The Alpha's Dark Revenge novel Chapter 60

Nikolai's POV

"Go, Liyah!"

I threw Drew a dirty look as he cheered her on, but he was too busy watching her shoot down the eight empty beer cans placed on the fence. She did it so quickly it had my jaw falling open in shock. I couldn't say I wasn't impressed. It was simply amazing to watch.

She smiled widely as she jogged over to where the three of us stood. Drew and Anna must have sworn to pick on me today, because as soon as she came, they continued to cheer, pouring praises on her head.

"That was amazing!"

"Oh my god! She did it faster than Nikolai! Come see," Annalise announced, raising the stopwatch for all of us to see.

My head whipped up. "That's not possible."

Liyah snickered. "Whatever helps you sleep."

Still in disbelief, I grabbed the stopwatch from Anna. "By 0.2 seconds?"

"Still, she beat you," Drew responded.

I narrowed my eyes at my supposed best friends. "If I didn't know better, I would think the both of you were trying to pick on me today. No one cheered me this much when I did mine."

"Nikolai, darling, you're old meat. Liyah is learning so fast, doing so well. There's no need to be jealous now," Anna smirked at me.

"Thanks the for the moral support. You're both assholes, by the way."

I tried to keep my eyes off Liyah as we all burst into laughter. How did she manage to look so effortlessly beautiful even when she was sweaty? I quickly turned away before they could catch me staring at her.

"So..." Drew started to say, looking from me to Liyah. "Annie and I were thinking about something. Liyah has been working so hard lately, her progress is amazing. And you've been working hard as well. So, Annie and I thought it'd be a nice idea to get away for the weekend. Just the four of us. We could go up to the old cabin outside town. What do you think?"

Liyah looked to me as if wanting my opinion on the suggestion. It was clear to see that she would appreciate the weekend off. And I couldn't deny her that, especially with those eyes seeing into my soul.

So I nodded.

But I couldn't help but look over suspiciously at Drew and Anna. I wasn't sure why I had a feeling that those two were up to something. A weekend getaway? It didn't sound like something they would come up with out of the blue. I'd know those two my whole life and if there was one thing they weren't, it was impulsive. They liked to take time to think things through, and whenever they made plans they took their time.

The suspicious smirk on their faces wasn't helping either, but I didn't say anything. After all, they were right. Liyah did deserve a break. She had earned it.

***

"Wait while I get my luggage. Drew and I will come in his car. Just give me a few seconds," Anna pleaded, racing back into the house.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I nodded. Motioning for Drew to come closer, I said, "We'll start ahead, there's a long way to go. You guys hurry up."

He looked way too excited by this development but he tried too late to mask it. "Sure. We're right behind you." Staring suspiciously at his retreating figure, I started the ignition and drove out of the gates. I settled in when I saw Drew's car right behind us.

Liyah looked grateful for the change in subject. "Oh, I see. That changed a lot of things for you, didn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah," I admitted. "It changed everything."

She nodded in understanding. "What else did you quit?" She asked all of a sudden.

"Hmm," I tried to remember. "So you might not believe this, but I used to play the piano. And quite well, I must add." Her eyes widened as she suddenly began to giggle.

"Really?"

"Yep," I confirmed. "There's one at the cabin, even," I laughed, the memories of playing songs and loving the way my fingers moved over the keys came to mind and I suddenly felt a rush of nostalgia.

"I think you should start playing again." She nodded when I frowned. "I know there are painful memories associated with all the things you loved. But it doesn't have to be that way."

She reached out to squeeze my thigh when my grip on the steering wheel tightened. How had she even noticed?

"Maybe...if you start doing all those things again, you'll learn to see those things as good memories, and stop trying so hard to push them away or erase them. It's okay to have them. But one day they'll come to mind and you wouldn't feel so sad. I know you're struggling to heal, and I see all that you do. But you don't have to lose yourself in the middle of all of that as well."

I marveled at how she always knew the right things to say. And somehow it managed to make me feel better. So I smiled back at her.

"I owe you a song then."