic

xxviii.

I'm looking at my shoes as I hear footsteps down the hall. I can hear Deans voice and Seth's voice in getting closer.

There's a knock on the door I don't even bother looking up. "Nicole?" Seth whispers. My eyes stay fixed on my shoes.

I hear Seth close the door and he walks to me. He kneels in front of me and looks up to me. "How are you?"

Seth's eyes are fixed on me and I finally look at him. "I'm scared." I whisper. He puts my hair behind my ear, "Don't be. I'll protect you, okay?"

"He said he will find me, Seth. If he finds me he will hurt us. He won't forgive you for bringing me to live here and he won't forgive me for doing it."

"Nicole, it's okay. Nothing is going to happen. I need you to explain what happened." He says calmly. How is he so calm?

"I just walked in a fast food place to use the restroom. I told Dean to wait for me and when I came out I was looking for him. Roman came out of nowhere. I don't know how but he found me."

"What did he tell you?" Seth asks. I bite the inside of my lip. "He.. he asked where I had been. I told him I quit and he said I couldn't quit because I was his."

Seth sighs and whispers something under his breath. "He wants to see me tomorrow night Seth."

Seth furrows his eyebrows together. "What?" I nod my head, "He wants to see me tomorrow night. He told me if I don't show up he will look for me until he finds me."

Seth doesn't respond instead he looks at the ground and it looks like he's thinking of something.

He finally looks up at me. "You just won't show up." I give him a look, "Won't show up? Seth I have to show up."

Seth shakes his head no. "I have to." I repeat. He stands up and stars pacing around. "You're not going anywhere, Nicole."

"Seth this is Roman we're talking about. Aren't you scared for yourself?" If Roman were to find out he will kill Seth without a thought. Not to mention he will kill me, Lana, Dean... everyone who knows.

"I can take care of myself. I don't want to expose you to that anymore. You know exactly why Roman wants to see you."

I get up from the bed and cross my arms across my chest. "Isn't that what prostitutes do?" He turns to look at me and I suddenly regret saying that.

You don't know when to shut up, Nicole. "I took you out of that business so you'd never have to do that again. I don't want Roman or any other guy to use you anymore."

"So I just don't show up? And then what? What if he finds me?" I'm starting to panic again and I feel my heart beating faster.

"He won't find you. I promise. I will distract him with business or make something up so he doesn't have time to think of you. I will think of something."

I nod my head as my breathing quickens. "Don't be scared." He says. "How can I not?" I ask biting the inside of my cheek.

"Because I'm here." He replies. I look up at him and an impulse kicks in me. I wrap my arms around him burying my face in his chest.

He tenses at my touch but slowly relaxes. "I'm just really scared. I don't know in what moment I got into this. I don't know why I did it. I feel so, so, scared."

"It's okay. It's okay." He coos as he wraps his arms around me. We stand there for a few seconds hugging.

It's a nice warm feeling that I haven't felt in a long a time. If I could stop time right now I would.

I wouldn't mind being in his arms forever. He makes me feel safe and secure. That's something I haven't felt in a long time.

When we finally pull away I look at him. "Why do you want to help me so much?" I ask curiosity in my veins.

"I already told you." He says. "No. You haven't. You could've helped any of those girls that worked with Lana. Why me?"

"Because you were drowning, Nicole. I reached in and saved you before you drowned." He replies.

"How do you know I want to be saved?" Now that he's finally talking to me I have so many questions.

"I can see it in your eyes. Nicole, I could tell you didn't like what you did. But you were blinded by everything Lana told you. She made you believe that having money is happiness when it's not."

"It wasn't Lana's fault. I picked this myself." I reply defensively. "Really? Because I know Lana. I know the way she lures in women. She paints a pretty picture in your mind and she takes advantage of innocent vulnerable women like you."

"That's not true. Lana's my friend. She was just trying to help me." I say. Seth chuckles, "Is that really what you think? Nicole, Lana was never your friend. She only sees you as a moneymaker. If she really cared she wouldn't have brought you in this miserable hell hole."

"What if I was the one who picked this huh? What if I was the one who wanted this? Why are you and everyone else trying to save me so bad? What if I don't want to be saved?"

Seth runs his fingers through his messy bun. "Why are you so blind, Nicole?" He screams. I groan and turn around. "I don't want to argue anymore. Leave me alone."

Seth grabs my arm and turns me around. "No, no, now you have to listen to what I have to say." I pull away harshly. "I don't want to hear it." I reply stepping back.

"You know why I want to save you so bad, Nicole? You know why I don't want you to meet up with Roman so he can use you as his sex toy? You know why I care so damn much of what you think? Because I'm in love with you, Nicole! I'm deeply, madly, in love you with. That's why."