“Remind me again why are we doing this?” Nadia asked Dean who was standing beside her staring at the chaotic performance in front of them. “Because Donna and Mother decided that we need to be involved in the planning of our engagement party,” Dean answered as he carefully held Luke who was sitting on his lap clapping at the juggling of the clown before them. “ Well at least someone is having fun in all this,” Nadia trailed off and Dean gave her a tired smile looking down at Luke fondly. Looking at the long list of performers they still had to go through, Nadia checked out a few not bothering to even think about going to see them. Who wants a pool dancer in their engagement anyway. “How about we keep it to classical music or something? The list is too long and even though I would like to humor them, I think that they’re trying to find a way to keep us out of the preparations by giving us meaningless tasks.” Nadia complained and Dean nodded. “I agree. Classical is safe, and it would
Nadia woke up with a start to find herself staring at the TV which was still on. Her tablet having toppled to the side on the couch was off and as she tried to move, the weight on her knees stopped her from making any abrupt movement. Dean was sleeping soundly his head on her knees looking much better than he had been earlier. Nadia smiled and reached out to touch his forehead only to stop midway realizing what she was going to do. A few hours earlier, after Dean fell asleep against her shoulder, Donna had stopped by to pick up Luke and bring her her stuff. Taking the liberty to change and shower, she came out of the room to find Dean still drowsy with sleep as he sat up on the couch. As she came to sit down beside him, he reached for her settling his head on her knees, and went back to sleep not even finishing his sentence. Glad that she could still get some work done with him sleeping on her knees. She continued working until she dozed off too. As she reached for her tablet aga
“Soo, when are the two of you going to buy the engagement ring?” Keith asked as the three of them sat down to have dinner. Nadia paused the fork midway toward her mouth and Dean who was sitting beside her groaned looking at the sky. “What?” Keith asked his eyes widening, “Did I step into a landmine?” He asked his eyes going from her to Dean. More like pointed out a fatal flaw in their so-called relationship. No ring, who proposes without a ring?! “I know it sounds impossible but I completely forgot about that,” Dean sighed. “Me too…” Nadia added. “Woah. you two are really hopeless workaholics. No wonder you were working even in your chill time. Do you remember the last time either one of you took a vacation just to chill?” Keith asked. “I don’t want to hear that from the one who works three days a week and is a rare sight in his own office,” Dean retorted. “Well, unlike you, I value my time off more than my working hours. And I have enough money to chill and not work too hard
“Uncle Dean, is this you and Mommy’s wedding?” Luke asked as he sat beside Dean in his parents’ house. He was wearing his tuxedo matching Dean’s which made him look even more adorable. Apparently, it was a collaboration between Nadia and his mother. Which he didn’t mind in the least. In fact, he quite liked it. “No, this is our engagement, it's what happens before the wedding,” He explained and Luke nodded pensively. “Are there going to be a lot of people at the party?” Luke asked. “Yes, there are going to be a lot of guests, so you have to make sure that you always stay near me, Mommy, Aunty Donna, or Grandma,” Dean instructed knowing the kid would still slip out and they would have to keep an eye on him. “Okay!” Luke said cheerfully swinging both legs. Dean smiled as he watched him wondering when Nadia was going to be there. They were waiting for her to make their entrance. She was hauled by Donna and his mother hours ago claiming that she needed a spa day before the big event
Nadia stared down at the petite woman before her wearing a cutesy dress with frills and a huge ribbon. From what Nadia could see, she was clearly in her mid-twenties or maybe late twenties. An age when a woman could barely get away with dressing this cutely without getting strange looks. But the woman was managing to do so quite marvelously. When Dean mentioned her name, Nadia then realized why he was so uncomfortable. Although she had never met the woman, she had heard about her. This woman had been after him for the last two years doing everything from picking up fights with his current girlfriends to using her family and connections to set up a marriage. So there was no doubt that the woman was considering Nadia as her deadly enemy. But from the angry defensive expression she was making. Nadia wondered if Anna was still willing to fight this fight. Perhaps she was realizing that she was fighting a losing battle from the start. “By the way, I wanted to meet you in person and ap
The rest of the engagement party ended as uneventfully as it could. There was the instant when Nadia had to hunt down for Luke to find him wolfing down enough cake to spike up his sugar levels. Needless to say that she had a hell of a time trying to put him to bed. And there was also Keith’s endless teasing and let’s not talk about when Leilah met Keith and they got along so well at the expense of Nadia’s nerves. Let’s just say that Nadia had a rough night. And Dean wasn’t of much help since he was a major participant in Luke’s sweet trip. By the end of the party, she was so tired that she accepted Maria’s invitation to spend the night. When she woke up, Luke was nowhere to be seen and it was already close to eleven o'clock. In a panic, she woke up hurriedly changing and making her way downstairs. Luke was sitting with Dean’s parents and Donna at the terrace happily munching on brunch. “Good morning, Dear. Did you sleep well?” Maria asked and Nadia nodded with a smile. “I was surp
Nadia watched the familiar street lights pass by her as the lime slowly drove up the busy street. It was at a time of day when Blue Ridge was most busy so the slow advance of the car was understandable. Luke stirred on her side and she smiled as she looked down at his sleeping face. From the excitement over riding the plane for the first time to being tired from traveling put him out like a light as soon as they got into the limo. Nadia looked up to see Donna sipping from another flute of champagne, this one was probably her third, or maybe more. She had always been a heavy drinker, and she didn’t get drunk easily either. But at this rate, Nadia was more worried about her health than anything else. Drinking too much could have some bad repercussions for her age. Dean was busy looking into his phone and when he felt her gaze he looked up and automatically gave her a warm smile. He had always smiled at her warmly, no matter the circumstances. As Nadia smiled back at him, she wondered
“You didn’t have to hire a babysitter to stay with Luke. I would have been happy to take care of him,” Dean told Nadia for the third time that day as he leaned against her desk. He had been chilling in her office since this morning going about small tasks and having small talk with the employees. He seemed bored and it looked like he was more disappointed than Luke for not being able to spend time together. The employees on the other hand were delighted to have him. Thoroughly charmed by his presence and the mostly female-occupied office didn’t seem to mind the eye candy as a bonus of their office scenery. Dean was much more popular than her at her own office. Not that she would complain about that. But she didn’t exactly like it either. “I thought you had some business to take care of. I thought the babysitter would give you a breather and enough time to meet your associates,” Nadia answered as she signed a document putting it aside and picking up another one. “I could take Luke
Nadia woke up with a start breathing heavily as sweat dampened her temple. Feeling someone shift beside her, she shivered at the whisk of air passing through her damp skin as Dean sat up in bed beside her.“Hey…” he whispered and Nadia sighed covering her face with her palms.“I’m so tired of this…” she said hotly as she tried to suppress the frustration tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.She felt a blanket being thrown on her shoulders before Dean’s big and warm hands stroked her back slowly soothing away the nerves that had been keeping her body tense.“Come on, lay down…” he said in a soft tone and Nadia followed his command laying against him as he circled his arms around her.His fingers combed through her hair slowly massaging her skull. Her heartbeat was begin in to slowly return to its natural rhythm when he finally spoke again.“Maybe you need to say your goodbyes..” he said slowly.The way Dean spoke and how he acted was becoming their routine. Since her days in t
Three weeks later, "So, how was your last check-up with the doctor?" Nadia asked as she sat at the bedside of the huge man before her.The man chucked and gave her a wry look as if asking her if she was really asking him this question."I should be the one asking you this question, Miss. You're the one who got admitted recently," he said with a smile."Oh, come on, Blake! Mine was just a flesh wound and too much drama. You're the one who was about to cross to the other side for a moment there," She answered with a fake frown.Blake, the man who saved Luke when he was kidnapped, regained consciousness only after Nadia was admitted to the hospital. The first thing the man asked for was his hospitalized daughter and Luke.Nadia had made a vow to herself that she would do her best to protect the man and his daughter no matter what. So once she heard that he was awake, she visited him and they began talking. It turned out that the man wasn't a criminal and that he only did this mission b
Dean raced down the seemingly endless corridor, each step echoing with a sense of dread. This floor had been reserved exclusively for Nadia's penthouse, accessible only with her permission or a special keycard. Yet, Dean knew that Mark had the potential to breach the security. Nadia had been aware of this vulnerability in the system, which was why she'd consented to have a bodyguard with them at all times.But Miller, in his attempt to spring this trap, had incapacitated their bodyguard, leaving them vulnerable just when Mark arrived. As they approached the open door, Dean's heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. Agents ahead of him cautiously entered the room, assessing the situation. When Dean was finally permitted to move forward, the sound that greeted him was heart-wrenching.Nadia's muffled sobs pierced the air, a stark contrast to the chaos within. Mark lay on the ground, his face a grotesque mask of brutality. Nadia was in Karl's arms, her tears flowing uncontrollab
"It's nice to see you always running to the rescue of your fiance... But we can't have you going in there ruining our plans yet," Miller said with a smile as he looked at his agents and nodded."Make sure they won't run away," he ordered."Hey! What are you doing!" Keith protested as they surrounded him."You were in on this all along..." Dean said gritting his teeth as he struggled against the agents that were holding his hands back.How had he not seen this?"Wait a minute, What are you talking about?" Miller asked looking at him with a frown."You're acting like nothing is wrong, then why are you standing at the door of our apartment building stopping me from getting inside? Is the agency now supporting Mark, or were you on his side all along and we were the idiots believing you?" Dean asked feeling helplessly frustrated as he pushed back against the men holding him only to be overpowered again."Wait a minute, I think there is a misunderstanding here..." Miller trailed off and Dea
"Dad, call the bodyguards and make sure to keep an eye on Luke!" Dean told his father as he made his way to the front of the house where he parked his car."What's going on?" He asked following him."Mark managed to escape from the police. The first place he would be heading to is where Nadia is. I need to head there right now," Dean explained and his father nodded."Okay, be careful. I will call the police to make their way there too." His father said as he closed Dean's car door after he got in.Dean nodded and started his car starting to back up when the passenger door opened and Keith jumped inside."Think that I would let you go alone this time too?" He asked with a smirk."It's gonna be dangerous," Dean warned."The more reason I need to go with you," Keith insisted, "What are you waiting for?"Dean sighed and backed away from the spot making his way toward the penthouse. He sped through the street his car eating up the road between them. He had never regretted the distance bet
Nadia opened her eyes as she felt someone lean against the bed beside her. Looking up, she found Dean smiling down at her the sunlight streaming through the window making him look as if there was a halo around his head.Groaning, she shidted to her back readying herself to cover her face with the blanket only for him to stop her with both arms."You need to wake up," He said softly."Said the guy who wore me out last night," She retorted with a sigh, "You're way too bright for me to look at, go away,"He chuckled finding her statement funny, even though she wasn't joking."It's already noon, you're going to sleep all day at this rate," He informed her but she simply shook her head stubbornly."I can't move... My muscles are sore," She complained.Dean smiled and leaned down against her pressing a kiss against her neck, right where he left a mark last night."Realy? Even though I went easy on you last night. I was having such a hard time holding back while you called out my name, in mo
"Oh, it's finally here..." Nadia remarked as she walked past Dean at the kitchen counter. He nodded absently as he stared at the test making Nadia wonder for a moment if there was something wrong with it. Leaning over his shoulder, she could see the positive green letters standing out like neon lights in the darkness."It's positive," She stated."Yeah..." He said with a satisfied smile kissing the palm of her hand as he resumed staring at the paper. Nadia smiled shaking her head at the man, he was just way too cute. Ruffling his hair, she resumed walking toward Luke's room to see if he was ready."He should be here anytime now," She informed Dean who nodded again not moving from his spot.Nadia found Luke in a similar state to his father bent over his toy his shoes and socks only half worn."Luke! You're supposed to wear your socks. Our guests will be here any moment," She said with a smile."Who's our guest?" Luke asked as he finished wearing his socks."It's my father..." Nadia s
"You..." Dean took an exasperated breath letting it out slowly..Nadia sat on the couch uncomfortable as she looked away from him. She was readying herself for another scolding when she felt a hand on her head softly patting it. Dean was looking at her with a gentle smile."If this is going to give you some peace of mind then by all means, let them meet. But I don't want you to do it at the expense of your feelings," Dean reassured her."I want Luke to meet him and know that he has a grandfather... But I can't bring myself to trust him. I don't believe that someone can change like that overnight..." She explained.Dean leaned back and she leaned against him snuggling into his arms."I always thought that it was strange that your father seemed to always think that he was the victim. It was as if he felt like he was betrayed by you but in fact it was Kate who was lying to him about you all the time. Perhaps he was never that bad of a person in the first place..." Dean said, then he corr
Standing before the hole in the ground, Nadia was filled with so many thoughts and feelings. One of them was that she was probably a hypocrite standing there wearing black and listening intently to the prayers of a man who knew nothing.Another thought is that... Well... It was sunny. Nadia always had this conception that it never was sunny on funerals, it was always raining or gloomily grey. But no, it wasn't, it was sunny, and flowers were blooming around while butterflies were mating. Burds chirping and most of all... it was warm and pleasant.To sum it up, it was the weather that destroyed her conception of funerals...Nadia watched silently as they started lowering the coffin to the ground. The coffin was made from dark wood. One Kate would have hated. And decorated with white spider lilies. Kate hated white. She always said it wasn't a color. Although she would conveniently wear it whenever she felt like the situation would require from her to add a flare of innocence. Mainly w