Mario can tell something's wrong. His eyes burn with intensity as he watches me. "Nicole, you are extremely uptight. I know you and I know something is going on. Talk to me."

Laying my head back on the seat, I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"I've been seeing the vice president of Twisted. Devin and I have been dating for a few months but we've recently had some problems."

Mario's head quickly swivels in my direction, his eyes sharp. "What kind of problems? You need my help with something?"

My eyes go wide, "No no no, please don't do anything Mario. I'll be fine. I can handle it."

"Well from the looks of things, you aren't handling it very well. Is he the reason you won't see me?"

"I've told you a million times why I won't go out with you Mario and it has nothing to do with Devin. Besides when I started seeing him, I had no idea his club was working for you. Listen, I will be fine."

Placing my hand on his arm, my eyes plead with him. "Please promise me you won't do anything, please?"

But he doesn't respond.

Oh no...I can't breathe. I shouldn't have told him. Shit. I know how the Moretti's operate and I don't want him harming Devin.

His eyes just stare at me.

I'm feeling panic rise in my chest.

"Mario???"

He looks away from me as if he's thinking. Glancing back at me, he says in a low tone, "Ok Nicole but listen, if you need me, you will call me. Am I clear?"

I sigh in relief, "Yes, I will call you."

I barely mumble a goodbye before I bolt out of the car. Almost tripping over my own feet, I can't wait to get inside, to get behind closed doors. Alone. All of the tears that I thought were gone come to the surface, all at once. No sooner had I closed the front door, I drop my bag and I feel my legs give out as I slide to the floor. I can't stop the flood that's hitting me, like a tsunami. I miss Devin so much and seeing him is bringing all of those feelings to the surface. I had no idea that seeing him today would affect me this way. I thought I could handle it.

The doorbell rings. Shit, how long have I been sitting here? I get up slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible, hoping whoever it was will go away. I check the door cam on my phone and see that it's Sydney. Opening the door for her opens the floodgates for me, yet again.

"Oh honey," as she pulls me in to a tight embrace, "honey, what happened?"

In between sobs and hiccups, I try to speak, "No-thing...it was...I just...I saw him...and...and...I can't...I, oh Sydney!"

She takes my hand leading me to the living room sofa. "Honey, it's going to be ok."

Syd hugs me and rocks me like a baby, trying to soothe me with soft words. I feel pathetic. Eventually, I attempt to tell her what happened but honestly, nothing really happened, and I feel even more pathetic. Oh my God, what is wrong with me?

"Syd I don't know what's wrong with me. Nothing happened. The meeting was uneventful; I guess...it was just seeing him. I don't know what to do Syd. I'm a wreck...I want him here with me, but I know that's being selfish. I don't want to stand in the way of his happy family, and I don't want him to be torn because of me."

Sydney crooks her finger under my chin, lifting so my eyes meet hers. "Shhh...Nicole listen to me, things will work out. Just talk to him, give him a chance to explain. Maybe you'll find out that it wasn't at all what you're thinking."

I just sit there staring at her, shaking my head. "No Syd I can't. If he wanted this, if he wanted, me, don't you think he would've at least sent me a text...something? But he hasn't so I think he's told me all I need to know." I hear Sydney sigh.

She stands and leads me to the stairs. "Nic, why don't you take a nice long shower, while I order some take out and then we'll chill and watch movies, ok?"

The shower is nice, but it does nothing to ease the pain I feel in my aching chest. I'm going to get through this, right? I mean, my life will go on, at least that's what I keep trying to tell my heart but I'm not sure it believes me.

Syd and I crawl into my bed with cartons of Chinese food and binge episodes of Queer Eye on Netflix, until complete exhaustion and sleep took over.