Darling Villain (Forbidden Fruit #1)

Chapter 21

Tiffany

A week later

I n the soft, velvet dawn, a hushed whisper of breath warms the nape of my neck. Adrien’s limbs are intertwined with mine like the roots of an ancient tree, forming a living barricade against the outside world. His chest rises and falls rhythmically under my cheek.

My eyes flutter open to find his peaceful face mere inches from my own.

Adrien has been attentive and affectionate towards me for the past few days, but the fact that this paranoid man is so at ease in my presence that he sleeps like a baby is both exciting and somewhat alarming.

I move my hand from his navel, the firm, undulating muscles, to the area under his heart, where a tattoo adorns his tan skin. It’s a rose—its petals unfurling like wings. The ink job is impeccable; the colors blend seamlessly and the lines are smooth and precise. It’s a work of art, just like the man himself.

Adrien stirs, opening his eyes, groggy and disoriented, his grip tightening around me. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” he says, his voice heavy with sleep.

There’s a brief silence as we both lay there, wrapped up in each other’s arms, the world outside temporarily forgotten.

The light makes its way into the room, filtering in through the narrow slits in the curtains and revealing the contours of Adrien’s face, his strong jawline, and his soft lips.

He truly is breathtakingly beautiful.

“For someone who claims to not enjoy cuddling, you seem to be quite fond of it.” I slip from under his arm to stretch my tender muscles after a vigorous round of sex last night.

Adrien slides out of bed, gloriously naked.

“I’ll take that as a compliment to my acting skills.”

“I’m sure you will,” I reply, reaching out to brush my fingers against his bare chest. Adrien catches my hand and brings it to his lips, planting a kiss on my knuckles.

“I’ve got to have a quick call before I shower.” Adrien releases my hand and walks towards the walk-in closet. “I thought that you also should make a call.”

I raise an eyebrow. “A call? To whom?”

“Your sister, call her,” Adrien says, digging through the drawers. “If you feel like it.”

“What?” I blurt out. “Why? What happened?”

Adrien stops raiding the dresser and turns to face me, his face suspiciously calm. “I know you’re concerned and guilty about missing your sister’s wedding planning. It might be good for you to have a conversation with her.”

“But what about—”

“No need for her to suspect anything is wrong,” Adrien interrupts me. “Olivia still thinks that you’re on a business trip.”

“What if she asks me a question I have no answer to?”

Adrien shrugs. “You will handle it. Tell her you’re fine and you’ll be home soon. I’ll take care of everything else.”

“Is our sex really that good that you started to trust me blindly?” I squint at Adrien. “Or are you planning on buying my silence and trust with a few nice actions?”

“Both. And on top of that, your sister keeps calling and trying to track you down. It’s causing some difficulties for me.”

My lips twitch into a smile. “You really are a bastard.”

“I am well aware.”

“Well, now my expectations for our relationship have just skyrocketed,” I say as I get up and walk over to Adrien, placing my hands on his chest. I want to ask him about his change of heart, about his sudden display of tenderness and affection, but I’m scared of what he might say. Instead, I just stand there; gazing into his bright eyes and allowing the silent understanding to fill the space between us. “I’ll take a shower first. You can make your call.”

“As you wish.” Adrien kisses the top of my head and leaves the room.

I take a long, hot shower, washing away the guilt and uncertainty of forgetting why I am here and that my sister needs me.

I can’t pinpoint whether it’s Adrien’s honesty or his willingness to let me talk to my sister, but I feel a shift inside me.

Maybe this could be the beginning of something new, something good. After all, Adrien has a way of making me feel things I never thought possible.

After enjoying a quick shower, I change into the silk dress Adrien bought me—a simple, elegant knee-length with delicate lace detailing at the neckline and hem. The dress hugs my curves in all the right places, making me feel feminine and beautiful.

I make my way downstairs and find Adrien in the living room on the phone, with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Yes, I’ll be there. I’ll see you soon and no, you won’t get anything from me. My presence will be a gift in itself.” Adrien hangs up the phone and finds me standing there, watching him.

“Is everything okay?”

“I just need to finalize some last-minute details. I’ll skip breakfast this morning and get right to work.”

“Oh.”

A sense of disappointment pricks me at the thought of skipping our morning together, but I push it down. The past two weeks—how has my life changed so much in such a short time?—has properly damaged my brain. I’ve never been clingy or needy before, but now I crave Adrien’s presence and attention all the time.

“I’ll see you later,” I say, attempting a smile.

“Wait, Tiffany.” Adrien reaches out and stops me as I’m about to turn away. “Here’s your phone and charger. Call your sister and let her know that you’re safe and sound.”

Weeks have passed since I last talked to Olivia, and I’m unsure how she’s coping with my absence. Even before this, I was already avoiding her, furious that she hadn’t shared the news of her engagement earlier.

I take the phone from him. “Thank you.”

Adrien stares at me as if waiting for me to say something, but before I can question his strange behavior, he blurts out, “I have a family event in two days, and I need to fly out tomorrow morning.”

It is not something I thought about—Adrien and the word family in the same sentence. My brain-to-mouth filter short-circuits, and the first thing that comes out of my mouth is, “You have a family?”

A corner of his mouth turns upwards. “Yes, I do. Did you expect me to have a tragic backstory? Or perhaps a tale of strict upbringing and mistreatment? You know, not every villain was an abused orphan with a sad life.”

I try processing an image of Adrien being surrounded by siblings and cousins. It’s hard to imagine Adrien as a loving son, protective brother, and generous uncle. But the thought of him with little kids makes my heart hurt.

It must be uneasiness.

I try to shift the subject to less dangerous topics. “So, you are leaving tomorrow?”

He nods. “Yes, and I thought perhaps you would like to come with me?”

“To meet your family?” My eyes widen.

“To see where I grew up. You would love it there; it’s such a beautiful place.”

His offer takes me by surprise. I thought I figured him out, but I seem to be wrong. Seeing Adrien nervous and without his usual confidence is an unexpected sight.

My hand reaches out to touch his. “Of course, I’d love to see it. Where exactly are we going?”

“It’s a villa near Como Lake. It’s where I spent most of my childhood.”

My kidnapping is turning into a romantic getaway. Who would have thought?

I laugh. “You’re taking me to Italy?”

“Yes, my angel, I am, and I promise, it’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.”

That I don’t doubt.

With the looming conversation already making my stomach churn, I reluctantly head to the library after a rushed breakfast.

All I want is to sink into the plush armchair by the window, the sunlight warming my face as I lose myself in a fantasy novel. But I know I can’t escape reality for long; it’s time to face the inevitable. With a heavy sigh, I dial my sister’s number, bracing myself for the confrontation that awaits me.

It’s almost surreal how anxious I am to connect with the outside world. My pink, happy, and slightly delusional bubble consisting of Adrien, incredible sex, and peaceful surroundings might blow up at any second, and I’m terrified of that.

The phone rings once, twice, and then the call connects.

“Tiffany?” Olivia’s voice is laced with relief. “Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s you! Where are you? Are you okay? I was about to—“

”—send out a search party?“ I finish for her. “I’m okay, Liv. Really.”

There’s a pause on the other end, and I can almost hear the gears in her head turning. “Okay? You’re okay after just disappearing? You don’t even understand how worried I’ve been. I thought something terrible happened to you!”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” I say, sinking deeper into the chair and wishing it could swallow me whole. “I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s... complicated.”

“Complicated?” Olivia scoffs, though the worry in her tone doesn’t fade. “Tiffany, you don’t just vanish without a word. What happened?”

I hesitate, looking around the library as if the walls might offer me some kind of excuse.

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you I was leaving for a business trip, but I just... I needed some space to figure things out on my own.” My heart races as I hear Olivia’s sharp intake of breath. She knows me too well—far too well.

“Figure things out? You could’ve just called! I was losing my mind here, Tiff! What’s going on?”

Her tone shifts from concern to the edge of panic, and I can feel the knot tightening in my stomach. “Dean asked me to go to Milan to finalize a deal while he’s in South America, and I took an additional week off last minute to make the most of the fact that I’m already in Italy. It’s been nice to get away from the stress at work and your sudden news... I’m sorry I didn’t call you earlier. I really am.”

It’s good that I don’t have to look Olivia straight in the eyes while spewing this nonsense. If I did, she would see right through me.

“Is all of this because of my engagement? I’m sorry; I’ve been so preoccupied with Alexander. Everything has been happening so quickly and I hate that our relationship has been so strained lately. I’m just...”

Olivia has been a constant pillar in my life since childhood. She’s always been there for me, my biggest ally and supporter. While it stung to learn about her engagement from the media instead of her, I would never sabotage her happiness.

Guilt gnaws at me for using the ‘you got engaged to a man you’ve only known for two weeks and I was the last to hear about it’ card. But I have to be convincing.

“I know you’re busy with wedding preparations,” I say. “I was selfish to add to your stress with my own issues and disappear like that, especially when you have so much on your plate.”

“Tiffany, it’s not just about the wedding. I’m worried about you. When are you coming back?”

“In a few days,” I lie again, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “And when I do, let’s have dinner so I can meet my future brother-in-law.”

The line goes quiet. When Olivia speaks again, her voice is softer, tinged with relief. “I’d love that, Tiff. I’ve missed you so much. And I want you to meet Alexander. I think you’ll like him.”

I swallow hard, fighting back tears. “I’m sure I will. I’m sorry again for worrying you. I love you, Liv.”

“I love you too, little sis. Please be safe and call me when you’re back, okay?”

“I will,” I promise.

As I end the call, a wave of guilt washes over me. I’ve just lied to my sister, the person I trust most in this world. And for what? For a man who kidnapped me? For a few days of passion and the illusion of something more?

I bury my face in my hands. What have I gotten myself into? How did I let things spiral so far out of control?

My older sister is my rock, my confidante, and my best friend since we were kids. I can’t let her feel like she has to choose between me and her future husband. I can’t let my selfish decisions destroy our bond.

And I won’t.

I must get back to my old life as soon as possible.