NICOLE

I sit in Maximilian’s black jeep watching Leo open the door from his matte black Audi R8 for my younger sister.

She is happy, that is the only reason why I allow all of this. I want to always see her this happy.

Stephanie was a magnet for jerks, that girl always fell for scum of guys. Sometimes I wondered where she managed to find them all, but somehow she managed to do it.

Unlike all of them Leo was a successful young guy, a businessman, serious enough, nice, kind, cultured and most importantly he loves her. Love could be seen on their faces when they were together, and even I could not remain indifferent to it.

I gave Leo support because I believed in that guy. I believe they can build a beautiful relationship and manage to keep that smile on the lips they currently have. But if that blonde harms my sister in any way or hurts her in any way... It will be the last thing he did in his life and I made that clear to him.

One mistake and he will regret it!

Stephanie was my only relative and my world. I have endured everything in my life and I have gone through everything, but even in the worst possible moments of my life. I tried for her not to miss anything, and it will be like that as long as I breathe. For one of her tears, I would destroy the city if needed and not some businessman there. It was better for Leo to watch what and how he did with my sister.

Also, her happiness was mine too, so that wide smile on her face warmed my heart and my soul. I never showed it to her but she would smile to herself every time I saw her so happy and prayed to God to always be like that.

I saw Max say something to Leo as he pretended to have no idea what Max was talking about. Although I couldn't hear the conversation, I knew what it was all about.

Max and I alone in the car, on the way to the cottage. Coincidence!? I would not say so!!

Max took off his coat, put it in the back seat, and got into the car.

He was wearing a thin black V-neck sweater and this was the first time I had seen him without fancy shirts and suits. His muscles came to the fore even more in that sweater, and the black color further expressed his thick black hair and beard on that perfectly white face.

I scanned his gaze as he adjusted behind the wheel, fastening his seat belt. I absorbed every detail so as not to forget that scene, it is beautiful.

When he settled in, he turned the key and started the engine, then looked at me with a wide smile on his face.

My heart stopped.

"Ready?"

I just nodded and looked the other way.

I watched the road, trying to look at him as little as possible, while some romantic music was playing on the radio.

I kept my focus on Leo’s luxury car that didn’t fit in with the dense New York traffic at all.

"Are you cold? Should I turn up the heat?" Max asked me.

I started to show with my hand that it was fine, while he was already starting to increase the heating. Our hands touched, and my eyes looked into his.

So much effort not to look at him in a second fell into the water. One eye contact and I no longer knew how to stop looking at him.

"You have very gentle hands, but they are cold."

He grabbed my hand in his and I swear I thought my heart would stop forever.

I did not withdraw my hand or look away. In that split second, nothing else existed except his touch and that gentle look. I always felt so weird around Maximillian, I couldn’t describe that feeling. What's going on with me?

His eyes were definitely the most beautiful male eyes that existed in the world. Big big black eyes and those big lashes reminded me of the eyes of a very cute child.

"They're always cold, there's no need to turn up the heat." I withdrew my hand and cleared my throat.

"Okay, I hope you're comfortable."

"Yes, thank you."

"If you want something just say it."

I looked at him, saying nothing.

“Aren’t you working today?” He continued.

"No, I'm resting this weekend."

"I heard you still work as a dentist, in addition to specialization. Why, if I may ask?"

"Dentistry is my first love, a job I love and have wanted to do since I was a child."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I love working with my teeth. That's why I still do the dentist's job when I grab time."

"So you're doing two jobs?"

"Well you could say that." I've done more, but let's not go on.

"Then why did you enrol in a residency and why maxillofacial surgery? You could have chosen a specialization that was more related to the office."

"I saw residency as an opportunity to progress more, and surgery has always attracted me, so I decided to try it out. Maxillofacial surgery was a challenge for me at the time, so that side somehow prevailed."

"Great. It's important that you do what you love."

"I know, I enjoy it. You?"

"What about me?"

"You run a family business. You and Leo continued where your fathers left off. Are you happy with your job?"

"I am. I always knew I would inherit my father's company someday and I never shied away from that responsibility. After college, I started to work right away and today my and Leo's companies are five times more successful than in our fathers' time. In twice shorter time."

"I'm glad if it's like that."

"You know, I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"About you."

"About me?!" As soon as we return, I have to visit a cardiologist. There was definitely something wrong with my heart.

"Yes!"

"Why about me?"

"Tooth. My tooth is starting to hurt, I think it's broken. So I wanted to stop by for you to look at it, but I remembered you saying loud and clear that night that you didn't want to see me in your clinic anymore."

I hated him...

"I'm sure it's at least not hard for you to find a dentist or any other doctor in town."

"You are right, but none of them is you."

"Hmm... Since when do you believe in my abilities?"

"Ever since you did the miracle with Leo's face, that guy is even prettier than he was." We both laughed at that.

"That with Leo has nothing to do with me and my abilities."

"Then what's up with him?"

"It's on Stephanie."

"How so?"

"He's in love over his ears. He laughs all the time whenever you look at him, that's why he seems to get even more beautiful."

"Yeah, I noticed that. I think he smiles even when he's asleep since he's with her."

"I'm telling you."

"You're right. He's completely changed since he's been with Stephanie."

"For better or for worse?"

"For the better of course, I'm glad they're together."

"Me too. They're a nice couple." I answer and look back at the road where I have what to see there. Leo started overtaking every other car. The very sight of it made my stomach clench. So I looked away and Maximillian noticed.

"Are you OK?"

"He drives like a maniac."

"Don't worry Leo is an experienced driver."

"I don't care. My sister is in that car. Can you please tell him to slow down a little?"

Max went after him, and my stomach protested. But I kept quiet, because I knew he had to catch up. He motioned for him to slow down as he overtook some cars himself, but not as often as Leo.

Every meter of traffic on the road was getting bigger and bigger, which was very strange considering that we left the city a long time ago.

Max tried to say something and distract me from the ride, but it didn't work. I had some bad feeling in my stomach and I could have a premonition that something bad was going to happen.

Even though Max had warned him, Leo was still occasionally raging on the road, and I began to tremble with anguish.

I covered my face with my hands so as not to look at the road and prayed to God inside that nothing bad would happen.

Max drove quite calmly, without a single jerk, so I closed my eyes and tried to imagine something beautiful.

Just as I managed, Max braked abruptly and blew his horn loudly. I looked up just in an instant as Leo was approaching a huge truck in the opposite lane at full speed.

I screamed and they slipped off the road at the last minute. The truck passed us, and I was still staring at the brake tracks on the road behind him.

Max held my hand and started again.

"Are you OK?"

"I'm not Max, were you there? Did you see what your friend did? How can I be okay, tell me? Oh God! I'll kill that savage as soon as I get him."

"Calm down, everything's fine. It's over. They're fine."

I tried to be calm, but something was holding me back. That feeling in my stomach and that weight in my lungs did not give me peace. To make matters worse, it started to rain, like on the day my parents died.

Although we didn't stay long behind them when we left Leo's sports car, there was no sign or voice.

The number of cars increased from second to second, only to soon fall into a huge column. So big that we saw neither the beginning nor the end of it.

The cars stood motionless for hours. Many were coming back, and all I could think about was Stephanie.

"I can not wait any more."

"Where are you going, Nicole?" I heard Max talking to me as I got out of the car.

"I'm going to see what's going on." I answered and slammed the door, and headed forward to see the source of the problem that had kept the convoy of vehicles stationary for two hours.

Soon Max caught up with me and put his jacket over my shoulders.

"You're going to catch a cold."

"Thank you."

As we walked past the car, I heard various voices. People were talking to each other but one word was repeated more than the other “accident”.

At the very thought that Leo and Stephanie were in that accident, all the muscles in my body twitched. I quickened my pace, and the rain grew stronger and stronger as if following my speed.

Max followed me and begged me to slow down, but I couldn’t. My soul was restless, I had to make sure Stephanie was okay.

The column ended in front of a small intersection, across the street was a police lane and a bunch of police and two large fire trucks.

People gathered around the bar, and I could no longer feel my legs.

"Max..." I called him and his hands found mine.

"Calm down it means nothing." He looked me deep in the eyes, and tears were already flowing down my cheeks. I never cried in front of other people, ever, but with Maximillian, I just couldn’t hold back.

"Don't cry Nicole, wait for me here. I'm going to check what happened."

"No, I'm going with you."

"Nicole, I'll see what happened, and then I'll pick you up."

"I can't, let's go there together."

"Okay, let's go slowly." After a moment's hesitation, he agreed.

As we approached the two cops on the other side of the lane, Max was holding my hand tightly, it gave me the strength to walk.

I kept repeating his words to myself, "Calm down!" And trying to stay calm.

"Good afternoon, Officer."

"Good afternoon sir, how can we help you?"

"Can you tell us what happened and why the road was closed? How much longer are we going to wait in line?"

"Didn't you hear, there was a big accident on the road."

"Sorry sir, but traffic for this direction is closed until further notice."

"An accident? What accident?" I got in.

"The gas tanker overturned and several cars collided with it, a chain collision."

"How serious is it?" Max asked.

"Fortunately the tank wasn't full, if it was this would be a much bigger disaster, but..."

"But??" I interrupted him impatiently because he was talking as if everything was fine.

"A couple of cars caught fire, so several people lost their lives."

Darkness fell on my eyes and I headed for the yellow bar, with one hand Max pulled me towards him and hugged me with his arms to prevent me from making a scene.

"Max, Stephanie and Leo are there, let me go. We have to go there."

I hit him with my hands as much as I could, and he didn’t move. Only then did I realize how physically and mentally strong he was. There were no emotions on his face. how could he behave like that? Like a stone!

"Nicole, pull yourself together! Take it easy, it doesn't mean they're there."

"They're not in the column, they have to be there. And don't tell me to calm down when I can't. My sister..."

"Do you know which cars were involved in the crash?"

"I wouldn't be able to tell you exactly. Nothing yet..."

"Can you call someone who can give us that information?"

"We don't ..."

"Please, as you can see it's urgent."

"All right, come on." The older mustachioed policeman told us, looking at me crying in Max's arms.

"Kevin, help them." He called the younger one as he lifted the yellow ribbon so we could slip under it.

Soon a tall guy with glasses and a blonde girl appeared in front of us.

"How can we help you?" They asked almost out loud.

"My friend and his girlfriend were on this trip at the time of the accident. We're afraid something happened to them."

"We still don't know the names of the participants in the accident, sir. I'm afraid we can't help you at the moment."

"A car. Did a furious sports Audi take part in the riot?" I asked, moving away from Max, what he allowed this time.

"I don't remember. Although if I had seen something like that I would have noticed it for sure." Said the young man after a short thought.

"A couple of cars that were closest to the tanker caught fire, while firefighters reacted the cars burned almost completely, ma'am. So it's hard to say..." The girl interjected after him.

"I have to check it out."

"You can't go there, it's dangerous." They shouted after me, but I didn't look back and I didn't care.

"Nicole stop." I heard Max's voice as he ran after me.

I ran as if without a head. There were dense trees all around the road, but the air did not smell of fresh forest air but of gasoline, sleeping pills, mortals and blood. There were wrecked cars around the road removed from the road, but there were no sports cars among them.

I thought that was all, but I was wrong.

Right behind the curve I found a scene that froze the blood in my veins. The machine slid down a huge tank that blocked the road, next to it were unrecognizable wrecks of completely burned cars, probably a dozen of them. Ambulance men carried people covered with a white sheet, while firefighters cared for survivors.

There was no sign or voice from Stephanie and Leo, or their car.

Traces of brakes, glass, smoke and blood were all around me. I looked at that scene and felt like my soul was leaving me.

"Miss, are you all right?" A young girl asked me as I walked so frantically between the wreckage of the burned car.

"You know you shouldn't be here?" She continued, and I didn't pay attention to her.

I didn't pay attention to anything else because one of the burned cars. The other next to the tank was a sports car. Brand, color, tires were all unrecognizable, completely destroyed. But it could be clearly seen that this car is much smaller than the others, a sports car with two seats and a low roof.

I felt the cold rain already well soaked my clothes and Max's warm body catching me for a second before I hit the ground.

"Nicole... Someone please call the ambulance... Nicole !!" Those were the last words I heard before I closed my eyes.

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