Id Hold You Together Forever If You Let Me
Lia woke up tangled in Adrian's arms with swollen eyes and emotional embarrassment.
Which honestly felt deeply unfair.Sunlight spilled softly through the curtains while the city glowed pale gold beneath early morning clouds.
Everything looked peaceful.Too peaceful considering she'd cried hard enough to emotionally traumatize herself the night before.
Lia shifted slightly beneath the blankets.Immediate reaction.Adrian's hold tightened automatically around her waist while a sleepy breath escaped him against the back of her neck.
"Don't leave yet."
The roughness in his morning voice nearly ruined her emotionally before eight in the morning.God.Even half-asleep he still sounded devastating.
Lia closed her eyes briefly.
"I look terrifying right now."
A quiet laugh vibrated softly against her shoulder.
"You look tired."
"That is billionaire language for terrifying."
Another sleepy laugh.Warm.Soft.Home.Adrian finally opened his eyes slowly afterward, still holding her tightly against his chest beneath the blankets.
The second he properly looked at her—his expression softened instantly.
Not pity.Never pity.Something gentler.
Careful.Like he remembered every tear from the night before and still thought she was precious anyway.
The realization tightened painfully around her chest.
"You're staring."
"You cried yourself to sleep."
The honesty made her physically hide part of her face against the pillow.
"Oh my god."
Adrian immediately frowned.
"What?"
"That's humiliating information."
"It's sad information."
The quietness in his voice wrapped tightly around her heart.Because Adrian sounded genuinely upset that she'd been hurting that badly.Lia looked down briefly at the blankets tangled around them.
"I'm sorry about last night."
Silence.
Then suddenly—Adrian propped himself up slightly on one elbow beside her.And the look on his face nearly destroyed her completely.Offended.Actually offended again.
"For what?"
"I was a mess."
A faint flicker crossed his face.
"You're a human being."
"That's not the point."
"No," Adrian murmured quietly. "That is exactly the point."
The sincerity shattered straight through her chest.Because he sounded so certain.Like there was absolutely nothing shameful about her breaking down in front of him.
Lia swallowed carefully.
"I hate crying."
A quiet breath escaped him before his fingers brushed gently beneath her eye.
"You know what I hated?"
Her brows pulled slightly together.
"What?"
"The way you apologized for hurting."
The words physically hurt.Because Adrian sounded heartbroken by that specifically.Like the idea of her thinking emotions made her difficult genuinely upset him.His thumb moved softly against her cheek.
"You never have to earn softness from me."
God.The unbearable sincerity again.
Lia stared at him silently while sunlight stretched warmly across the bed around them.And suddenly—she realized something terrifying.No one had ever loved her gently during ugly moments before.People loved polished versions.Convenient versions.Easy versions.
But Adrian?
Adrian held her through panic and exhaustion and tears like none of it scared him away.The realization cracked something open inside her chest.
"You stayed."
The words slipped out quietly before she could stop them.
Adrian blinked softly.
"What?"
"You stayed calm." Her voice turned smaller unexpectedly. "You didn't look annoyed."
The silence afterward felt enormous.
Then slowly—Adrian's expression changed completely.Not soft anymore.Devastated.Like hearing that physically wounded him.
"Lia."
The way he said her name nearly broke her heart.He moved closer immediately until no space remained between them beneath the blankets.Then both hands framed her face carefully.Warm palms.Steady touch.Certain.
"Who made you think love disappears the second things get difficult?"
The roughness in his voice wrapped painfully around her chest.Because Adrian sounded genuinely angry on her behalf.
Lia looked away weakly.
"Nobody specifically."
"That means too many people."
The answer came instantly.
Firm.
Certain.
God.
Tears nearly burned again unexpectedly.Adrian noticed immediately.Of course he did.His forehead rested lightly against hers while his thumbs brushed softly beneath her eyes.
"No," he whispered quietly. "Don't cry over this too."
A weak laugh escaped her through the ache in her chest.
"You're very intense before breakfast."
"I'm serious."
Unfortunately—she knew.Adrian's gaze stayed fixed entirely on her face afterward.Like he needed her to understand this completely.
"You falling apart does not make me love you less."
The confession settled heavily into the room.Sunlight.Warm sheets.Their breathing mixing together softly.
Then quieter—
"If anything..." His fingers tightened almost imperceptibly against her cheeks. "It makes me want to protect you more."
The honesty shattered straight through her heart.Because Adrian sounded almost helpless about it.Like loving her had become instinctive in every possible direction.
Lia reached for him slowly afterward, her hands sliding carefully along his chest before wrapping around his waist.Immediate reaction.
Adrian pulled her fully against him instantly.
Protective.Warm.Home.She buried her face against his neck while his hand moved slowly through her hair again.
Steady.Patient.Always patient with her.
"You know what's scary?" Lia whispered softly.
His lips brushed lightly against her temple.
"What?"
"That I believe you."
Silence crashed softly between them.
Heavy.
Tender.
Then Adrian exhaled slowly against her hair.Like those words physically reached somewhere deep inside him.
"You should believe me."
The quiet certainty in his voice nearly ruined her emotionally.Because Adrian never sounded unsure about loving her anymore.Not even once.His fingers tangled gently through her hair while the city slowly woke beyond the windows.
Then finally—soft enough to break her heart completely—
"I'd hold you together forever if you let me."