*Nicolas*

"Ella!" I yelled several times, banging roughly against her door. "Ella!"

Finally the door opened and Ella stood there in her poker dots pyjamas pants and white singlet.

"Honestly I'm about to buy you and everyone else in New York a hearing aid, I swear to-" I froze, "Are you okay?"

"Who was that in Josh's apartment?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

"Reece, he was set up to do that, only so our dealers don't play with us. I was meant to warn you before it happened but-"

Ella sighed, shaking her head before rubbing her forehead and walking away.

"Ella" I walked into her penthouse.

"Can I get some sleep please?"

"Ella," I caught up to her, standing in the lounge room. "You look pale"

"Well I just witnessed what looked like a break in robbery with a gun pointing my way, I look fine" she sarcastically stated.

"Emily wouldn't hang up the phone and I was meant to come warn you before-" I stopped "It happened, whatever"

Ella walked away once more, opening a door and I followed, again.

"Can I sleep?" Ella said, pointing at her bed.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded.

I chuckled and walked up to her, grabbing the side of her face lightly. "Don't forget the times you had to pull me together and watch me fall apart at the same time"

Ella had a light smile form on the side of her lips.

"I was the first one to understand you before you were known back at home," I listed "So that means I'm also the one who can see you falling apart when you smile"

Ella gulped and took a deep breath.
"That bad, huh"

I nodded, placing my hand by my side. "Look at the bright side, Josh isn't going to ever bother you again" I smiled. Though for a moment, it seemed like it wasn't such a bright thing to say.

Something was worrying her, something beyond the play across the street.

"Ella" I frowned. "What's worrying you?"

She shook her head before turning around to get to bed.

"Alright, get some sleep. I'll check up on you tomorrow" I listed.

Ella pulled her blankets and got ready for bed, as I turned away the entrance door banged shut.

My instinct was to grab my gun from my back side and place it beside me.
Ella frowned and watched me as I walked towards the entrance quietly.

Once I saw the figure I aimed my weapon up high and towards him.
"Jack?"

"Wow" Jack raised his hands.

"I almost killed you dude" I lowered my gun.
I turned around to see Ella standing with such posture almost looking like a gold plated statue.
"It's Jack" I frowned.

"Sure!" Ella nodded, rushing towards me "I'd love to spend the night with Emily. I'm sure I can help her prepare for her wedding"

I frowned deeply, watching Ella smile and stand beside me.
"Uh-"

"Hold on, I'll grab a pair of clothes" she rushed back around her room to put together a set of clothes.

"She's spending the night at the mansion?" Jack stood by the bed room door, beside me.

"Uh, yeah" I rubbed the back of my head as I put my weapon away. "Emily wanted to catch up. Its been a long year and so"

"Right" Jack nodded, watching Ella grab her clothes.

"Ready" Ella smiled, almost like she was avoiding any type of contact with Jack.

"Okay, let's go" I walked over towards the entrance door.

Jack followed close behind before we left the penthouse and Ella locked it shut.

Once Jack left our side and the entire building, I watched Ella get into the passenger seat beside me before I drove off.
"You're spending the night at the mansion?"

"No" she was quick to say. "Please take me the Rendering Hotel"

"Ella," I spoke as I drove "What was that all about?"

"I-" Ella cut off "Jack might spend the night over and...I don't like being mean...I don't want to tell him to leave because I just want to rest alone for a while...I don't like being rude..."

"Nothing else?" I was slightly suspicious.

She shook her head "Just that"

"And you're willing to go to a hotel because you simply can't tell a full grown man to go home?"

Ella sighed "Can you please, just drive"

I sighed back "Why don't you cone home with me?"

"N-"

"Josh promised to leave you alone and trust me he will if he promised. Besides, Emily asks about you a lot and Lana would love to see you"

"Maybe on your wedding, I'd like a night alone for now"

"No" I shrugged as I drove, watching the road.

"Huh?"

"You're coming the mansion, hotels are ridiculous if you have a home, and plus for a stupid reason like I can't be rude pft. I'm taking you to the mansion"

"NO" Ella yelled. "No" she sighed aloud, "Just take me to a hotel. Please"

"Ella-"

"Nicolas please"

"It's doesn't makes sense-"

"NOTHING MAKES SENSE NICOLAS!" Ella yelled beside me "NOTHING"

I licked my bottom lip and continued driving, changing my destination to the hotel. "Yeah" I whispered.

"I'm sorry"

"It's fine" I responded, knowing she was secretly falling apart and just needed that second of anger.

After several minutes of driving, I parked across the street to the hotel. "We're here"

"Thank you" Ella opened the car door.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her in lightly, "If you need anything...call me"

Ella nodded before thanking me once more and leaving.

I watched her enter the hotel and sat silently across the street in my car for a few minutes.

Something wasn't right, something didn't make sense.

I grabbed my phone from my side pocket and called one of my men.
"Tay, have two men watch the rendering hotel tonight and cover a room under the name Ella. Full shift" I hung up.

Once I arrived home, Josh was sitting in the lounge room, drinking from a bottle of whiskey in the dark.
I walked towards him and grabbed the bottle from him, taking a sip as I sat beside him.
"Bad day?"

Josh snatched the bottle from me, drinking another few sips.
"Bad year"

I leaned forward and place my elbows against my knees.
"Josh"

"Mm" he sipped.

"What do you know about Jack?"

"That he should be dead ever since he was tortured in my basement"

"Seriously now" I rolled my eye, "What do you know about him?"

"Waitress, ugly, hairy, very dumb with words, obviously not a chick magnet, looks like my deceased grandpa-"

"I saw Ella today"

Josh leaned forward and placed the half empty bottle down.
"About the play we set up for the deal?"

"Yeah" I nodded as he looked my way "She's tired"

Josh gulped, "Aren't we all"

"No" I licked my lips, leaning closer towards him like I was ready to put the missing piece to a puzzle together. "She's falling apart"

"Again, aren't we all" Josh leaned back.

"Not like this, Josh" I pointed at the alcohol. "Almost like a cry for help"

Josh leaned towards again, towards me. "Did he hurt her?!" he frowned, possibly curious that I asked about Jack before telling him of Ella.

"No" I was quick to answer. "She's just so pale, so lost" I thought of myself on a broken day.

"I must be in full colour then" Josh sarcastically spoke, also indicating he was pale and lost.

"Anyways" I stood up "I have Tay watching the hotel-"

"Hotel?" Josh frowned.

"Ella spent the night at Renders hotel because she's too scared to tell a grown man to go home" I rolled my eyes.

"Not a chicks magnet, but a fly" he kindly complimented Jack.

"I'm going to crash beside Emily since I'm sure she's laying wide awake awaiting my presence" I stood up "Hopefully she doesn't question my whereabouts and if I ate the dry chicken she attempted to cook"
But Josh didn't feel my jokes whatsoever. "Goodnight"

"Goodnight"

As I made my way upstairs, the front door banged shut and it was that moment that I truly believed love can keep you alive but walking dead.
Josh never broke a promise, but he never ignored his pain. That night, even if I went over to check, Josh spent it drinking across the street to Ella's hotel.

Promising to leave her alone, but along with that promise came protection.

Be patient Josh,
falling in love is accompanied by sorrow and escorted by death.
________________________

mark the date one 8/8/18 end of the book, ITS CLOSE!
What do yu think will happen?

Mia x