Alexis

I watch as Noah paces the kitchen in anger. His hands squeeze the back of his neck and his face is tense and hard. He shakes his head and looks back at Oliver. Neither one of us can believe what Oliver just said. Sam killed Nick, not Garth. We all thought Garth killed him, but Oliver has known the truth this entire time. He is just another person presenting an image of deceit.

“How long are you going to pace?” Oliver asks, and Noah stops walking and shakes his head.

“I don’t know if I believe you,” Noah says.

“Believe whatever the hell you want. I don’t have any reason to lie to you, do I?”

Noah falls back into the chair and runs his hand through his short hair. “Why the fuck would she do it?” he grumbles, as Oliver and I look at each other.

“She’s forced herself into your company, hasn’t she?” Oliver speculates.

“She killed him because she wants in the company?” Noah asks, incredulously.

“Money changes people. If she ever changed.” Oliver adds.

I spent the next hour listening to Noah and Oliver discuss how and why Sam would have killed Noah. Did she find out he was with me and become a woman scorned? Did she kill him because she just became greedy and wanted the money instead of him? Oliver tells Noah how Nick taped the entire fight he had with Sam. She showed up at his door and he had no choice but to let her in. She was his wife and she had tracked him down. Nick was wearing a bulletproof vest when Adele’s husband shot him, unfortunately, he felt he was safe to take it off when Sam was with him. Once Nick had taken off his vest, she pulled her own gun. She had no idea that when Nick tossed his phone on the bed it had started recording them. When Alex and Adele found Nick, Adele grabbed the phone and eventually passed it along to Oliver.

“I can’t believe that bitch killed Nick. This whole fucking time… she did it. She begged me to find Nick,” Noah says while baring his teeth.

“Of course, she did. She isn’t entitled to shit without a body,” Oliver reminds Noah, who shakes his head.

“She knew,” Noah whispers.

“She knew what?”

“She knew about you. She knew that Nick was having an affair. She was pissed that I was involved with you. She fucking knew!” Noah yells as he shoves back his chair and starts to pace again.

“What are we going to do?” I ask looking at Oliver and Noah.

“Noah is going to give Sam a call. Get her to come to Chicago and we're going to take care of this shit,” Oliver replies, and I glance over at Noah.

Oliver leaves saying that he’ll be in contact with us tomorrow. Noah locks up we head up to bed. We lie next to each other in silence. I know his mind is probably spinning at everything Oliver told us tonight. Nick’s wife killed him.

I turn to my side and look at Noah, who has his arm tossed over his face. He turns his head to face me and I can see the hurt in his eyes.

“I don’t know what to think about any of this,” he whispers.

I lean into Noah and give him a gentle kiss on his tender lips. I turn around so that my back is against his chest and we both eventually fall asleep.

The next morning, Noah is getting out of the shower when I finally awaken. He tells me that I should get dressed because we are heading to Deluca’s for a meeting with Oliver. I gasp when he mentions where we will be meeting because I don’t think I’m ready for Alex and Frank to find out Noah is back in town.

Noah notices my hesitation as I get dressed and assures me that Oliver said it was safe. I pray that Oliver isn’t setting us up. Is he only telling Noah this to gain some false security that we’re all in this together?

I grab my cell to give Oliver a quick text.

ME: Why are we meeting at Deluca’s?

Oliver: Meetings are ALWAYS there.

ME: Who’s going to be at this meeting?

Oliver: Everyone.

ME: WHO is everyone?

Oliver: Just be there in one hour.

Me: Is this a setup?

Oliver: Fuck. Just come, Alexis.

Me: Is this a setup?

Oliver: No. We all want this to be over.

Me: What do you want over? Noah?

Oliver: Can you please just trust me?

Me: Like I trusted you when you told Noah about being between my legs?

A few seconds pass by and my phone rings.

“Yes?” I answer and Oliver groans into the phone.

“I was testing him. Just come to the damn club. I talked to Frank and Alex and they are willing to hear me out. I’ll tell them about Sam. They’ll agree that we all have a fucking common enemy,” Oliver pleads with me, but I still need a guarantee.

“Promise me that nothing will happen to Noah, Oliver.”

I hear Oliver sigh and a few seconds later he gives me the two words that I hope he will follow through on.

“I promise.”