Nick’s once–confident expression darkened immediately.
He strode toward Xena, his steps deliberate and menacing, and grabbed her by the throat.
“Shut up, you vile woman!” he growled. “Don’t pretend like you know Mia. Someone as shallow and fickle as you could never understand what real love is. I’ve lived with Mia for years. Do you think I can’t tell whether she loves me or not?”
426 BONUS
Chamer 10
Nick’s grip tightened around Xena’s neck, his strength leaving her face flushed and red as she struggled for air. Yet, even as she gasped for breath, she continued to laugh and mock him. “Hahaha… Nick, if you know Mia so well, let me ask you,” she gasped. “She’s been gone for so long now. Do you even know where she might have gone?
“Do you know where she goes when she’s upset? Do you know what her favorite food is? What her hobbies are?”
Her rapid–fire questions hit Nick like a barrage of bullets, leaving him speechless.
The truth was, he couldn’t answer a single one of them.
Mia knew all his preferences–what he liked to cat, his favorite places to go, what time he went to bed and woke up, which side of the bed he preferred, and even his small bedtime habits. She knew everything about him.
But him? He knew nothing about her.
He didn’t even know where she might go when she was hurting.
“Hahaha! Is this what you call true love?” Xena laughed bitterly, staring him down before spitting in his face. “I honestly admire Mia. How on earth did she put up with you for so many years? If I were her, I’d have run a long time ago!”
“Shut up!” Nick, humiliated and enraged, slapped Xena hard across the face.
The blow was so forceful it sent her sprawling to the ground, a bright red handprint quickly blooming on her cheek.
But even on the floor, Xena continued to laugh hysterically. “Ha! Ha! Ha! Nick, Mia is never coming back. You can wait here for the rest of your life, but she’s gone for good. She’s never coming back!”
