Seth's Cravings: An Endless Series: Book 2 (66 page)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

NADIA

     My heart was pounding with an overload of emotions as I
stared up at Seth. His eyes were open windows and I could see that he was being
completely truthful. I could see his guilt and regret, the pain of
separation…his love for me. Twelve days ago I was afraid I’d lost my ability to
read people, but I hadn’t. Seth had just made an error of judgment that had
backfired on both of us horribly.   

     Seven days ago he’d begun to convince me that
everything had been a mistake with his unwavering calls and texts, but then he’d
made another error in judgment.

     I didn’t like that he still harbored guilt over what
had almost happened to me. For the first time I realized it was my mistake more
than his for not asking for help as soon as he’d opened that door, or yelling
for him to come back. I shouldn’t have thought I could handle it myself,
because there was the possibility that I may not have been able to. My
stubbornness and independent nature could have been my downfall, and because of
those things I had put that weight of guilt on Seth’s shoulders.

     It was this guilt had caused him to lose control when
he’d come across Dale, and he was right in that no matter how pissed I was at
him I would have wanted to help him. It was my first thought when I did find
out. Could it have caused some problems with Issy and Luka’s guardianship if
I’d testified? I don’t know. But that Seth had been about to sacrifice himself
because of it could make me forgive nearly anything he’d done.

     However, in light of his explanations it didn’t look as
if he required an excessive amount of forgiveness. Mistakes were different than
intentional deception, and I wasn’t going to hold those against him.

     Reaching up I set my hand on Seth’s chest. His eyes
closed, he took a deep intake of breath, and his hands on my waist tightened as
if this small touch was everything to him. This made all my pent-up emotions
spill forth.

     “While I normally hate it when you call yourself
uncomplimentary names, I have to say you
have
been an
osel
(asshole)
and an
eblan
(dumbass).” Even though I was certain Seth had no idea exactly
what I was calling him he had to know I was using some rather derogatory names
to describe him. However, he only quirked an eyebrow at me in response looking
not at all offended, but anxiety did swim in his blue depths.  

     Raising both hands I cupped his jaw and gazed at him
warmly. “But you are not useless. When you’re not doing stupid stuff and
pissing me off, you make me so…unbelievably happy and complete. I realize that
as our relationship is new and we are going to go through difficulties of
adjustment, but I need to know that there’s trust between us. I recognize that
you weren’t trying to deceive me like what my father had done, but now you see
how things like this can boomerang out of control. Surprises are fine and
dandy, but that was not a surprise I need to experience again in my lifetime. I
will not be some secret, no matter how other people might react to me.” My
voice was firm and absolute as I related this.

     His hands on my waist pulled me close so our fronts
melded together, making everything tingle and burn. Gazing down at me, his blue
eyes swirling with heat, he murmured hoarsely. “Believe me, you were never
meant to be a secret. I’m so incredibly sorry that I made you feel like one.
Hell, I want everyone to know that you’re mine. I’d stamp my name across every
inch of you if I could.”

     I smiled, nearly dizzy with euphoria and happiness. Being
back in Seth’s arms was incredible. I’d missed him so much and any doubts I had
concerning him had all vanished. “Well, you make one hell of an effort at that
when we have sex.” I laid my head on his chest and hugged him, wanting to get
as close to him as I could. The last two weeks had been torturous and now I
needed some comforting.

     He exhaled a rough laugh squeezing me tightly, almost
desperately. It appeared he’d gone through similar suffering and desired the
same as me. “And I will go back to it as soon as you let me.”

     “Hey, is this a good news hug or a bad news hug?”

     I looked over to see Billy walk in the room grinning
like a lunatic. I didn’t make any effort to move out of Seth’s embrace, and he
didn’t seem inclined to release me.

     “So?” Billy raised his eyebrows questioningly. “Did it
work? Did the guy drop the charges?”

     I grimaced.
Derr’mo
! Speaking of truths. “Billy,
you have the worst timing.” I grumbled.

     Seth shifted us apart slightly so he could look down at
me with a frown. “So, you did know I’d been arrested? You didn’t seem to be all
that surprised when I’d told you.”

     “Opps.” Billy’s face contorted in apology. “I’mmm…gotta
go.” He shuffled from the room quickly.

     “How did you find out?” Seth asked.

     I bobbed my head back in forth ditheringly. “Wellll,” I
hated giving Landon up, but it’s not like I could lie to Seth after we’d had
this major discussion on truth and all. I’d planned on telling him anyway.
“Landon came over to my apartment two nights ago and told me. He said that my
testimony could help you, but that you were against it.”

     Seth’s frame went taut and he scowled angrily. “I am
going to kick his ass. I explicitly stated that I did not want you involved. I
can’t believe he went behind my back like that.”

     “Seth, your dad asked him to. He told Landon that he’d
make certain I wouldn’t lose guardianship of Issy and Luka.”

     Seth looked torn between anger and several other
emotions. “Damn it! I didn’t want you involved in it…”

     I interrupted him before his anger escalated. “Seth, I’m
glad they came to me. I was able to help and we don’t have to worry about Luka
and Issy being taken away. Everything worked out.”

     Seth breathed hard and appeared to be reigning in his
temper. “So, what…you went and told the judge about what he did? I don’t see
how this got my charges dropped; unless you threatened to press charges of your
own?” He frowned down at me in concern.

     I shifted in his embrace feeling slightly nervous.
“Welll…”

     “I’m really not liking how you say that word.” Seth
growled.

     I held back a grin knowing he wouldn’t appreciate one
with what I was about to reveal, but he was just so adorable when he growled.
“I didn’t go to the judge. I went to the source itself.”

     Seth’s lips thinned, his jaw hardened, and there might
have been steam coming from his ears. I could feel the tension in his body, as
well as in the hands that grasped my waist. “You talked to Dale.” He tilted his
head to the left and then to the right. Bones cracked ominously and a vein
popped out on his forehead. “Nadia…” He stopped, closed his eyes, took a deep breath,
and reopened his eyes. “Tell me you didn’t go alone?” He gritted out between
his teeth.

     Wow. He really looked like he might be grinding down
some molar enamel back there. “I did not go alone. Four large males went along
with me.” I assured him.

     He exhaled heavily, and though he still looked angry,
he also looked relieved and bewildered. “What did you do then? Did you threaten
him with charges of assault?”

     “No, I doubt that would have worked with it being his
word against mine and us dating and all. Do you remember what I threatened him
with last time?” I asked with a grin.

     He frowned, recalling. “What…the Mafia connection?”

     “
Da
.” I smiled, and then proceeded to give him a
shortened version of our scheme. And then I had to explain who Cole was when he
asked for the names of who had gone with me.

     After I divulged everything Seth stared at me in both
amazement and alarm. “I…I don’t know what to say to all that. I’m thrilled you
connected with one of your half-brothers, but I can’t believe you did what you
did. Do you know the trouble you could get into by threatening that guy? God,
Nadia, what if he reported you to the police?”

     “For what? I didn’t verbally or physically threaten
him…that time. If he brought up the past than he’d be condemning himself.
Everything I said was subjective. All I did was go there with some friends and
politely asked him for a favor.”

     Seth abruptly hauled me back in his arms, and my face
mashed into his hard, fabulous smelling chest. “Nadia…” He paused, voice
strained, and I think it was because he had no idea what to say. “You…I’m…I
didn’t tell you about my arrest because I didn’t want to have to worry about
you losing Luka and Issy, and now I have to worry about you being arrested
yourself.”

     I rubbed at his back soothingly. “I’m not going to be
arrested. Dale believed everything I told him and that’s why he dropped the
charges. It’s over.”

     “Every one of those guys should have talked you out of
it instead of joining you in such an outrageous and dangerous scheme. What were
they thinking?” Seth growled.

     “Hey, we tried. She said she’d do it without us if we
didn’t help.”

     I laughed into Seth’s chest as Billy shouted from the
hallway, and I wondered if he was the only one out there eavesdropping.

     “Someone should have called me then. I would have tied
her up and locked her away until after my sentencing.” Seth yelled back.

     “Yeah, well I would have wished you good luck with that
and then wrote your obituary.” Pete hooted back.

     And that answered my question on the number of eavesdropper’s.

     “Damn enabler’s, that’s what you all are.” Seth
grumbled loudly. “If she gets arrested I’m kicking all your asses.”

     “Shit, they are damn scary together.” Billy snorted.

     I jabbed Seth in the sides making him jerk. “Tell them
‘thank you’ for helping.” I ordered under my breath, holding back my laughter.

     He growled something I couldn’t make out. “Thank you
for your help guys, and I’ll be sure to
not
kick your asses if she’s
not
arrested.”

     I shook my head in amused frustration.

     “Hear that Pete, we have something to look forward to.”
Billy chuckled.    

     Seth looked down at me aggrieved. “I thought you worked
with adults?”

     I smiled. “Occasionally.” 

     “Pete, Billy, leave Nadia alone.” Tom yelled from
further down the hall.

     I stuffed my face into Seth’s chest to smother my
laughter because this was turning into a free for all. Seth’s arms tightened
around me and he began mumbling something but Tom yelled again cutting him off.

     “In fact, Nadia, why don’t you call it a day. It’s
nearing quitting time anyway.”

     I pulled my face out of Seth’s chest. “Are you sure,
Tom?”

     Suddenly, he was there in the doorway sporting a huge
smile. “Yes. Why don’t you take tomorrow off as well. You’ve been looking a
little tired these last two weeks and there’s nothing significant scheduled for
Friday. You have like three weeks of vacation time to use up and before the end
of the year anyway. Or just use one of your sick days.”

     Before I could answer Seth twisted us to face Tom and
addressed him. “Thank you, Tom. I was thinking she looked a little tired
myself. Speaking of vacation time; has she asked for time off for
Thanksgiving?”

     Tom’s twinkling gaze flickered from me to Seth. “Not as
yet, but she usually takes a few days.”

     “Well, I hope I can get her to take at least a week if
that’s possible? I would like to take her to my parent’s for the holiday.” Seth
voiced over my head.

     I’d been about to butt into their conversation with
some sarcastic comment about how they were scheduling my life, but was made
momentarily mute when I heard that Seth wanted to take me to his parent’s. I
stared up at him in shocked delight while he gazed down at me with tender
adoration.

     In the space of minutes my heart had gone from hurting
from the pain of not knowing what he felt for me, to hurting from an overload
of happiness at clearly seeing that he did indeed love me.

     “I think that could be arranged.” Tom chuckled. “Now
get on out of here.”

     I heard Tom walk away, but my gaze stayed trapped with
Seth’s. “You want me to meet you parent’s over Thanksgiving?”

     Seth hugged me closer. “Actually, I want you to meet
them this weekend. They wanted to go out tonight to celebrate the charges being
dropped, but I think we should all get together tomorrow for that. Tonight I
need to spend with you.” His voice deepened and I knew he was thinking what I
was thinking, what my body was insisting on. It had been too long.

     “Zat sounds good.” I agreed huskily.

     The blue of his eyes flared at hearing the thickness of
my accent. Bending down he brushed his lips over my eyebrows. “Does Luka have a
match tonight?”

     “Yes.” I whispered, and for the first time I wished I
didn’t have to go. I wanted time for just Seth and me. I wanted to be selfish.

     He must have read my disappointment because he smiled
and squeezed me close. “That’s okay. I’ve missed seeing Luka and Issy.” His
lips brushed over my cheek to my ear. “I want you so damn bad, Nadia, but I can
wait, because you are worth waiting for. These last twelve days have been hell
without you. Right before I was arrested I was about to kidnap you to force you
to listen to me and take me back.” I smiled thinking about how well that
scenario would have gone. “And then after I was arrested…shit, every day was a
black void, but you were still my light at the end of the tunnel. What you did
for me with Dale, it was risky, but I realize that’s who you are. You’re
intrepid, independent, and clever as hell. I wouldn’t have you any other way. I
was wrong before when I said you make me feel useless. You are a strong woman
who can look after herself, and I just want to be an equal partner alongside
you.”