43. Christian
FORTY-THREE
CHRISTIAN
“When did you start crocheting?” She asked just as I put a cup of the sweetest fucking coffee in front of her.
She looked at me like I hung the fucking moon and grabbed my arm like all she wanted was to be there for the rest of our lives.
After our morning sex, we took a shower together and I fucked her from behind. The sounds she fucking made when she came. Whiney and full and all because of me . Fuck, I was ready to go again.
Moonshine wasn’t open until another hour and Adelaide wanted to spend time with me here. Didn’t fucking get why when I could have taken her to the best breakfast place in New York.
Except when she stared at me in that entirely unique way of hers, I loved that we didn’t go anywhere else.
“I was walking to work one day when I saw a sign for a crochet group in front of a small shop.” I sat next to her with a glass of iced black coffee. “Thought it would be fun to try out.”
“A little birdy told me you always talk about me.”
Fucking Hana. “You’re the only subject worth speaking about.”
Adelaide blushed, pressing a palm to her heated cheek. “You’re such a romantic.”
“Loving you makes me a romantic.”
Her blush deepened.
Adelaide took another deep sip of her coffee. “Thank you for this,” her shoulders shook in a little dance and my chest fucking glow .
“You’re welcome,” I cleared my throat. “What about you? Any new hobbies?”
“Not really.” She scrunched her nose. “After we broke up, I lost interest in a lot of things. I continued making jewellery but even that stopped when I became CEO.”
“You left what you loved behind?”
Adelaide loved making jewellery. She and Eomma spent hours talking about her work. I could never look away from the hypnotizing expression on her face when she’d finish a piece.
I hated that she had to fucking give it up.
“I just haven’t found the time to continue,” she shrugged while taking another sip. “Maybe one day, when I’m old and grey, I can go back to it.”
“Or you can go back to it now.”
She chortled. “And leave Starlight behind? I don’t think so.”
Tell her now.
Pursing her lips, “Have you noticed any odd chemistry between Umaima and Osama?”
Choking on my drink, I raised my brows in disbelief. “ Odd chemistry?”
Adelaide pats my back as I cough. “Well yeah, they have this vibe going on between them and they banter like us.”
“No one banters like us.”
She rolled her eyes.
Dragging her chair closer, I pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “What exactly does it mean to end up like us?”
Wide eyed and blushing, she diverted her attention and focused on the table like it had more to say to her than I did. “Being together.”
Fuck. I loved that.
“Did you see what she got me as a wedding gift?” She changed the subject with a strong clearing of her throat.
Knowing Umaima, it had to be a torture device.
“A period simulator.”
Of course, it was.
Adelaide laughed at my terrified expression. “You know she wants to kill me, right?”
“A period simulator won’t kill you.”
“But it’ll cause emotional damage?”
“Exactly,” she giggled adorably—I wanted to say fuck it to everything and take her back home where we were blanketed in our own bubble. “Maybe I can show you how much pain I was in that day.”
She stumbled when I kissed her cheek. “You can use it on me anytime, baby.”
“Even when you’re asleep?”
Oh, that would fucking suck.
“ Especially when I’m asleep.”
“You’re crazy.”
Maybe.
Cupping her cheek so she’d look at me. “I love you.”
She melted into my palm. “I love you , Christian.”
Adelaide brushed a finger against my jaw before straightening herself—the mood sobering too fucking quickly. “Do you think your plan will work?”
Taking her hands in mine, I squeezed. “Are you worried it won’t?”
“No, it’s just… I don’t know . I have this gut feeling that something's wrong.”
“Do you trust me?”
Without hesitation, “I do.”
“Then trust that it’ll work out.” Bringing her hands up to my lips, I kiss them one at a time. “They won’t lay a hand on you. I’ll be outside, waiting to take you back home where we’ll spend the rest of the night cuddled in bed. I promise you— wherever I am—you’ll always be safe.”
She nodded in slow understanding. “It should be easy enough, right?”
Tell her. Tell her now .
Her phone buzzed.
Adelaide looked down. Umaima flashed over her screen, but she turned it off.
“If we’re going to be together for real,” she stared. “Can you promise me one more thing?”
“I promise.”
Her lips broke into a smile. “You haven’t even heard what I was going to say.”
It didn’t matter. I’d promise her the world, destruction, love, forever—whatever the fuck she wanted, I’d give it.
“I still promise.”
“Just promise that you’ll always be honest with me. About everything.” Isn’t that great? Honesty, Christian. You’re totally a professional at telling the truth, right?
Adelaide chewed on her bottom lip. Her hesitation evoked my own because I wasn’t sure how to tell her. I knew she’d understand but I didn’t know if she’d accept it. The truth about Eda would hurt, but the truth about what happened to her parents because of her aunt would destroy her. Honesty was important in a relationship, but there was a concept of being too fucking honest that could ruin what we built together. Our relationship was cracked, and we were cementing the spaces in between little by little.
This truth could ruin us.
But she has to know.
“I’ve spent a long time hiding in the shadows and behind everyone’s lies, I can’t anymore. I’m done being lied to, I’m tired of everyone keeping secrets from me. Eda not preparing me enough or telling me how ruthless her world had messed me up. I need full honesty for this relationship to work.”
Now’s the time to tell her. “I have something to tell you, Adelaide.”
She blinked stupidly at my abruptness. “I’m listening.”
That’s when my phone rang. “Excuse me,” I stood and answered the call. On the other end of the line, my assistant reminded me about my schedule tomorrow.
When I hung up, I ran a hand through my hair. Tugging at the ends. This was fucking annoying. The one time I had to finally speak to Adelaide, and I was interrupted. Maybe the universe didn’t want me to fuck this up with her.
“Fuck, I forgot that the food critic’s coming tomorrow.”
There was still light shining in Adelaide’s eyes, but it dimmed. As if she saw someone lurking in the shadows holding a box full of thoughts she didn’t want. She scrunched her brows together in the shape of a V . “What was it that you were going to tell me?”
“I’ll…” We stared at each other. “Tell you later.” Unintelligible, coded words lingered between us. “How about we enjoy today? Our first day as a real couple.”
“Are you bribing me into staying with you?”
“Definitely.”
Adelaide stormed off her chair and jumped for me. I caught her before she slid down. Legs around my waist and arms wrapped around my neck. “Consider me bribed.”
She giggled when I kissed her, but it morphed into a moan when I bit her bottom lip to let me in. I could kiss her forever. Fuck, we could die like this, and I’d be fine.
Her phone started buzzing again.
She sighed irritably against my mouth before she patted my shoulder to let her down.
Completely shutting her phone down, she turned around with a wide smile and hugged me.
“You’re not gonna answer it?”
“You’re my first priority starting today.”
As much as I loved fucking hearing that, there was a nagging feeling in my gut telling me if I didn’t tell her today—I’d be fucked.