Don't go changing, to try and please me

You never let me down before

Don't imagine you're too familiar

And I don't see you anymore

I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble

We never could have come this far

I took the good times; I'll take the bad times

I'll take you just the way you are

-Billy Joel

Life went on happily and without any problems for three good weeks. Honestly, though, we were just waiting for something to go wrong. I believe it's in a song by Nickleback "something's gotta go wrong cause I'm feeling way too damn good." Then the problem showed up on our doorstep, it knocked actually, a very polite problem.

"Richard?" I asked surprised.

"I didn't want to believe it but here you are," he said his tone bitter. Nicholas came up behind me. I could nearly feel the anger radiating off of him.

"Ritchie," he said his voice soft, a lion's purr to its meal. "How nice to see you."

"I wish I could say the same," Richard growled. "How could you do this?" Richard demanded of me.

"I didn't-" I paused; I didn't want to hurt him.

"You're upsetting her," Nicholas growled.

"I'm upsetting her?" Richard demanded. "Nothing that I've done even compares to the Hell that you put her through."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" I snapped at both of them.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Nicholas said gently.

"Can we talk?" Richard asked. "Alone." I turned to Nicholas, a silent request for some privacy. With a sigh he left us alone. "Why?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "I didn't mean for it to happen... things just kind of came together."

"Why him?"

"He's my mate," I said as gently as I could... "I love him."

"This isn't the best time to tell you this," Richard said softly as he looked down at me. "But I love you. I have since you came to me, running from him, and I still do."

"I..." He leaned down and kissed me.

"Goodbye, Iris." He walked away.

Nicholas came back out. "He kissed you."

"He was saying goodbye."

"That was a long goodbye."

"Are you jealous?"

"Damn straight I am! This is the man you slept with. How could I not be jealous?"

"But you're the man I love," I said gently. "The only man I love." His eyes gentled and he reached out pulling me to him.

"I'm sorry, baby, you know I trust you. Him, though, I don't trust."

"I can take care of myself, lover," I told him. "You don't have to worry about me."

"The day I stop worrying about you will be the day I die. I love you."

I rolled my eyes and pressed tighter against him. "Whatever."

"I say I love you and you say whatever," he said raising his eyebrows.

"Is this better?" I cleared my throat. "Oh, Nicholas, words can never express how much you mean to me! You are my world. 'I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby.'"

"Stop quoting teen movies," he growled.

I merely giggled. "Um... 'you had me from hello'?"

"Iris-"

"I love you, Nicky."

"Don't call me that."

"What?"

He sighed shaking his head. "Just shut up."

"Oh, I feel the love."

"I am about to gag you."

I grinned up at him. "I thought we were done with bondage." His mouth crushed mine, and he dragged me even closer to his body. I sighed against his mouth taking the initiative myself and deepening the kiss.