Chapter 30
ADRIEL
“Hey! It’s you again.” Sophia bounces over with her soccer ball, me on the same bench I was on when we saw each other last.
“Hey, kid. You love that ball, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” She shrugs her shoulder, popping a sassy brow. “What can I say? I’m good at it.”
A half-smile falls to my mouth. “How have you been?”
Now that I’m not Chris, I don’t know what’s going on. Don’t know the intel about the traffickers or anything else I was able to get from my so-called brothers.
“Not much! I started a new dance school, and that’s a lot of fun. Grandma was supposed to come to my first class when I went with Daddy, but she was very sad and stayed home.” She pouts as she settles beside me. “She’s been sad a lot lately. Even Grandpa can’t cheer her up.”
“Why? What happened?”
“I don’t know.” She flips her hand in the air, twisting her mouth in an adorable way. “She doesn’t talk about it, not even to me. Which is weird because she always talks to me. I’m her favorite.” She grins.
I chuckle. “Sometimes grownups don’t want to make the kids sad, so they keep things to themselves.”
“That’s stupid. Because I’m already sad since she’s sad. Maybe if she told me what’s wrong, I could help her.”
Such innocence. Such hope in her eyes. That’s what childhood should look like. Not the way I had it.
“And Daddy is being ultra-grumpy lately, telling me I can’t go out with Mabel a lot, and he won’t tell me why either. I know there are bad people in the world. I’m not stupid.”
She rolls her eyes, and I laugh to myself. She’s something else. A force to be reckoned with.
“He’s just trying to keep you safe.” I can’t believe I’m defending that idiot.
“Yeah, well, that stinks, ’cause I was supposed to go to Jackie’s party yesterday and Dad said no. He didn’t even tell me why!”
“Well, you’re out in the park now with your friends, so that’s good.”
“Mm-hmm.” She narrows her eyes and purses her lips. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”
My laughter falls freely. “On yours. Of course. I’m just helping you see both sides of this situation.”
“I don’t like both sides. I just like mine.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “I should go.” She sighs. “Before Mabel catches me and tells Daddy, then I’ll be locked away in my room like Rapunzel.”
“Before you go, I have something for you.”
Her eyes grow with excitement as I reach inside my pocket and retrieve a black jewelry box.
“A present? For me?” Her lashes bat.
“Well, you did say we’re friends. So I figured I’d get you something.” I open the box, and a small pink heart-shaped ring grabs her attention.
Her gaze is radiant, her mouth widening. “It’s so sparkly! Can I put it on?”
“Sure.” I remove it and slip it on her middle finger. “It looked like something you’d like.”
She stares at it with awe. “This is my favorite present. Thank you, Andy.”
“You remembered my name.”
“Of course I did, silly. I remember all my friends’ names.” She starts away from me, but as she goes, she glances back. “My birthday party is coming up soon. Maybe you can come?”
Doubt that’s ever gonna happen, but I don’t want to ruin the kid’s day.
“Maybe. Thanks for the invite.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you. Bye!” She gives me a big wave before she skips down the hill and back to her friends, who were too busy running around to notice she was gone for a few minutes.
I watch her for a few more minutes before I head back out, needing to return to Kayla. Her wound is getting better, but the fact that she has it? Fuck, the rage in me can’t be stilled.
My desire for vengeance knows no bounds, not when it comes to her.
And when I find the people responsible, they will not be spared. They will know what true evil looks like, and it’ll be my face they see last.
KAYLA
FIVE DAYS LATER
Adriel makes us dinner in his kitchen, his bare back the only view I care about. His muscles, tanned and ripped, have me shifting uncomfortably in my seat. It’s still a strange feeling to want him as I do after everything I’ve been through. But I can’t deny that what I want and need is him.
A has been nothing but kind and warm and sweet to me in these last few days.
With each passing day, we’ve grown closer while I’ve been healing, mentally and physically.
I didn’t realize how much what happened really affected me, not until he made me talk about it.
Late nights were spent in each other’s arms while he listened and let me cry and held me as I did.
He did let me out of the basement the day after he brought me there. He knew I wasn’t running. I no longer wanted to. Being with Adriel is the safest I’ve ever felt. With him, I know that I have someone who’s always watching my back. That the killer won’t get me here.
I wish I could stay with him forever, but I know I can’t.
With my new bodyguard on my tail, staying here long term is impossible. If Michael finds out he’s Chris, he’ll kill him. I’d never let that happen.
But I can’t go back home either. It’s been tainted, the rotting smell of what was done polluting the space.
I don’t know where I’ll go. Maybe I can spring some of my cash from work for a hotel room on a more long-term basis. Nothing fancy. Something cheap and livable. Then I can look for a place to rent. I can’t have Michael or anyone getting me another home. That wouldn’t be right.
“You okay, babe?” he asks, that word always bringing a blanket of warmth over my body.
He carries two plates filled with seared tuna on a bed of saffron rice and places one before me. My God, it smells so good.
“I was just thinking about where I’m gonna live,” I confess. “Can’t go back to my own place for obvious reasons.”
Slowly, he lowers into his seat, dark brows drawn down tight. “I thought you’d stay here.”
He appears offended. And seeing this big, tough man sulking is so incredibly sexy.
“A…” I rise and head for him, settling on his lap as my arms fall across his shoulders. “You know that is impossible. I have the bodyguard, and after I come back from my amazing vacation…” I grin. “He’ll know who you are and will report you to Michael.”
The vein in his neck throbs, and those eyes, they seem to burn into mine. “I can handle Michael.” He runs the top of his hand across the underside of my jaw. “You’ll stay here. With me.”
He says it like it’s been made into a decree, but I won’t risk his life.
“I’m sure you can handle anyone, but I don’t want either one of you getting hurt. So please, promise me not to do anything stupid. If I could stay here, you know I would.”
His chest puffs out. “I like having you here, and I refuse to let anyone from my family stop me from having what I want.” His voice grows low and husky, his knuckles crawling softly down my cheek.
My skin instantly tingles, his touch alone making me want him.
After that night when we had sex, he hasn’t attempted it, and neither have I.
Though I’ve wanted to, I’ve liked getting to know him more than anything.
Part of the reason I think I wanted to sleep with him was to see how broken I truly was.
Considering I didn’t cry or attempt to murder him, I’d say it was a success.
And the way he gave it to me was perfect. I owe him so much for that.
Leaning in, I kiss his mouth, and an approving growl rumbles against my lips. Fingers slicing into my hair, he pushes me in deeper, tongue snaking out for mine, sucking it into his heady mouth.
Breathlessly, he fists my hair back, eyes smoldering. “Don’t kiss me like that. I have very little self-control thanks to you, and I’m one move away from fucking you again.”
“Why haven’t you?” My rapid heartbeats beat to a chaotic rhythm.
“Because…” His thumb brushes against my lips, causing my arms to prickle.
“I can sense it’s not what you really need.
So I’m trying, Kayla.” His eyes grow glassy.
“I’m trying to be the kind of man that you need.
I don’t do hearts and flowers, but I can do this.
I can listen. I can hold you, even when I don’t do it quite right.
I can braid your hair. Make you dinner and turn you into my dessert.
It’s what I am, baby bird.” He shrugs like any woman in her right mind would ever turn any of it down.
“I don’t want to just be the man who fucks you, though I did enjoy that, quite a bit. ”
His one-sided smirk causes flutters to erupt simultaneously with my own tears.
“Hearts are overrated and flowers die. But you are priceless.” I grab both sides of his face. “Do you even know how amazing you are? Aside from your murderous ways, you literally are the perfect man.”
“Say what now?” A disbelieving chuckle rises out of him.
“Come here.” I open my arms and hold him to me, pressing my cheek to his shoulder. Staring up at him, I smile. “You have beautiful eyes.”
“Nowhere as beautiful as yours.” He drops his lips to mine, and now he’s the one kissing me, clutching my jaw as he deepens our connection.
And I swear, I could get lost in this feeling. We’re both so torn apart, and maybe that’s why we found one another. To give each other something to hold on to.
“Are you sure you can’t stay here?” he asks, practically pouting, and a bubble of laughter escapes me.
“Are you sulking?” I ask, a teasing tone greeting him. “Because I think you’re sulking.”
“I don’t sulk.” He raises his chin, a hint of that smirk returning. “But I—” His throat vibrates as he swallows, something heavy crossing his eyes.
“You what, Adriel?” I love saying his name. It’s so beautiful.
“I’m gonna miss having you here.” He clenches his jaw. “I’ve never…I’ve never missed anyone before.”
Oh, my heart. My chest gets all tight with my unruly emotions.
How is he this amazing person, and he doesn’t even know it?
“I’m gonna miss being here with you every day too.” I clasp him to me, my eyes closed as he sighs. “But you’re still going to be stalking my every move, I’m sure, so it’ll be like I never actually left.”
“Uh-huh. You’re hilarious.” He narrows a playful gaze, huffing out an exhale as he reaches into his pocket, getting his cell out.