Retaliation: An Alpha Billionaire Romance
Page 23
“You guys ready to go?” I ask, smiling. “Nathan, we made sure to dust out the dampest, darkest corner of the barn for you, you'll find your wool blanket there.”
Nathan chuckles, while Melissa looks pissed. “Carson, you better not have...”
“Relax, 'Lissa,” Nathan says quietly, giving her a smile. “He is joking. Best guess, I will be in what was Andrea's room upstairs?”
“Actually, ours,” Jackson says, helping Nathan up. Nathan sways a little on his feet, and Melissa's right there, putting his arm around her shoulders and supporting him.
“Here, I've got you,” she says, and Nathan's grateful look fuels my suspicions. I give Andrea a glance and she returns it, she's seeing it, too. Melissa though is totally oblivious, and just gives Nathan a warm smile. “Come on, let's get you home.”
In the van, Melissa turns to Jackson, her eyebrow cocked. “So if you made up your room, where are you guys going to stay?”
“We've decided that even though we love the farm, and we're going to be visiting you guys there at least twice a month, we're going to make another go of it with the dojo,” he tells her. “We've been in contact with some of the people that we'd been working to do lessons with and stuff like that, and they're cool, but patience is running low. Time to get things going back there.”
“But why? I mean, if it's about money...” Melissa asks, then stops and takes a deep breath. “You're right. I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you guys go, it was so good to have you around.”
“Even with the grenades, gunshots and hospital visits?” Jackson asks, and Melissa chuckles.
“Even with those. And I assume that Carson said we're going to visit you guys, too?”
“Yep,” Katrina says, still driving, “we're going to work out a visiting plan, but basically alternating weekends. Maybe weekdays too if work lets everyone get together.”
Back at the farm, Melissa takes Nathan's bag inside while Andrea helps him over to the porch steps, helping him sit down. “Thanks. The fresh air feels good.”
“Not a problem,” Andrea says, sitting down next to Nathan, seemingly nonchalantly. I go inside, but only to the kitchen, where I start making a jug of iced tea for everyone to enjoy later before Katrina, Jackson and BA head back to Baton Rouge. From the open window, I can overhear as she and Nathan talk.
“So, Melissa's been pretty loyal to helping you get back on your feet. You know she hasn't left your bedside since you were admitted.”
Nathan nods, and while I can't see his eyes, his shoulders are tense, he's definitely guarded. “The staff told me. She is... she is a remarkable person.”
“She is,” Andrea agrees. “If I can ask... is she as remarkable as Aisha?”
I've never heard the name before, and I cock an ear as Nathan considers his answer. “Aisha... I will never forget her. I loved her with all my heart. She was remarkable. Both you and Katrina remind me in some ways of her. Maybe that is why I care for you both so much. Melissa is... remarkable in her own special way. Both are equally special, and uniquely remarkable.”
Andrea nods, and pats Nathan on his knee. “That's all I needed to know. Tell you what, starting tomorrow, with a little bit of advice from Katrina, we can start your rehab. No offense to 'Lissa, but you need someone's who's gonna kick you in the ass once in a while. She's too nice to give you what you need there.”
Nathan chuckles, nodding. “I can deal with that.”
Andrea laughs softly and shakes her head. “Let me go check on how everything's going inside.”
Andrea notices me when she comes inside, seeing the open kitchen window. Coming over, she hugs me and rests her head on my chest. “He'll be good and kind with her, regardless.”
“I know. Andrea, I had a question for you, one I've been thinking about since this morning,” I say, kissing the top of her head. “Kat and Jackson are going to do their dojo thing, Nathan's staying here... what about you? We haven't really talked about your plans for the immediate future.”
“What would you like them to be?” Andrea asks, taking a half-step back and giving me a slightly worried look. “You're right, I've been so focused on taking each day as it comes, I haven't really thought too much about it.”
“Well, what about your classes? You know, you've busted your ass so much for your degree, and you are in your last semester,” I ask, biting my lip nervously.
“I don't know. There isn't a lot left to go on that, just a capstone paper and my internship. I had some slots lined up, and the classes I've got I can just cruise through mostly on the online notes. My books and stuff were torched, but I can replace those if I have to,” Andrea says, looking nervously to the side. “You're right, I still want to finish it. I just don't know if it's safe any longer.”
“I know,” I tell her, wanting to reach out and protect her, but I know if I do, I'm going to lose my nerve and not be able to say what I need to say. “So, I was thinking... you don't have an apartment, and MCS isn't that far from campus, right? So, what about you stay here? And maybe do your internship at MCS?”
Andrea looks up, giving me a nervous half-smile. “You mean move in?”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yeah. I mean, we can set up the fourth bedroom for you if you want, but I think we’re beyond that.”
“And 'Lissa and Nathan?” Andrea asks, her smile still there. “The house is going to get mighty crowded going from two to four.”
“I think 'Lissa would like it, and Nathan, well, you two are friendly with each other as I just saw. But more importantly,” I say, taking a deep breath and charging ahead, “I need you. I want you by my side. I want to listen to you bitch about classes, I want to share days and nights with you where we do nothing but lie around and be lazy. I want to see you in that red dress again, knowing that I have the most beautiful woman in all of New Orleans there with me. I want to be able to spend... I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Andrea smiles and wraps me in a hug. “Hmm... sleeping with my boss, that's not exactly normal. But...yes. If 'Lissa says okay, too. She's going to be equal in our lives, remember?”
There's a polite cough at the entrance to the kitchen, and we turn our heads to see Melissa standing there, smiling and crying at the same time. “Yes. It's okay with me, it's more than okay, it's wonderful.”
“Then come here,” Andrea says, letting go with her left arm of me and waving Melissa over. Melissa joins us, and we form a three-way hug, and I'm complete, for the first time in my life, totally and fully complete.
Epilogue
Online
Katrina- So we got that model finished.
Darcy- Really? Didn't think you two would ever get it done.
Andrea- Oh come on, Darce. They're not that bad.
Darcy- Are you kidding me? By the way, Henry says that he thinks 'Lissa's art is cool, and he wants to learn how to weld. I'm worried.
Andrea- LOL. You know boys, they love playing with fire and power tools.
Katrina- So are we all on for Thanksgiving?
Darcy- Yeah. Jeff got the time off, he's doing Christmas Day this year. Sucks, but we're doing 27 thru 30 at his mama's house. He gets New Year's off too because of it, so it's fair I guess.
Andrea- Great. House'll be a bit tight, but we can figure it out.
Katrina- Oh stop. We all know that your 'bedroom' is nothing more than a walk-in closet for you, and you and Carson sleep together every night.
Andrea- Okay, you got me.
Darcy- So that'll be one bedroom. How about Nathan and 'Lissa?
Andrea- Nathan's still being Nathan, and 'Lissa is 'Lissa, happy to have him around and to take it slow. He's stronger though, rehab's good. By the way, what do you guys think of getting him a puppy for Christmas?
Katrina- You read my mind. We can't afford all those damn teas the man likes. Are you thinking a Great Dane again?
Andrea- I was thinking a mutt from the pound. There’s nothing like saving a life… it’ll have a blas
t running around our farm, and bugging the hell out of our kids.
Darcy- You tryin' to say something, Andrea? Kids, Nathan sticking around, all of that? Sounds like you've got news.
Andrea- LOL. Not yet. But... it'd be nice, wouldn't it?
Katrina- It would.
Darcy- Yep. Okay guys, that's my cue, I'm gonna go fix Henry his snack. Love you both.
System- *BlakDhal1A* has logged out.
Katrina- It would be nice. So this weekend?
Andrea- Sounds good. Okay, I'm gonna go help Nathan with his afternoon rehab, he's trying pushups again today. He was so close the other day, you'd be proud of him.
Katrina- More than proud. You too. Love you, sis.
Andrea- Love you too, oneechan.
System- *Coup De Grace* has logged out.
System- *Blue Sakura* has logged out.
**Revenge is Book 1.
Retaliation, Book 2.
Retribution, Book 3, releases September 30th.
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