Chapter Twenty
They reached Zachary's house in Vegas by 2 o'clock in the afternoon. They had dropped River at Russell's house on their way.
Sera vividly remembered the last time she had arrived here to meet Zachary two years back and the bitter experience she'd encountered.
A maid took their luggage upstairs. Zachary took his family to meet his dad in his room. His dad was sitting on his bed and reading a newspaper while the nurse did a stocktaking of his medications. He looked up at them and his face brightened into a smile.
"Zach, you've come home, son?" He said, slowly.
"Yes dad. How have you been?" He asked, walking towards him with Zion in his arm and holding Sera's hand.
"Not good at all. I want to go out," he said with a sad look on his face.
"Soon you will, dad. Now, see, who I've brought home with me?" He said softly. He needed to break the news of his existing family and introduce Zion slowly to his dad. He didn't want him to get over excited.
His dad looked at Zion and Sera blankly. "Who?" He asked.
"Dad, this is Sera and this is my son Zion. Sera's River's best friend. I met her two years ago and she went away due to a misunderstanding. I had been searching for her for years and finally found her," said Zachary and his dad's face crinkled into a happy smile.
"Really? You've got a family now. A son of your own? I'm glad for you son. You've made me so happy Sera. Welcome home. I'm a grandpa now," he said, with a grin towards Zion. "Come and give dad a kiss, both of you," he said to Sera and she obliged by kissing his cheek. Zachary made Zion kiss his grandpa.
"Zion, say hello to your grandpa," Zachary said and Zion said,"ggaappa," and his dad loved it.
"Dad let them freshen up. It's been a long journey for Zion. He will play with you after a nap," said Zachary and his dad nodded. They left his dad's room and went to the nursery. There was a middle aged smiling woman waiting for them, there.
"Sera, this is Marina, she's Zion's nanny. Marina this is Sera and this is Zion," he said, handing Zion to Marina.
Zachary left them to go to his room to freshen up and go to his office. Maxwell, Russell and Rowland would arrive in the evening for an update and he had to thank them for managing everything smoothly.
Sera instructed Marina about Zion's routine and they worked together to make Zion comfortable with Marina. A cook came upstairs to Sera to announce that lunch had been served. Marina, Sera and Zion went downstairs to the dining hall. Zachary came ready to go to his office in five minutes.
He had a hurried lunch and kissed Zion's cheek and Sera on her forehead. "Got to leave for my office now. Will be home in the evening," he said, as Sera nodded and he left in a hurry.
Sera wasn't used to so many helping hands doing every work of the house. The house was huge like a palace, and she didn't know why he needed such a huge place to live in.
After lunch, Marina put a sleepy Zion to sleep. Sera was surprised to see that he had adjusted so well to Marina in such a short time. She instructed the cook the menu for dinner for the family as well as for Zion.
She went up to Zachary's dad's room to have a talk with him. She checked his dietary restrictions and spoke to his nurse too. He was so bored in his room. Sera decided to have him shifted downstairs and then have a wheelchair for him to move around in till he regained his strength to walk. She wanted to hire a physiotherapist to exercise his legs and make him regain his strength to walk. She would have a talk to Zachary first.
The entire evening she spent with Zion. They played in the sprawling gardens. Zion spent time with his grandpa and Sera checked with their dinner in the meantime.
Zachary came home late. He already had dinner with his friends at office while discussing work. He had informed her not to wait up for him. Zion had gone off to sleep when he returned and Sera was taking a shower to get ready for bed.
He opened his suit and his tie. He unbuttoned his shirt and got rid of it. He was too excited to finally get her all to himself. He'd waited for her for too long.
Sera took a refreshing shower quickly before Zachary arrived. She wanted to go off to sleep before he came into the room. Her things had been kept in Zachary's room and she blushed at the idea of sleeping with him. She was saved by Zion last night but now Zion was fast asleep in the nursery and Marina was there for him.
She dried herself and wrapped a towel around herself and opened the door of the ensuite. She rushed out quickly towards the walk in closet to get dressed but instead collided with Zachary's chest.
When did he return home? She blushed and looked up into his dark desire filled eyes. "Oh you've come home, " she said, trying to put some distance between them.
"Yes, were you waiting for me?" He asked as his arm went around her waist and he pulled her flush against his bare chest. Her soft, damp towel clad body already had him aroused. It had been two years since he held a woman in his arms. He hadn't felt any desire towards any woman since the day he made love to her, two years ago.
"No, I was busy," she said, looking down at his chest.
"Busy with what?" He asked, his face inches away from hers.
"This and that," she said, not able to think straight with him so near her.
"It's time you got busy with me," he said, picking her up in his arms and carrying her to his bed.
Sera's eyes widened as she realised what he meant. He lay her down on the bed gently and climbed over her body, completely trapping her with his arms on either side of her.
"Do you want me as much as I want you, Sera?" He asked and she didn't know what to say. Yes, yes, yes, her heart answered for her but she couldn't utter it. She stared at him wordlessly but he understood, he saw it in her eyes.
"Do you love me as much as I love you, Sera?" He asked. Sera stared at him wordlessly. He loved her? She had no idea. Tears pooled at her eyes and trickled down her cheeks.
"You love mme?" She stammered. Her heart beat stopped. She couldn't believe her ears. For two years she died everyday waiting to hear once that Zachary felt something for her. She would have been happy if he remembered her once in a while, but love? She didn't ever expect Zachary to love her.
She couldn't control the sobs that wracked her body. "You love me?" She whispered again.
Her emotional response brought a tear to his eyes too as he hugged her close and rocked her gently. "Yes, I love you." He confessed.
