Seven Days Ch. 08

"Are you okay?" she heard someone ask, as they pulled the duct tape from her hands. Victoria didn't say anything. She couldn't breathe.

"Victoria! Are you okay?" she heard again. She slowly opened her eyes to see Nic hovering a few inches from her face. She felt so dizzy as she glanced to the side and saw the Irishman...or what was left of his head lying on the ground beside her. She immediately started screaming at the top of her lungs, while trying to wipe the blood from her body.

"Oh my God!! Get it off me, get it off me!!" Victoria cried, kicking and pushing Nic away, still struggling to remove the blood. She looked over at the body again, which caused her to scream hysterically.

"Calm down baby, don't look at him, just look at me," Nic said, trying to turn her head away from the dead body. But Victoria kept pushing his hands away. Nic finally grabbed her tightly and lifted her up from the floor. "Ssh, baby. Calm down," he whispered.

Victoria was mumbling unintelligibly in Nic's ear, as he carried her out of the room. When they reached outside, he placed Victoria in the back seat of the black Sedan and closed the door. "Jimmy, can you help Damon get rid of the bodies and evidence, and meet us at this hotel," Nic said, handing him the address. "I think we should drive back instead of fly, to give everyone a chance to...relax, before we get back to the city."

Jimmy nodded and glanced through the dark tinted window. "Is she going to be okay?" he asked.

"I don't know," Nic answered honestly. "Antonio, Raymond, you guys come with us," he said as he hopped in the back seat with Victoria.

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Antonio received the keys for all of the rooms, and passed them out. Victoria quickly snatched the key from him and marched past everyone and straight into her and Nic's room, slamming the door behind her. She hadn't said a word to anyone since she had been rescued.

"Hey Nic, want me to grab you a drink. I think you might need it," Antonio said, looking at the shut door to Nic's room.

Nic exhaled, "No. And thank you for today. You did well." Antonio gave a small smile as he turned and walked across the street to the closest gas station.

Nic went into their room and placed the other key card on the counter. He wasn't sure what to say to Victoria. He walked to the bathroom and leaned against the door frame, quietly observing her. She was bending over the sink, washing her hair. It looked as though she were rinsing red dye from her curls.

He picked up a towel from the rack and tried to wipe the blood from her neck, but she snatched it from him before he could touch her.

"Vic—"

"Don't talk to me," she snapped.

"It will be okay," Nic said.

She raised up and glared at him, with tears in her eyes and red water dripping onto her light yellow dress, blending into the permanent blood stains. "With all due fucking respect, it will NOT be okay! I'm washing blood and brains from my hair...it is NOT okay," she croaked out in short breaths.

Nic continued to stare at her.

"Will you please get out so I can take a shower?" she asked.

Nic stood there a few seconds longer, before he turned and left the bathroom. He grabbed his keycard and walked out of the room.

Victoria quickly peeled the dress from her body. The bottom portion of her dress was still a light, soft yellow. But the top half was drenched in red. She placed it in the sink and got into the shower.

This all seemed like a nightmare. She just wanted to wake up from it. The only dead body she had ever seen was at her great Aunt Cynthia's funeral, who had died when she was a teenager, and even that had freaked her out. Now here she was washing some man's blood from her body. Blood that could have easily been hers, had one thing gone differently. To be alive, she was grateful, but her feelings were all mixed up at the moment. She just wanted to go home and forget about this whole frightening ordeal. She scrubbed and scrubbed until her skin felt raw and she became short of breath. She was so sick of crying, but she could no longer hold it in. She sat down in the shower as the warm water cascaded down on top of her, and she sobbed.

Nic leaned against the sedan. This whole day had been bittersweet. He was so unbelievably happy that Victoria had not been hurt. He didn't even want to think of his life without her. But now she didn't even want to talk to him. He knew she had every right to be upset with him. He was pissed that he had placed her in this position and he didn't know how to make it better. But one thing he did know, was that this had to be Sonny's doing. It had to be. And when he caught that bastard, Paul's son or not, he was going to torture and kill that fucker.

Nic was thinking of what he was going to say to Victoria, when his cell phone started vibrating. He looked at the number. "Hey mama, I—yes, she's fine—no, I checked her she's fine. At least physically anyway." Nic sighed, "I know, I know, but it's been a rough day. I promise to call you tomorrow morning and give you an update. Love you and good night."

Jimmy and Damon pulled up right as he ended the conversation with Marianna. Both of the men were covered in blood, which they tried to hide with jackets.

"Antonio has your key, he's in room 103. It's not much, but we needed a place that we could enter and exit from the outside," Nic said to Damon. He shook his hand and thanked him for all of his help.

"Anytime, Nic," Damon said, as he grabbed three bottles of bleach from the back of the car and went to knock on Antonio's door.

Jimmy closed his door and went to stand beside Nic. "You know I'm truly sorry for taking my eyes off her, even for a few minutes. This all happened because of me," Jimmy said, leaning his head back.

"No, it happened because of me. You're a true friend, Jimmy. And she's safe now, and that's all that matters."

Jimmy nodded, but remained silent.

"She's going to leave me," Nic stated, staring off into the distance.

"You don't know that. She's just in shock from everything that has happened," Jimmy said, trying to add words of comfort.

"No. She will, because I don't know how to make this better," Nic quietly said.

"Yes you do, Nic," Jimmy said, as he walked around to the trunk and removed more bottles of bleach and a small bag. He slammed the trunk shut and returned to stand in front of Nic. "It won't be easy, but I'm sure you'll figure out how to make this better," he said handing Nic the bag, "I picked this up for her on the way. Figured she would need it," he stated, then walked to Antonio's room for his key.

Nic glanced inside the bag and then watched as his friend disappeared into one of the rooms. He stood there for a few more moments, before he walked toward his room.

Victoria was sitting on the bed when Nic entered. She was only wearing a small white towel wrapped around her body, and another wrapped around her hair.

He walked over and sat down beside her on the bed. What he wouldn't give to pull that towel off and fuck her until they were both dead tired. He was sure that could cure this somber mood. He handed her the small bag.

Victoria reached into the bag and pulled out a white shirt and a pair of pajama pants. No bra or panties, but at this point, she didn't even care. She turned away from him and quickly put them on, knowing no doubt his eyes were on her. When she turned around, he stared at her shirt and gave a small chuckle.

Victoria glanced down at the shirt. It read: World's Best Mom! in bright blue letters.

"Sorry, I think that's all he could find around here," Nic said. Had Victoria not been so upset, she might have been able to see the humor in it, but right now, she just couldn't. She sat back down on the bed to put her shoes on.

"Victoria," Nic said, reaching for her hand.

"Don't," she said, pulling away as she stood up. "Nic...I can't do this. I may not live a glamorous life, but that's not me anyway. I don't know what I was thinking to even consider this lifestyle," she stated, no longer able to hold it in.

"Victoria, when we get back to the city, I promise, I'll find out who was behind this, and make sure it will never happen again. I didn't protect you as well as I should have and--"

"Do you see what I mean? Protect me?! If this was a normal relationship, you wouldn't have to. I want a normal life!" she shouted. "A normal boyfriend or husband who has a normal job, so I can have a normal fam—just normal. I don't want this! My father robbed me of a normal childhood and I'll be Goddamned if I let you rob me of a normal life!" Victoria felt as though she were having a mini breakdown in some hotel in—she didn't even know where the fuck they were. This whole situation shouldn't have happened, and she started getting pissed.

She pulled the towel from her head, letting her damp curls fall down her back. "Well, at least this time I was worth five hundred grand," Victoria mocked. But instantly she felt guilty for taking such a jab and the look of hurt in his eyes stung her.

"Just push the knife in further Victoria, as if I don't feel like shit. I know this is all my fault. I—I don't know what else to say other than I'm truly sorry I put you through this. When we get back, I swear I'll make things better. No one will be able to get to you again."

Victoria stared at him. "So you'll keep me in hiding?"

"I don't know, I'm still trying to think everything through."

"Is that what you think I'd want? Is that your definition of normal?" Victoria shook her head. "Nic...it's over."

"Don't say that. I can make this work, I—"

"I love you, Nic," Victoria whispered, tears finally spilling over the brim of her eyelids. "So much...but I can't. I'd lose me if I stayed. This isn't just Tiffany's, this is far worse, and I can't handle this. I—I," Victoria couldn't finish. She had to leave. She felt like she was slowly being smothered. "I called Antonio, and he has agreed to take me back home tonight. And don't be mad at him, I begged. I realize things might not be safe, so I'll check into a hotel when I get back." She tried to walk past him but he grabbed her hand.

"Please don't do this, Victoria. Don't leave me again," he whispered, close to her ear. He just couldn't take it this time. The first time she left was because of what he did and said. This time...she was leaving because of who he was. And that was something that couldn't easily be changed.

Victoria looked into his apologetic eyes. She would miss him. Her body, her heart...all of her would cry for him, but she just couldn't stay. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She wrapped her hands around his neck, and pressed her body against him as she caressed his tongue with hers.

Nic wrapped his arms around her waist, as he kissed her back even harder. He had wanted to feel her in his arms for over a week, and now she was. Maybe everything would be better after all. Especially if he could remove her clothes and get to what he desired. What would make both of them feel better. But before he could pull her pajama bottoms down, she pulled away from him.

"Goodbye, Nic," she whispered, as she backed up toward the door, still facing him.

Nic's heart sunk...again. He wasn't sure what to say. Were anymore words even needed? She wanted normal, and that's something he wasn't. He started walking towards her until she held up her hand.

"No. Just stay away from me...please. When we get back to the city, just stay away," Victoria whispered.

Nic stopped in his tracks, his heart breaking with every step she took closer to the door. As she opened the door, he had to tell her again, even though he knew it wouldn't stop her. "I love you."

He watched as she disappeared through the door and quite possibly out of his life forever. The second time around was ten times more painful than the first time she had walked out on him. But he couldn't lose her. Not again. He'd fucking go through hell and back if he had to, and right now—he had to make another move. A move he knew wouldn't be easy, and could change his life forever. But he knew he had to try, because the price of losing Victoria was one he was no longer willing to pay. A checkmate was fast approaching for the old Nic Andretti, and this time it would take much more than a poem to convince his love to risk it all for him.

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Hey! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter of Seven Days. Chapter 9 will be the last chapter in this story and I hope it won't take me so long to deliver it to you.

Check my bio for updates, and thank you all for reading--comments and feedback are welcome!

Soular