Worship Him

26. Destiny

26

DESTINY

I stand frozen in the doorway, my heart pounding in my chest. Adam's presence is overwhelming, and my mind has difficulty believing what my eyes are seeing.

"What are you doing here?" I finally manage to ask after a few seconds of simply staring at him, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes scan my face, concern etched in his features. "Are you going to let me in?"

I step aside, allowing him to enter. The cottage suddenly feels smaller, Adam's broad frame filling the space.

We make our way to the living room, the tension between us palpable.

"Sit," I say, gesturing to the couch. "I'll check on Avery."

I peek into the portable crib, relief washing over me as I see her still peacefully asleep. When I turn back, he’s watching me intently.

"What are you doing here?" I ask again, sinking into the armchair across from him.

He leans forward, elbows on his knees. "I saw the news about your crash. I rushed to the hospital, but you weren't there."

My eyebrows shoot up. "You went to the hospital?"

He nods, running a hand through his hair. "When I couldn't find you, I called Barrett. He didn't know where you were, but mentioned your parents were visiting."

"So you called them," I finish, realization dawning.

He nods. "They told me you were here." His gaze locks onto mine. "I had to make sure you and Avery were okay."

The concern in his voice catches me off guard. I look away, unable to bear the intensity of his stare.

"We're fine," I mutter. "It wasn't even a real crash. The paparazzi car went off the road, not us."

His jaw visibly clenches. "Those fuckers. I'll make sure they pay for this."

I look back at him. "Don't," I say, shaking my head. "It'll just make things worse."

Silence falls between us, heavy with unspoken words. I fidget with the hem of my shirt, unsure what to say next.

After a moment, he exhales sharply, his eyes still locked with mine, making a shiver run down my spine. "Jesus, Destiny. You could've called me back."

"I'm sorry," I say, guilt gnawing at me. "I didn't check my phone. I just wanted to get away from everything."

"Everything including me?" he asks, his gaze piercing.

I look away once more, fearing what I might see in his eyes. Anger? Hate?

When I look back, all I see is Adam, and his eyes are searching for something as well. For a long moment we simply look at each other. The tension between us intensifies, filling the room with unspoken words and lingering regrets.

"When you didn’t answer my calls or get back to me, I thought you had taken Avery and left the country." His expression becomes unreadable, as it does when he’s being serious. I always hated that even after being with him for so long, there are moments when I don’t know what’s going on in his head.

I frown, trying to process everything he just said. The silence between us stretches, and my heart thuds in my chest.

"So, you thought I'd taken off with your child on a whim or something?" I finally ask, my voice almost cracking.

He leans forward, his eyes intense. "When I saw those photos of you at the airport, I jumped to conclusions. I couldn't reach you, and my mind went to the worst-case scenario."

"But why would you think I'd do that?" I ask, hurt coloring my voice.

"I wasn't thinking straight," he admits. "And then the media circus... they twisted my words completely out of context."

I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"That statement they're plastering everywhere. I wasn't talking about you," he explains, frustration evident in his tone. "I was referring to the paparazzi's behavior. The way they've been hounding us, invading our privacy. That's what I'm not condoning."

My shoulders relax slightly. "Oh." Well, that’s a relief.

"Destiny," he says, his voice softer now. "All of this chaos... it's made me realize something."

I watch him, waiting.

"I love you," Adam states, his gaze unwavering. "I never stopped loving you. And I don't want our story to end like this."

My heart skips a beat. "What exactly are you saying?"

"I'm saying I want us to try again," he replies, determination in his voice. "I want us to restart. We've both made mistakes, but I believe we can learn from them. We can build something even stronger than before."

I'm stunned, my mind reeling from his words. "Adam, I..."

"Let me finish," he says, holding up a hand. "Think about it. We've been through hell, and we're still here. Still fighting. Doesn't that mean something?"

I feel a familiar tug in my chest. The same pull I felt when we first met, when we fell in love. It's still there, beneath all the pain and misunderstandings.

"It does," I whisper, surprising myself with the admission.

I look at him, really look at him. The determination in his eyes, the set of his jaw. This is the man I fell in love with, the one who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself.

He reaches out, taking my hand in his. The familiar warmth of his touch sends a shiver down my spine.

I smile, feeling truly happy for the first time in months. "I love you too, Adam. So much. I..." My voice cracks. "I could never stop loving you."

His eyes soften, a mix of surprise and hope flickering across his face.

The depth of the connection between us makes all my walls crumble. Before I can stop it, tears are rolling down my cheeks. "Every second since I left our home," I continue, my words tumbling out between sobs, "my heart's been breaking. I thought I was doing the right thing, but God, it hurt so much."

He reaches out, his hand cupping my face. His thumb gently wipes away a tear. "Destiny..."

I lean into his touch, savoring the warmth of his skin against mine. "I've missed you. Missed us."

He pulls me closer, his lips meeting mine in a passionate kiss. It's electric, familiar yet new. My body responds instantly, melting into him as if we were never apart.

I break away, breathless. "Adam..."

He pauses, his eyes searching mine.

"Yes," I whisper. "I want to start over. I want us to be a family. You, me, and Avery."

A smile spreads across his face, one I haven't seen in so long. It lights up his eyes, erasing the lines of worry that have been etched there for months.

"Say it again," he murmurs, his voice low and intense.

I can't help but laugh, even as more tears fall. "Yes, Adam. Yes to us. Yes to everything."

He kisses me again, and it's like coming home. The taste of him, the feel of his arms around me—it's all so achingly familiar.

For the first time in months, I feel whole again.

Avery's cries pull us out of the kiss, reminding us of her presence. We break apart, both of us laughing softly.

"I should probably..." I gesture towards the bedroom.

Adam nods but doesn't let go of my hand. "We'll go together."

We take care of her, and while I feed her, Adam gets ready to burp her. When he’s done, I change her diaper.

He takes her from me, sitting down in the living room. He talks softly to her, whispering about the dreams he has for her.

I watch them with a big, stupid smile on my face, tears threatening to embarrass me. They’re both so peaceful that it makes my heart swell. This is my family. I don’t ever want to lose them.

When she’s asleep again, Adam leads me back to the living room, his hold on my hand soft but firm.

We stand at window, looking out at a familiar view. We’ve watched the sun set from this spot many times before.

Tonight feels different though, as if there’s more to be shared between us than ever.

When he claims my lips once again, I don’t hesitate, and hold on to him as if I’m drowning and he’s my only source of oxygen.

He breaks the kiss and his eyes lock onto mine, dark with desire. In an instant, his lips crash into mine again, this time in a searing kiss. I melt into him, my body responding instinctively to his touch.

His arms encircle me, pulling me flush against his hard chest. The possessiveness in his embrace sends a thrill through me. I cling to him, my fingers digging into his shoulders.

The kiss deepens, his tongue exploring my mouth with a hunger that matches my own. It's as if we're trying to make up for all the lost time in this one moment. Every sweep of his tongue, every nip of his teeth speaks volumes—of regret, of longing, of a love that never truly died.

I break away, gasping for air. "Adam?—"

"Shh," he murmurs, his lips trailing down my neck. "No more talking. Not now."

I tilt my head, giving him better access. "But—" I still have so much to say. I need to express my love and the regret I feel for screwing up with Avery.

He silences me with another kiss, his hands roaming my back. "I said, no more talking," he growls against my lips.

I can't help but laugh, the sound muffled by his insistent mouth. It's so typically Adam—demanding, commanding, yet somehow still tender.

As we stand there, locked in each other's arms, I feel a sense of rightness settle over me.

This is where I belong. This is home.