‹ Prequel: Starry Eyes
Sequel: Power Over Me ›
Devil with Angel Eyes
I found the key to life, but the lock was broken
“Nikkole Athena Lee, you are going.” My dad sternly tells me. “You are going to come to my house and you are going to party with me, the boys and the cast of The Dirt. You are part of this adventure so you are going to celebrate.”
“That is where you are wrong, old man.” I tell him, barely looking up from text messages. “I’m not going. You can’t force me.”
“Don’t make me get Nikki involved with this.” Dad states. “I know you can’t say no to him.”
“Facetime him because I’ll say no to him too.” I reply to Ben after he asks me to meet up with him later today.
“Is this because of Doug?” He asks. “I thought you didn’t still have feelings for him.”
“I don’t.” I sigh, finally giving my dad my full attention. “You don’t have feelings for mom but you don’t want to hang out with her. I think the last time the two of you were in the same room was when I graduated from college.”
“You and Doug weren’t married.”
“No but we were engaged.” I remind him. “No matter how short of a time.”
“The one time you felt comfortable enough to say yes to a marriage proposal and he’s the one the second guesses it.” He scoffs. “I like that boy but he’s stupid enough to let a great girl like you go.”
“You’re being biased dad.” I chuckle. “You’re supposed to think your kids are great.”
“I think Brandon’s an asshole sometimes.” He shrugs. “You might just be the perfect spawn out of the three of you. Thankfully you take after your mother a little bit more than me.”
“My mom has been a mess these last couple years or have you forgotten?” A humorless chuckle escapes my lips. “And besides, she has always said I was cut from your right ass cheek. I’m you just minus the drug use.”
“Thank God.” He laughs. “I’m glad your rehab visit was for anxiety and not drugs.”
“I know.”
“But seriously, why aren’t you coming to the party?” He asks. “If you don’t still have feelings for Doug, why continue to ignore him?”
“I’m not ready to be around him.” I shrug. “He broke my heart and it’s going to take me awhile before I can 100% forgive him and move on.”
“You’re afraid you’ll fall back in love with him if you hang around him?”
“I was madly in love with him, Dad.” I admit out loud. “I saw a future with him. And he took that away from me. Part of me will probably always love him, which is why I want to forgive and forget before I hang out with him again. I think that’s why I always ran back to Ashley; because I never allowed myself to move on before hanging out with him after a break up.”
“Would it be so bad if you started dating Doug again?” He asks. “He made you a lot happier than Ashley ever did.”
“I can’t keep running back to exes.” I reply. “That includes the ones that make me happy. An ex is an ex for a reason. This is something I need to work on or I’ll be miserable for the rest of my life.”
“Please come to the party.” My dad begs. “It’ll be so big that you won’t even see him. I promise.”
“We’ll see.” I offer a faint smile. “I’ve got to go anyway. Ben wants me for something.”
“Bye Princess.” He smiles before kissing my forehead. “I remember that I love you no matter what; same with Nikki. Boys come and go…”
“But Terror Twins are forever?” I finish with a chuckle. He just laughs as I walk out of his house and towards my car. I wonder why Ben wants to see me.
**
I get to The Rainbow Room and sit down in front of Ben at the table. Without saying a word, Ben tosses me a velvet box. “What the fuck Bruce? Is that any way to greet a friend?”
“Open the box, Lee.”
I open it up and see a gorgeous diamond ring. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what it is. “I’m flattered Bruce, but I’m not gonna marry you. Kenny would kill me.” He just narrows his eyes at me. “But seriously this ring is gorgeous. Kenny will love it.”
“I have no idea how to ask her.” He admits. “You’re her friend, has she mentioned ideal engagements to you or something?”
“What do you think us girls talk about?” I ask him. “Look, whatever you do, she’s going to say yes. You can do it on a lazy Sunday in your PJs while you’re still in bed or fuck maybe do it at a sold out show. Either way, she’s going to say yes. Because for some fucked up reason, she loves you pretty British ass.”
“So you really do think my ass is pretty huh?” He smirks, causing me to throw a napkin at him before I hand him back the box with the engagement ring. “But seriously, do you think Kenny will like it? And more importantly, do you think she’ll say yes.”
“She’d be stupid not to say yes.” I smile. “Seriously, the girl loves you despite all the bullshit you’ve put her through.”
**
“So what took you so long to get here?” He asks well into lunch. “You live maybe 10 minutes away.”
“I was at my Dad’s.” I reply. “He was trying to get me to come to this party at his place this weekend.”
“And you’re not going because?”
“The Dirt cast is gonna be there.” I reply. “Which means the ex is going to be there, which probably won’t end well. You know me when an ex and booze are involved.”
“Oh yea, I’m getting flashbacks of you and Ash right now.” He replies. “I’d still go though, just bring someone with you and will do damage control. Is Michelle going? Because she has no probably telling you that you’re about to do some stupid ass shit.”
“She’s on tour with her other half.” I reply. “Can I kidnap your other half?”
“No.” He sternly says. “Take Danny or even beg Andy. That boy would do anything for you.”
“No both of those choices thrive on me doing stupid shit.” I sigh as my phone vibrates. It’s a text from Colson.
Nikkole Athena Lee, you are going to the party this weekend!
“Holy fuck he really is like my dad.” I chuckle, causing the Brit in front of me to raise his eyebrows. “Colson just texted me, demanding I go to the party.”
“Just go.” He tells me. “Fuck Doug. Go. Have a good time and get fucked up in true Nikki fashion.”
“It’s not going to end well.” I tell him. “It never does and you know it.”
“Take your future ex-husband with you then.” He smiles. “If you’re going to fuck shit up, you need a partner.”
“I’m blaming you if anything bad happens.” I inform Ben as I text Danny.
“Blame away.” He chuckles. “You only live one. Fuck shit up while you can. Make an ex jealous while you can. Be the Nikki Lee we all know and love…”
“That is where you are wrong, old man.” I tell him, barely looking up from text messages. “I’m not going. You can’t force me.”
“Don’t make me get Nikki involved with this.” Dad states. “I know you can’t say no to him.”
“Facetime him because I’ll say no to him too.” I reply to Ben after he asks me to meet up with him later today.
“Is this because of Doug?” He asks. “I thought you didn’t still have feelings for him.”
“I don’t.” I sigh, finally giving my dad my full attention. “You don’t have feelings for mom but you don’t want to hang out with her. I think the last time the two of you were in the same room was when I graduated from college.”
“You and Doug weren’t married.”
“No but we were engaged.” I remind him. “No matter how short of a time.”
“The one time you felt comfortable enough to say yes to a marriage proposal and he’s the one the second guesses it.” He scoffs. “I like that boy but he’s stupid enough to let a great girl like you go.”
“You’re being biased dad.” I chuckle. “You’re supposed to think your kids are great.”
“I think Brandon’s an asshole sometimes.” He shrugs. “You might just be the perfect spawn out of the three of you. Thankfully you take after your mother a little bit more than me.”
“My mom has been a mess these last couple years or have you forgotten?” A humorless chuckle escapes my lips. “And besides, she has always said I was cut from your right ass cheek. I’m you just minus the drug use.”
“Thank God.” He laughs. “I’m glad your rehab visit was for anxiety and not drugs.”
“I know.”
“But seriously, why aren’t you coming to the party?” He asks. “If you don’t still have feelings for Doug, why continue to ignore him?”
“I’m not ready to be around him.” I shrug. “He broke my heart and it’s going to take me awhile before I can 100% forgive him and move on.”
“You’re afraid you’ll fall back in love with him if you hang around him?”
“I was madly in love with him, Dad.” I admit out loud. “I saw a future with him. And he took that away from me. Part of me will probably always love him, which is why I want to forgive and forget before I hang out with him again. I think that’s why I always ran back to Ashley; because I never allowed myself to move on before hanging out with him after a break up.”
“Would it be so bad if you started dating Doug again?” He asks. “He made you a lot happier than Ashley ever did.”
“I can’t keep running back to exes.” I reply. “That includes the ones that make me happy. An ex is an ex for a reason. This is something I need to work on or I’ll be miserable for the rest of my life.”
“Please come to the party.” My dad begs. “It’ll be so big that you won’t even see him. I promise.”
“We’ll see.” I offer a faint smile. “I’ve got to go anyway. Ben wants me for something.”
“Bye Princess.” He smiles before kissing my forehead. “I remember that I love you no matter what; same with Nikki. Boys come and go…”
“But Terror Twins are forever?” I finish with a chuckle. He just laughs as I walk out of his house and towards my car. I wonder why Ben wants to see me.
**
I get to The Rainbow Room and sit down in front of Ben at the table. Without saying a word, Ben tosses me a velvet box. “What the fuck Bruce? Is that any way to greet a friend?”
“Open the box, Lee.”
I open it up and see a gorgeous diamond ring. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know what it is. “I’m flattered Bruce, but I’m not gonna marry you. Kenny would kill me.” He just narrows his eyes at me. “But seriously this ring is gorgeous. Kenny will love it.”
“I have no idea how to ask her.” He admits. “You’re her friend, has she mentioned ideal engagements to you or something?”
“What do you think us girls talk about?” I ask him. “Look, whatever you do, she’s going to say yes. You can do it on a lazy Sunday in your PJs while you’re still in bed or fuck maybe do it at a sold out show. Either way, she’s going to say yes. Because for some fucked up reason, she loves you pretty British ass.”
“So you really do think my ass is pretty huh?” He smirks, causing me to throw a napkin at him before I hand him back the box with the engagement ring. “But seriously, do you think Kenny will like it? And more importantly, do you think she’ll say yes.”
“She’d be stupid not to say yes.” I smile. “Seriously, the girl loves you despite all the bullshit you’ve put her through.”
**
“So what took you so long to get here?” He asks well into lunch. “You live maybe 10 minutes away.”
“I was at my Dad’s.” I reply. “He was trying to get me to come to this party at his place this weekend.”
“And you’re not going because?”
“The Dirt cast is gonna be there.” I reply. “Which means the ex is going to be there, which probably won’t end well. You know me when an ex and booze are involved.”
“Oh yea, I’m getting flashbacks of you and Ash right now.” He replies. “I’d still go though, just bring someone with you and will do damage control. Is Michelle going? Because she has no probably telling you that you’re about to do some stupid ass shit.”
“She’s on tour with her other half.” I reply. “Can I kidnap your other half?”
“No.” He sternly says. “Take Danny or even beg Andy. That boy would do anything for you.”
“No both of those choices thrive on me doing stupid shit.” I sigh as my phone vibrates. It’s a text from Colson.
Nikkole Athena Lee, you are going to the party this weekend!
“Holy fuck he really is like my dad.” I chuckle, causing the Brit in front of me to raise his eyebrows. “Colson just texted me, demanding I go to the party.”
“Just go.” He tells me. “Fuck Doug. Go. Have a good time and get fucked up in true Nikki fashion.”
“It’s not going to end well.” I tell him. “It never does and you know it.”
“Take your future ex-husband with you then.” He smiles. “If you’re going to fuck shit up, you need a partner.”
“I’m blaming you if anything bad happens.” I inform Ben as I text Danny.
“Blame away.” He chuckles. “You only live one. Fuck shit up while you can. Make an ex jealous while you can. Be the Nikki Lee we all know and love…”
♠ ♠ ♠
chapter title credit: Devil on my Shoulder by Billy Talentcomment&subscribe? Here is the Playlist. The playlist will be updated much like the playlist for Starry Eyes was updated. Each new chapter, I'll post a new song. I'm going to TRY and not use the same songs from Starry Eyes but if I do, I apologize.
I'm going to try and have Nik hang out with Colson a lot, along with Nik hanging out with Ben, Andy and Danny. And there will be more girl time than before.