Seth's Cravings: An Endless Series: Book 2 (12 page)

     His expression twisted in frustration. “Wrestling.
Couch was testing me with two guys and one of them yanked my arm too far back.
Felt a pop. Could be a dislocation, or sprain, or a fracture.” He winced at the
thought of the last one, and I knew he was thinking a fracture would put him
out of commission longer…something any serious athlete dreaded.

     “What year you in?” I asked wanting to find out the
kids age.

     “Sophmore.”

     So he was around fifteen, sixteen years of age. Shit!
Kid looked a lot older because of his size. I was the same at his age. “That
sucks man. Coach used to do the same thing to me in lacrosse and I’d go home
with bruises in some pretty tender places. In fact, coach still does it, but
now I can hold my own better.”

     Luka grinned and his expression lightened in interest.
“You still play?”

     “Yeah, I’m on the lacrosse team at UVA.”

     Admiration and respect crossed Luka’s face. “That’s
cool man. That’s where I want to go. Hoping to get a scholarship, but saving
just in case.” He turned an indebted smile toward Nadia. She was just getting
off the phone and smiled back crookedly while throwing me a self-conscious
look.

     Luka’s look had told me instantly that Nadia was the
one making sure he would have the money to go to college if he needed it. I
stared at her in amazed befuddlement. Nadia’s layers had layers.

     The door opened and the doctor finally walked in. He looked
to be in his early thirties and had that clean cut physician look to him. He
smiled warmly at Nadia upon seeing her, like he knew her. I sat up straighter
in my chair.

     “Nadia, not back with more broken bones are you?”

     So that’s how he knew her, he’d treated her hand. I
still didn’t like how warm his smile was though.

     “No, Dr. Woods, it’s not me this time. It’s my
brother.” Nadia smiled stressfully as she placed her hand on Luka’s arm.

     The doc’s gaze flickered briefly to Luka before returning
to Nadia. “Well, I’ve examined the x-rays and it appears to be a minor Grade I
sprain to his shoulder. It looks like it was nearly dislocated, but thankfully
for him, it didn’t. I would recommend immobilizing it for around one week in a
sling.”

     Luka groaned at the prognosis and said some words in
Russian that I knew were swear words because I’d heard Nadia say a couple of
them, and also because I would be swearing too if put out of commission for a
week.  

     Nadia gave him a harsh look at the words. “That’s not
so bad; one week of R & R.” She switched to a huge smile.

     She was trying to cheer her brother up. I wanted to
grin at her efforts knowing if he was like me it would have been useless, but
the admiring look the doctor was giving her was sending hot rivers of tension
down my spine. Nadia may be in old jeans, a size too large work shirt, and her
hair up in a messy ponytail, but you could not miss that she was an arrestingly
beautiful woman. He’d seen how good she looked all decked out if he fixed her
up the night she’d broken her fingers.

     That thought had my rage rushing to the surface
uncontrollably. I don’t think I was ever going to not think about that night,
and that guy, and not get angry. If I ever saw that fuckhead he was going to be
hurting when I got done with him.

     I watched as the doc went over some aftercare
instructions with Nadia and when he moved in a little too close explaining them
my unrestrained emotions suddenly switched to him and I stood up abruptly.  

     The room paused at my movement. The doctor, Luka, and
Nadia all looked in my direction as my laidback presence suddenly became
imposing. Catching the doctor’s gaze I held it. “Dr. Wood, I’ve gone through
several types of these injuries myself so I know what to do. No need to waste
anymore of your valuable time here when other people could use it more.”

     The doctor’s eyes widened and I was pleased to see that
he wasn’t just book smart, he recognized immediately the fact that he was
poaching in another man’s territory…and that the man was much larger than him,
and younger. I mean, shit, the Doc had to be at least thirteen years older than
her.

     “That’s good to know. I guess I’ll just leave the
instructions with the nurse along with a prescription for some pain medication.
Take care then.” He looked around and smiled politely at everyone with one
sweeping glance before leaving the room. Like I said, smart man.

     The other two people left in the room stared at me with
different expressions of watchfulness. Luka gazed at me curiously with a touch
of humor…he’d recognized my move. Nadia though, she stared at me with
uncertainty, and surprisingly, a little bit of anxiety.

     I had a feeling it took a lot to get this girl any
where near fearful.

     The nurse stepped back into the room breaking the triple
stare off to set Luka up with his sling as well as give him some pain meds for
tonight, and informing him that over the counter would work just fine for the
rest of the week. Nadia left the room to fill out some paperwork pulling out
her phone yet again. This left Luka and me alone and I inquired further about
his wrestling background and school life. The discussion revealed that the kid
was pretty damn cool and had inherited Nadia’s wicked sense of humor besides the
flirting gene.

     After a while Nadia came back and said we were set to
go. We’d gotten to the hospital at around four and now it was coming up on six-thirty.
  

     “Should I drive the truck around?” I asked as we headed
for the exit.

     “Seth, we can get a cab. I don’t want to put you out
further tonight.” Nadia said reaching for her phone.

     She was trying to get rid of me…that wasn’t going to
happen. Wrapping my hand around hers holding the phone I squeezed. Her gaze flew
up to mine. “Nadia, put it away. I’m taking you home.” Her eyes narrowed in
impatience, but beyond that I swear I saw nervousness.

     “We don’t…”

     Before she could finish I dragged her forward shaking
my head. “Nadia, don’t argue.”

     Her eyes narrowed further and her cupid mouth
tightened. That mouth had been dogging my dreams for weeks. “I…”

     “Nadia, I’m here and it’s no problem.” I said
interrupting again.

     “Really, I don’t…”

     “Can we stop at the Mongolian BBQ on the way home?” Luka
asked.

      “Sure. Why don’t you call them and get a load to go.”
I smiled at Luka’s intentional interruption as I continued to pull Nadia along.
I was a little surprised the kid was helping me against his sister. We were
nearing the truck and I clicked the unlock button on my remote.   

     Nadia gusted out a huge sigh causing me to grin; she
was throwing in the towel recognizing it was two on one. “Luka, we just came
from the hospital. We can’t be throwing our money away on take out if you want
that car in March.”

     Okay, she hadn’t necessarily been giving in, just
worried about paying the hospital bill…and buying her brother a car. She was
buying her brother a car…Wow! “Don’t worry about the take out. I’m starving so
I’m getting it.”    

     I opened the front passenger door for Nadia and she climbed
in throwing me an aggrieved glare. I returned it with a brow quirk which had
her narrowing her eyes even more. “We don’t need you…”  

    Luka whistled cutting off Nadia’s grumbling. “This truck
is sweet.” He said climbed in the back with an admiring gaze. “What year is
it?”

     I swear I heard Nadia growl at being interrupted yet
again.

     Luka’s question segued into a discussion on vehicles
that lasted ten minutes; the same time it took to reach the restaurant Luka
directed me to. Nadia didn’t say a word the whole way until I pulled into the
parking spot when she jumped out saying she’d be right back.

     I blew out my own aggrieved sigh staring after her in
frustration. Damn girl and her independence. But it was another note worthy
detail about her.

     “Are you interested in my sister?”

     Shit! I really did not want to have a conversation
about my feelings…especially with the brother of the girl I
was
interested in.

     “I
find
her interesting.” I replied watching
Luka in the review mirror. My response was a little mild to what I was actually
feeling, but it was enough of an answer for him.

     He stared back at me in narrowed eyed consideration. It
was a completely contrary look from the one he’d been giving me for the last
ten minutes as we discussed cars. “I know
nishto
about you, but don’t
think my sister is someone you can screw with for fleeting amusement. Just a
warning: we’re a family who live by old school vengeance; an eye for an eye.”

     Luka’s warning raised my respect for him. The kid loved
his sister. “I believe that’s Old Testament.” I corrected.

     “Potato, tomato.” Luka rejoined with a pointed look.
“My sister’s mean everything to me. I won’t be happy if they are made in any
way
un
happy.”

     I frowned. Sisters? There was another Charkesov out
there? “Do you warn all the guys yours sister brings home like this?”

     “My sister doesn’t bring home guys.” 

     That tidbit of information seemed shockingly implausible.
Was the kid trying to tell me she didn’t date? That was difficult to believe. However,
she was like a stand in mother to her siblings so it was more likely she didn’t
mix relationships and her family. 

     I was about to dig into that further with her brother
when the passenger door opened and Nadia hopped in with a box full of bags.
“Let’s go.” She commanded. “I can’t believe how frick’in late it’s getting.”

     Ahh, she was talking. “Which direction?”

     Ten minutes later we were pulling into a large
apartment complex. I followed the both of them to an apartment on the second
floor overlooking the parking lot. Nadia juggled the box of food as she put two
keys to the door to unlock it. Rolling my eyes I plucked the box of food from
her and was pleased to see that I was seconds ahead of her brothers helping
hand. My respect for him jumped even higher. Nadia was finally able to get the
door open and was suddenly attack by a small person with a cloud of long blond
hair who began spitting out Russian in rapid fire.

     This explained Luka’s ‘sister’s’ comment and Nadia’s
phone calls in Russian. Like Luka, this girl who appeared to be around the age of
nine to eleven, heavily resembled Nadia and her brother. She had Luka’s green
eyes and blonder hair, but she had Nadia’s features with a softer childlike
cast to them. Looking at her was like seeing Nadia as a child.

     “Iskra,” Nadia rubbed the girls’ shoulders soothingly
as the girl gripped her around the waist. “I’m sorry it took us so long to get
home, but look, Luka’s right behind me and he’s fine. He just pulled a muscle
and is going to be wearing a sling for a little while.”

     The girl, Iskra, raised her head and looked toward her
brother. She smiled but it dimmed when her gaze fell on me and she rattled off
a few more Russian words.

     “He’s someone who helped us get home.” Nadia said as
she pushed Iskra into the apartment. “We’ve brought food; have you eaten
already?” Nadia asked hugging the girl close as she moved with her into the
kitchen.

     Luka grabbed the food out of my hands as he passed me
to follow them. I watched the scene and some of Nadia’s life suddenly became crystal
clear as she bustled around grabbing plates and setting up food at the table.
Nadia was raising her siblings. Her parent’s were dead and she’d gotten custody
of her brother and sister and was now taking care of them. She was basically a
parent who worked full time and then came home to her kids at night.

     Fuck, could I have been more wrong about a person? She
wasn’t anything like I’d first thought.

Chapter Nine

NADIA

     I moved around my small kitchen and dining area
extremely conscious of Seth’s eyes following me. I hadn’t wanted him to bring
me home. I hadn’t wanted him in my apartment. Unfortunately, I’d been run
roughshod over by both my brother and Seth. I could have, and had no problem
putting my foot down with people, but it would have been particularly rude
after he gave me the ride to the hospital. Again, I had no problem being rude
to people, but that would announce how much he affected me and Luka was already
watching me curiously.

     He was always bugging me to date, but who wanted the
hassle of a boyfriend?

     Not I.

     “Issy, you want beef or chicken?” I asked drying my
hands after washing them. Grabbing some plates and silverware I brought them to
the table.

     “Beef.” She replied softly sidling up to my side. Issy
had always been shy around strangers while Luka and I had always been outgoing
with everyone.

     I squeezed her into me kissing the top of her head.
“Can you grab four cups from the cupboard for me?” She nodded against my chest before
moving away. Issy was tall for her age just like Luka and I had been at her
age.

     “Seth, what would you like to drink?” Luka asked going
over to the refrigerator. He grabbed the milk, chocolate syrup, and juice
pitcher.

     Seth was still standing at the door but he toed off his
shoes and walked forward at Luka’s question. I appreciated his consideration.
Yes, we rented the apartment, but we still tried to keep the place as clean as
possible. The carpet had been new when we’d moved in several months ago and we
wanted it to continue looking that way. Our furniture, while cheap, had been
bought new as well. I made good money as a plumber but we lived on a tight
budget.