The Harrington Series Book #4: Chasing Naila

Chapter 20: Telling Madam

Naila's POV
My eyes were glued to the fireplace where Cole and I first made love. That winter night wasn't my first with a man but it didn't make it less special. That was my first time with a man I was in love with. Nick was my first and it was great everytime since. But my heart never loved Nick. It loves Cole.

Mr Harrington's confession left us all stunned. I can't believe he's the one who did it. I just can't. He's such a gentleman.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked me.

"I'm not sure."

"What's the plan here? Have you told your mom?" He looks worried.

"Not yet. I'm looking for the best way to tell her." I told Levi that Cole was the one who raped me. He was furious but I'm not sure what he did about it. Maybe I should tell him. He is a bit more saner than Scarlet Monae.

"How about we just do this by the book?" I slowly turned to face him. "We go to the police."

"You heard Leen. By now she's lawyered up to the teeth. Your father will wiggle his way through the system and get away with it. I can't let that happen. He needs to be punished."

"And telling your mother is the best way? She's... terrible!"

"Your parents are not any better." I yold hom sharply. I think where our families are concerned, we will have trouble. I went to sit beside him. I took his hand onto mine. "I don't want to fight with you. Believing you did that to me, has kept us from being together. I'm sorry for how I treated you Cole. It was unfair."

He held my jaw and surprised me with the most gentke kiss on my lips, our first since before the plane crash. I blushed like a silly little girl.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to know how Bas died."

"When Sebastian was little, he got abducted by a ruthless man."

"Who?"

"Stefan Romanov."

"He was a drug lord. Right?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"While I was away, I learned a lot."

"He took our son to leverage me into a relationship with him. I had no choice but to surrender myself. We got married. He was not that bad but I wanted to leave him. So one day I escaped. I went into hiding for a while until our son was five years old. But he found us and once again he took our son... your father's... he took Bas. Unlike the last time he wasn't very kind." I lifted the shirt I have on and showed him the scar I kept to remind myself of my failure to protect my son. "He stabbed me."

Cole ran his fingers over the scar.

"I'm sorry Naila. I didn't know."

"He wanted to die and he was taking us with him. He soaked the room in gasoline and the rest is history." My voice hitched. "I wanted to save him but-"

He surprised me when he hugged me, running his fingers through my hair.

"Hush... Please Naila, don't cry."

"It's my fault. I didn't protect him."

"I'm sure you did your best." He pulled away and held my face.

His blue eyes lingered over me affectionately. "The worst part is that life ripped him from my arms without a chance to ever know what it feels like to be a mother once again."

I couldn't stop my tears.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I can't have a baby."