by Cora Blu
Seth wouldn’t look at her. “Either you tell me which one of you bastards did this to her or I’ll chose.” He was unshakeable.
She turned her face up to Dmitri. “Make him stop. I’m okay.”
“Simone, one of them hurt you, he won’t stop.” Dmitri stood beside Seth.
Mikhail looked at her. “They would have done worse had we not come along.”
“Hurting someone I love is not an option, Sim. If they wanted me, they should have come for me. Not my girlfriend.” He pushed the gun into Gregori’s temple. “You get one more showing of my civility and then I decide. Who did this to her face?”
“She did it to herself.” Gregori’s voice slurred under the strain of a broken nose. “She wouldn’t stop mouthing off.”
“Not the answer I was looking for. Take her out of here, Mikhail.”
“Seth.” Her voice came out a whisper. She pleaded with him through her eyes. More violence would not change what happened. She needed him—not revenge.
“Why?”
Her voice was strained by the backwash of emotion this was causing her. “I can’t handle another death because of me. My Butterfly died because I was impatient. Please think about this first.” Tears melted down her face. “What happens when you go to jail because you killed a man out of anger and impatience for revenge?”
“Sim.” He stood with the barrel pressed to Gregori’s head, frustration itching to pull the trigger.
“Please, I don’t want any more bloodshed. Please don’t kill him. If your parents are safe, that’s all that matters.”
“That’s not all that matters, Sim. They were going to…” Her heart cried at the sheer compassion she witnessed in him controlling his anger, knowing she could have had worse things done to her. “Hell, Sim, they were going to rape you.”
“Don’t you think I know that? I’m not naïve, Seth. You think I was fighting myself in here? I fought the other guy, Kyle, off in the stairwell and I fought him off here.”
Seth slammed Gregori face-first into the wall, his feet scraping across the floor digging for purchase under. “You did this to her.” The chamber on the gun clicked. Bullet loaded. Simone buried her face in Mikhail’s chest, waited to hear any chance with Seth slip away as his anger would take him from her in the form of Prison.
“No,” Gregori stammered, “she came on to me.”
“You chased me with a gun, then shot me in the leg after I pushed Kyle over the railing. Nobody came on to you, prick.” Simone’s rage returned in full color.
Dmitri smiled at her. “You fought him in the stairwell and killed the other guy?”
“You guys are like Charlie Brown—block heads. Should I just have laid there and waited for them to take turns? Of course I fought them.”
Everyone shot a glance at the sound of sirens around the barn.
“Who called the cops?” Mikhail asked.
“Shit—weapons—give me everything you got,” Dmitri ordered to the men. Removing all evidence of weapons, no one was going to jail over this.
Simone let the tears roll down her face as Mikhail moved her outside and Seth chained Gregori to the bed, following close behind them.
Outside, Simone sat back as paramedics tended her leg, Mikhail by her side. Crazy stood next to other young man, ripping the remaining jeans open down her leg.
“That’s enough,” the large man said. Simone gave Edward a soft smile.
“He’s just doing his job, Edward. Thank you, though.”
“I’m watching you,” he said over the man’s shoulder.
The cold night air chilled her to the bone. Mikhail must have caught her shiver as he laid his coat over her on the gurney. He leaned in pressed a kiss on her face.
“Seth is talking to the authorities,” Mikhail started. “Seems his parents called said they knew the woman behind the blackmailing. Turned out to be the person they had on surveillance for months. A Vivian-something. She watched you and Seth get in the van and decided to go after you instead thinking you two were together.”
“I’d make a better hostage than Seth…” Her voice trailed off as Seth moved into view.
“Give us a minute,” Seth said, tucking the blanket over the jacket Mikhail placed on her. She eyed him trying to gain his composure.
“Did it even matter that I didn’t want you to kill him?”
“Sim, I know you’re pissed right now and I know you don’t think what I did was right. It wasn’t. But what they did to you was no better. Just because you lived doesn’t make it okay. Baby, look at me.” Finger under her chin, his tone loving, he rested his bruised knuckles on her chin turned her face to him.
“You were going to kill him.”
“He said he raped you. What was I supposed to do? Should I have asked him how it was to be sure?”
Her hands balled in her lap. “I told you he didn’t.” Voice slurred from the swollen lip.
“You also said you were okay, but you have a bullet in your leg a bruised cheek and your beautiful lips are swollen. That’s not okay. Be mad at me. Be pissed at me. Be whatever makes you feel better, but I love you and he hurt you. That is not okay with me. Do I make myself clear?”
She looked away from him.
“I love you, woman, and those two assholes don’t get to hurt you. Sweetheart, look at me,” he pleaded.
She turned back to him. Love for this man burned throughout her body. He was willing to kill for her. Said he loved her and that made it that much harder knowing she would never see him again after this.
“I love you,” he said. “No matter what happens now, I love you.”
“I know you love me.”
“You don’t get to choose how I show it. I’ve loved you since you leaned against my back, washing my hair.”
“Let them take me to the hospital. I just want to go home. My head hurts and my leg burns.”
“Tell me first.”
She ran a hand down his face. When she got to his neck, she held it with weak effort.
“I love you, Seth. I’ve been falling since you handed me my camera back in the woods. But this isn’t helping when we both know we want different things.”
Crazy came over to the stretcher touched Seth along the shoulders. “If he gives you any trouble, miss, you know who to call.” He smiled at Simone.
“Thank you, Edward. You’re a true gentleman.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek.
“Edward?” Seth looked at Crazy. “Who the hell is Edward?” Seth groaned.
“A proper lady should call you by your proper name.” Crazy walked away.
“God, is there anyone that’s not hit on you yet, Sim?”
“An unavailable woman is always more attractive.”
~~~
In the hospital, he listened to his parents go over what they’d learned. Ms. Vivian was found after Mrs. Dragoslava told the police who was threatening them. They found out that Patrick was in the Russian military with Seth and Dmitri. Luckasz had dated Gretchen. That’s how he knew Seth, but Seth had never met him. With everyone safe and Simone in a room at the hospital, things were calmer. His heart wasn’t, but he couldn’t hold on to Simone and kill her dreams of becoming pregnant again. He had to let her go.
Fourteen
Two months later Simone had finally gotten everything unpacked into her new home. She couldn’t stay in the house she lost her first baby in. The new house was her new beginning. With everyone helping her move, the transition was easy. She eyed her laptop. Every time she saw it, she thought of Seth back in London now. She still loved him and his child growing happily beneath the warmth of her stomach.
Another month and she would try to contact him one last time, then she was moving on. She wanted him to know he wasn’t sterile. She knew him being sterile. or thinking he was. made him let her go. He wanted her to have a baby with someone, not be stuck with a man that couldn’t give her a child. She didn’t care if he could, but he didn’t believe he could make her happy without them hav
ing a baby. She couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t return her calls, though. She plugged the charger in and charged the battery to the laptop. Voices from the stairs told her the party had started downstairs. The pizza must have arrived.
“We better get down there before Kim eats the good one,” she said aloud to the baby.
Moving one house to another was exhausting, and wearing herself out was the last thing she needed to be doing. This pregnancy she would be more careful, which made her question buying a house with stairs. The railing was sturdy and no chance of Bandit sleeping on the stairs as he lived with Kim now.
She padded across the freshly laid carpet to the mirror. She promised herself she wouldn’t keep looking, but she couldn’t help it. Grabbing the hem of her red blouse, she curled it back and turned back and forth in the mirror. Side angle, front angle, even seeing if her behind had gotten any bigger. She hoped not, no telling how long it would take to get that back in shape.
“Come on,” she said, stroking her belly, “let’s fold these boxes up and get down stairs. Now don’t frown, broccoli on pizza is good, and a good source of calcium.” At the sound of the doorbell, she started down the stairs.
“Kim, get the door please.”
“Got it… probably Sonia. You know she only shows up once the heavy lifting is done,” her best friend called out before pulling the bright blue door open. Her jaw went slack taking in the man holding the screen door open.
“Hello—I’m looking for Simone Daniels. Is she here?” he said.
“Who may I say is calling?”
“Seth Dragoslava—she and I met in Austria.”
“Please, come in,” she said, stepping back as his large frame filled the doorway. Kim leaned over the banister. “Simone, you need to come down here. You have an out-of-town guest here to see you.”
Simone’s hand trembled, seeing her Adonis fill her foyer. She fought not to cover her stomach. Her heartbeat sped, mouth watered, and anger shot through her at the sight of the missing-in-action father for her child.
When he stared up at her, a wave of nausea hit. Those blue eyes locked on her.
“Sim,” Seth said, shrugging off the light jacket, not waiting, but taking the stairs two at a time. She gasped as he closed in around her. Big arms snuggling her against the even bigger chest. She held up a hand to ward off whatever his intentions where.
“Seth”—her voice cracked—“What are you doing here?”
“I get finished in Italy and before I can get home, I was sent to Dubai for another month. I arrive back yesterday to find out through voicemail that I’m not sterile. Does that mean you’re pregnant, Sim? I have a child growing inside your little body?”
Seeing the women at the bottom of the stairs, she backed up to her bedroom door, Seth walking along with her. “A month ago.” She decreed. “I sent that last month after I had my checkup.” She grimaced, pushing her folded arms between them.
“Am I going to be a father, Simone Daniels?”
“Why, Seth, why do you care now?” she complained as he stepped away from her.
She eyed him pacing a circle in her small hallway. Large shoulders bunching under the blue button-up dress shirt. She couldn’t talk with three pair of eyes watching from the bottom of the stairs. She leaned over the banister. “Can everyone give Mr. Dragoslava and I a moment, please?
“Is this my grandbaby’s father, Simone?” her mother ignored her plea.
She stiffened as Seth tilted his head, his hands shoved in his pockets. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”
She shuttered, the rhythm of his heartbeat a memory she would remember forever thumped against her back. The rich scent of musk and Calvin or BCBG cologne danced past her nose. She inhaled, steadying herself. She let it seep out.
He turned to look at her. “I love you woman.”
“Don’t say that. I tried calling and you never answered.” Tipping her face back, the cool scent of his breath highlighted the mouthwash blue of his eyes. If her child has those eyes, she won’t stand a chance at Toy-R-Us.
“You love me too.” The breath that followed these words trailed over her sensitive earlobe. “Where is your cell?” Seth hissed, removing his hand letting it drop down her hip as she turned to face him.
“What—my cell?” she said, fishing in her back pocket missing the warmth of his hand smoothing over her leg. “What do you need my cell for?” She held the little rectangle out to him giving her attention to the ceiling fighting the urge to taste those lips that made her writhe across the bed in unbridled splendor.
His jaw clinched, before he sank into his self. “You got a new phone,” he said, eyeing her hand as if the phone would explode.
“I lost the other at the airport. What’s so important?”
“I have been calling you for two months. That’s what’s so important.”
“I left you three messages, and you never returned one, so don’t tell me what you did.” She shot back. Stepping away from him, she grabbed the folded sweaters on the box, crossed to her room, and put them on her bed. Leaning against the doorjamb, she watched his shoulders relax.
She followed his hands, the strong veins running up the back as he threaded the fingers through all that black hair. The thick layers falling into place afterward. He pivoted on his heels to face her. “I went straight from my job in Italy to Dubai. I have a backlog of messages that never came through while I was working on the one hundred and twenty-sixth floor of a new building. I wasn’t ignoring you,” he said, crowding her to her bedroom door.
“I don’t believe you.” She straightened her back, jutting out her chin.
“Yes you do.” He pulled at her blouse. She smacked his hand away. “How’s your leg, the bullet wound?”
“I’m fine, Seth.”
“Show me the number you called. Your message only came through on the landline.” He tugged her blouse again.
“Stop it. You’re irritating me.”
He blew off her attempt at haughty, most likely because he could tell she wanted to wrap her arms around that thick chest and never let go. She flipped the lid open, and scrolled through some numbers. There was his number. She angled the phone. “See right there… No answer.”
“Liebling.” He hooked an arm around her waist. She wanted him to hold her, to crush her to his broad chest and kiss her face. Instead, she held a hand out, keeping them apart. “I changed that number after everything happened, seeing as how Gretchen may have it. I put the new number in your phone when we waited for your flight… remember?”
She tipped her chin up to look at him. He spoke the truth, although the facts remained the same. He came all this way because of the baby, not her. “Well I only called so you would know it wasn’t you who had the problem, but Gretchen. I wasn’t looking for support.”
“Stop being upset and listen to me,” he said, tugging the bottom of her blouse.
“Quit.” She fought the smile forming under his teasing. He liked poking fun at her.
“When your voice mail became full, I tried to find your address. You’re not listed, and unless I called every Daniels in Michigan, I had no way of finding you. I had no idea you called at all until I landed.” He took a breath and ran a hand through his hair before continuing. He was beautiful, all flustered and upset. Muscles strung tight up his forearms to hide under his rolled up sleeves. Simone chewed on her lip. Why did that turn her on seeing him that way? “I got off the plane yesterday,” he continued, eyeing her stomach, “after eighteen hours, listened to your message, turned around and got right back on the plane to come here.” He pressed her shoulders until her back was to him and held her to his chest. She said nothing as she drew in a breath. His long fingers raised the hem of her cotton blouse. Three sets of eyes had made it back into the foyer below, gawking like little children. She didn’t care she’d missed his touch, and even if it was just for minute, she wanted it. Flat rough palm covered her bare stomach and the non-existent bump. Hard square jaw rubbed over her hai
r.
“Our baby, Sim?”
No point in denying her heart’s desire, especially when his thighs pressed along her butt brought memories of their first time crashing over her. The forceful way he took her over the edge of the mattress in the hotel room, while lovingly pressing his ear to her back, listening to her heart beat.
“Yes…” she said shyly, under his soft lips brushing back and forth over her cheeks. Warm fingers caressed her just inside of her waistband cupping her below her bellybutton. She fought the urge to tip her head back onto that hard chest and pull his arms tighter around her. Blinking, she focused on the wall and not the man wrapped around her as his voice began to pour over her in warm cascades of mint.
Seth’s stubble rasped her ear. “I told you in Austria I loved you and you said the same—was it a lie?”
“No.” Her reply came on the end of a sigh.
“Then why fight me right now?”
“Because… I don’t want you here for the baby only.”
“I never said I was here for the baby.” She felt him digging in his front pockets bumping her behind. “I said I got your message. I’m here because I bought you this ring almost two months ago and have not been able to find you to place it on your finger, stubborn woman.”
She eyed the one karat, round solitaire on a platinum band. Seth tipped his hand, holding the ring to the light. An inscription circled the inside of the band. “Read what it says, Sim.”
A lump formed in her throat as she looked at the words carved into the metal. “I can only give you me.” She read the soft script, wiping the tears running down beside her nose as she stopped fighting the raw emotion and took a cleansing breath. “You sell yourself short, mister. Why do you think I stuck around for you to take me to dinner at the hotel instead of leaving then? I hoped you’d ask me to come back or stay or anything… but you didn’t.”
They stared at one another after he slipped the ring on her finger. Time had no distinction or rhythm outside of their heartbeats meeting on the wave of need, tying them together. Simone tilted her face to him as his lips parted.
