Chapter 50
ADELINA
I woke up to the sound of the girls getting ready for school. Liana tried to quiet them, but I didn’t mind. It was nice to see a mundane life. I never thought I would be envious of something so simple.
Cezar started tossing beside me, then shot up and grabbed his phone as if the world was ending. For a second, I braced myself for something serious, only for him to groan about forgetting to set his alarm. He threw on a shirt, left the room, then rushed right back in just to kiss my forehead.
Adorable.
He wanted to see the twins off.
He returned a minute later and flopped across the bed like the small task had drained his soul. I sat with my knees to my chest and watched him breathe. God help me, I was turning into a creep like him.
“Better get your ass out of bed. We have a lot of shit to do today, my dear Lina.” He stood and held out a hand.
He mentioned we wouldn’t be coming back tonight, said we needed one night alone. Whatever that meant coming from him; I’d soon find out.
I had never been to this part of the country, and it was beautiful. Not bustling with city life and crime. Different and odd, but calming.
We dined at a fancy restaurant. He was lively with excitement from the moment we walked in, even when things didn’t go his way.
I kept drifting off in my own head, wondering if I could ever make something like this permanent.
Wondering if this was what I wanted. I tried not to get lost in the spiral. It was hard to control.
A few times, Cezar had to snap me back to reality. Although he seemed concerned, he didn’t push. Being with him here, in this place, was enough for him. He just wanted my time.
Trying to list everything we did felt impossible. The day blurred, not because of the places or the food or the scenery, but because lately, every memory seemed to start and end with him. His laugh. His eyes. The way he watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking.
I blinked hard.
Cezar had been rambling about something and then stopped mid-sentence. “Petal… are you okay? Is this too much? I didn’t know what to do, so I picked everything I thought you’d like and crammed it into one day.” His fingers fidgeted while he forced the words out.
The fact that he thought he was the problem gutted me. He wasn’t. He never was. The weight in my chest was mine alone, and he was still trying to carry some of it anyway.
I am fucking ruining shit.
How is this ever going to work?
“No. Stop.” I reached for him, trying to put some conviction into my voice. “I’m having a great time. It’s been nice not to plan everything for once. You’re doing amazing. I just… have a lot on my mind.”
He didn’t answer right away. I could feel him sifting through a dozen thoughts at once.
“Yeah… I get it. A lot’s happening. And I know how hard it is to shut your brain off. But if there’s any way I can help, just tell me and I will.” He pulled me into a full-body bear hug. His arms felt too much like a life I wasn’t sure I was allowed to want. It was terrifying.
He rested his forehead against mine for a second, and when he finally stepped back, something changed in his demeanor. “I had one more thing planned,” he muttered. “I just can’t anymore.”
He turned away, shoulders tight and head hung. Then he faced me again, leaning into my neck so I wouldn’t—couldn’t—miss a word he said.
“I can’t wait any longer, Lina.” His voice roughened as he spoke, each word measured, meant to ruin me. “I want all of you. Now.”
Cezar peppered kisses along my neck, whispering things no woman could walk away from. Normally, PDA wasn’t my thing, but this moment had just us—him and I.
Nothing else existed.
This time, I let myself want him the way he wanted me.