Chapter twenty-one
~ADRIAN~
“Hi.” I hear Elana’s voice behind me. I turn to face her with our plates still in my hand. She’s changed her clothes, opting for another pair of pajama shorts and an oversized T-shirt. How can something so simple make her look this stunning?
“Hello, you.” I give her a smile before setting the plates down in the sink and walking over to her. “How are you feeling?” I wrap her in my arms and plant a kiss on the top of her head. It’s new for me. This intimacy that goes beyond what I’ve had with anyone else.
Elana looks down, visibly embarrassed by something, before murmuring under her breath, “There was a bit of blood.”
“Yes, I had some on me as well,” I huff out a chuckle, which only makes her bury her face in her hands.
Shit. Way to go, dickhead. “Hey, hey.” I gently pry her hands open and lean in to meet her eyes.
“It’s normal. This is normal.” It’s not the best time to let her know there’s some on the couch as well.
“There’s blood on your couch,” she whispers, her green eyes wide. Well, no need to tell her at all, it seems.
“It’s okay. I’ll have it cleaned tomorrow.” I bring her lips to mine before cupping her cheek. “Do you want some tea?” I offer, gesturing towards the kettle.
Elana nods, a small smile appearing. “That sounds perfect, thank you.”
I slowly bring her lips to mine and plant a soft kiss. “Okay, pick one then.”
She obeys with a shy smile, walking over to the tea cabinet.
I watch with a smirk playing on my lips as she climbs on top of the counter, just like the first time I found her there.
Oh, the things I wanted to do to her when I saw her perched on that counter.
I take a deep breath as I fill the kettle with water and turn it on.
“Mango?” she asks, showing me a glass jar. I nod, and she slowly slides off the counter. I take out two matching mugs and place them in front of me.
“So,” she slides the tea towards me and leans back against one of the barstools, “we didn’t finish our movie.”
“Yes, I got a little distracted,” I tease as I pour hot water into our mugs.
“Do you want to finish it?”
I cannot express how much I absolutely do not. Watching it for the third time crosses the line for me. I hand her the mug of tea before suggesting, “How about we pick another one? I’m sure we can find something lighter.”
“Are you scared?” Elana’s eyes light up with amusement.
“Terrified.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand,” she teases me with a wink.
“More like my whole arm,” I chuckle, remembering how her tiny hands gripped my arm before I could no longer take it.
“You don’t happen to have any popcorn, do you?”
“Check the pantry. There should be some.” I point with my chin before adding honey to our tea.
We return to the living room, balancing the snacks on a tray. Elana filled it with pretzels, popcorn, marshmallows, and other shit I didn’t even know I had.
Elana’s expression falls when she sees the small bloodstain on the couch.
“Don’t think about it,” I say, placing the tray on the coffee table and taking the two mugs from her. “I’ll take care of it tomorrow.” I kiss the top of her head before placing the mugs on the table as well.
My phone buzzes in my pocket just as Elana picks up the blanket on the couch. I fish it out of my pocket and look down at the screen. That’s odd.
“Mac?” I pick up. “What’s going on?”
“Mr. Morgan, I’m sorry to bother you so late, but you have a visitor.” His voice is strained.
“This late? Who is it?” I furrow my brows and follow Elana with my eyes as she walks over to the kettle.
“It’s Miss Duchamp.” Victoria? What the hell is she doing here? “She says it’s urgent and demands to speak to you, sir.”
“Urgent my ass.” I know better than to tell Mac to send her on her way, though. She’ll refuse, and I’ll waste even more time than needed. “Tell her to come up.” I hang up and turn to Elana. “Victoria’s here.”
There’s confusion mixed with something else I can’t decipher on her face. “Why is she here?” she asks, picking up the blanket from the couch.
“That’s what I’m going to find out. It’s unlike her to show up uninvited.” I shorten the distance between us and land a soft kiss on her nose. “I won’t take long, I promise.”
“Alright.” She nods, but her eyes are distant. Has something happened that I’m not aware of? “I’ll be upstairs. I don’t want to be a bother.”
“You’re never a bother. I’ve told you this already. You can stay if you like.” I search her eyes. “What’s wrong, Elana?”
“It’s okay,” she shakes her head. “She’s here to see you, not me. I’ll just go call Lilly.” She rises on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek before rushing upstairs.
I hear her bedroom door closing just as the elevator doors open, and Victoria steps out in full glam. Her heels clank on the marble floor with each step towards me.
“Victoria,” I greet her and extend a hand to accept hers.
“Adrian, I’m sorry to have come so late. You weren’t answering my calls. It’s unlike you,” she says as I lead her to the open kitchen, away from the bloodstained couch.
“I’m not attached to my phone, Victoria,” I tell her and release her hand.
“You’re right. I’m sorry,” she huffs out a laugh and waves a dismissive hand. “I just needed to talk to you, and when you didn’t answer, I thought I’d stop by. I know how much you work, so I knew you’d probably be in your office.”
“I was actually watching a movie,” I tell her and take two glasses from the cabinet. When I turn back to Victoria, her expression is one of curiosity. Not the innocent kind you see on people’s faces when they hear something interesting, no. This one is full of something poisonous.
“Wine?”
“Please.” She smiles, her white teeth flashing. “Thank you for not turning me away.”
“You wouldn’t leave even if I did,” I say dryly as I pour the already-open wine into our glasses before handing one to her. “Well?”
She sighs and sits on the barstool.
“Adrian, I know we already discussed the situation,” Victoria begins, her voice smooth but with an edge that sets me on guard. I sit across from her, studying her carefully as she continues. “But there are some matters that can’t be ignored, regardless of what you think.”
I raise an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate. Elana’s sudden reticence to be around when Victoria arrived still pricks at the back of my mind, but I push it aside for now.
“What matters?” I prompt, sipping my wine. The taste is familiar, comforting even, but Victoria’s presence injects the air with such tension that even the vintage can’t dispel it.
“It’s that… girl,” she says, her tone dropping to a confidential whisper. For fuck’s sake. That’s what she came here for?
“What about her?” I lean back. No point in beating around the bush anymore.
Victoria leans forward, her gaze piercing. “Adrian, you’re a successful, eligible bachelor. One of the richest men in the state. This girl, she’s young, inexperienced, and inconvenient.”
I narrow my eyes. “Elana is not an inconvenience.”
“Of course not,” she replies smoothly, but there’s a gleam in her eye that tells me she’s not convinced. “But you must understand how these things look from the outside. People talk, and your reputation—”
“I told you before, and I’ll tell you again, my reputation is none of your concern,” I interject, the irritation seeping into my tone. “Any relationship between Elana and me is entirely personal.”
Victoria leans back, her expression unreadable for a moment before she continues, “I’m not here to judge, Adrian. I’m here to advise. You have a certain image to maintain.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “And what do you suggest?”
“Keep things professional,” she says, her voice firm. “Focus on your work, your legacy. Don’t let personal entanglements cloud your judgment.”
I hold her gaze, the underlying message clear. “Is that all?”
“No,” she says, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.
“Adrian, I’m sure you’ve noticed a change in my…
demeanor. It wasn’t coincidental. Ever since we…
” She takes a deep breath and a sip of her wine.
I know what she’s going to say even before she says it.
The kiss. “Ever since that night in your office, there’s been something I know we both feel.
It’s something I haven’t been able to control despite my attempts.
I think you know it, and I think you feel it, too. ”
I listen to Victoria's words with a growing sense of unease. She’s still holding her breath over that kiss? Laughable.
“Bringing up that night is highly inappropriate,” I say firmly, trying to quell the rising tension in the room. “Whatever you think you’re feeling, it’s not reciprocated.”
She scoffs, her demeanor shifting from coy to confrontational. “Stop lying to yourself. Stop pretending. I’ve seen the way you look at me ever since that night. I can see it in your eyes just as I can see it in my own.”
“You’re mistaken.” I shake my head, my patience wearing thin.
But Victoria, as always, refuses to back down, her voice taking on a desperate edge.
“You kissed me, Adrian. You initiated it. Things would have gone way further hadn’t we regained control.
You wanted it.” Her hand slithers to my own, and before I know it, she slides off the barstool and shortens the distance until she’s between my legs.
I still and look down at her, already knowing what she plans to do.
Do it. I fucking dare you. She rests her hand on my leg and brings her mouth to mine, sliding her tongue between my lips. She tastes of wine and poison, her strong perfume almost making me choke. That’s it. I stand and push her away from me just enough to send her staggering back.
“This has been by far the stupidest shit you’ve pulled,” I snap, my tone sharp. “You’ve been walking on thin ice, and now? Now that ice is gone, Victoria. And you better swim far, far away from me. Because you’re done.”
For a moment, Victoria remains silent, her expression one of pure anger.
“Adrian, I apologize.” Her words are clipped. “I thought if I remind you of what we shared—” She shakes her head. “Maybe this girl has messed with your mind more than I realized,” she says, her voice dripping with disdain. “But eventually, you’ll see the truth.”
“Your resignation papers on my desk are all I’ll see.”
“You’re—You’re firing me?” Pure panic flashes in her eyes.
“No, you’re resigning. Consider it a parting gift. Now, leave.”
“You’ll regret this, and you know it.” Her lips form a thin line as she stares at me, long and hard.
“I doubt it. I kissed you; you kissed me. Congratulations, we’re even. Now, see yourself out.” I take her glass and toss the liquid into the sink, hoping this will be a final sign for her to fuck off.
“I can tell him everything, you know.” She crosses her arms, her scarlet nails poking out from under her forearm.
“What?” I furrow my brows in confusion.
“Her dear brother. What was his name? Oh, imagine how devastated he would be if he ever found out what his best friend has been doing to his little sister.”
“You wouldn’t fucking dare.” The mention of Ethan sends a chill down my spine. How the fuck does she even know about him? I’m furious. My jaw clenched so tightly I can feel the strain in my muscles.
“How do you know?” I demand, my voice tight with anger.
Victoria’s lips curl into a smirk. “You should ask the brainless little brunette that’s interning for your assistant. Seems like the only thing she’s good for is gossiping. Or maybe she’s also good at other things.” Victoria gives me a knowing look. “Have you tried her out yet?”
The fury inside me threatens to boil over. My hands ball into fists at my sides as I struggle to contain my rage.
I take a step closer, and Victoria takes a step back, her expression shifting slightly.
“You’ve crossed a line you can’t come back from.”
“I won’t tell him if you admit to what we both feel for each other.” She meets my gaze, unflinching, a challenge in her eyes. “You know how good it can be. I know you’ve imagined it more than once.”
“Get. The fuck. Out,” I spit out through gritted teeth.
“You’ll come to your senses. I know it.” With those words, Victoria calmly leaves the kitchen, her heels clanking away.
I hear the elevator door slide open and then close, and I finally let out a long breath.
There are so many thoughts rushing through my head, that I can’t concentrate on one alone.
Calm the fuck down. She has no way of contacting Ethan.
I walk out of the kitchen and make my way upstairs. The door to Elana’s room is still closed, so I knock on it and wait. Silence.
“Elana?” I call out for her and knock again. Nothing. I slowly twist the handle and push the door open.
Walking into her room, I’m met with silence, the emptiness of the space echoing my growing sense of dread.
“Elana?” I call out again, but there’s no response. My eyes dart to the bed, more specifically on her pajama bottoms and T-shirt thrown over it. She’s changed her clothes.
Panic rises within me as I realize she’s not here.
Frantically, I search the room, my heart pounding with fear.
Why did she change her clothes? And then it hits me like a bolt of lightning.
Victoria. The pieces of the puzzle fall into place, and a sinking feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.
Elana must have seen Victoria kissing me. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Elana!” I call out again, louder this time, desperation creeping into my voice. But there’s still no answer, only the haunting echo of my own words.
She’s gone. Fuck.