Seth's Cravings: An Endless Series: Book 2 (44 page)

     I frowned. This was a difficult question to answer
because it was all supposition on my part. “I never had an in-depth discussion
with them about it, but I believe they just didn’t know how to relate to us.
Ad
(hell), we didn’t know how to relate to them. Sure, we knew they were our
grandparent’s, but we’d been told by my
otets
that his parents were dead…another
lie.” I could hear the bitterness in my voice and I’m certain Seth did too. “Their
aloofness, the move to America, and the pain from leaving
mat’
had Issy
and Luka speaking in Russian most of the time which made relating all the more
difficult. I think it was a way of protecting themselves and because of their
homesickness.”

     “The Barber’s did mention once that they took us in
because they felt it was their responsibility, and that’s basically how they
treated us, as a responsibility. They visited my
ottsy
other family a
lot, and I’d heard them often on the phone talking with the other wife and
children. From their tone they appeared to have a close relationship with them.
I think in some way they felt like they had to pick a side.”

     Seth growled, his chest rumbling beneath me. I raised
my head to see that his face was a mask of extreme displeasure. “That’s just
screwed up.” He growled. “You were with them for three years. They had time to
get to know you and build a relationship, but in all that time they didn’t even
bother to try. You’d lost your father, your mother was dying, and you’d moved
across the world away from her; they should have been bending over backwards to
bring some happiness into your life. The three of you are awesome, how could
they not see that? They must be fucking blind and stupid.”

     I found myself smiling at his rant, my heart bursting
with warmth that he found Issy and Luka awesome, that he was angry on their
behalf. The Barber’s had felt it was their duty to take care of us, but it had
all been about providing food and shelter. There had been no hugs and kisses,
no emotional bond. Seth had more of a connection with them in the short time
he’d been around than they’d established in three years.

     If I was honest with myself I could admit that a little
of it was our fault as well. We had not been happy about the decision to come
to America. We’d adopted a standoffish attitude with them from the start, but
we had been children, going through horrendous circumstances. Yes, they’d lost
their son, and found out some terrible news about him, but we’d experienced the
same and more.

     I leaned forward and kissed his mouth gently. “
Spasibo
for seeing that, and for thinking Luka and Issy are awesome. It always bugged
me that they couldn’t see that.”

     His stormy eyes stared down into mine. “There’s no need
to thank me. I’m only stating the facts.” He tilted his head brushing my lips. “And
it’s not just your brother and sister that are awesome. Those people lost out
on something special by not building a relationship with you three.”

     I smiled. “You are such a sweet talker.”

     “Again…only stating the facts.” He said with a grin.
His finger stroked down my cheek and over my bottom lip and the caress had my
breathing escalating, but then his expression sobered. “Can I ask you another
question?”

     Was there anything I hadn’t spilled to him already? “
Da
.”

     “Earlier I asked if you’d ever met the other family and
you responded with ‘
no, not
really
’; what exactly did that mean?”

     I sighed. “You really do listen to everything I say.”

     His palm cupped my cheek and his look was potent.
“You’re important to me, Nadia.”

     Those simple words had my heart about ready to explode
with emotion and I got choked up all over again. Lowering my head back onto his
chest I rubbed my face into his shirt. This man was close to holding my heart
in his hands, and there was so much damage he could do to it.

     I swallowed the lump in my throat so I could answer his
question. “I have not been officially introduced to my
otssy
other
family, but I’ve seen pictures of them. The Barber’s had done one considerate
act for us, they’d taken down pictures of the other family, but I found their
family albums. The wife looks to be around her late forties, dark brown hair,
pretty lady. She’s older than my
mat’
which might have made her more
bitter. Her youngest child is around my age. You know how Luka, Issy, and I are
all blonde and fair…” I felt Seth’s body shake under me slightly from most
likely nodding his head. “Well, my half siblings are all dark haired. We don’t
look anything alike. My father was dark haired, but the three of us took after
our mother.”

     I inhaled and then gave long exhale. “One day I found
their address in the Barber’s address book, and I took the bus over near their
house.” Memories once more swamped me. “They live in this upscale suburb just
outside the city limits. It’s a large house; two stories with a pool, a big backyard,
and they have a large basketball area set up next to the three car garage. It suddenly
hit me up side the head. My father had shafted us yet again. He’d made more
than he let on in his job. I hadn’t considered ourselves poor, but we’d lived
in an apartment. He used most of his money taking care of his first family, and
when he died they received his life insurance.”

     “You didn’t get anything when he died, did you?” Seth
grumbled.

     “It was a complicated situation. If both marriages had
taken place in America or Russia it would have been a simple matter, because
neither country condones bigamy, but since he married one in America and one in Russia it became a complex matter. Russia recognized the marriage. It was legal
in their eyes. Unfortunately, the company that my
otets
worked for was
an American company and they only recognized the first marriage. So to answer
your question; no, we didn’t get anything. And this only made me angrier. Not
necessarily because I wanted the money, but because he hadn’t made sure we were
taken care of. He was all about the now. He didn’t even leave anything in his
will for us.”

     My voice was getting high and tight with angry tension
and there was no way Seth couldn’t hear it because his hands massaged my back briskly.
“Shh, it’s okay, honey.” He murmured.

     I inhaled a deep breath. “Am I sounding too
materialistic?” I sniped, but without any real heat. 

     He heaved a sigh. “Fuck no. I’m not saying you don’t
have anything to be angry about, because you definitely do, I just don’t like
seeing you upset.”

     I traced the threads on his shirt and spoke when I
established some control. “You know what frustrates me the most. That I can’t
confront him. There’s this…ball of anger sitting inside me that can’t go
anywhere. If I could just yell at him, get some answers to my questions, and
then maybe it would finally go away.”

     “Honey, I absolutely understand your anger, and there
are so many people who would like to have that same opportunity given to them,
but scores of people just don’t get that option. Just ask Carrie. And unfortunately,
you are in that boat too. ”

     Carrie sounded like she was handling it way better than
I was, but then I already thought she was a better person than me. “Yeah,” I
exhale gustily; the long night was finally getting to me. “That fact hasn’t
escaped me, or that it sucks.”

     “I have to say you’re dealing with that internal anger
rather well. You always seem upbeat and have a naturally cheerful personality.”
Seth commented. His fingers sifted through my hair. It pulled at my scalp in a comforting
way.

     “Years of practice, self-discipline, and keeping busy.”
I said, and then yawned widely. “
Bozhe
(jeez).”

     His hand continued it’s sifting. “Well,
you are
one of the busiest women I know. I sometimes worry too busy.”

     My chest constricted. “Too busy for you?” I asked with
trepidation.

     “No way. My concern is for you.” He answered
immediately.

     I grinned and sighed sleepily, snuggling deeper into
his solid frame. We were now laid out on the couch with me lying on top of him,
and I was feeling particularly fine right now. Seth’s body was hard beneath me,
but he was still a comfortable and warm bed. His hand continued its gentle motions
through my hair and my eyelids became too heavy so I closed them.

     I wouldn’t mind falling asleep like this every night. 

Chapter Twenty-Six

SETH

     I lay in a semi-relaxed state under Nadia as she slowly
fell asleep atop of me. The reason I was semi-relaxed was because, for one: she
was on top of me, there was no way I could relax completely with her body this
intimately touching mine. The other reason was because of what she had divulged
to me. I knew there was a story attached to this girl I just hadn’t expected it
to be this dolefully elaborate.

     She’d warned me that she had trust issues and now I
knew why. It also explained why she had been hesitant in getting involved.
She’d said it was because of Luka and Issy, but I had no doubt it also had to
do with what her father had put her through. It had made her wary of
relationships, of putting her trust in a man.

     Landon had been right…layers and layers.

     A click of the door’s lock heralded Luka’s return. He
came in with his tie undone, shirt three buttons disengaged, blonde hair disheveled,
and a somewhat satisfied expression on his face. He’d either gotten lucky, or
he’d improvised.

     Luka’s eyebrows shot to his hairline when he spotted us
on the couch. I brought my finger to my mouth and then pointed at Nadia to warn
him that she was sleeping. He gave me a nod and carefully shut the door locking
it behind him.

     “Good night?” I whispered throwing him a knowing grin.

     He shrugged but there was a visible twist to his lips that
said ‘
yes…yes I did thank
you
very much’
, and I could
swear he blushed slightly. The kid definitely got lucky in some way.

     “How about you guys?” He asked giving me a pointed
look.

     Like I was going anywhere near that not so subtle
query. “Issy choose pizza for dinner, and I’m still reeling from finding out that
your sister doesn’t like it.”

     Luka shook his head looking the same as I had when I
found out. “I know, but then you’ve seen that sandwich she eats. My sister is
weird.” He moved into the room toward the stereo, shutting it off.

     I smiled. “Would you rather she be normal?”

     Head cocked, his brows rose in acknowledgment. “True. I’m
off to bed. It’s been a long night.” He headed toward his bedroom.

     “Hey Luka.” I called out quietly. He turned looking at
me questioningly. “I’m not sure if Nadia’s had the sex and responsibility talk
with you, but just make sure you’re covered at all times. She doesn’t need
anything else to worry about.”  

     He smirked. “Do you honestly believe she would shy away
or forget to do something like that?” His smirk fell away. “Don’t worry; I
wouldn’t do that to her, or myself.”

     I gave him a nod of approval as he turned and walked
away.

     “You just make sure you do the same thing.” He mumbled
loudly over his shoulder. 

     I shook my head with a grin. Damn kid was just like his
sister, not afraid to lay it all out there. It dumbfounded me that these
grandparents’s of theirs remained disconnected from them, because they really
were amazing.

     Nadia shifted on top of me, and
ahh shit
, her
legs fell to either side of my right leg, straddling me. Her thigh nudged my
dick setting off its awareness radar instantly.

     Its not happening buddy, so settle down.

     I employed some deep breathing exercises that had my
muscles, at least the majority of my muscles, loosening up. My hands
reflexively wrapped around her small waist and I cuddled her closer with a sigh.
Having Nadia fall asleep on me was a whole different experience in
pleasure…because it was mixed with contentment. It was a combination I’d never
encountered before, not even close to when Melissa and I had slept together.  

     I was loath to move us at the moment; she was sleeping
so peacefully, and I was enjoying the position. Closing my eyes with a smile I
decided to give it five more minutes, that way she’d fall into an even deeper
sleep and I could probably move her without waking her.

∞                   
∞                    ∞

     “Seth.”

     I frowned at the whispery voice calling my name, in
addition to the poke I received to my shoulder. Neither came again so the black
void of sleep called me back.

     “Se-eeth.” Poke.

     The soft voice was sing-song this time drawing out my
name. I cracked one eyelid to see Issy starring down at me. She smiled
appearing pleased about something.

     “Oh good, you’re awake.” She chirped.

     My lid closed and I groaned lowly as I gathered my
bearings and took stock of the situation. I was on Nadia’s couch and the three seconds
I had my eye open told me it was morning. It also told me that I’d fallen
asleep last night when I’d only planned on taking five minutes to relax on the
couch with Nadia. Thankfully, Nadia wasn’t sprawled all over me—and I can’t
believe I was using the word ‘thankfully’ instead of ‘regretfully’—so we
weren’t giving Issy and eyeful this morning.   

     Unfortunately, there was something else that could be
giving her quite an education. My eyes burst open at the same time as my hand
went down to cover the woody I never failed to pop every morning. I sighed in
relief when my hand encountered a bunched up blanket around my waist.
Thank
you, Nadia.