Chapter 32 Seth
SETH
ONE WEEK LATER
My mother’s funeral was a couple of days ago and my father was in total despair. He lost his wife and son all in one day. It was strange not hearing my mother’s laugh as I walked around my parent’s house in New York.
Everything was too quiet.
My father was in his study and when I passed by, his empty gaze was focused on the windows, only I knew he wasn’t really seeing anything. I wanted to believe he’d be okay in time, but even I had difficulty dealing with my mother’s loss. She was everything to my family.
When I walked downstairs, Benny was standing in the foyer. He nodded toward the living room and I spotted Valentin, his somber gaze focused on me.
“Hey,” he said, walking over to me. “How are you holding up?”
I rubbed a hand over my chest. “It fucking hurts.”
Valentin placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I know, brother. Is your father still not speaking to anyone?”
“No,” I replied with a shake of my head. “I don’t even know if he’s listened to anything I’ve told him.”
The FBI investigated the explosion and documented it as a gas leak.
Nikolai’s guy, Diego, Drake, and my mother were noted as the casualties.
As for Nikolai, his body was found by police in the warehouse; a drug deal gone awry was what they called it.
My father wanted nothing to do with Nikolai’s body, so I had him cremated and buried in a plot among nameless gravestones.
Nikolai was nothing to me, just like he’d be nothing for all eternity.
I didn’t want anyone speaking his name in my presence.
It was as if he didn’t exist. I was going to ensure all his operations in the Michelson name were disbanded and forgotten.
Valentin dropped his hand from my shoulder and sighed. “Have the FBI said anything new?”
It just so happened that I talked to Brooks this morning.
“I was told my family is in the clear as of right now, unless I do stupid shit like my brother.” I blew out a relieved sigh.
“So, we’re good. With everything else going on, I didn’t want to deal with the fucking FBI breathing down my neck.
Luckily, Wren has close connections with them. I’m pretty sure I owe her.”
Valentin nodded. “How is she? I know you haven’t seen her since she left for California and you came up here.”
Wren and I spoke to each other every day and I missed her more than anything.
“She’s fine,” I said, leaning against the wall.
“She’s happy to be back in California with her friends.
Soon, she’ll be training again but she’s still sore from the explosion.
Hopefully, life will get back to normal for her. ”
Life would never be normal for us again, not after what happened. We were going to have to learn to live with it, even though the pain seemed almost unbearable at times. I’d lived off adrenaline the past week, and my body felt like it was about to crash.
“I’m going handle business here for a couple of weeks and go from there,” I continued. “At least, until my father starts coming around. I need to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”
Valentin’s brows furrowed. “You don’t think he’d kill himself, do you?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. He loved my mom more than anything in this world. Losing her has to feel like death. I can’t imagine being without Wren.”
He blew out a heavy sigh. “I know what you mean.”
“What about you?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “How long are you staying in New York?”
Judging by the grin on his face, I didn’t think it would be long. “Just until tomorrow. I have a girl in Vegas who needs me.”
A laugh escaped my lips and it felt good. I was going to miss having my best friend around. “Something tells me it’s the opposite way around.”
Valentin opened his arms and I hugged him. “I never thought it’d happen to me,” he confessed.
“Same. But I’m glad it did.”
Valentin let me go, his eyes flashing with worry. “True, but now we have to hope we don’t lose it.” He patted my shoulder and smiled. “Take care of yourself, Michelson. My family and I are always around if you need us.”
The second he walked out the door, I walked past Benny and down the hall to what used to be my childhood bedroom. My mother had changed it into a guest room after I moved out.
Sinking down on the bed, I pulled out my phone and let my finger hover over Wren’s name.
She had wanted to fly to New York for my mother’s funeral, but I knew she was both mentally and physically in pain.
I wanted to be with her more than anything, but it was my choice for her to take a break from my world.
Before I could press the call button, Wren’s name flashed across the screen.
I let out the deep breath I had taken. Every time she called, I half expected her to say she didn’t want to see me anymore, not after everything that happened.
That was the reason why I always hesitated to answer when I’d see her name.
“Hey,” I answered, hanging my head and closing my eyes.
“Hey,” she replied, her voice soft. “How’s everything going out there?”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Not good. My father still won’t speak to anyone. I’m hoping he comes around soon.”
“He will. Your father’s a strong man.”
He was, but losing my mother had taken everything out of him.
“How are you?” I asked her. “How is your body healing?”
An exasperated laugh echoed through the phone. “It’s a slow process. I keep telling my coach I’m ready to get in the ring, but she won’t let me.”
That made me smile. Wren wasn’t the type to sit around; she loved the action.
“Even with this time off from training, you’re still going to kick ass in October,” I told her.
The line went silent for a few seconds until her sigh broke it. “I miss you, Seth. I wish you’d let me come to New York.”
My jaw clenched; it killed me not to have her here with me. “Soon, Wren.”
“You promise?”
I laid back on the bed. “I promise.”
* * *
A knock sounded on the door and I jerked awake, the room was dim thanks to the disappearing sun. I looked over at the bedside clock; five hours had passed since I said goodbye to Wren on the phone.
When I turned to the door, my father was there, leaning against the doorframe. His button-down shirt was crisp, and he looked freshly showered. He wasn’t the same man just a few hours ago.
I rubbed my hands over my face and stood. “I’m sorry, I fell asleep. Do you need me to do anything for you?”
My father walked in and peered out the window.
“I need you to take a break. You’ve been working yourself ragged this whole week.
” He glanced over at me, his gaze sad. “I don’t want you worrying about me, son.
” A long sigh escaped his lips. “Your mother would be furious with me if she could see how I’ve been this week. ”
My chest tightened and I rubbed a hand over it. “True. I hope she isn’t disappointed in us.”
He shook his head and faced me. “No,” he said, his voice adamant.
“Nikolai had to be stopped and we did that. I don’t regret my decision at all.
If your mother were alive, she’d learn to understand.
” He stepped toward me and kept his eyes on mine.
“What I do regret is putting all the pressure on you. Can you forgive me?”
I waved him off. “There’s nothing to forgive. I was ready to do anything to protect our family name. I just wish we would’ve done things differently.”
My father hung his head. “So do I. That’s why I’m here to talk to you.
” I furrowed my brows and waited for him to continue.
He pointed out the window at the New York countryside.
“This is our home away from the city. It’s where your mother and I built a life together away from the chaos.
” A sad smile spread across his face. “I want you to have the same, son. It would be best if you didn’t worry about the family business and staying here because of me.
You can handle all of that anywhere in the world.
” He walked over and placed his hands on my shoulders.
“I may have lost the only woman I’ve ever loved, but that doesn’t mean you have to. ”
“What are you saying?”
He waved a hand in the air. “I’m saying, go. I heard you talking to Wren earlier. You need to live up to your promise. If there’s one thing I taught you, it was to never back down on your word.”
And it was something I’d lived by my entire life. I’d made a promise to Wren, and I was going to keep it.