Nadia took a deep breath letting it out, her heart felt as if it was bruised by the contact of the shock. Suddenly her sensation was sharper and she could feel even the rustle of her clothes on her skin bothering her.Her heart was still racing with heavy thuding in her ears and the room seemed to be dimmed and cold, as if it was wrapped in grey fog separating her from Dean who stood only feet away from her.She wanted to speak but no words would come out of her mouth, all she could think about was that he knew. He knew what she did. How much did he know? How long?“Aren’t you going to answer me?” He asked softly as he stood up facing her.Nadia couldn’t look him in the eyes and kept staring at his lips as he spoke wondering where this went wrong. She was on top of the world just moments ago, and now she was plummeting into a bottomless pit with only one sentence from this man.“What do you want me to say?” She asked her voice seeming like a robot talking back to her.“Well, for start
Nadia opened her eyes wincing at the bright light hitting her eyes. Closing them again she groaned as she shifted her body. It was aching all over, the pain was especially noticeable in her foot.Wincing, she opened her eyes again looking arond her. She was in a hospital room. Looking at the window she could see the seting sun casting the room in a warm hue of orrange making her relax a bit. That is until she looked to the other side to find Dean there. He was sitting and sleeping with his arms crosed. The chair looked uncomfortable and he was still in the clothes he was wearing last night.Last night… She could remember their conversation, but it all got blurry after she looked at him. That look he gave her, he looked as if he wanted to tell her something. What happened after that?“Nadia?” His voice penetrated her thoughts and she looked back at him to find him looking at her with wide eyes.“You’re awake! How are you feeling,” he asked as he leaned forward his hand on her bed.“I-
“Hmm… it’s quite fitting if you look at it this way…” Dean mumbled against her as he watched the TV from behind her on the couch of his office.It was a weekend and they were at the company taking care of an urgent legal meeting to finalize the case details with the Talbots, then they turned the TV on to watch the news which was still talking about the Ruin of the Talbots.It turned into such a grand event that everyone was talking about them, which was her doing. Hers and Leilah’s…“What is?” She asked letting him nuzzle the side of her head.“I mean this end, look at them, panicking over the media. They couldn’t even handle the press conference,” He trailed off with a smile.He seemed quite pleased with watching them like this, probably more than she did. Which was a bit unexpected. When Nadia told him everything, she hadn’t expected his full support on this. He had taken her from the hospital back to the apartment taking care of her and even suggesting to help her with any leftove
Nadia slowly pulled the dress up her frame as she looked at the long mirror. She had carefully chosen this dress for today’s party. Dean had joked about her being more picky about it than their engagement dress but she didn’t mind him.She had been preparing for this day for longer than she had been engaged to him. And he knew it. Everything had meaning today, she had made sure to put together every detail to make sure that the result was to her satisfaction. She was going by the saying, ‘Go big or go home’.She reached for the flower she had painstakingly searched for and obtained, the hair clip she had made from it would rest as a symbolic icon made only for those who knew its meaning.Birdsfoot Trefoil, a flower that symbolizes revenge in the flower language. She’d always wondered whether it was because of the traces of cyanide it contained, but the flower itself wasn’t poisonous. But the meaning was enough to drive one toxic kick home. Which was her purpose tonight.As she stared
Kate lifted her hand walking toward Nadia as she cursed her face red with anger and brittle coming out of her mouth. Nadia stared at her calmly then just as her hand was about to hit Nadia’s face, with her red-clawed nails, Nadia grabbed her hand stopping her midway.“Now now… Violence is a bit vulgar even for you, Kate… You found a new low to fall to,” Nadia said calmly as she smiled at her cousin.As she watched her retract her hand looking at her with wild eyes, Nadi’a’s ming evoked an image from the past. One with Kate smiling at her as she reached out taking her hand. Pulling her out of that room to play in the sunlight. For the longest time, she was her closest friend and her only family. “Sometimes, I wonder…” Nadia began looking at Kate as she glared at her with so much hatred that a shiver ran down her spine, “What I could have done to make you hate me this much if everything had been an act for you? But then I realized just how foolish these kinds of thoughts were. You wer
“Attention huh…” Nadia trailed off as she looked at him with a smile.Dean didn’t seem to be waiting for her to give her consent, he was determined to take her attention by his own hands. He pulled her flush against him until their bodies were intimately close, and then he spun her around the floor in one fluid motion.“Yeah… Attention. I’m starting to get a bit jealous, and although I see why you have to deal with that Agent, I don’t like him…” He trailed off and she smiled.“I’ve never seen you openly dislike someone before. I must admit, I don’t like the man either though…” She trailed off as she followed his pace looking up at him.He smiled when he heard her say that.“Well, I don’t like him because he seems to have his eyes on you, I don’t like the way he looks at you either…” He trailed off.“I think he’s more interested in my computer skills than in me as a woman,” Nadia argued and Dean sighed.“This is why I sometimes get worried. You never notice when someone has their eyes
“What do you mean the real father?” Ray asked with a frown as he looked back at Dean who was well into his third cup that night.Since he talked with Nadia about Luke’s potential real father, he had been in a downed mood he couldn’t shake off. Just the thought of another man connected to them bothered him to no end.He knew that technically there was a father out there for Luke, but for a while now, he started thinking about him as his own son. Being with Nadia officially after a while cemented that feeling and gave him a sense of fake reassurance that his place in Luke’s life was unshakable now.He should have known better. Expecting to be Luke’s father may have been a bit oo much…“Well, now that we know what Kate did, we can look for him and see what kind of person he is. Although I doubt Kate would help us identify him…” Dean trailed off.What in the world are you talking about, man?! Are you joking right now?” Ray whispered to him looking at Dean as if he lost his mind.“No, why
Nadia paused and looked back at Dean. His face caught her by surprise. The hint of panic spreading through his face, and the anxiety mirroring in his eyes made her pause momentarily.As if realizing what he did impulsively, he looked at their linked hands and then let go immediately.“Sorry…” He said.“It’s okay, more importantly, is everything okay?” She asked wondering what made him act like this.He had been like this all evening since they were talking about her one night sand. She thought he was sulking because they were talking about another man, but this had nothing to do with it…It has to do with Luke!That’s when she realized what was going on. Dean was uncertain about Luke…“How about we leave this for another time… Honestly, I’m not in that much of a hurry to see who it is…” She told him with a smile.Dean’s eyes widened, he looked at the tablet and then sighed.“No, I would prefer seeing it now over the anxiety of waiting. Sorry, I’m being ridiculous when you’re the one w
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