I fell for you

Weakness, can she really call it weakness? It sounded more like a strength, having compassion wasn't a sin and Nicolas could admit he needed some of that.

After he killed his two best friends it felt like he lost parts of himself, and compassion might have been one of them since he traveled alone, keeping to himself and caring for no one else.

He had millions but didn't even look at the street bum asking for a dollar, he didn't even want to help the guy in front of him at the shop who was a dollar short on his wife's birthday cake.

He ignored life around him, only staying ahead of the law, fearing one day the coppers might come knocking, or he'd be cuffed in a road block.

Nicolas felt ashamed of himself, as a person and a human being, this woman, a werewolf was so compassionate over life she rather feared humanity and ran, instead of baring her fangs against what would ultimately be no competition, she can probably tare a human apart quicker than he could squeeze the trigger.

She turned on her spot and he couldn't help subconsciously watch her hindquarters as she hop skipped those slabs again, she was short, Nicolas had no problem walking the steps laid out like railway sleepers, but she had to give a bounce every time she wants to reach the next.

He was melting inside, feeling if he had to fall in love with her what would that cost? Of course he wouldn't care, she's down right gorgeous and her personality nothing short of gold, but how can he keep her safe? How can he give her a life, a world? When the world wanted her dead.

He took a breath but unavoidably the trembles through his throat made her stop and look, he forgot she can hear a butterfly beat its wings "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing" he said manning himself up as quick as possible, torching that sorrow away suddenly by thinking of how he killed his friends, it worked, but it was too late though, Belladonna heard his breath of sadness.

"Nic are you okay?"

"I'm fine Bella, you know I was thinking?" He said trying to distract her "I want to sit at a table, and have a meal with you"

She smiled "Oh? Like a date?"

He shrugged "Kinda, if you think about it we broke our own rules so might as well right?"

"Our rules?" She asked tilting her head.

"We made them on the fairy, you sitting with those tight jeans on that badass Harley?"

She blushed nodding "Yeah, you know how they say rules are meant to be broken right?"

He chuckled "Well for what its worth, I'm glad I broke them with you... Uh..."

Her smile settled and those beautiful eyes widened, he saw her entire iris in each eye, the sun on her face illuminated so it almost looked like they were shining "With me?"

He shrugged playfully twisting away to poke at a flower just like she did "Bah! You know, I'm glad I got to know you"

"I'd like that..." She said and he looked over.

"What?"

"I'd like to have a meal with you..." She said clasping her hands "I... I never had a romantic dinner before"

"Not even with your boyfriend in the past?"

She blew through her lips "Esteban wasn't that type of guy, he was a free spirit, a playboy, his way of showing romance was grabbing my butt and drawing me against him, then he'd hushly say, oh my beautiful woman"

He smiled "Sounds like a guy who wants to whisper the finer details hey?"

"He had his kwerks, but... I really wanted him to do more, make no mistake I did loved him very much, but..." She sighed and shook her head "I don't want to talk about him anymore, he's in the past..." Bella said and her eyes came to him "I want to dare say, I found something else..."

He turned away from the flowers to face her "Dare say?"

"What's happening between us Nic?"

He didn't want to blow the balloon up fully, he didn't want to burst this moment, instead he thought deeply and answered "Something is happening"

"Do you feel... For me?"

"I do, but I'm at that stage where I like to just watch you, maybe touch you, see what you're all about" he said stepping back but his ankle caught one of the slabs and he staggered back disappearing into the bushes with a wail.

"Oh my gosh are you okay!?" She asked coming over.

"I, I'm fine!" He said getting up and beating his clothes, coming out of the garden he saw her hand over her lips, those eyes cheerful told him she wanted to laugh.

"Go ahead, I would have" he said and she broke into a chortle.

"Way to break the romance Nic!"

"I'm sorry I'm poor at it!" He said laughing with her.

"It... Its..." She struggled to speak shaking her head.

"It seems I really did fall for you" he said jokingly but that made her stop laughing.

"What?"

He shrugged "I fell for you..." Nicolas said, yes it was early, he didn't say the magic 'L' word yet, falling for her was a more adequate description, Nicolas really didn't want to give this girl false hope, he wanted to love her! But how can he if she can't find safety in him!?

"You... You're such a charmer" she said blushing.

Nicolas thought this might be the right time to embrace her, but truth is he really would undress her should that happen, so instead he turned to the exit of the garden and held his hand to her.

"Come, I might have a surprise for you"

She hopped over and took it smiling "A surprise!?"

"Yeah, you know?" He shrugged.

"What is it?"

"Its a surprise" he said leading her back to the house, inside Deno and Tony stood by the desk, Nicolas wanted to know what the two would possibly have to talk about but Tony pointed to his door.

"Go all the way through, past the entrance, you'll see the room" Tony said.

"Oh, thanks" Nicolas said, he was surprised Marie could act so quickly, although it felt like time stood still back in that garden with Bella.

He gave her a look as he led her through the house, a sense of excitement on her face, she was truly in all respects dead normal, how he suddenly hated the world.

Past the door he found a dining room and there Marie already set the table for two, next to him Bella let out a peep of excitement and looked at him.

"You already planned it!?"

"Sorry I know I should have asked..."

"No! No this is perfect" she said as he drew her chair out.

"My lady" he said in the motion of the draw and she giggled.

"Thank you kind gentleman" Bella said sitting.

Marie came into the room and saw they found te set table "Make yourselves at home you two, I'll be serving you the best meals I have"

"Thank you mam" Nicolas said but first softly touched Bella's shoulder, a sensation of uneasy joy ran up his hand feeling her bare shoulder "Wait for me a bit? I'll be right back?"

She nodded "Hurry okay?"

Nicolas left her and headed back to Tony's office, that pain in his chest still sat hammered to his heart, he's such a fucking con artist, smiling at her like that!

Coming into the office he pointed at Deno "I need your help"

"Nicolai!? What's with the sudden return? If I'm not mistaken a beautiful woman is waiting for you at a table?"

"Deno I need advice"

The man frowned "Advice over what?"

"Its clear you know your way around women, and, I'm in a predicament with Bella"

Deno laughed "Oh my dear! You've got the gitters?"

"How can I promise her safety?" Nicolas said and Deno stopped laughing.

"That's deep?"

"I realized, isn't it a man's duty towards a woman to provide her with safety? Security? Warmth? Deno I can't give her that!"

"You are tumbling down a very deep and narrow hole Nicolai, you will hit the sides of this hole regularly on your way down..."

"Deno!" He yelled but hushed himself glancing back "Deno no riddles and philosophies, I need answers"

Deno smiled "When has any relationship with a woman been an easy one Nicolai? I'd say you picked your apple, the one meant for you, how you decide to eat it is up to you..." He said and came round the table.

Nicolas stood still when Deno placed his hands in his shoulders "Just go with it, when a woman you love stands before you, you should accept her for who she is, with all the baggage she brought with her, a loving relationship is after all a two sided thing... Would you say you're perfect?"

"Well no but..."

"Then if you worry about how to keep her safe against the world, then the best thing is to just forget that the world exists... Simple"

A player yes, Nicolas realized this is what Deno is after he saw the naked girl in his bed, but wise words around that topic made him realise this man, who has no beating heart might have had it stolen instead.

"Is this how you felt with Astrid?"

"No... Astrid was a love in my life, one I accepted the perfect blossom of a good and warm relationship... But the woman I was with that made me forget about the world was named Haila like hailstorm... She was indeed that, I was flabbergasted at her, she was such a piercing love to my heart I thought this could only be a fantasy"

"Then where is Haila now?"

"She... Passed on" Deno said stepping away "So that's why I say, with Bella, do not mind yourself with other things in life when all you ever need is her, sure you just met, but she will be there for you Nicolai, she will stand next to you in your struggles, your hardships, through joy and sorrow... Put your faith in her, and she'll do the same for you, even if you can't fight off the world for her..." Deno chuckled "At least the two of you will go down fighting... Together"

The three men stood in silence then Tony snorted "You sure you're not a priest?"

"For the last time don't call me a priest!" Deno said then turned Nicolas in his spot "Now leave! A man shouldn't keep a lady waiting! Just go with the flow Nicolai, the pieces will fall into their rightful places in due time!" Deno said shoving him out the room.