Chapter Ten - Confessions best unmade

Victoria walked into the ranch to find her mother lying on the couch with a book in her lap she wasn't even reading, she looked a million miles away.

Victoria called out "Mom?"

Nikki looked at her daughter and sat up  "Oh, hey Angel"

 Victoria bent down and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, and then set down "Is everything okay?"

Nikki smiled to her daughter and said "More or less"

Victoria asked "What was Bradley doing here?"

Nikki looked at her daughter sharply, she wasn’t in the mood for a discussion about the issue "He came by to see me"

Victoria asked, a bit mockingly  "To offer his support?"

Nikki replied "Yes, and it meant a lot to me"

Victoria tried to hide her disapproving look and said "It’s a bad timing for you to get any deeper into
that relationship"

Nikki looked at her daughter and pointed out "In your opinion, it would never be the right time for me
to get involved with anyone"

Vicki couldn’t help but smile "I just don’t think Brad is right for you".

Nikki was silent, Victoria didn’t understand her mood, she expected her to resent what she was saying,
she didn’t, she touched her mother’s shoulder "Mom, is everything okay?"

Nikki looked at her daughter sadly "I tried to call the prison today... Your brother won’t even talk to me"

Victoria nodded tearfully "I know, he wont’ talk with me either, Dad saw him though"

Nikki looked at her daughter with surprise "He did? When?!"

Victoria said sadly "He called about 20 minutes ago, he said that Nick let him in, he sounded upset but he wouldn't’ say much - but I got the feeling he was really worried., He told me he tried to get Nick to see us both but didn’t succeed".

Nikki sighed and buried her face in her hands "I was afraid of that"

She looked at her daughter and asked eagerly "Did he say if Nicholas treated okay? If he looked alright?"

Vicki said, trying to reassure her mother "He said he looked fine"

Nikki said, almost hysterically "Well what does that means, Fine?"

Vicki said "Mom, I don’t know, I didn’t talk to him, call Dad"

Nikki nodded distractedly "I will, I will... I want to hear everything Nicholas had to say... if I can’t
speak to him..." and said to her daughter tenderly "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you"

Vicki smiled "It’s okay, you are worried about Nicholas..."

She asked her mother "Did something else happened? with Brad, maybe?"

Nikki didn’t think there was any point in hiding it from Victoria, and she knew she would love to hear
that "We decided to   take things slow for a while, to take some distance from each other"

Victoria couldn't help but grin in satisfaction "Oh you did?, whose idea was it, yours or Brad’s"
Nikki sighed "Mine, there is a lot going on right now"

Vicki said to her mother "Well, I glad you agree with me"

Nikki just nodded, and got that dreamy, far away look again, Victoria looked at her mother with curiosity combined with worry "Mom come on, I can tell there is something else going on here, what is it?"

etween them, or what might happen between them, but she couldn't’ do that to her daughter,.
She knew she would be overjoyed, and she didn’t want to take the risk of disappointing her if things would not work out and said "I want to tell you darling, I can’t"

Victoria asked her mother "Is that about Nicholas? Mom I want to know if it’s abo..."

Nikki shook her head "It’s not about your brother"

Vicki asked "About you?"

Nikki nodded and Victoria asked gently "What? Mom, you know you can tell me..."

Nikki looked at her daughter lovingly, though they didn’t always get along she loved her daughter deeply, and she was touched by the concern in he voice, she smiled to her daughter "I can’t....don’t ask me anymore, please"

Victoria was about to ask another question but decided to honor her mother’s request, whatever was happening with her - she knew she would find out eventually - without having to bribe it out of her.

She wished she could read the expression on her face, it wasn’t sad, it wasn’t happy, it was more like, confused and somewhat.... hopeful, she grinned at her mother "Okay, okay, I won’t ask anymore questions...for now"

Nikki smiled at her daughter sweetly "I can’t ask for more than that, can I?"

Victoria asked Nikki "Do you want to come over to the tackhouse and have lunch with me?"
Cole is at NY talking to his publisher, and I only have to be at work in an hour and a half for that big meeting, Do you want to come?"

Nikki smiled at her daughter, she was so sweet to her, trying to cheer her up, although she wanted to talk to Victor about Nicholas  - she didn't’ want to use that as an excuse.
Victoria would insist she would talk in front of her and than she would have a hard time explaining why she couldn’t, she wanted to hear Victor’s voice more than anything now... so she decided to talk Victoria on her offer, she can talk to Victor later, when she’s alone, she took her daughter by the hand and they both walked out.

Victor looked at her two arguing men with surprise, what could the two of them be fighting about?
He asked them again "What is it all about?"

Silence, Jack looked at Brad and tried to explain "Just a small disagreement Victor"

Victor said "Oh, I see, it was rather loud for a small disagreement"

Brad added "Nothing for you to be concerned about"

Victor sat down in his chair and said "I hope so, because I am trusting you two to run Newman
enterprises while I am trying to free my son"

Jack said before Brad could say anything "We know that Victor, and you know we wish you luck"

Brad stepped in "If you don’t mind Victor, there are some things I want to talk to you about"

Victor said "Brad, this is a bad time right now"

Jack tried again "Yes, we all have a meeting to prepare to regarding the Brash and Sassy adds"

Brad said "It’s important Victor, and it won’t take long".

Jack rolled his eyes, it looks like there was nothing he could do to prevent it, Victor sighed and said "Well, alright Bradley, what is it?"

Brad sent a look toward Jack who said "Okay, I’ll be going now..." and sent Brad a look of warning, Brad chose to ignore it.

Jack said goodbye and left, he stopped outside and muttered "I have to warn Nikki about it"

He reached to his cell phone and dialed the ranch’s number - nothing, no one answered, he tried again - not a thing, he signed and hoped Victor would be reasonable about the entire thing, but he knew he wouldn’t, and he dreaded the thought of what might happen between the two men.

Brad waited till Victor leaves and turned to Victor who asked him "So, is that about business?"

Brad sat down and said "No, actually, it’s personal"

Victor asked "Oh?" Brad said "I am seeing someone"

Victor smiled at him "Oh, that’s nice"

Brad continued "We are seeing each other for quite some time now, about 6 months"

Victor said "I see, a serious relationship, it’s about time"

Brad said "Yes, she is a wonderful lady, she is beautiful and smart and sexy and fun to be with"

Victor laughed "Sound like quite a catch, what do you feel about her?"

Brad smiled "Well, I am definitely falling for her Victor"

Victor said "Well, I am happy for you, but I don’t understand, why are you telling me that?"

Brad got up and said slowly, he was more anxious than he was willing to admit "Well... lately there had been some problems, she wants to take things slow, to cool our relationship down and I don’t like it  one damn bit"

Victor said "Well, I can’t blame you... I just hope you aren’t here to ask for advice"

He played with the files on his desk and sent a look toward the two pictures on his desk, of his family - him Nikki and the kids, and the other with Hope  heir son... and continued "I imagine you have some idea that I am no expert when it comes to relationships"

Brad said "Well, I think you could help me a lot with that problem"

Victor said "Well, I hope so"

Brad inhaled deeply and said "You see Victor, you are the problem"

Victor was surprised "I beg your pardon?"  Brad said "The woman I am seeing, is someone you are very close to, someone I know you still care for... it’s Nikki".

Victor was stunned, and stared at the other man with utter shock, what was he talking about??!!

Brad went on "Now you understand why that relationship is very special for me, you know what amazing woman Nikki is, you were married to her and you had two children with her and I know you two stayed on good terms, we have been seeing each other for a while now and the only thing standing in the way of our relationship is the fact Nikki haven’t told you".

Victor felt like he had been hit in the gut and took a deep breath to mask his reaction, He could not believe what he was hearing, he remembered Nikki started seeing someone a few months ago, but he haven’t heard her mentioning that relationship ever since, he just assumed it was over.

He hardly listened to Brad as he went on and on....his mind kept flashing back to his and Nikki’s night together - he could not believe she was seeing someone else and haven’t told him, he could not believe she made love to him while she was involved with someone else, least of all Brad Carlton.

Of all people, why did Nikki choose to get involved with Brad? They weren’t suited for each other at all.

Waves of bitter jealousy went through his entire body, and he  pressed his lips to a hard line...Nikki and Brad, Brad and Nikki...Images of the two of them flashed in his mind - he couldn't help it - and the thought made him feel sick...he couldn’t believe it.

He felt betrayed and manipulated and hurt above all, In those last few months of his divorce from Hope he came to somewhat depend on Nikki emotionally, He was going through a lot and she helped him through it, if only by listening to him.

He opened his heart and soul to her and thought that she would tell him about something like a relationship with Brad - his right hand man, someone he worked with and trusted.  She was the one person Victor trusted not to hurt him on purpose....

He was obviously mistaken if Nikki was seeing Brad behind his back, and made love to him while another man thought they were deeply involved.

He sensed Brad was looking at him and looked at the other man with a dark, cold look "And why would you think *I* am problem for you in your relationship with my former wife?"

Brad said "Because Nikki didn't’ want to tell you, she felt there was a lot going on in your family and thought that you finding out would cause more problems in it".

Victor’s temper reached new heights and he tried as hard as he could to keep his voice down and to be calm in front of Bradley, he wasn’t going to let his feelings out "You saw me every day, why didn’t you come to me and tell me you were seeing Nikki? Why did you went behind my back?!"

His voice arose. Brad replied "Because Nikki didn’t want me to, believe me Victor, I would have gladly told you months ago but Nikki objected and I didn't want to go against her wishes".

Victor said "Oh...  does that means she wanted you to tell me now?"

Brad wasn’t sure what to say, he had no intentions of telling Victor Nikki told him this morning she wanted to take things slow, he thought he could easily convince her to change her mind once Victor find out the truth, and he didn’t want to give Victor the wrong idea "No, but I felt I should tell you"

Victor said scornfully "I see, well how noble of you to come to me Bradley".

Brad said "Look, Victor, you got to understand something, Nikki wasn’t happy those last few months, and neither was I, We started going on and found out we enjoyed each other’s company..."

Victor’s mind told him that he had no right to accuse Nikki for started seeing Bradley - after all - he was a married man but his aching heart and wounded pride kept him from not feeling betrayed by the woman he trusted with his heart more than any other.

Even if she had a good excuse for not telling him before, damn it, she should have told him before they made love.

Brad continued to speak "We  liked spending time with each other, and then Nicholas was arrested and we saw each other less because your family was going through something, but things are unclear with Nicholas right now, and in order for me and Nikki to have a future together, I felt like you have to know. I hope you would give us your blessing, because I know it’s important to Nikki"

Victor looked at Bradley with contempt and asked "Exactly how serious have you and Nikki gotten?"

Brad told him flat out "Victor, I am very sorry but that is none of your business"
That was all Victor needed as an answer - he felt his blood starting to boil and he didn’t know if he would be able to keep calm for another moment, the thought of Nikki sleeping with Brad .... It was a lot more than he could handle at the moment.
He stood up and told Bradley in a cold, menacing tone "Bradley, you would do yourself a great service, if you got out of here, right now"
Brad looked at him in the eyes for a few moments, he didn’t want to get into a confrontation with him, most of all because he was afraid from Nikki’s reaction to it so he just said "I hope you can accept it Victor, I really do, but if you can’t, that is entirely your problem"

And at those words, he walked out.

Victor leaned on his table and than slammed a file on the floor,  could hardly even process it, just a few hours ago he was thinking about a future with Nikki and now he hears something like this!
What was he suppose to make of it? "Why didn’t she tell me" was the question running through his mind.

He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, to ignore the wrenching mixture of pain and jealousy that touched his heart.
How could she make love to him the other night the way she did, to respond to him the way she have while knowing she was lying to him, seeing and sleeping with another man who obviously cared for her deeply, what did she feel about Brad Carlton?
How involved was she with him?
What did she feel toward him?
Victor had a lot of unanswered questions, until 10 minutes ago, he thought he knew what he feelings were, he wasn’t so sure now - not after he found out about Brad and Nikki.

He was angry and disappointed.... Nikki asked him for soul searching and honesty while misleading him and Brad at the same time.

But most of all, he was hurt,  he loved her, he always have, but he was hurt so many times, one of the reasons he let himself reach out for her again is because he believed they would never hurt each other again, he was wrong.

He sank into his chair and took her picture out of her wallet and stared at it, moving his finger on it, and he couldn't control the bitter tears that came to his eyes, as he buried his face in his hands....