19. Adrian
Chapter Nineteen
Adrian
Ishouldn't have left. I knew it the second I pulled into the parking lot.
Not because this meeting didn't matter. It did.
It's my job, my responsibility. But because I'd left them.
More specifically, Kaia. With a grounding Alpha, an intuitive Beta, and a sunshiney Omega. My jaw tightens as I kill the engine.
They're fine. She's fine.
I sit in my car a second longer than necessary, fingers resting against the steering wheel as I exhale slowly. Then my phone buzzes, and I glance down.
Finn
Come home, daddy.
And attached is a picture. I open it and immediately regret it.
It's a selfie of Kaia and Finn. She's in a simple blue bikini top, her skin sun-kissed and glowing.
Sunlight catches on her skin, her hair slightly damp, a soft smile on her face as though she doesn't even realize it's there—unguarded, genuine, completely unaware of how beautiful she looks in this moment.
Behind her, Finn is shirtless, grinning like he personally commands the sun to shine.
My grip on the phone tightens. I lean back and drag a hand down my face as I exhale. "Unbelievable." My jaw flexes, and I shift in my seat, the pressure in my pants becoming less than ideal.
"Get it together," I tell myself. This is exactly the kind of distraction I don't allow or indulge in.
I lock my phone, set it on the console, and reach for my button-up shirt.
I pull it on, buttoning every single button.
Then I add the blazer. Yesterday, when I arrived in the full suit, she flinched.
Her breathing became shallow, her entire body went rigid.
I don't know what triggered that reaction—not yet—but until I do, I'm not walking through that door dressed like this.
I'll change in the car if I have to. I step out of the car and straighten my cuffs.
The meeting is efficient, quick, and productive.
I wrap it up in no time—not because I’m at the top of my game today, but because my mind isn't entirely here.
Not fully. Not when the image keeps flashing through my brain.
Kaia in the sunlight, Finn grinning behind her.
Both of them laughing, relaxed, safe. I keep having to remind myself to focus.
I don't waste time after business is done for the day. I call the Italian place, and they know my number well enough that I don't have to repeat my order. "The usual?"
I pause, then ask, "Can you add one more dessert?"
"Yes, sir."
Because now there are two Omegas. Two Omegas with a biological sweet tooth that apparently requires constant feeding.
The gods have a sick sense of humor—giving the control-obsessed Alpha who thrives on precision and order exactly the kind of beautiful chaos he never knew he needed.
Finn alone is enough to disrupt my carefully maintained world.
But Kaia? She's the kind of chaos that makes sense.
The kind that fits. And now I'm standing here, adding extra desserts to my order like some kind of lovesick fool, because they both deserve to have their needs met.
Every single one of them. Even the ones that make my meticulously organized life feel delightfully, impossibly messy.
I change in the car before heading home, swapping my button-down for a simple t-shirt and my trousers for a pair of shorts.
I move quietly through the kitchen, setting down the food on the island before glancing toward the backyard. I freeze at the scene before me.
Finn's in the water on a bright orange and pink popsicle floatie, paddling around like he owns the entire pool. Jonas is tanning on a chair near the pool, and Lachlan is swimming with Kaia. She’s clutching onto his back and laughing—actually laughing as he moves them through the water.
My chest tightens, not with jealousy—not quite—but with something else. Something that tastes like fear.
I watch her laugh—unguarded, free, completely unaware of how fragile this moment is, how fragile she is. And I think of my mother, the way she used to smile before my father's intensity wore her down, before his need for control became suffocating. Before she couldn't breathe anymore.
I know what I am. I know the intensity that lives under my skin, the same intensity that destroyed my parents' marriage. The same intensity my father wielded like a weapon, even when he didn't mean to. Especially when he didn't mean to.
She's guarded in a way that suggests she's learned to be.
Controlled in a way that feels practiced, deliberate—like she's spent years perfecting the art of taking up as little space as possible.
And when pressure comes, even gentle pressure, she startles.
I've noticed the way her shoulders tense, the way her breath catches.
I don't know why she's like this. I don't know what happened to her before she arrived in this town.
But I know that if I'm not careful—if I let my own intensity, my own need to control and protect, override what she needs—I could be the thing that shatters whatever fragile trust she's beginning to build. I could be my father all over again.
I arrange the takeout boxes, then get the plates and utensils. Everything is exactly where it should be. I step outside. "Food's here!"
Finn's head snaps up immediately. "Daddy!" I barely have time to brace before he launches himself out of the pool and straight for me. Every instinct tells me to step back, to avoid him. He's wet and messy.
But I don't.
Finn collides into me and wraps his arms around my chest. Water soaks through my shirt in an instant.
I exhale sharply but wrap my arms around him anyway. "Did you miss me?" I murmur, low enough for only him to hear.
His answer warms my icy heart. "Of course. We missed you." We. I lean down slightly, brushing a kiss on the sensitive skin just below his ear. Finn melts immediately.
My hand tightens briefly at the back of his neck. "You're in trouble for that picture," I whisper.
Finn's grin only widens. "No regrets."
I shake my head, grab a towel, and drape it around him.
Then my attention shifts to Kaia. She’s pulling on a tank top and shorts.
Her movements are quick, like she doesn't want to be seen.
The clothes are too big, definitely not hers.
Maybe Jonas's sister's. A muscle feathers in my jaw.
She didn't bring much. Especially not clothes for a beach town. But I don't comment.
Inside, I step aside and gesture toward the food. "Ladies first."
The kitchen counter is laden with steaming containers of Italian food—the kind that fills the entire room with warmth and aroma.
Garlic bread sits in a woven basket, each piece golden and toasty, butter glistening on the crust, still releasing wisps of steam.
The scent of roasted garlic and fresh basil mingles with the buttery richness, making my mouth water.
Kaia hesitates but Finn doesn't let her. "Come on," he says, already guiding her forward. "I'll make sure you get all the good things."
Lachlan raises an eyebrow. "What's not good?"
Finn doesn't even look at him. "Nothing.
We're getting a scoop of everything." He lifts the lids on the pasta containers, revealing ribbons of pappardelle and delicate fettuccine coated in creamy sauces—one a rich Alfredo with hints of nutmeg, another a vibrant marinara studded with fresh basil leaves.
Steam rises from each dish, carrying the complex aroma of garlic, tomato, and herbs.
"Look at this," Finn says, practically vibrating with excitement. "Adrian went all out."
Kaia laughs softly, and something in my chest eases.
She reaches for a plate, and I watch as she surveys the spread—the golden garlic bread, the glossy pasta, the fresh parmesan waiting to be grated over everything.
Her eyes widen slightly, like she's never seen this much food presented with such care.
"Go on," I say quietly. "Take what you want."
She does, and the way she moves—careful, deliberate—tells me she's still learning that she's allowed to choose. Still learning that abundance isn't something to fear.
Dinner is easy, light, and normal. No pressure, no expectations. It's exactly what she needs and exactly how I intended it.
Later, we move into the living room and put on a movie. Jonas settles beside me, leaning slightly into my side. I adjust automatically, moving my arm to rest behind him. I ask quietly, "Did you take your medicine?"
Jonas nods. "That's why I'm tired."
"We can go up to my room."
Jonas shakes his head. "No, not yet."
I don't push. I glance up at Kaia, who's across the room on the other couch with Lachlan and Finn. She meets my gaze for a second and I realize I caught her watching us. She looks away quickly, her cheeks flushing.
When the movie ends, Finn stretches dramatically. "Okay," he announces. "Emergency beach day tomorrow!"
I glance over. "What?"
Finn points at Kaia. "She's never swam in the ocean."
I blink, then look at her. "Is that true?"
She shifts slightly and nods. "Only if you guys even want a beach day. I know you're all busy."
Lachlan cuts in immediately. "Never too busy for you."
I don't even think when I say, "Agreed." Her expression softens. We say our goodnights, and she smiles and disappears down the hall to her room.
I wait just a moment, then stand, turning toward Jonas. "Come on."
"I can sleep in my own room," Jonas says.
I raise an eyebrow. "You're funny." Jonas sighs but follows.
My room feels quieter with the door closed. Jonas moves slowly, already exhausted.
"Get ready for bed, Jonas."
He huffs softly but pads to the bathroom to change.
The door opens again and Finn barges in. "Can I sleep in here, too?"
I look at him, then glance at Jonas in the bathroom. Then back at Finn. "Only if you're ready for bed," I say. "Jonas needs sleep."
"I am so ready for bed."
"You're such a liar."
Before I can respond, Lachlan steps in behind him. Finn lights up. "Yay, pack sleep!" Lachlan subtly flicks his gaze to Jonas, a silent check. Jonas nods. I exhale slowly as the room settles around us.
It's familiar and balanced and right…but there's something missing. Someone. Because down the hall, Kaia is sleeping, and I find myself hoping I won't be the one to ruin it.