Chapter 30

Nicholas

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath, looking at Ellie as her lips trembled. I was tearing on the inside, overcome with the need to embrace her and apologise over and over. The problem was, I knew she wasn't about to let my hands near her.

"Good night, Nicholas," she said, but I didn't have it in me to respond. I just stood there as she left for her room, wondering why I had agreed to her mother's crazy request to stay over. I knew she had nightmares, and because my brother had already planned a perfect sleepover with her mother, I agreed to be left with her. I took it as an opportunity to get close to her and mend the broken things between us, but so far it was proving futile.

"Wait up," I called after shaking my head, reprimanding myself for just watching her go. I jogged after her and caught a glimpse of her ass bouncing as she took the last stair into the hallway.

"I want to be left alone," she stated in a hushed voice without spar