Numb

" Alex was just telling me that his birthday is in a couple of days. " Luka said.
They were sitting on the black leather sofa in his living room. Sam was leaning against him, resting her head on his chest. Luka was leaned against the arm of the sofa with his legs stretched out onto the black lacquer coffee table. A single lamp illuminated the room casting a soft yellow light ar the them.
" Yeah, It's on Friday. I have to work until seven though. I don't know what we are going to do. " she answered, taking a sip from the wine glass in her hand.
" Why don't you let me take care of everything ? I'm sure I can talk to Weaver about getting us both the weekend off. We can start celebrating as soon as soon as we get off Friday. I have to work till seven, too. " Luka offered, running his free hand easily through her hair.
" What are you planning to do with us ? " she asked, teasingly.
" It's a surprise. You'll just have to wait and see. " he answered.
" I'm sure whatever we do will be wonderful. " she smiled.
" I appreciate your confidence in me. " he answered.
Sam shifted slightly so that she could see his face. " I am really enjoying having you around. " she told him as she lightly touched his face.
" I'm really enjoying being around. " he answered, leaning his face into her touch for a moment before softly kissing her.
" Uuk! Can you two stop that please ? There are young people around. " Alex said as he emerged from the den on the other side of the apartment.
Luka laughed as he pulled away from her and looked up at Alex. " How do you like the games ? "
" They're great. Can I get a glass of water ? "
" Yeah, help yourself. There's soda in the fridge too. Make yourself at home. " he smiled.
" Thank you. Do you guys need anything ? "
Sam spun her head around and stared at him for a moment. " Are you okay ? " she asked.
" Yeah, why ? " Alex shrugged.
" Why are you being nice ? What did you break ? " Sam asked, sitting up straighter and looking him the eye.
" Oh, Mom. " he waved her off with a sweep of his hand. " I just thought since I was going that way and you two look really comfortable, I would ao yoo you wouldn't have to get up or anything. I didn't break anything, I promise. "
Sam smiled and leaned back into Luka. " Well, thank you, that was very nice of you to offer but I think we are okay. "
He shrugged his shoulders and began to saunter his way to the kitchen. " Well, if you do need anything just give a yell. I'll get it. I don't mind. That way you don't have to move. " he mumbled.
Sam chuckled under her breath as soon as he left the room.
" What's so funny ? " Luka whispered against her neck as he pulled her hair aside.
" Alex. He's trying to set us up. He wants something. I'm not sure what yet but it must be something big. " she answered.
" I think he just likes seeing his mother happy and is trying to let her enjoy it. " Luka said, against her throat, nuzzling her neck.
" Maybe. I guess he isn't really used to seeing me happy. Must be quite a shock for him. "
The arms around her waist tightened a bit in a gesture of reassurance.
" Why is that ? " he asked. " Why have yoen uen unhappy for so long ? " His voice was quiet.
" Steve. " Sam answered without the slightest hesitation. " Steve has made it his life's mission to make me miserable. I am thoroughly convinced of that. "
" Want me to fhim him and beat him up ? " he teased. She could feel his lips smiling against her jaw.
Alex wandered back through the room and Sam didn't even cast him a glance.
" No, I don't want you to find him and when he shows up here, and have no fear, he will eventually, I don't want you to beat him up. " She said firmly.
" If that's what you want, but don't forget the offer stands at any time. I won't have anyone making you unhappy again. " he smiled as she turned her head to look at him. Her heart flipped in her stomach as his words sunk in and she realized he wasn't kidding.
" That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. " she smiled.
" It's true. " he whispered, before kissing her.
" Does that mean you'll beat Romano up for me ? " she teased.
" If you say the word. " he answered. " Just remember that your son really likes my place and if I got fired I would be reduced to a box in the park. "
Sam thought for a moment. " I guess Alex's happiness is more important than him being mean to me. " she answered finally. " But I'm liking the macho streThatThat's nice. Like having my own personal bodyguard. "
Lukuggluggled tighter into her and began to kiss her neck " If your body needs guarding then I definitely want to be the one to do it. "
Sam let her head lean back leisurely and enjoyed the feeling of his lips against her skin. They had been teasing each other since she and Alex arrived, waiting a bit impatiently for him to go to bed.
Luka eased his grip on her waist, and through his head back against the sofa for a moment.
" So, " he said after running his hand through his hair. " Do you want to tell me what Steve doest mat makes you so miserable ? "
Sam thought about avoiding the subject again. Then it occurred to her that maybe if she started talking maybe he would.
" I meet Steve when I was fifteen years old. " she began. " I thought he was perfect. He was a bad boy with a tattoo, a rock band and an endless supply of weed. For a girl looking to rebel, he was a dream come true. He was much older and just so cool. My parents hated him. They threatened to send me off if I didn't quit seeing him. I was so young and stupid I actually thought I loved him. I told my mom he was my world. " She stopped to chuckle at herself. " How ridiculous is that ? "
" It's not ridiculous. I'm sure that's how you felt. " Luka assured her, urging her to continue.
" When he started pushing for a more physical thing, I didn't even argue with him, even though I knew I wasn't ready for that. I was fifteen years old. That wasn't what I wanted then. But I was afraid he would go away and knowing him like I do now, I was right. He would have been gone before the word no was finished. "
" How old was he ? " He asked, running his fingers through her hair.
" Twenty-two. " she answered. " Plenty old enough to know better. He just kept pushing. Every time I saw him, we went a little further, until one night before I even knew what had happened, we had sex in the back of his car, of all places. "
She paused for a moment. Just sitting in Luka's arms and trying to keep herself from sinking into the feelings that were beginning to bubble to the surface.
" What happened after that ? " he asked.
" He left. He took off the next day and I didn't see him again for a year. " she concluded.
" You mean he just left you ? Did he know about Alex ? "
" I left a few messages here and there where I knew he would get them, but he never contacted me. Never tried to see me while I was pant.ant. When he did show up, he told me he doubted Alex was really his. Wanted to know if I was sure I had the right guy. " she snorted.
Luka's hands tightened around her waist at hearing the pain in her voice.
" Sam, I am so sorry you had to go through that. You deserve so much better than that. " he told her in a very serious, very quiet voice.
She took one of his hands and entangled t fin fingers together. " Don't be sorry. If all that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have Alex. "
" That true. He is really wonderful. I love having him here. I love spending time with him. " he answered, brushing a kiss against the nape of her neck.
" That isn't the whole Steve story. But I'm not sure if you want to hear the rest. " she said, softly.
" You mean it gets worse. " he asked, pulling back to look at her face, as if trying to judge how much worse it got.
She looked away from him and a darkness touched her eyes. " It gets much worse. "
" Tell me. " he said, softly. " I want to hear it. Whatever you went through I want to share it with you. "
She took a deep breath and pushed it out forcefully. She could feel how tense Luka had become and it worried her. " I want you to remember your promise. You have to let me handle Steve when he shows up. "
" What did he do to you ? " Luka asked, ignoring her, through gritted teeth.
" It wasn't that bad, really. " she assured him, " And it was a long time ago. "
" Sam, " he urged. " Tell me. "
"showshowed up right after Alex was born and asked if he could stay with us. Said he didn't have any place else to go. He sweet talked me and I'm apparently a push over because I agreed to let him stay. I guess I was just lonely and feeling very overwhelmed. My parents had thrown me out. I was working at a fast food place. I had a month old baby to take care of. I needed help and I thought that was what he was offering. "
Luka nodded his understanding and she continued.
" Well, he didn't pay attention to Alex at all. All he wanted was a place to hang out with his friends and a free lay whenever he took the notion. I would get home from work find him passed out on the couch and have to clean up after him and his friends. When I finally made it to bed at night, he would show up for disgustingly, sloppy sex, then go back to the sofa, while I cried myself to sleep. It was horrible. I hated him. I hated myself. When I confronted him one night and told him I wasn't in the mood to be his whore that night, he slapped me. "
Luka's whole body tensed again and Sam felt his rigid muscles through both their clothes. If Steve had been anywhere near them, she had no doubt,woulwould be dead.
" It's okay, Luka. Like I said, it was a long time ago. "
" Not long enough. " he ground out between his teeth.
Sam heard a movement in the corner of the room and looked up to see Alex trudging through to the kitchen again.
When he was gone, Sam turned to Luka and looked into his eyes. " Alex doesn't know any of thid I d I want to keep it that way. He doesn't need to know yet what kind of a person his father really is. "
Luka nodded and reached out to grabbed the back of her head. He kissed her deeply and pulled her against him. Sam melted against him and let herself drink in the comfort his arms were affording her.
" Children ! " a voice called from the kitchen door.
Sam smiled against his lips, but didn't pull away. " Go to bed, Alex. "
" I'm sorry, Mom. That was really mud. Wd. What did you say ? " he smiled back.
Luka pulled away from her slightly and looked over at Alex. " She said go to bed. You have school tomorrow. " he repeated.
" Hey, she didn't say anything about school. " Alex said.
" Yeah, but I did. If you go get to bed now. I will take us all out for breakfast tomorrow. " Luka offered.
Alensidnsidered this for a moment. " Can I come back over tomorrow after school ? "
" I have to work tomorrow. " he answered. " I don't get off till eleven. But I go back to days after that. I'll pick you up Wednesday. "
" Okay, deal. Good night, guys. Remember there is a sleeping child right across the apartment. " he waved and made his way to the bedroom off the den.
" I love the way this apartment is set up. With the bedrooms on opposite ends like that. It means we don't have to be near as quiet as we do at my place. " Sam smiled.
" One more reason why I love this place. But it doesn't seem nearly as nice without you and Alex in it. "
Sam tensed a little at hearing his words.
" Hey, " he whispered, brushing his shoulder with his fingertips.elaxelax. I'm not proposing. I'm just saying I like having the two of you in my life. It's nice to feel like I'm part of a family again. "
Sam sat up and turned around in his arms. " Again ? " she asked.
Luka frowned and looked away from her. " Yeah again. " he answered, simply.
Sam reached out her hand and brushed his cheekbone lightly. " You still don't want to tell me about this ? " she asked.
He sighed deeply. A look crossed his face that Sam didn't recognize and she felt her chest tightened. The next look was one of such intense pain.
" Luka, " she whispered.
He looked back at her. " I did have a family at one time, but they are gone now. " he stated simply.
" You mean when you were growing up ? " she asked, confused by his evasiveness.
" No, " he answered.
" You were married ? "
" A very long time ago. "
A streak of jealously welled up in her chest and she tried to push it away as quickly as possible, but he must have seen it.
He reached out and brushed her hair again. " I promise you have no reason to feel threaten. " he told her, obviously trying to reassure her.
" I don't feel threatened. " she lied. " You said it was a long time ago. "
" Liar, " he smiled, visibly trying to lighten the mood.
" Well, maybe a little. " she conceded.
" I like this jealous streak. Makes me feel all manly and sexy. " he teased, brushing her side with his fingers.
She twisted in his arms and let out a cackle as he tickled her.
Grabbing his hand he pulled it over his head and held it there.
" You don't play fair. " she said, her face inches from his.
" All's fair in love and war. " he answered, a little breathlessly.
" Is that what this is ? " she asked, crossing her arms over his chest and resting her head there.
" What love or war ? " he asked.
" Love ? " she asked, quietly, her stomach doing flip flops.
He considered her for a minute longer than she was comfortable with and she started to move off of him.
" I mean, I'm just asking because when we started this you said it could be casual if that was what I wanted. And at the time I thought it was but now, I'm just not sure it's still as casual. " she prattled, not letting him speak.
He grabbed her to him, ending her attempt at retreating from him.
" I believe this is definitely something more than casual. " he answered, his voice low and husky.
" How much more ? " she asked, timidly.
" It is building into something much, " he paused and kissed her lips softly. " much, " he kissed her neck. " much more. "
Sam moaned and pushed herself into his arms, burying herself against him.
" Let's go to bed. " he whispered.
She readily agreed.