Chapter 152
“Yes, I understand. We will be there. We want to know everything,” Nathaniel said on the phone.
Serena and Nathaniel were heading back to the Astoria Hotel to rest for the night. Two soldiers accompanied them.
Dennis was going to be fine. He didn’t need company at all, but Peter offered to stay with him.
“Mathew will be interrogated tomorrow. I told the lead investigator we’d be there,” Nathaniel said. “I need to understand the Eastwind Air conspiracy. I poured too much into that search. Even after I confirmed you weren’t on the manifest, it stayed with me p>
He paused, then added, “I felt for the families who never found their loved ones p>
“I want to come,” Serena said with conviction.
Later, she yawned. “I’m tired. Today was exhausting, both physically and emotionally p>
She massaged her temples. “I have a bit of a headache p>
“I’ll get you some meds at the hotel,” Nathaniel said.
“Hmmm,” Serena said, closing her eyes. “I miss the kids p>
“We’ll call them in the morning,” Nathaniel assured. “Don’t worry, I called them earlier. They’re doing fine p>
When they arrived at the hotel, Nathaniel prepared a warm bath for Serena. He poured Epsom salt into the water and added a few drops of lavender oil.
While Serena soaked, Nathaniel asked the hotel staff to deliver pain relievers and a peppermint balm.
They had eaten at the hospital with Dennis and Peter, so it wasn’t hunger that caused her headache. Nathaniel assumed Serena was stressed by the day’s turn of events, especially after learning that the Holts had something to do with the missing Eastwind Air 1061.
Still, Nathaniel ordered a small bowl of warm soup for Serena. When she finished her bath and stepped out of the bathroom in a nightgown, he offered her the soup, “Have something warm for your stomach, then take your medicine p>
Serena sat by the side of the bed and took the soup, sipping slowly.
Nathaniel then bathed very quickly. When he came out, Serena was already done. She had taken her medicine.
She yawned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Still having a headache?” he asked. He could tell she was really tired. This time, she wasn’t distracted by his bare chest, even though he had walked out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist.
He supposed he wasn’t going to get any affection that night, but that was fine. Serena’s comfort came first.
“Hmmm,” she hummed in confirmation. “Just a little now p>
“Let me give you a massage,” he offered as he reached for his clothes.
Nathaniel didn’t bother hiding himself from her.
He turned his back to her, kept the towel secured around his waist, and pulled on his pajamas. This time, he added a shirt.
When he approached her, he said, “I’m decent tonight p>
A chuckle left her lips. “So, you are capable of being decent p>
Nathaniel urged her to rest against his thigh. When she did, he reached for the
peppermint balm and worked it gently into her temples.
“This will help,” he said softly.
It took a few minutes before Serena’s breathing steadied, her lashes lowering as her eyes finally closed. With the tension gone, her face softened in a way that always caught him off guard.
The warmth of her against him felt right, achingly so. With her guard lowered, Serena was devastatingly beautiful—soft, unguarded, the kind of beauty that didn’t ask to be admired but demanded it anyway.
Realizing she was fast asleep, Nathaniel carefully eased her against the pillow and covered her with a blanket before joining her in bed.
Carefully, he pulled her against his chest, kissed her cheek, and soon drifted off himself.
The next day, Serena and Nathaniel woke up late in the morning.
Their visit to the police station wasn’t until the afternoon, and Serena’s headache had finally so they decided to call the kids while enjoying breakfast. fo
Their hotel suite opened onto a balcony, and they ate there, basking in the view of
the city.
Nathaniel was spreading butter on Serena’s toast when she leaned toward the screen, blowing kisses at Alisa’s frame.
“I love you. I miss you,” Serena said, smiling.
Alisa giggled and blew kisses back.
Then Sebastian popped into view and asked very seriously, “Mommy, do I already have a baby brother p>
Serena frowned.
When she turned to Nathaniel, he merely shrugged.
“Ah,” he said easily. “He asked me about it when I took him to playgroup. I said it was up to you p>
“No, Daddy,” Sebastian corrected immediately. “You said you’d make me a baby brother p>
“And me, a baby sister,” Alisa said in her cute voice.
“Yeah,” Sebastian nodded firmly. “Daddy said, Mommy p>
Serena slowly turned her head toward Nathaniel.
He looked guilty. “I have a perfectly good explanation p>
“I’m listening,” Serena said flatly.
“I was under emotional duress,” Nathaniel said solemnly. “They asked nicely p>
“They were also,” he added after a beat, “unreasonably adorable. You know, I just love my kids. I can’t say no to them p>
Serena raised a brow.
Nathaniel cleared his throat. “In my defense, I said eventually. Not immediately p>
“Well,” Serena said coolly, “since you made that promise, you can explain to the kids why they can’t have siblings p>
“Okay. Okay.” Nathaniel nodded, accepting this with alarming calm.
Then he leaned toward the screen and said, “I’m sorry, kids. I tried, but Mommy isn’t ready p>
There was a brief silence.
Then both children turned toward Serena, their faces falling in perfect synchronization.
“Mommy, why?” Alisa asked.
“Don’t you love us, Mommy?” Sebastian added.
“Please, Mommy,” Alisa put her hands together.
Sebastian did the same, “Please, Mommy p>
Serena’s eye twitched. How did Nathaniel manage to shift the obligation to her in
under three seconds?
It made her a little upset, but that
feeling barely lingered. What sheet
discovered later that afterna
the police station unsettled her far more.
From behind the glass of the two-way mirror in the interrogation room, they heard Mathew admit, “t was… Victor. What happened to Eastwind Air 1061 was all his directive He said serena hadto go,
If Serena were to live, it would cause a major problem p>