Taking Passion by Storm (18 page)

“
For me, too.”

He
was all the way in, and fucked her slowly at first, letting her get used to the
feel of it, then thrust quickly, moaning loudly as he did so. She was so happy
that she’d let him do this, and so damn proud of herself. Tears stung her eyes
but not from pain or fear. They were tears of joy that she’d crossed so many
barriers with this sexy, wonderful man whom she’d known her entire life.

When
she came, Addison cried out and his thrusting grew jerky, then even quicker and
she knew he’d come, too.

Their
breathing was raspy and swift as he pulled out, took off his condom, and then
pulled her into his arms. He stroked her hair and back softly, kissing her head
every few seconds. As Nadine drifted off to sleep, wrapped in Addison’s warm,
strong arms, she knew there was no place she’d rather be every single day for
the rest of her life.

He’d
saved her father, and he’d saved her, too. Saved her from the terror of an
afternoon four years ago, and saved her from a lifetime of reliving that
horrible day and never being able to push it aside long enough to love a man.
He’d saved her from never knowing what making love should be like.

She’d
give this man anything he wanted for the rest of her life, and she’d never,
ever stop loving him.

Chapter
Nineteen

The
next morning, before Addison surprised Nadine with breakfast in bed, he took a
long phone call from Don Everett, one of his friends who did investigative
work. He’d hired Don as a plant this past week, without telling anyone about
it. He’d put him on the same team as Lee, and used a bullshit excuse for
leaving Lee underground for a month. He wanted Lee watched. If he was harassing
women on any of Addison’s teams, or on his office staff, Lee was gone.

Addison
wanted desperately to shower with Nadine and make love to her again, but knew
if he did, they’d likely stay in bed all day and never tell Dixon what he
needed to hear.

He
also needed to get some work done later. He’d put it off far too long now, and
thought it would be good for Nadine to have time with her father. He forced
himself to send her to the other bedroom to shower and get dressed, but thought
about her naked in his own bathroom with him the entire time he got ready.
Maybe later they’d try that, but for now, he needed to help her through this.

Dixon
was finishing up his own breakfast when they entered his rooms, and he smiled
brightly at the sight of his daughter. “This is quite the lap of luxury for us,
isn’t it?”

“
Yes. It’s a beautiful home.”

Addison
glanced toward the home health aide. “Nadine and I need some time alone with
Dixon. We have something to discuss with him.”

Dixon
pushed the tray away. “That’s okay because I can’t eat another bite. Wonderful
food.”

“
Thank you,” said the aide. She picked up his tray and
left the room.

Addison
took Nadine’s hand and wasn’t surprised to find it cold. They sat in chairs
across from where Dixon was propped up against pillows, sitting the long way on
the sofa as though he were royalty. Addison loved it that he’d been able to
open his home to this man. He owed him so much.

“
What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“
Not me. Your daughter has something to tell you.”

Dixon
frowned as he cut his gaze toward her sharply. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

Her
eyes widened, and her face colored. “Um, no.” She leaned forward. “Daddy,
something happened where I work four years ago. I never told you because I knew
you’d want to find the man, and then you might be in jail instead of him.”

Dixon’s
confused expression turned dark and angry. Addison knew that look. “What man?
What are you talking about?”

“
I won’t say his name out loud. I haven’t said it in
four years.”

“
What did he do to you?”

Addison
placed an arm around her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. He couldn’t imagine how
difficult this was for her.

“
He raped me.”

“
What
?” Addison’s heart went out to
Dixon at the look of pain on his face. He tried to imagine having a daughter
and hearing she’d been raped, but couldn’t do it.

“
He’s in prison. They were able to connect him to
multiple rapes above ground and below, in several cities, because I didn’t
listen to his threats.”

“
He knew her,” said Addison. “A custodian they hired at
the school.”

“
That was his MO,” she said. “Take a job, find a
victim, get to know everything about them, and then use that knowledge to
threaten them and intimidate them into not reporting it. Then he’d leave the
job and the city and move on.”

Dixon’s
jaw twitched, and his eyes flashed with anger. His mouth opened several times,
but nothing came out for what felt like long moments. “You should have told
me.” His voice held a note of barely controlled rage.

“
I know that now. At the time, I couldn’t. I told no
one but Brenda and the police. I didn’t even want to talk to the DA, but I
finally did because I didn’t want that bastard doing this to anyone else.”

Dixon
swallowed so hard that Addison heard it. “Did you see a doctor?”

“
Yes. I did all the right things afterward.”

“
What about … diseases?”

“
He wore a condom. I was tested anyway. I’m all right.”

Dixon’s
gaze swept over Addison, his eyes cold now. “When did you know?”

“
Not until we went to the surface to find you.” The
relief on Dixon’s face nearly broke Addison’s heart. He’d believed that she had
told him but not her own father. “She’s lived with this hell in her soul for
four years, and wishes now she’d told you right away. She’s also seeing a
psychologist.”

“
But I haven’t done so consistently.”

Addison
squeezed her shoulder again. “You will. I’ll have one brought here to make it
easier for you.”

“
You’re damn right you will.” Dixon held out his arms.
“Come here, my sweet girl.” Nadine hugged her dad, and Addison cleared his
throat because he was going to cry. “It’s
gonna
be
all right,” said Dixon, over and over again. Addison could picture Dixon doing
the same thing when Nadine was a small child, and he had to swallow against
tears a second time.

“
I know that now,” she whispered.

“
One question. Have you and Addison made love?”

She
straightened up, her face coloring again. “Yes, but I hadn’t done so since the
rape. I hadn’t even dated anyone. I’ve done nothing in four years, Daddy. I
went to work, and then I went home. Addison saved me. He pulled me out of the
black hole I’d climbed into and helped me face the fear. Even my nightmares
have stopped.”

Dixon’s
face filled with confusion again. “So you two haven’t been dating?”

“
No,” said Addison. “We haven’t been.”

“
How do you know this is real then?”

“
Because I’ve always loved her.”

He
and Dixon locked gazes, and finally the anger left his eyes. “Then you both
believe this truly is love.”

“
Yes,” said Nadine. “Absolutely.”

“
I respect you too much to use her or hurt her,” said
Addison. “I would never do that. I do love her, and I do want to marry her.”

Dixon
eyed them both again for so long that Addison became fearful he wouldn’t
approve. Would Nadine defy her father and marry him anyway? Probably not.
Finally, Dixon sighed. “All right. If you need my blessing, you have it, but on
one condition.”

“
Name it,” said Addison.

“
I want this done right for her. A real engagement with
a real ring, and a nice big wedding. She deserves all that.”

Addison
couldn’t stop the huge grin that spread across his face. He pulled Nadine
tightly against him. “She shall have that, and anything else she wants, for the
rest of her life.” He shook Dixon’s hand. “Thank you.”

“
No, thank you. You saved my life, Addison. And it
appears you’ve saved Nadine’s, too.”

To
know he had this man’s praise, his approval, and now his daughter made this the
happiest day of Addison’s life.

****

The
next week flew by in a blur for Nadine. Addison was true to his word and found
a psychologist who came to the house to speak with her. Her name was Marcia,
and of all the shrinks Nadine had spoken to in four years, she liked Marcia the
best. They made appointments once every two weeks for two months, after which
time Marcia said they’d decide whether Nadine needed her regularly.

It
was so encouraging to know she might not need therapy one day that her outlook
on everything brightened. She spent the week reconnecting with her father and
getting to know Addison all over again, this time as her lover instead of
merely a long-time family friend.

His
home was like a palace to her, and she delighted in exploring it. Her favorite
thing to do was go up to the tower and look out over the lake. It was fake, of
course, but still quite beautiful, and she hoped she’d have a chance to be out
on a boat once more. When she told Addison about the memories she had of going
out there with her father, he promised to take her himself.

The
other Weathermen called or chatted with her father online, as did most of the
Storm Troopers when they could reach a shelter or bunker and use a computer.
She secretly believed he was enjoying the break from being on the surface all
the time, and wondered if he’d return once his leg had healed.

Her
mother finally emailed her, saying she’d been out of town and had just been
able to retrieve her email. The email said nothing about her father, but Nadine
emailed her back and told her in graphic detail about being on the surface,
what they’d gone through, and how close to dying her father had been. The only
response was that her mother was happy it had all worked out.

Nadine
showed the email to Addison, but decided not to show it to her father. He
didn’t need any negativity right now. His only mission was to take it easy for
once and allow his leg to heal.

****

Two
weeks after they had found her father in the cave, Addison came home from work
early and asked if she’d like to take a boat out on the lake. She clapped her
hands. “I’d love to!” He brought along a woven basket but refused to tell her
what was inside. “Is it a secret?”

Addison
ruffled her hair. “Yes, so stop asking. You don’t like surprises, do you?”

“
It depends on what they are.”

His
sexy laugh sent shivers down her spine, as it always did now. “If you know what
they are ahead of time, you can’t really call them surprises, can you?”

He
rowed them out to the middle where no one was around, and opened the basket.
When he pulled out a bottle of champagne, she asked if they’d found the names
of the hackers on Rob’s laptop. Why else would he be home early from work and
want to celebrate?

“
No. That project is going to take a while.” Addison
opened the bottle and then removed two glasses, which he filled. He handed one
to her. “This is a celebration just for the two of us.”

“
I’m intrigued.”

He
clinked his glass against hers, and it was then she noticed the slight tremor
of his hand. Was everything all right?

He
glanced at her left hand. “Do you still have the twig I gave you in the cave?”

“
Of course I do. I’m keeping it forever.”

“
Then here’s to us, forever.” He drained his glass, so
she did too, then giggled as the booze went straight to her head.

“
Guess I should drink more often, or is that your grand
plan this afternoon? Take me out on the lake and get me drunk where no one else
can see you do it?”

“
Not even close.” Addison took her glass and placed it
next to his on the floor of the boat, then he reached into the basket and
pulled out a small velvet box. Nadine gasped. “My plan is to give you something
to replace that twig.”

He
opened it and got down on one knee. Nadine couldn’t stop staring at the ring.
It was the biggest diamond she’d ever seen, surrounded by tiny pale blue
topazes. It was stunning, and she couldn’t believe this was happening.

“
These blue gems remind me of your beautiful eyes.
Nadine, will you marry me? I know you said ‘yes’ once, but I need to hear it
again. I’ve loved you for so long, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”

“
Oh, Addison.” She swiped at the tears rolling down her
cheeks, and gazed into his sexy eyes. “Of course I’ll marry you. I love you,
too. I have for so long now. It just took me a while to figure that out.”

He
slipped the ring on her finger, and it was no surprise that it fit perfectly.
“It took me a while to figure out you were the only woman I wanted, but now
that I have you, I promise to never let you forget how precious you are to me.”

Nadine
wrapped her arms around Addison, laughing softly as the boat rocked. She clung
to him, and when he kissed her, she was lost in a sea of familiar and exquisite
sensations. This man had always been in her life, and he would be now until the
day she ceased breathing. She loved him with her entire heart and soul, and now
she’d be his wife. Nadine intended to spend every single second of her life
never letting him forget how very, very much she loved him.

The En
d

www.ravennatate.blogspot.com

Other Books by Ravenna Tate: