With the Lights Off...

(44): It Was Always You

Nina's POV

I broke off of Ian long enough to run to Derek, who was expecting me by the door. He smirked when he saw me and looked down on the floor.

"So, you were in on this?" I asked, smiling as I leaned on the wall across from him. He smirked and scratched the skin above his upper lip.

"Crazy, huh?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

I nod and shrug my shoulders. "I actually thought you were going crazy," I sighed. "I thought you were going to hurt Ian. I thought you were still in love with me, as conceited as that sounds."

He rolled his eyes and said, "Nina. I will always love you. But, I realized I'm not in love with you. I was just in love with the idea of being with you. Ian made that pretty clear."

"And how exactly did he do that?" I asked. 

He chuckled heavily. "It wasn't really that hard to make it clear to me," he sighed. "He has his ways. Ways that I know he'll explain to you soon."

"That scares me," I said, biting my lip. "Tell me, honestly, did Ian hurt you?"

He laughed again and said, "No. He didn't lay a hand on me, Neens. He just... well, he just made me see that you guys aren't meant to be separated, not by anyone or anything. And especially not by me."

"And you were convinced to help with his proposal, how?"

"I told you," he said. "Ian has his ways. It's not anything you should worry about. He didn't blackmail me or anything. He's not as huge a jerk as I am."

I bit my lip and sighed heavily. He smirked and stepped towards me, wrapping me in a tight hug. I wrapped my arms around his back and he rest his chin on top of my head. "He's the luckiest guy, Nina. I hope you know that."

I shake my head and rest my cheek on his shoulder. "Sooner or later, I'm going to say 'You're the luckiest girl' to whoever loves you the way you deserve."

He smirks and kisses the top of my head. "Nina, I forgot to say... I'm so sorry for everything I put you through," he sighed, running his fingers up and down my shoulders. "I can't believe how far I went. Blackmailing you with everything you were trying to forget. I feel so sick just thinking about it. I don't even know-."

"Shut up," I laughed, pulling away from him. I kept my hands on his shoulders. "I know that everything you did, it was all because you wanted something to happen between us. Back then. I wanted it too, you know. It's just that-."

"We're not made for each other," he finished, looking at the floor. "And I know that now. I just wish I didn't go that far, you know? You didn't deserve that."

I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. "And you didn't deserve to almost lose your career, remember? Let's just forget it happened, okay?"

"Only if you promise me one thing," he said.

I cocked my head to the side. "Okay," I said, letting his hands go.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and said, "Don't trade Ian for the world, Nina. It will be the biggest mistake you'll ever make."

My eyebrows raised and he chuckled. "It sounds pretty awkward coming from me, I know," he sighed. "But, he's the only guy who knows how to love you the way a guy's supposed to."

I stare at him wordlessly and his expression slacks. "Hey, hey. Don't cry," he sighed, stepping towards me. He ran his thumb across my cheek and I leaned my cheek closer to his hand. He continued running his thumb across my cheek and sighed, "You're engaged now. You don't need to cry."