Fate Chapter Two
The morning light woke her up.
Addie shifted to get away from it and burrowed deeper into the warmth that surrounded her—wait. Her eyes opened abruptly when she remembered her midnight change in position. She found her right hand pinned to her side and her left resting lightly on top of Slade's arm, which held her waist in a snug grip. When she shifted he made a noise in his sleep and pulled her closer. Consigning herself to her captivity, Addie trailed her hand down Slade's left arm, brushing against his fingers. Her thumb caught on something and soon the rest of her digits were lightly brushing against what had to be Slade's wedding ring.
Why, in God's name was he still wearing it? And why hadn't she noticed? She stroked his hand some more and bit her lip. Wedding ring aside, her ex was going to kill her when he awoke and found her curled up against him, infringing upon his personal space when she'd clearly instructed him to "stay on your side of the bed."
Slade shifted around her and unconsciously nuzzled the back of her neck in an attempt to escape the sunlight filtering through the blinds. Addie shivered and her whole body tingled at the touch. Turning over was going to be impossible since her legs were tangled with his and Slade didn't show any signs of waking up soon.
"Addie?"
She tried not to tense up as Slade stirred—that would be a dead giveaway that she wasn't asleep. Keeping her eyes closed, she let herself go limp as he sat up and pulled her with him, his warm body curling around hers. Slade held her in his arms for a moment before gingerly maneuvering around Addie and sliding out of bed. She curled up into the warm spot he left and pulled the sheet around herself, dozing off when she heard the sound of the shower running.
Ring…ring…ring…
Muttering under her breath, the H.I.V.E. headmistress grouchily got up and groped for her phone in her bag. The caller I.D. said "Jinx."
"Hello?"
"Miss Wilson? This is Jinx and I'm really sorry to bother you and I know we screwed up—Gismo, give me back the phone!"
"Kids. KIDS, give her back the phone," Addie croaked.
She sat up and put them on speakerphone. Slade's black t-shirt caught her eye and Addie yanked that on just for something to cover herself with. The fabric was loose and fell almost to her hips, but it was something.
"Explain to me the problem," she continued in her "Headmistress" voice, "Jinx?"
"Yeah? Miss Wilson, well we were supposed to fight the Titans and none of the boys could do anything"—
"THAT'S NOT TRUE YOU CRUD-MUNCHER."
"Gismo, give her back the phone. Now."
She glanced up at Slade and lowered her eyes as he walked casually out of the bathroom clad in only a towel, water running in rivulets down his hard body.
"Children, let Jinx talk or you'll be stuck in detention for a month."
"Miss Wilson, we couldn't do anything! We couldn't beat them because SOME PEOPLE couldn't do their job. Are you mad? Are you kicking us out?"
"Jinx, I'm not kicking you out. Don't worry about that."
Addie eyed Slade warily as he sat down beside her.
"I swear it wasn't my fault, ma'am, really."
"It's okay Jinx—ahh—you don't have to worry about—ngh—anything right now," Addie said, taking the speakerphone setting off, "Stop it, Slade, I—mmn—don't do that."
Slade attacked her neck with his mouth again and Addie squirmed away from her ex-husband's embrace.
"I'm on the phone," she hissed.
He pushed her down on the bed and picked up Addie's phone. Her eyes widened in horror.
"Jinx?"
"S-Slade?"
He held the phone away and kissed Addie forcefully when she opened her mouth to protest.
"You and your team did everything you were supposed to do— thank you for your services."
"You're welcome," the frightened girl stammered.
Slade hung up the phone and tossed it on the nightstand.
"Where were we?" He asked, pinning Addie's arms to her sides.
"Let go."
"If you insist."
Addie gasped as 225 pounds of solid muscle fell on top of her. She managed to yank her arms out from under Slade and he kissed her and nuzzled her neck. He had obviously brushed his teeth from the way he tasted—
"Did you use my toothbrush?" She demanded suddenly.
Slade raised himself up a bit and stared at her with a bemused expression on his face.
"No."
"Then where—you brought stuff with you! Did you assume that I was just going to let you stay here?"
"Yes?"
"You're a pig."
"Obviously," he replied, kissing her forehead, "But I give good head."
"I've had better," Addie said spitefully, oddly self-conscious about the way his body was pressing against hers.
This quickly sobered him up.
"Liar."
"Yes I have," she responded smugly, sitting up against the headboard when he sat up.
Addie hugged her knees and stared evenly at Slade, who look levelly back at her. The towel was miraculously still around his waist.
"Well, I'm hungry at any rate," she said finally, avoiding his gaze, made no less powerful by the fact that he had lost an eye.
The absurdity of their situation overwhelmed her even as she ordered their breakfast. Twenty years ago, Addie couldn't even have dreamt up the scenario she was currently in: Having a casual roll in the hay with her ex-husband, whom she'd tried to kill on more than one occasion, in a lux hotel room that was paid for by her crazy employer. It didn't help her mental sanity that Slade's eye patch invariable brushed her neck whenever they had sex.
"I'll get the door," she muttered, after ten minutes of what seemed like comfortable silence on Slade's part.
The man wheeling her cart seemed surprised at the fact that she was modeling a bed sheet as a dress, but his eyebrows quickly lowered when she pressed a substantial tip into his hand.
"Mmm…fantastic," she sighed, happily surveying the assortment of breakfast items that had been brought up.
Slade rolled his single eye and Addie paused in her assault on a three-cheese omelet.
"What are you smirking about over there?"
"Nothing, dear."
"Nothing, dear."
"There's something bothering you, Slade, don't lie to me," Addie sighed, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek.
She was more tired than she had ever been—Grant and Joey were in their room after a grueling hour-long fight on her part to get their teeth brushed, pajamas on, and lights out.
"The kids are asleep," she whispered as she nuzzled his neck, giving her husband an open invitation.
He stiffened slightly and extracted her arms from around his neck. Slade gave her a light kiss on the forehead.
"Maybe later. I have some stuff to take care of, so don't wait up for me tonight."
Addie fought back a sudden onslaught of tears as her husband turned away from her, his eyes distant and vacant. She tried not to entertain the notion that he was seeing someone else.
If he was she'd shoot herself—or him.