Darling Villain (Forbidden Fruit #1)

Chapter 14

Tiffany

I n the dimness of my room, the lingering scent of Adrien’s warm, spicy cologne—a mix of sandalwood and amber—still clings to the air, a phantom touch against my skin as I lay in bed, replaying last night’s events and trying to make sense of the confusing mix of emotions.

The sweetness of our kisses was overwhelming. The rightness and the addictive press of him against me left me breathless, wanting more—something I had never experienced before.

We are like two planets caught in each other’s gravitational pull; drawn together by an irresistible force yet destined for collision.

The taste of his kiss lingers on my lips, but so does the bitter truth—Adrien has been avoiding me as if I have some contagious disease.

His sudden change in behavior stings every time he looks away or brushes off my attempts at conversation. He’s still polite and civil, but there is a noticeable distance between us. Not a trace of the man who couldn’t keep his hands off me and kissed me like he’d been starving for it his whole life.

Meanwhile, I can’t stop thinking about him and last night. It’s torturous, this feeling of desiring something while knowing it’s better to stay away.

The more I try to push Adrien out of my mind, the stronger he seems to invade it. I’m torn between my longing for him and knowing that giving in would be the biggest mistake of my life. It would be selfish, even reckless, to throw away my morals and inhibitions just because I crave Adrien’s touch.

Adrien is a dangerous man. He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a smooth talker who can convince you that the edge of a cliff is solid ground, and yet I can’t stop thinking about him.

I’m like a moth drawn to a flame, unable to resist despite knowing the pain it will bring me.

As the second day passes and Adrien continues to treat me as if I were a ghost, the weight of frustration settles in my chest. Each glance he steals my way sends a jolt of electricity through me, yet it only leaves me more disoriented. The air between us is thick with unsaid words and untamed desires, and I can’t shake off the feeling that whatever we briefly tasted has left a lingering thirst—a need that demands to be quenched.

I pace around my room; the silence deafening. It’s not just his body that haunts me, it’s also his intentions. It’s obvious that he is deliberately pushing me away and I can’t help but wonder if it’s because he wants to give me space or if he’s scheming something behind my back.

Despite telling him about the basement at the manor and all of my suspicions, I have no idea what Adrien plans to do with that information. He could easily break his promises and use it against me. I should be focusing on finding a way to escape, but instead, I’m wasting time and energy on a man who may be planning my destruction.

Perhaps this was Adrien’s plan all along—to gain my trust, then manipulate my vulnerabilities for his own gain.

But as Friday afternoon rolls around, I know it’s time for me to find some answers. After lunch, I make my way to Adrien’s office, determined to confront him about his sudden change in behavior and get some clarity on our situation.

Before I can reach my destination, I bump into Daniel. He crosses his arms over his chest, his gaze sweeping me up and down before locking onto my face.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Hello, Daniel,” I say with a calmness that seems to irritate him even more. “You seem to be in a sour mood today.”

“Watch your tongue, brat. Show some respect.”

“Respect must be earned,” I retort, meeting his challenging stare head-on. There’s something about Daniel that makes me want to challenge him. His cocky demeanor, that smug look on his face, is what I’d like to deflate.

He ignores my jab and asks, “You are going to see Adrien, aren’t you?”

“And if I am?”

“Then you’d better have a damn good reason.”

I smile. “Oh trust me, I do. And I’ll make sure he hears all about it.”

Daniel frowns, his brow furrowed in displeasure, as he eyes Arthur standing silently a few steps behind me. “Arthur, stay close to her at all times. Keep her out of trouble.”

“Yes, sir.”

Suppressing an eye roll, I continue towards the office, leaving Daniel and Arthur behind.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I open the door and glance inside. Adrien’s office is spacious, with a large window letting in natural light. There’s a desk, chair, and a few bookcases; nothing out of the ordinary.

I must leverage this situation to my advantage. If I want Adrien to engage in conversation, I have to break down his defenses—I know just a way to do that.

I confidently make my way over to the chair in front of his desk and take a seat.

Adrien doesn’t look up from the papers, but his posture stiffens. His fingers move swiftly, shuffling the pages one by one. I watch mesmerized as his deft hands move across the paper, convinced they could move with the same efficiency on my skin. It’s all it takes to send a shiver up my spine. My nipples pebble and I clench my thighs together in an attempt to quench the fire that burns between them.

This is not what I had in mind for our confrontation.

“Miss Carter,” Adrien finally acknowledges me. “Can I help you with something?”

He has a patient smile on his irritatingly beautiful face, but the rigid set of his shoulders and his carefully mannered words say otherwise.

“You’re up to something.” I lean forward and cross my legs. Adrien’s eyebrows shoot up, but his eyes linger on my legs. I smile to myself; it’s satisfying to see how much I affect him. “Tell me what it is.”

Adrien enjoys my brazen, confident demeanor—perhaps it will make him less rigid.

“Excuse me? What makes you think that?” Adrien puts the folder aside and brings his hands together, resting his interlocked fingers on the table.

He’s toying with me, but I can play this game, too.

Adrien can be civil and distant, and I will be honest and confrontational.

“It’s obvious that you’re planning something. For the past two days, you’ve been ignoring me, playing a polite gentleman, which you’re not. Tell me what you’re planning or let me go. I’m not a toy to be played with.”

Is it a bad idea to taunt him? Maybe, but I don’t care. I will not sit around and wait for him to make a move. Adrien seems to like it when I show some backbone. I can only hope that my bravado will pay off.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit,” I scoff. “That’s a poor excuse. Whatever you’re planning, it’s not going to work.”

“I’m just trying to get some work done, Miss Carter.” The edge of his lips curl into a smirk that does nothing to ease the tension brewing between us. “But I’m curious: did you come here to tell me you don’t trust me or simply because you miss me?”

“You are delusional, aren’t you?”

I expected anger or at the very least a reaction, but all I get is amusement.

“Delusional? Me? Hardly. I’m not the one lying to myself and getting myself into dangerous situations. If I were you, angel, I’d be careful with all that bravado. You’re used to getting your way, this is different. You’re in my world now.”

His voice drips with a mixture of warning and seduction, and my heart races, an alarm echoing in my mind that this man could easily unravel me if given the chance.

“I’m not afraid of you, Adrien. What are you going to do? Kill me if I keep talking back? If you couldn’t handle killing my uncle, what makes you think you could kill me? Perhaps you overstate your abilities.”

His calmness falters for a moment and I see the rage boiling just beneath the surface.

I can’t help but feel a little victorious.

Adrien closes the folder and stands up. His movements are quick and precise, ready for an attack.

“Is that what you think? That I’m some kind of monster who goes around killing people?”

He stops in front of me, leaning against the desk. His proximity makes my heart race, but I meet his gaze steadily.

“Isn’t that what criminals do?” I challenge, tilting my chin up.

His eyes darken. In one swift motion, he grabs my arms and pulls me to my feet. I gasp as he spins us around, pinning me against the desk. His body presses against mine, trapping me.

“Don’t test me, Tiffany,” he growls, his face inches from mine.

I should be terrified, but instead, I feel a thrill of excitement. “Or what?”

Adrien’s gaze drops to my lips. For a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. But then he steps back abruptly, releasing me.

“Go back to your room,” he orders. “This conversation is over.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on. Why have you been avoiding me? What are you planning?”

“I told you, nothing is going on. I’ve just been busy with work.”

“That’s not good enough,” I press. “I know there’s more to it. You can’t just kiss me like that and then pretend nothing happened.”

His jaw clenches. “If you want to get real, let’s. We both know why you came here, and we both know what you really want,” he says roughly, and each word is silky, hot, and deliberate. “I want you. You want me. There’s no point in denying it. We are both adults. We shouldn’t lie to ourselves or each other. Your feign of righteous indignation and my denial of my desires are both pointless.”

“I came here to understand your reason for avoiding me. I am not here for any other reason—”

“Stop lying to yourself and face the truth. With me, you don’t have to lie or pretend. Right here, right now, you can be who you are. Selfish. Greedy. Irrational. I will not judge or berate you. You want to be perfect, but that is unattainable and exhausting. I will not allow you to hide who you are behind a mask of false virtue. With me, you can let go.”

“I don’t want to,” I say, but the words sound weak and hollow even to me.

“I can see it in your eyes.” Adrien pulls me closer, his gaze intense and unwavering. “You yearn to be free from the constraints of your perfect image, your family’s expectations, your inheritance. You want to forget your burdens, forget your fears, and let go of your childish notions of right and wrong. You want to lose yourself. I can give you that.”

My heart thumps in my chest and tears well up in my eyes.

I feel ashamed. Dirty. Worst of all, I feel confused.

“You’re wrong,” I say, trying to pull away. I need to get out. I need to run as far away from the seductive voice and the magnetic eyes as possible.

He shrugs. “Keep lying to yourself, if it makes you feel better, angel. The truth is that you want to give in. You want to let go. You want to fall. And I’m going to be there to catch you.”

I can’t breathe.

I can’t think.

Adrien leans forward and whispers in my ear, “You know you want to.”

And then he leaves.

He walks out without another word, leaving me alone in his office, surrounded by his scent, his words, and the memories of his touch. I’m left alone with a strange sensation in my chest, which feels too much like yearning.

I don’t see him for the rest of the day. It’s the first evening, I dine alone.

Later that night, I lie in bed and stare at the ceiling, trying to ignore the sound of high–pitched female moans coming from the bedroom next door.

I haven’t figured out what Adrien is plotting. The only thing that I know for sure is that I’m craving his attention like some kind of drug, and I’m jealous of the woman whose body is currently pressed against him.

Trouble, I think, delirious, with my heart in my throat . I’m in so much trouble.