Ann2012:
Welcome back OP Happy new year

Same to you. Sorry for not updating regularly. Life got in the way.

I

Continued. Sorry for the long absence guys.

***********************
"Nic," she whispered, "please take that back. Please say you didn't mean it. Please," she begged.
Nic stared down at her. The look in her eyes was killing him. He really hurt her. There was no other emotion there. No anger, resentment, hatred...just pure sadness. Shït! Nic felt dizzy for a moment. He hesitated. 'I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry I hurt you and I lo—' were all on the tip of his tongue. He licked his lips in preparation for delivering that message to her. Here goes...
He opened his mouth..."Get dressed, Enobong," was all that came out.
Eno could feel the sadness in her body giving way to another feeling that was coursing through her body. A numbness fell over her. She looked up at him, staring into his stone cold, expressionless face. It was gone. Whatever tiny thread of a connection that they had the other night...had now disappeared. He was looking at her like he had that first night she met him. When he didn't give a ßhit about her. That's exactly the way he looked now. Eno continued to stare at his face until she could no longer see it. She looked through him while her mind was deep in thought. She was done crying. She was done with this rollercoaster. She was done with Nicholas Ibe. For good. Her heart, mind and body couldn't take it. He had called her a slut and pretty much confirmed that she would never be anything more to him. She wanted to punch him in the face and scream I hate you over and over to him. But that would show that she cared. She just couldn't anymore.
Nic left the bedroom and walked down the hall. His stomach hurt. He stood by the bar nervously, wondering what he should do. He was never this indecisive. He was never this nervous. Even at dinner tonight with the Russians, he knew exactly what to say to land the deal. He had them in the palm of his hand. Even afterwards, Eddie had congratulated him on being the best, but he couldn't even smile. What had he just sacrificed to be the best?
After a few minutes, he took a deep breath and walked back toward the bedroom. He saw her slipping into a short black dress he had bought for her. She looked so damn good, but she wouldn't look at him. She walked to the bathroom and he followed. He leaned against the door, watching her apply makeup in the reflection of the mirror. Her hands were shaky, and her eyes were swollen and red. 'I fücked up,' he said in his mind, but couldn't verbalize it. She was so beautiful. Inside and out. A combination he had yet to come across until he met her. Even after she applied her eyeliner, a small tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly blotted it, and pulled her hair into a messy updo. She picked up a necklace Yinka had chosen for her and tried clumsily to snap it behind her neck. She missed twice, before Nic gently took it from her hands and snapped it. He stood behind her, his chin to the top of her head, looking at her in the mirror. She glanced up at him, but she looked different. Withdrawn. He knew in that moment, he should have said something, but again...for the third time that night, he said nothing and walked away.
***********************
When they returned from the afterparty, Nic removed his jacket and sat his keys on the counter. Eno quietly followed in after him and walked to the bedroom. She hadn't said a word to him all night. She shook the hands of different people she had been introduced to at the party, and talked to those people, but she refused to speak to him. Fine. Maybe it was for the best. She was supposed to be here for only one reason anyway.
Nic made his way to the bedroom, and found her pulling her dress down and stepping out of it. She removed her strapless bra and panties, but before she could put anything on to sleep in, Nic grabbed her and gently pushed her back on to the bed. She just stared up at him. Nothing really registering in her eyes. Nic removed his shirt and unbuckled his pants. He pulled them down and eased his way on top of her, resting in between her legs. He pulled the covers up over them and then braced himself with his arms as he began to stroke in and out of her.
As always, she felt so good, but he looked down at her face, and she hadn't changed her expression. She was literally just lying there while he had sex with her. But Nic knew how to make her come and forget their problems. He put on his wicked grin, picked up the pace and started licking and biting her neck. He raised up to glance at her face again, but still nothing. He stilled himself within her when he saw a single tear roll down the side of her face. Hell. It had never been like this between them. Even when she hated him, he was able to turn her on. Her body naturally responded to him. But now...nothing. He pulled out of her and rolled over onto his back. She still hadn't moved an inch. He would have felt better if she would have screamed at him or tried to smack him like she had done in the past. Nothing. He needed to clear his head. He needed to get away before he broke down his wall and messed everything back up again by telling her how he felt.
He got up from the bed and pulled his trousers back up. He placed his shirt back over his head, put his shoes on and walked out of the bedroom. He quickly grabbed his keys from the counter and left.
Eno rolled over onto her side when she heard the front door slam. She had never felt so empty and hurt in her life. She would never wish this kind of confusion and pain on anyone. Maybe Bisi. But not anyone else. He had kissed her. He had made her feel so special just two nights ago, and now...he pretty much equated her to a prostitute who he had no respect for. She could have been a blow up doll tonight, for all it mattered. She didn't understand what had happened and she figured she probably never would. Perhaps there was nothing really ever there to begin with. Maybe it was all in her head. She had never had much experience with men, and the few she did know, she could have done without. Nic had used her in every way, and just the thought of that was making her sick. She felt like such a fool.
But Eno knew what she had to do now. She had to take control of her life, and stop letting people run it for her. She had to be smarter and stronger and grow a thicker skin and stop being the victim. She knew of one option. One way to end this all now. It was definitely a long shot, but she had to try. She would wake up early in the morning and set her plan in motion...
***********