Free Seeking Vengeance: Callaghan Brothers, Book 4 by Abbie Zanders Page B

There was something going on with those two, and Sean had a lot more questions than answers.  He silently justified his actions by reasoning that if he didn’t know what the problem was, he couldn’t help fix it.  Nick was his top mechanic, and Nicki was – well, he didn’t really know what she was yet – but he figured that if he could help, he would.
    * * *
    “Y ou’re too fucking soft,” Nick said harshly.  “That’s why you always get hurt.” 
    Nicki hung her head.  What could she say to that?  Nick was right.  
    “I can’t believe you’re here,” he continued.  “Why do you even care?”
    Nicki ripped pieces from the paper napkin, rolling them into little balls with her fingers and letting them drop onto the table.  A cinnamon roll sat untouched off to the side.  Nick pointed to it.  Nicki nodded and pushed it toward him.  Seeing her mother unconscious and hooked up to all of those tubes and machines eliminated any appetite she might have had.
    “The same reason you do,” she answered.  "Because she’s our mother.”
    “Don’t kid yourself, Nicki,” Nick said coldly.  “That woman could go straight to Hell for all I care and I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep over it.  She was never a mother to me.  To either of us.  But especially not to you.” 
    He ran his hand through his already disheveled hair.  Hanging loose, it was almost as long as hers.  “Christ, Nicki, how can you even look at her after what she did?”
    “Shove it up your ass, Nick.  You’re the one that fucking texted me, remember?”
    “Yeah, because I thought you should know.  Because I knew you’d be pissed if you found out I knew and didn’t tell you.  Not because I wanted you to do anything about it.  She doesn’t deserve it.”
    “You want me to go?  Fine.  I’m outta here.”  She’d had just about enough of people trying to push her into the shadows, tell her what she could and could not do.  Nicki grabbed her bag and made to get out of the booth, but Nick’s arm reached out and grabbed her. 
    “You know I didn’t mean that.  Christ, you make me fucking nuts!”  He blew out a heavy breath.  “I’m not ready for you to leave yet, Nicki.  Please.”
    Nicki slid back into place, her head lowered as she took another sip of her coffee.  Silence stretched between them for one minute, then two. 
    “Did she even recognize you?” Nick said softly.  “Does she even know who you are?”
    “Does it matter?” she asked quietly. 
    “What matters to me is you , Nicki.  Goddammit, I can’t stand to see your heart ripped out every time that woman fucks up and you think you can save her.  When are you going to realize she doesn’t want to be saved?  Maybe she wants to die.  God knows she’s been trying hard enough to make it happen.”
    How many times had she been through this?  How many times had Charlene sworn she was going to clean herself up and do better?  Nicki hadn’t seen her in years, but she’d made sure that Charlene had a decent place to live, that her bills were paid off when Charlene didn’t have enough.
    Nick didn’t know that, though.  Neither did Charlene.  No one did, nor could they.
    Despite her best efforts, a single tear fell onto the table, absorbed by the little paper spheres.
    “Ah, fuck, Nicki.  Don’t do this.”
    “I’m sorry, Nick,” she said, wiping at her eyes but not looking up.  “I just have to.  I know it doesn’t make any sense, but I just want her to know she’s not alone.”
    Nick sighed heavily.  “Yeah, I know.  Do what you gotta do.”  Nick slid out of the booth and gave his sister a quick kiss on the top of the head.  “Just promise me you won’t do anything stupid like blow town again without saying goodbye, yeah?”
    She nodded wearily, but her eyes didn’t meet his.
    “Alright.  I’ve got a few things to finish up at the garage.  Why don’t you head back and crash for a bit?  Christ, you look