A single tear dropped down to my feet as Nikolao gave a small laugh.
"I mean, that is what I get for being a snitch. For telling Sally where her husband always went. For telling her about how many times I saw him f**k Meghan in the room that is now yours. And look. Every single ink on my skin is meant to cover a burn scar. Scars that innocent Iris gave me by coming up to my room on her birthday."
"Nikolai."
He shook his head, then cupped my cheek, his eyes filled with tears, his breaths short. He was blinking rapidly, his chest heaving, and I grabbed unto his hand.
"I can't love you, Iris. I can't ever. Your father, your mother.... I did nothing. I was merely sixteen back then. I never did more than give you a fuckinf strawberry!"
"Nikolai," I managed to say through the blinding tears
