Chapter 10
"I hate this."
Adrianna sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, holding her new phone tighter. "I know. I hate it too."
"Then stop-"
"Lucian," she cut him off, knowing where he was going with this. "I'm not quitting this job. I can't. That animal is still out there and if I left now, there's no telling what he'd do."
"He would run with some money, that's it. Let him."
"He's not just some harmless thief. He hired men to kill me."
"I remember, Cara." Lucian's voice was sharp. "All the more reason to-"
"Do you realize we've been having the same conversation over the phone for days now? And it always ends the same. I win."
"You don't win. You hang up."
She laid down, smiling up at the ceiling. "Let's talk about something else. Please."
"Okay," he rumbled, his deep voice making her belly tingle. "Let's talk about the fact that I haven't seen you since that lunch three days ago. Is he doing this on purpose?"
Adrianna smiled. "No, this isn't Alexander's fault. He's just been swamped with work and he hasn't had time for any outing with his fiancée."
"Fake fiancée," Lucian corrected on a growl.
She grinned. God, she loved his jealousy. "Fake fiancée. Also, while we're on the subject of Alexander, someone told him that I can't go to his office, which means I'm confined to this house with a stack of files and no one to talk to."
Lucian kept quiet, but she could almost see him running his hand through his thick hair, that guilty look in his beautiful grey eyes.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" she pushed.
He cleared his throat. "That house is protected by a dozen of my best men. They can cover every entry point."
"You can't keep me in a cage."
"Damn it Adrianna, t's not a-" He took a beat, calming himself down. "Ryder's office has too many unknowns. Not to mention that the man who tried to kill you is probably still in that building. I can't guarantee your protection there. Don't roll your eyes."
Adrianna sat back up, glancing around the room as if expecting him to step out of the shadows at any moment. When she didn't find him, she started looking for red blinking lights.
"Please don't tell me you have cameras in here."
"I don't."
"Then how did you know-"
"I know you, Cara."
She swallowed hard, something between her legs suddenly throbbing.
"And I miss you." His confession was spoken roughly, his voice deeper than before. Had his mind gone where hers had gone? Or, where her mind had put up shop, to be more specific.
"I miss you too," she breathed. "Which is crazy since we talk pretty much every hour of every day. But I want more. I want you. Here. With me."
"Don't say that. Please."
"Why not?"
"Because it makes me want to-" The line went silent for a moment, only the sound of his breathing audible. His deep, laboured breathing.
"I miss your warmth against my skin," she whispered, unable not too. "I miss the way I feel when you touch me. I just-"
"Where are you?" He cut her off.
She frowned. "At Alexander's house. I told you."
"Where in the house?"
Where is he going with this? "My bedroom."
"Are you dressed?"
Her heart fluttered at the question, that throbbing intensifying.
"Answer me," he growled. "Are you dressed?"
"Only in a shirt. Your shirt."
"My shirt?"
"The one I stole before I moved back in here."
"You stole my shirt?"
"Yes. I wanted your smell on me when I'm in bed."
More silence.
"Take it off, Salvatore."
Oh, God.
She did as he'd asked and when the shirt slipped down her body, she heard rustling on the other end of the line. He was undressing too. She couldn't stop herself from picturing him in his bed, the blankets tangled around him as his fingers found the part of him she craved most in that moment. Without meaning too, her hand slipped down her belly. When her cold fingers touched the heat between her legs, she stifled a moan, biting down on her lip.
"Are you touching yourself, Cara?"
She blushed, pulling her fingers back as if caught. "No."
"Don't lie."
God, that voice…
"Are you?" she whispered, blushing crimson now.
"Lying?" She could tell by his tone that he was teasing her.
"No. You know what I mean."
"Say it."
She swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she blurted out, "Are you touching yourself?"
"Yes."
He'd said it without hesitation, without even a hint of shame.
"Touch yourself again, Cara."
She shook her head even though Lucian couldn't see it. She couldn't do this. She'd never done anything like this. Dirty talk seemed to come natural for Lucian, but it didn't to her. She was new to this whole thing.
"Pretend I'm there, Cara," he rumbled, somehow sensing her inhibition. "Pretend your hand is mine. Where do you want me to touch you?"
"On my breasts." It was out of her mouth before she knew it and the second she'd said it, her hand was there, his hand was there, gripping her firmly.
"Lay down, put the phone on the pillow next to you. Do it now."
She followed his orders without hesitation this time.
"Are the lights out?"
"Yes," she answered, her voice edged with anticipation.
"Close your eyes."
"They're closed."
"Move your free hand to your hair."
She did.
"What does your hair feel like tonight, Adrianna?"
"It's soft. A little damp underneath from my shower."
"Is it down?"
"Yes."
He groaned. "One of my favourite things about you being under me is the way your hair looks spread across my pillow."
She moaned softly, his words making her stomach tighten. The air in her bedroom was cold, but it felt like every nerve was on fire, like her skin radiated heat. Her senses seemed amplified with only the sound and memory of him to focus on, recalling the texture of his hair, the feel of each muscle under her fingertips, the touch of his warm breath on her neck. Her pulse was racing out of control. Was his too? His erratic breathing made her believe it was.
"Move your hand from your hair to your other breast. Tell me how they feel."
"Warm…heavy. I wish you were here."
"I know, baby, so do I," She heard him swallow. "Are your nipples hard?"
"Yes."
"Imagine my mouth there. Remember how it feels when I take them between my teeth."
She gasped and he groaned in response. She imagined him in the moonlight as he touched himself, naked, hard for her. Every muscle in his body would be tense, his face contorted in lust and need as this fingers moved up and down.
"Lucian-" she breathed in a desperate plea.
"Open your legs for me, Adrianna."
She did, picturing him pushing her knees apart with his rough hands, moving on top of her, stretching her arms above her head as he pushed inside of her and hit that deep spot over and over again.
"Please, Lucian." Her voice sounded rough and dry, a note of desperation now colouring her tone. "Please, let me touch myself."
"Oh, fuck," he groaned, the sound of wood splintering barely registering with Adrianna as she squeezed her breasts tighter. "Baby, you have no idea what it does to me when you talk like that."
She had a pretty good idea.
"I'm so hard, Cara," he growled. "Not just now, but all the time. Ever since we made love…I'm always hard for you."
She let out something between a cry and a moan. "Lucian, please-"
"Move your hand to your pussy, baby."
She blushed, but did it without a second thought, screaming softy when her fingers finally touched that aching spot.
"Tell me what it feels like," he demanded, his voice barely human anymore.
"Warm. Slick."
He moaned and she closed her eyes at the sound, loving that she was doing this to him, that those sounds were for her alone.
"Fuck, I want to be there with you."
"What would you do to me?" The question was out of her mouth before she could think about it. Had she really asked that? A twinge of embarrassment broke through the lust, but Lucian answered without missing a beat, taking her back with him into the fantasy.
"I'd push you on your hands and knees and take you from behind."
Her fingers started to rub at the little knob that ached, moving in tandem with her hips.
"I'd smack your perfect ass and fuck you so hard you wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow."
"Yes," she moaned.
"Or maybe I'd lay you on the kitchen counter and bury my face between those long legs of yours."
His name fell from her lips in a breathy sigh, her imagination running wild as she heard him grunt louder and louder.
"Open your legs wider and make yourself come baby," he grunted. "Let me hear you. Please. I need to hear you."
She could sense the desperation in his voice. It matched her own. The pressure between her legs was building and this new urge to put her fingers inside herself grew stronger and stronger. She never used to have that. Not until she'd actually had something inside. She just felt so empty now.
'I want you inside me."
He made a throaty sound that made her even wetter.
"I am inside you, Cara," he snarled. "Can't you feel it? Can't you feel my cock moving in and out of you the way you like it. Hard. Deep."
"Yes!" she moaned, burying her screams in the pillow.
"No! Let me hear you!"
She obeyed, her fingers moving over her clit faster as she imagined him pumping inside her just as fast. His breath filtered through the speaker in shaky gasps, and indistinguishable words like 'more', 'please' and 'close' seemed to tumble from his lips.
His wanton pleas sent a shudder through her, the rhythm of her movements now frantic and disorganized. Rubbing faster, harder, she ached for release so much her body trembled. A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face as she imagined his rough beard chafing her skin as he used her body.
"I'm coming," she moaned, throaty and deep. "Oh God, I'm…I…"
Her body tensed, her release shooting through her. Her whole body shook as she heard Lucian scream, imagining him on the bed again, back arched, his fingers around himself as his cock pulsed and released. She continued rubbing, listening to his laboured breathing as the last remnants of her orgasm shot through her.
"Jesus Christ, Cara," he panted.
She smiled, spent. Her whole body was flushed, glistening with a thin coat of sweat. "I think I need another shower."
He chuckled softly. 'Me too, baby. God, you're so fucking amazing."
She sighed, stretching lazily. "You're not so bad yourself, mister Nox."
"I need to see you."
She took the phone off speaker, holding it against her ear again. "I want nothing more, but you can't come here, Lucian. We've talked about this. If you come over here, people will talk. They'll think I'm having an affair and we can't have that. Everything needs to look like nothing has changed. Alexander's thief needs to belief that. It will rattle him."
"It hasn't so far."
Adrianna sat back up, knowing he was right. The first time she'd walked into Alexander's office, she'd expected to spot the guy who'd tried to kill her immediately. She'd expected someone to look shocked, maybe even make a run for it…or at least do something suspicious. Anything. But no one had moved. So, she was back to digging into files and trying to find what she'd missed earlier.
"Besides," Lucian continued, his voice still raw. "Everyone believes I'm in business with Ryder now. It's in every paper. It won't look suspicious if I come over-"
"It will if Alex's not home. And he's never home these days."
"Then you come to me."
"How will that look any better? I have no business being in your house or penthouse or club without Alex."
"You're supposed to act as his fiancée, not his property. You're a free woman. You can do what you want."
"Yes, but the press won't see it that way. They'll run with the story that we're having an affair and then, everyone will act weird around me and I'll never be able to distinguish 'she's cheating on my boss'-weird from 'I tried to kill her and she's still alive'-weird."
He sighed. "I hate this."
"You've said so, yes. Repeatedly."
The line went silent for a while as Adrianna made her way to the bathroom.
"I'm going to find a way to see you. Without it looking suspicious."
She smiled. "I hope so. Until then…goodnight, sweetheart."
"Goodnight, Cara."
She moved to end the call when his voice sounded through the speaker.
"Adrianna?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
She grinned, her heart speeding up again. "I love you, too."
"And I'll see you soon. Somehow." Lucian's voice was deeper now, lazy, relaxed. She heard his shoulder crack, as it did when he stretched.
"Sleep tight, sweetheart. Dream of me."
"Always."
"Stop fidgeting."
Adrianna's fingers stilled on her lap, but the butterflies in her stomach didn't let up. "Sorry. I'm just nervous."
"You don't say," Alexander laughed, shaking his head. "I don't think I've never seen you this excited. It's endearing."
She rolled her eyes, glancing out the window, watching the crowded streets pass. When they'd said goodbye the night before, Lucian had promised to find a way to meet up and she'd believed him. She'd heard the determination in his voice. She just hadn't expected him to work this fast. By noon, Alexander had showed up at the house, having received an invitation to an exclusive viewing of Boris Gerytof's private art collection. It was such an honour to be invited that Alexander had dropped his work and RSVP'd immediately. Adrianna had only been mildly enthusiastic…until she'd gotten a text from Lucian saying,
Wear a black dress. Nothing else.
She shifted in her seat, the sensation of being completely naked underneath her clothes new and tantalizing. The satin material of the gown felt warm and smooth against her, brushing her skin lightly with every move she made. She could already feel the darkness between her legs come to life and wondered if it was caused by the gown or the anticipation.
She was going to see him again.
Touch him.
"Are you blushing?"
Adrianna ran the back of her hands over her cheeks, swallowing hard. "No. It's just warm in here."
"Right, well, speaking of lies," He reached into his jacket, taking out a little blue box. "Your replacement ring, since you lost the first one."
"I didn't lose it. It was taken from me."
By a woman who was burned to a crisp with a bullet in her head.
Adrianna opened the box to distract herself, the diamond almost blinding her. "You know, this isn't a real engagement. You could've just bought me a fake ring."
"And what would it do to my reputation if someone found out? I don't do fake, Salvatore."
"This whole engagement is fake."
"Just put it on."
She smiled, slipping on the new ring. It felt heavy on her finger. Too heavy. If Lucian ever proposed to her she hoped he wouldn't buy her anything as flashy as-
Wait, what?
She shook her head, trying to get it of the track it was on. She couldn't be thinking about her future with Lucian right now. About her birthday that was coming up and the choices she would have to make. No. Not tonight. And not for a long while after that. Once everything settled down and Ryder's thief was dealt with as well as Rodchenko then, and only then, would she let her mind go there. But not now. Not yet. She had enough to deal with.
"By the way, you might want to talk to Nox about his men," Alexander said annoyed as he shot a glance over his shoulder. "They're not exactly subtle."
Adrianna followed his gaze outside and sighed when she spotted the black Range Rover driving directly behind them. Four of Lucian's men were in there, the guards that never left her side. They were getting on Alexander's last nerve and Adrianna couldn't blame him. She didn't like being followed around either. But, they were all loyal to the man she loved, so she couldn't help but feel sympathy and gratitude towards them.
"We're here," Alexander announced as the car slowed.
Adrianna looked out the window to the majestic estate, her fingers wringing again.
She was going to see him again.
Finally.
Hades stood by the bar, nursing a glass of scotch. The crowd was growing by the minute, people feasting on champagne and canapés as a live band played soft music. The walls were covered in the most exquisite art, pieces a normal human would never get to see if they weren't here tonight…and yet Hades' eyes were glued to the arched entrance of the room, waiting.
Where is she?
The invite had said nine p.m. and it was after nine-thirty. Sure, no one showed up to these things on time, but come on.
He checked his watch again, noticing how tightly his hands were fisted. Every muscle in his body had been like that since the night before. Since that phone call. Since she'd moaned and cried out for him-
His jaw tightening even more, he threw back the scotch.
You said you weren't going to make love to her again until a week had passed, a scorning voice in his head snarled. It's been four days.
Slamming the crystal glass down, her ordered another hit without looking away from the entrance. He wasn't going to ravage her, he'd promised himself. He just had to see her, touch her, smell her. Surely, if he just saw her, the worst tension in his body would go away.
And then he saw her.
And he knew he was a fucking idiot.
She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, wearing the sexiest black dress ever made, taking his breath away. Satin hid her long legs from him, the material picking up a breeze from the open door, flowing around her, brushing over that curvy behind he loved. And when she took that fucker's arm and he led her deeper into the room, one of those perfect legs peeped out of a slit that stopped halfway up her thigh. The stilettos she was wearing made her legs seem even longer and even though the shoes looked incredibly uncomfortable, she didn't show it, walking in them with a grace some goddesses could learn a thing or two from. The satin skirt stopped at her waist, lace taking over to cover her muscled belly and those perfect breasts, at least for the most part. The dress' neckline was modest and left much to the imagination…but he didn't have to imagine what was underneath those swirls of black embroidment. He knew. He'd felt those breasts in his hands, kissed them, bitten them…
He tore his eyes away from her, trying to calm down the raging lust that was building in his chest and lower. He was so hard it was painful…and yet, he couldn't stop himself from looking back her way. He hadn't seen her in too fucking long. That mouth-watering silhouette, those tantalizing curls that fell down her back and shoulders, those plump pink lips…and those eyes.
Those blue, warm eyes. Finally touching his again.
He wanted to go to her, scoop her up in his arms and kiss her until they both ran out of breath…but he couldn't.
Because she was still pretending to be his.
Anger started to build in his chest, a primitive rage that pounded through his blood. But then he noticed Adrianna's hands wringing; the way she kept glancing his way as Ryder greeted people; the way she kept steering her fake fiancée towards him.
Her pleasure at seeing him made his chest swell. She'd missed him, too. Sure, she'd said so last night, but hearing and seeing were two different things. He couldn't see her eyes over the phone, the way they simmered to a slow burn. He couldn't see the blush that was building in her cheeks or the way her fingers clutched her dress as if to stop those sweet hands from reaching out for him. And that smile…Fuck, he definitely hadn't seen that smile. Which is why he was even more determined to go through with his plan. He hoped she wouldn't fight him. He hoped she would say yes.
A twinge of anxiety pinched him as he thought of the arrangements he'd made…behind her back. She would either love this or throw it back in his face. Either way, he had to try. He wasn't going to spend another night without her.
Frustrated, he watched her on his arm, wishing it was him who was showing her off, who could touch her without suspicion, would could whisper sweet nothings in her ear…and if they didn't hurry the fuck up, he was going to make his wish come true. How long could it take to cross a damn room? Did Ryder know every single person in here? He doubted it since he'd had to call in a favour to even get an invite out to Ryder. No, the bastard was just working the crowd, parading around with his beautiful fiancée. He had to know that wasn't the reason Hades had arranged for them to be here. Even Ryder could figure out why he'd wanted them to come. Was he keeping her away from him on purpose?
"For someone who got what he wanted, you don't seem very happy."
Boris Gerytof suddenly stood beside him, drink in hand. He hadn't even heard the man approach. He'd been too focused on his girl smiling, touching Ryder's arm…
"I'm fine," he said, hearing the angry undertone in his voice. "I'm just-"
"Preoccupied?"
Hades glanced at the wealthy aristocrat, finding him smiling.
"You know," the man continued. "At first, I didn't understand why you would want to invite this Ryder-character, but now, I see what peeked your…interest. For lack of a better term."
Hades straightened, taking another gulp from his scotch. "He's just someone I do business with. He wanted to be here, I hooked him up."
"You could've used that favour I owe you for anything and you decided to use it for a simple invite only to please a business partner?" Gerytof laughed. "I'm going to pretend to believe you, but just know that I wasn't born yesterday and-"
"Mister Gerytof?"
Hades looked away from the shut-in at Ryder's voice, every nerve in his body on fire when he saw his girl standing there, so fucking close that if he reached out he could touch her, pull her against his chest, bend her over the bar and-
"Mister Ryder," Gerytof cut his fantasy short, accepting the hand Ryder held out.
"It's such an honour to meet you, sir," Ryder brown-nosed.
Hades didn't hear the rest of the conversation, focusing solely on her. Adrianna was looking at their host, smiling and being polite, but he could see her blush trickle down her neck, goose bumps spreading all over her arms. She was focused solely on him too. She just hid it better.
When Ryder held out his hand for Hades, he shook it shortly and a little too hard.
"Nox," Ryder said, politely. "It's good to see you again."
"It's been too long," Hades almost snarled, shooting him a pointed look that made the man's Adam's apple bop. That fucker knew what he meant. If he kept her away from him for such a long time again, he was going to rip out that fucker's-
"I agree."
His rage was cut off abruptly when Adrianna's hand reached out, a nervous smile playing on those luscious lips. God, what would it feel like to have those wrapped around his-
"Mister Nox?" she said, a teasing tone to her voice as she held her hand closer.
Just shake her hand, he mentally snarled at himself. Just shake. Don't-
Every thought left him when he took her delicate hand in his and felt electricity racing through the tips off his fingers all the way down to his throbbing dick. He met her eyes and watched her pupils dilate right in front of him. She felt it too.
Before his mind could catch up with what his body was planning, he'd brought her hand to his lips, pressing one firm kiss against her soft skin. His lunges filled with the sweet scent of vanilla, making him lightheaded, taking him back to their morning spend in his bathtub, his fingers buried between her legs as she squirmed against him.
Pulling on every ounce of his strength, he somehow slowly peeled his lips away from her skin. His fingers brushed over the underside of her wrist, pride welling up in his chest when he felt her pulse pounding against his fingertips. Almost as erratic as his.
"Mister Nox tells me you work together," Gerytof spoke as Hades reluctantly let go of her hand. A hand she immediately balled up into a fist.
"Yes, sir."
"How did that come about, if you don't mind me asking," the man probed. "I mean, mister Nox is in clubs and hotels and you're in finances. How did you two cross paths?"
For a moment, Ryder's eyes met Hades'. They hadn't discussed a back-story. And they couldn't exactly tell the truth.
"Through me," Adrianna jumped in. "I'm a detective and a while ago, I had to consult Mister Nox on a case about fraud in one of his competitor's clubs. I needed some information about how the nightclub business works and mister Nox was kind enough to help me out." She shot Hades a little smile. "It was pretty boring, but that's how Alexander and mister Nox met."
His girl was quick on her feet.
"Wait a second, detective Salvatore?" Gerytof said, his eyes suddenly curious on Adrianna's. "Surely, you're not the same Salvatore who rolled up the Silva-Organization three years ago?"
Adrianna smiled. "One and the same, actually."
A little flicker of surprise crossed Gerytof's face…but no one was as surprised as Hades. What the hell was the Silva-Organization and how the fuck didn't he know about this? He used to think she told him everything when they met up in their dreams; her problems with her family, her job, the cases she was working on…
Although, come to think of it, there was one other thing she'd never told him about either.
"Was this the case where you got shot?"
The question was out of Hades' mouth before he could stop himself.
"You got shot?" Gerytof asked as Adrianna touched her belly, touching her scar. It didn't seem like she realized she was doing it, but he knew the tiny mark was there.
"It wasn't a big deal," she said dismissively. "The bullet went straight through. No harm no foul."
No harm, no foul?
Gods, it pissed him off when she did that. Had she no regard for her own life? Didn't she understand how fucking precious it was? Especially to him?
He wanted to punish her for acting so blasé about something that could've killed her. He wanted to take her over his knee and spank that perfect ass of hers until she would understand what she meant to him, what it would do to him if he lost her.
He finished his scotch as Gerytof complimented her stupidity and praised her for becoming the youngest detective in the history of their town because of it. Big fucking deal if this case had almost gotten her killed!
When he put the glass down on the bar a little too roughly, Adrianna's gaze crossed his again and he could tell she saw his dark intentions. It didn't scare her, though. On the contrary. He could see her blush deepen.
The anger in his chest mixed with that new sense of possessiveness as he watched that blush trickle down her neckline. Punishing her moved to the back of his mind as desire took centre stage again. The need to hold her, press her against his chest so tightly he could feel that precious heartbeat, was now all he could think about. He just had to feel her, taste her, kiss those amazing-
"Mister Gerytof," Adrianna's voice broke through, her tone a touch flirty. "I know it's incredibly rude, but is there a quiet place where I could make a quick phone call? I need to check in with my sergeant about a case."
No male would've been able to get away with what she was asking…but looking the way she did, it didn't even occur to Gerytof to mind.
"Off course, miss," the man said, gesturing to the arched hallway. "At the end of this hall, go left, then right and on the fourth door to your left you'll find my study. It's at your disposal."
She shot him a radiant smile…and then glanced at Hades.
As if he didn't know what she was doing.
He watched Adrianna leave-one of his guards following her-catching the sway of her hips.
He waited two whole minutes after she'd left before he excused himself. He could tell that Ryder knew what was happening, but the bastard was so busy sucking up to their host that he didn't say a word.
Hades had to stop himself from running as he followed Gerytof's directions to his study but he had no choice. There were people in every hall, watching the paintings that were on display. He couldn't draw too much attention to himself.
It seemed to take forever, but finally, he spotted the door. Through the frosted glass, he could see a dim orange light on inside, but nothing else. Still, he knew she was there. And not just because her guard stood outside the door. He could feel her.
"You can go," he growled at the broad man.
He left without hesitation, no questions asked. He knew better than to second-guess his boss.
A fire blazing in his chest, he opened the door and moved inside.
A desk. That's all Hades got to see of the room before he was pushed back against the door and her soft, warm body was pressed against him. She invaded his mouth, her boldness making his groin swell and his heart pound with sudden urgency. Fuck, he loved her like this. Free. Feral. She didn't care that there were people on the other side of the door she'd just locked. Neither did he. They could all go to hell. All that mattered to him was right there, in that room, safe in his arms. She clawed at his neck, his tongue slipping inside her mouth, demanding with an urgency he'd never felt before. Suddenly, Hades understood why people described kissing as melting because every square inch of his body dissolved into her. Her fingers gripped his hair, pulling him closer. His veins throbbed and his heart exploded. He'd never wanted anyone like this before and he would never want anyone else again. He hadn't wanted anyone else since he'd seen her in that vision thousands of years ago. How could he? She was perfect, created for him.
Softly growling, he pushed her backwards until her ass hit the desk. She jumped on the thing without a second's hesitation, opening her legs. He slipped between her thighs, the satin forming a barrier between them he wouldn't stand for long.
"God, I missed you," she managed between the frantic movements of their lips.
Her simple words sparked something raw and primal in his chest.
Her body trembled against him as he ran his lips down her neck, the friction and that heated look in her blue eyes making his dick twitch painfully. He knew he should let her go, walk back in that hallway and look at some fucking art until his dick calmed the fuck down and he could think again…but he had too little blood in his brain to make a rational decision like that, to think about the consequences of what his body begged him to do. It had all pooled south, to the part of him that felt like it was on fire. Fuck, he had to release this tension. He had to, before he snapped. He should go home or to a bathroom, pull himself off and then fucking pull himself together…but then, her body arched against him, putting those perfect breast on display and he knew he would never leave that room without taking something. Groaning, he crashed his lips back into hers and thrust his fingers in her hair.
This isn't the time, the last remains of his common sense offered. Or the place.
Fuck off.
He pushed his tongue between her lips and into the depths of her mouth, sliding along hers. She groaned, a deep sound that seemed strange coming out of the petite woman pressed against him. But he loved it. Fuck, did he love it. It meant she desired him, that she craved him as much as he craved her.
Growling, he slipped his hand between her trembling legs and groaned into her mouth when his fingers touched bare skin. Warm, wet bare skin.
Where a black dress. Nothing else.
She'd obeyed him.
Fuck.
His cock throbbed against his zipper, begging to be let out…and she must've heard it somehow, her nimble fingers moving down to his belt. His heart thundered in his chest, his instincts coming alive as if he were in battle. He could hear the breath leave her lips, her heart as it pumped, her blood as it flowed. He should go. He should leave her alone.
The few drops of blood that were still left in his brain kicked into gear as his belt fell loose and she moved to his zipper. Before he knew what the fuck he was doing, he'd grabbed her wrists, holding them tightly.
Her confused, heated eyes bore into his, her lips slightly open as she whimpered softly.
He wanted to explain why he'd stopped her…but then she bit that bottom lip of hers and all he could think was,
More.
It had been so long. Too long. Maybe if he'd seen her every day since they'd made love, he wouldn't be in this state. If he'd been able to be with on a daily basis, kiss her, hold her, he surely would've had more control. But it had been three days. Three days of missing her, fantasizing about what it would be like to have her beneath him again…
His fingers tightening around her wrists, one of those fantasies in particular popping up in his head…and he just couldn't stop himself. He'd thought about it for too long, imagined having her that way.
The sounds she'd make.
Her taste.
Before he could think better of it, he dropped to his knees, his hand pushing down on her belly until she laid flat on her back.
Resisting the urge to grab that slit in her pretty dress and rip the damn thing off her, he instead slid the satin up her legs and fisted it by her thighs. He didn't want anything in his way.
Her legs dangled over the desk, trembling as she panted. She didn't ask him what he was doing. She knew.
With his free hand, he grabbed one of her ankles and placed her heeled foot on his shoulder. The stiletto immediately dug into him and that was a good thing too. The sting was the only thing keeping him from losing his damn mind altogether when he moved in on that sweetness between her legs and her scent overtook him, making him disappear in a haze of pure desire.
For a moment, he just watched her, breathed her in a she squirmed on the desk. God, she was so responsive, so damned sensitive.
"Have you ever been kissed here, Cara?"
She moaned, her hair rustling on the desk. Had she shaken her head? Fuck, he hoped so. He couldn't stand the idea of anyone having her like this. Or any other way, for that matter.
His chest tightening, he blew against her core, a little scream escaping her lips.
"I asked you a question."
"No," she breathed in a raw voice. "Never."
Thank the fucking gods.
That dark possessiveness returned to settle in his chest and then, he grabbed her hips and pulled her against his mouth, tasting her for the very first time.
And almost unloading in his fucking pants.
She tasted as delicious as he'd thought she'd taste…and then some. He'd done this with her before, in their dreams, repeatedly, but just as making love to her was a million times better than in their imagination, this was better than anything he could've ever come up with.
His hands went from her hips to that perfect ass of hers as she arched of the desk, pressing herself closer against him. He drove his tongue deeper inside of her, her fingers reclaiming his hair in her fists.
He glanced up at her and the sight almost uncaged his monster. Her body was barely touching the desk anymore, every muscle in her body drawn tight. Her curls were a wild mess, tangled around her face and her eyes were pressed shut as hard and tight as she was pulling on his hair.
His girl needed to come. And he wanted her to. Gods, did he want her to. Giving that woman pleasure was the first addiction he'd ever had.
Growling, he tugged at her clit with his teeth, making her hiss obscenities under her breath as her heel dug deeper into his shoulder.
She was ready.
More than ready.
Burying his fingers deeper into the soft cheeks of her ass, he sucked her clit in his mouth, flicking his tongue over it again and again and again.
"Ohgodnogodyesgooooooodddddd!"
She fell apart around him, throbbing against his tongue in release, her hands pressing his face flush against her pussy as she came. He growled into her, marveling in the way she rocked herself against him, riding out her orgasm, taking what she needed. He let her, continuing to lick her, drink her in as she came down from her high.
When her grip on his hair finally lessened and she laid flat on the desk again, Hades reluctantly released his mouth from her, standing up. She looked at him with hooded eyes, her breath coming out in little puffs, her skin warm and flushed-
He was on the other side of the room before he knew it, his muscles flexing, trying to work off the burn. It had been hard enough to keep his body in check before he'd put his mouth on her. Now that his tongue knew her taste, his spine was on fire, the burn spreading out to every muscle he had. His skin tingled all over, itching so badly he wanted to take sandpaper to it. As he rubbed his thighs, his hands shook uncontrollably. Gods, he had to get away from the scent of her sex. The sight of her. The knowledge that he could take her right now and she'd let him.
"Are you okay?"
No, I'm fucking dying.
"Lucian?"
"I'm fine," he lied, his voice raw as he kept his eyes down.
"Are you sure?"
His hands tightened into fists. Fuck, she was so damn sweet…
He could hear the rustle of her dress as she stood up from the desk. When he heard her heels click, his eyes snapped up. "Don't move."
She stopped at once, her beautiful face a picture of worry. But that flush was still there. She'd obviously been satisfied. He, however, was still throbbing, his erection a painful, rigid length straining against his fly.
"Are you running away for me?" It was mostly a question. Only a little bit of a taunt. And that teasing tone to her voice made him even harder.
"Careful, Adrianna," he growled.
"Why?"
"I'm about to crack over here."
He could see the decision in her blue eyes before she realized she'd made it and then, she was coming towards him.
"Salvatore-"
She didn't heed his growled warning and Gerytof's office was only so big. He had nowhere to run.
Her hand landed squarely on his chest, right above his heart, making the damn organ triple its pace. Hades closed his eyes, getting trapped between the pleasure of her touch and the reality that he was flirting with disaster. The vibration, the burning, it was all rising, called out of the darkest, most destructive core of him.
"Your heart is racing. You're not scared of me, are you?"
He shot her a sharp look. She shouldn't play games with him. Not now.
"Tell me what's wrong," she sang. "Don't you like the dress?"
He inhaled through his teeth as she stepped into his body, his eyes involuntarily dipping to her neckline.
"No, you like the dress," she continued her torture, her palm running down his spine. "And it can't be my hair. I know you like it loose. "
His eyes blazed, dark hunger curling in his gut, cramping up his stomach as hazy images of her in his bed flooded his mind. Her curls running through his fingers as he took her; fawned out on his sheets; brushing over his chest…
He stopped breathing, his skin feeling like shrink-wrap. He tried to push back the memories, but there were too many and she smelled too damn good.
Frozen in place, unable to breath, he prayed for self-control.
"Then tell me what's wrong," she breathed, her fingers curling in his shirt. "Tell me why you look ready to bolt even though you clearly want to-"
"Three more days." He'd somehow pushed the words out of his mouth, but they tasted foul on his tongue. His monster clawed against his chest, calling him every name in the book and he couldn't blame it. He hated himself, too.
"What?" she snickered, frowning.
When he didn't speak, comprehension made her smile drop. "Lucian, please tell me you're kidding and you're not still on that."
"That being insisting you're healed before I make love to you again?" he gnarled. "Yes, I'm still on that."
She sniffed, her jaw tight.
"Don't give me that look, Cara. I'd rather be with you, too. Not being inside of you is torture. I wasn't you so badly I can't stand it. But I can't have you. I won't have you. Not here. Not now. Not yet."
She sighed, her hand on his chest moving up to his hair, his skin burning. "You don't have to suffer. I'm fine. I'm healed. I'm ready."
He swallowed hard. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe her so badly…
"So, if I stripped off that little dress of yours-" he said hoarsely. "-and checked your back, there would be nothing to see there?"
"No."
Hades hadn't missed the split second of hesitation.
She was lying to him.
"Would you like to rethink that answer?"
She raised her chin, as if daring him to call her a liar.
Stubborn little minx.
In a move that made a gasp escape her perfect mouth, he turned her around. Her sweet little ass brushed over his erection, making him hiss under his breath.
Just bend her over. One little push against her back and she'd be positioned perfectly for you to slide your-
Holding back his demon, he went to work on the delicate buttons of her lace bodice, watching as her back was slowly revealed; a back that wasn't even close to healed yet.
What happened to her?
He knew she was a quick healer, just like her mother had been. A Crescător may not have had the strength of a vampire, but her cells regenerated almost as quickly. It was an evolutionary plus to protect her precious body from harm. So for her to still bear the marks of whatever had happened four nights ago meant it must've been something serious. Something a regular human wouldn't have walked away from. If only she would talk to him… He'd tried to bring up the subject a few times during their many phone calls over the past few days, but she kept avoiding anything that had to do with the night she'd been taken. The last time she'd talked about it had been in his bathtub, when she'd told him she'd escaped the trunk of that car when the driver had lost control of the wheel. He knew there was more to the story, though. There had to be. When he'd seen the car it had been a burned, twisted heap of metal. If she'd been in that trunk when it had crashed, she'd be dead.
"Would you like to rethink your answer now?" he growled, the anger in his veins building at the thought of what could've happened.
She turned, that stubborn fire still in her eyes. "Fine, so they're not completely gone yet, but I was just on my back when you-" She blushed that innocent colour of hers, her eyes dropping for a split second. "-did what you did and it didn't hurt, so I don't see why-"
He blew out his breath. "Three days, Cara. At least."
"At least? You mean, it could be longer?"
He would've laughed at her horrified tone, but the hot pump between his legs sucked the humor right out of him.
"Adrianna, you're not ready for-"
She groaned loudly, stepping away from his aching body to snatch her clutch of the desk "I'm not having this patronizing conversation again."
In wide strides, she stalked toward the door. Her gown was still undone, her breasts bouncing beneath the lace. She wasn't wearing a bra either, just as he'd asked. To which purpose he'd asked he had no idea now. He was probably just a masochist.
"Let me button you up," he rumbled, suddenly feeling like an asshole. He hated denying her anything. Especially something he craved equally as much. But he had to. For her.
"No. Don't bother," she hissed over her shoulder. "I'll ask Alexander to help me with my dress. Maybe to help me out of it."
He winced as if she'd slapped him across the face. "That's not funny."
"Who's being funny?!"
His nostrils flaring, he flung forward, ripped her clutch from her hands and tossed it on the floor. She watched him wide-eyes, but there wasn't any fear in her beautiful blue eyes. Just anger and, fuck him, lust.
"You think I'd let anyone else touch you?"
She shoved at his chest, but he didn't move an inch. "Go away! I hate you for thinking I'm some frail little puppet!"
He grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the door. When she squirmed, he pressed his body against hers, feeling himself swell against her belly. Fuck, this shouldn't be turning him on so much. He was such a fucking sick bastard.
"You don't hate me," he whispered, his eyes fixed on hers. "You love me, baby. And I don't think you're some frail little puppet. You're the strongest women I've ever met in my entire existence-"
"Then why-"
"Because you have no idea how badly I want you."
Her blush deepened, her eyes dipping down to where their bodies met. "I have a pretty good idea."
"No, you don't," he barked. "We made love one time, Cara, and it took all of my strength to hold back."
"I didn't want you to hold back."
He sniffed, his forehead dropping to her shoulder. Fuck, why did she say shit like that? "Yes, you did. It was your first time. If I'd let go completely, I would've hurt you."
"You let go at some point."
"But never completely," he remembered, burying his nose in the hollow of her neck, breathing her in. He shouldn't be talking about the sex he'd had with her. Not with her body mere inches from his. This was already hard enough as it was. Everything was already hard enough. "The next time I'm inside you, I won't be able to control myself, Cara. I can already feel it. I want you so fucking bad. All of you. Hard. As fucking hard as I can have you. Not just once but for hours and hours until you're so spend you collapse with me still buried in you."
He felt her shiver against him, out of fear or desire, he wasn't sure. Gods, he hoped the latter. He couldn't stand it if she feared him.
When he dared to meet her eyes again, he prayed he wouldn't find rejection there.
And he didn't.
Not even a hint of it
All he saw was a love and desire that matched his own.
"I want your body to be ready, Cara," he said gentler, releasing her wrists. "Please, just wait three more days for me. Just for my own peace of mind. I would hate myself if I put you through pain just to satisfy my own carnal desire for you."
There was a long silence. She broke it.
"Tell me again that you're miserable we're not sleeping together," she said dryly.
"I'm utterly miserable. Hard all the time. Distracted. And pissed off."
"Good." She smiled and he felt a weight being lifted from his heart. What was it about that smile?
"Okay fine. I get it. But three days is the max, though. No longer, no matter what. Deal?"
He wanted to argue, but when she cocked an eyebrow, he knew he should compromise on this one.
"Deal."
She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Thank you, honey."
He smiled. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought anyone would call him something as sweet as honey. Especially not Adrianna. Gods, he didn't deserve her.
"I love you."
Her smile turned warmer as she rubbed her nose against his. "I love you, too."
She kissed him then, almost chaste. She was no longer trying to torture him. Not purposely, that was. That body of hers pressed against his still turned him back into a live wire and chaste or not, kissing Adrianna Salvatore was always a turn-on.
When she let go of his lips, he picked up her clutch and held it out for her. Just when she reached for it, he pulled it back a little, rumbling, "So, just to be clear, you wouldn't let Ryder undress you?"
She sniffed, shaking her head with a delicious hint of disgust in her eyes. "Off course not."
He felt the breath ease out of him as she grabbed the clutch with a smile.
"I was just trying to-"
"-have me kill Ryder?"
She grinned. "Make you jealous."
Mission accomplished.
"Speaking of Alex, we should probably get back inside before anyone figures out what we're doing in here."
Hades smiled, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "If no one has figured it out already."
She frowned.
"You're quite the screamer, Cara."
Just as he'd hoped, her skin warmed under his fingers, her eyes dropping…landing on the part of him that was screaming too.
"You know, I could-" her blush deepened even more as she trailed off, not meeting his gaze.
"You could what, baby?" he asked, curiosity pulling at his brows.
When she didn't immediately answer, he lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to look at him.
"Tell me."
She swallowed hard. "Help you. With-" She trailed off again, her eyes dropping back to his crotch.
Fuck. Me.
She did not just suggest-
"I mean, you did it for me so it's only fair."
Hades saw double, his heart kicked so hard. As he blew out a lungful of hot air, he was sure his head was going to explode. Fantasies of Adrianna on her knees filled his mind, her lips wrapped around him; his fingers clutching her hair as her head moved back and forth-
Calm. The. Fuck. Down.
His groan shattered the silence in the room.
She watched him with confused eyes as he took a step back.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Fuck no. It was so right it fucking hurts.
"No," his voice sounded Scotch-raw.
It had clearly taken a lot of courage for her to suggest…what she'd suggested and his reaction was obviously making her insecure. He kept forgetting how new she was to all of this. He had to remember that this Adrianna hadn't been making love to him in their dreams for years already. She didn't remember anything they'd done, didn't have the same experiences, the same confidence in her own sexuality. Not yet, anyway. So for now, he had to put her at ease, make her understand that there was nothing she couldn't say to him, nothing she couldn't suggest or ask for.
Unless maybe when he was already one wrong move away from fucking it all to hell and taking her against the door.
Hades cleared his throat.
"First of all," he rumbled, trying to keep his voice gentle even though everything felt raw. "It's not a tit for tat-thing. Not with us. You're never obligated to do anything."
"I know," she said, her lips twitching. "But I want to make you-"
"And secondly," he cut her off, not sure where that sentence was going, but confident it couldn't have gone anywhere good. "If you touched my dick right now, it would be game over, Cara. There's no way in hell I would be able to stop myself from having you on every surface of this office."
"Really?" There was a dangerous glint to those blue eyes.
"God, Cara," he groaned. "Please."
She sighed, her shoulder slumping. "Okay. I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I loved you suggesting it. So fucking much."
She laughed.
"What?"
"Nothing. It's just that, do you realize you get a really dirty mouth whenever you get turned on."
"I know." He smiled too. "It's your fucking fault. I lose my damn mind whenever I'm around you."
She laughed again, exactly as he'd meant her to, but as the sound tingled his ears, he grew serious.
"Are you sure there's nothing I can say to make you hand this case over to someone else?"
She shot him a little smile and turned around, gathering her hair over her shoulder.
I guess that's a no.
As he worked on her buttons, he noticed his hands trembling and shook his head. Here he was, God Of The Underworld, the stuff of nightmares for many…and this sweet little human made him tremble. How his brothers would laugh.
"I'll go first," he said, not sure he could stay in that room, with her smell, any longer. "Wait a few minutes and then go straight back to Ryder. No lingering. Straight to him and, more specifically, my guards. I don't want you wandering around this house alone."
She nodded, soft curls bouncing on ever softer skin. Shit, he hated walking away from her.
Sighing, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips and slipped out of the room, heading straight for the front door. He could use some air. Preferably ice cold.
Adrianna leaned her forehead against the cool glass of the door, her legs trembling. Lucian was still crawling in her blood, making her body weak…and she loved it. She used to pride herself on her strength, on her ability to keep a cool and leveled head under any circumstance, but now she gave her strength up willingly for just a few moments with him. God, that man could make her feel so good. Even better if he would just stop worrying about her so much. She had to give it to him though, he had more character than she did. If the roles had been reversed, she wasn't sure she would've been able to walk away.
Smoothing her curls down, she tried to pull herself together as much as she could before walking back out into reality.
Flushing, she strolled down the hallway, casually glancing around. No one seemed to have picked up on what had been happening in Gerytof's office only moments ago. Or they hid it well. Either way, she didn't dawdle, walking back to the grand hall in wide strides.
When Alexander saw her coming in, he met her halfway.
"Let's dance."
It wasn't a question.
Before she could even think about objecting, he'd grabbed her hand and was guiding her towards the small dancing crowd by the live band.
"I thought you didn't like to dance," she said as he held her and started swaying to the music. "Didn't you tell me your father forced you to take dance lessons as a child and you've hated it ever since?"
"Yes," he said, his lips twitching. "But I figured I could endure a song or two just so people would think my fiancée is flushing from head to toe because she danced with me and not because she was dancing with Nox."
She could feel her cheeks heat even more. "Right. Smart."
"Well, someone has to keep his head in the game. The one on top of his neck and not in his pants."
Adrianna sniffed, rolling her eyes. "You two are so alike it's funny."
"Me and Nox? I doubt that."
She smiled. That's what Lucian would've said to, albeit with more profanities thrown in there.
As Alexander led her through the song, Adrianna couldn't help but notice the differences between the men, too. For example, she was completely indifferent to Alexander's touch while Lucian could set her ablaze with just a look. And it's not that Alexander wasn't an attractive guy. He just wasn't as ruggedly handsome as Lucian was. Not that he could complain. Women fell at his feet. There was just something rougher about Lucian, something deeper, something that pulled at her every heartstring. He'd led a much harder life than Alexander had; than most people had in fact. There was a darkness in his eyes sometimes, a void that gave away such pain. He'd only ever spoken of his family on rare occasions and he'd never dug deep. All she knew was that he had parents and siblings, they were all in the same line of business and he thoroughly disliked them all. She didn't even know their names. It made her ache when she thought of how lonely he must've been his whole life and she'd already silently vowed to herself he'd never be alone again. She wasn't sure how she was going to make it work between them, but she would. Somehow.
"Your face changes when you think about him."
Adrianna snapped out of her thoughts. "What?"
"When you think about Nox-" he said. "-your face changes."
"Changes how?"
"You seem-" He paused, considering his answer carefully. "-softer."
"Softer?" she smiled. "As opposed to the hard bitch I'm most of the time?"
He shook his head, smiling too. "No. You know that's not what I meant. You just seem…content. At peace. It's sweet. Nox is a lucky son of a bitch." His face fell for a split second and with it, his mask slipped too.
"You're going to find someone, Alex," she said, squeezing his arm softly. "Be patient."
At once, the playboy reappeared, grinning. "Oh, I know. Once this fake engagement is over, I plan on finding many someones."
She rolled her eyes again. "Whatever you say."
He shot her a grateful smile and she knew he'd heard her despite the tough guy-act.
The music stopped and everyone disengaged from their dance partners, softy clapping at the musicians.
Adrianna was just about to suggest a drink when someone sang behind them, "May I have the next dance?"
That voice.
Her heart sinking to her stomach, Adrianna turned, staring right into the bright blue eyes of Victor Pierce.
The dirty-blond vampire smiled that signature, arrogant smile of his. Why did he always look like he was in total control of the situation? It was disturbing. It was probably also why he'd become the leader of The Forsaken over two decades ago, why his men followed his every command. He oozed a dark confidence that made her skin crawl.
"I think it's only fair-" the bastard continued, not at all thrown by her glare. "-since I didn't get to dance with you the last time we saw each other."
Adrianna sniffed, remembering when they'd budded heads in Henry's bar.
"You threatened to kill me-" she hissed. "-so I wasn't exactly in the mood to dance. Not that I would ever let you touch me."
"What?"
Victor Pierce's smile grew wider when he looked at Alexander, as if he'd only then noticed him. Alexander didn't smile back, though.
"He threatened you?" Alex snapped, directing the question at her and yet holding Pierce's gaze.
"You sure surround yourself with some fierce protectors, don't you?" Pierce laughed, not at all intimidated. Why would he be? He might not have carried as much muscle on his bones as Alexander did, but he was a lot more lethal. He could kill Alex in the blink of an eye if he wanted to. In fact, he could kill everyone in the room without breaking a sweat.
Adrianna's eyes darted around, searching, but Lucian wasn't there. He was probably outside, getting some air, cooling down after their encounter in Gerytof's office…and suddenly, the disturbing realization dawned on her that Pierce had been lying in wait for this opportunity. After all, Pierce wouldn't have wanted to bump into Lucian again. He feared Lucian, or at least the Nox-name. Lucian's ancestors had to have been some powerful gypsies to frighten an evil bastard like Victor Pierce.
"Come on," he sang, holding out his hand. "One dance and you're rid of me."
His menace was a tangible thing, and it reached out, brushing over her body like cold hands.
"She's not dancing with you," Alexander jumped in, having no idea who he was trying to intimidate. "You're going to walk the fuck away or-"
He trailed off and when Adrianna noticed Pierce's fixed gaze, she snarled, "Stop it!"
"Stop what?" he said innocently, his eyes still locked on Alex.
"Stop compelling him," she hissed under her breath. The crowd didn't seem to notice what was going on, but this was a risk vampires weren't allowed to take. "You can't compel humans out in the open."
Finally, he looked away from Alex and focused back on her, his eyes a touch harder. "Ah, yes, that's one of your parents' many rules, isn't it?"
Her jaw locked at the disgust in his voice. God, she wanted to hurt him…but she couldn't. Not out in the open.
"Have you forgotten I'm a Forsaken, princess?" he said, his voice now harsh. "In fact, I lead The Forsaken. I'm their King, which means I don't follow your bourgeois rules."
"They're not bourgeois," she fumed, defending her family and everything they stood for. "They're necessary rules to protect supernaturals-"
"They're rules to protect humans!"
He spat out the latter with a disgust she felt all the way down to her core. He'd also spat it out very loudly. Glancing around, she could see a few heads starting to turn.
"If you want me to shut up you better dance with me, Salvatore. Don't forget, I'm not that worried about people finding out about vampires. In fact, one day, when I'm rid of your family, I intend to restore the balance in this world. Why should we hide from these puny-"
"Okay," she whispered, hearing his voice get louder again. "If I dance with you, will you keep it down?!"
The vampire held out his boney hand and she took it, her blood running cold at his touch.
"I'm sorry-" Alexander suddenly said beside them, blinking wildly as if just waking up. It was clear by the smile on his face that he hadn't heard a word they'd just said or remembered anything from before that. "-I must've spaced out for a second." He frowned at Pierce. "And you are?"
"Dancing with your fiancée."
Alexander's frown grew deeper.
"And old friend," she lied, smiling convincingly. "I promised him one dance. Meet you at the bar?"
Alexander looked confused for a moment longer, but then answered her smile with one of his own and left the dance floor.
"You sure have your men trained, don't you?"
"Shut up, Pierce," she snapped. "I don't want your opinion. On anything. It's bad enough that I have to dance with you."
He grinned as if she'd just given him a compliment instead of insulted him and curled an arm around her waist. When he pressed her against his chest, she wanted to move away from him, but his arm was like an iron chain, keeping her right where she was.
"You and I both know you're not getting away before this dance is over, sweetheart. But please, keep wiggling that body of yours against me like that."
She froze, disgust curling in her gut.
"You're done?" he teased. "Pity."
He led her through the music, not that she had much of a choice. He held her so close she could feel the cold from his chest seep into her skin.
"If you're here to kill me-" she started, his sharp laugh cutting her off.
"If I wanted you dead, I would've killed you by now, Adrianna. Along with every single soul in this room."
"Then what do you want, Pierce?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he said, pressing her even tighter against him.
She swallowed hard, pushing back vomit when she felt his erection. Fear curled in her blood as his hand dropped to nape of her back.
If he wants you, there's nothing you can do to stop him, a scared voice croaked in her head. And it was right. She might talk like a vampire, but she was still human. Strong…but human.
"God, that's a nice feeling," he rumbled, his lips twitching. "I do love a scared heartbeat. And that smell of fear-" He took in a deep breath. "It tingles in my nose like wet paint. There's nothing like it. Especially not a Salvatore's fear. "
She glared at him, humiliation and rage coursing through her veins. Damn, she hated feeling helpless. Not just feeling. Being. In that moment, she was helpless. At times like these, she hated being human.
The vampire leaned down and she cringed. He breathed in deeply again, exhaling on a long sigh.
"I've always liked you scent. I liked it from the moment I first laid eyes on you."
She swallowed back the bile. "Look, Pierce, whatever the real reason is that you're here, I really don't have time. I have a serial killer on the loose who I know but can't catch and a thief slash wannabe murdered who I don't know and can't catch. So, if you insist on playing these games, might I direct you towards my brothers or parents? I'm sure they'll be all too happy to play with you." She wanted to storm off, but his grip didn't budge.
"I'm not here to play games, sweetheart."
"Don't call me sweetheart."
He ignored her. "I'm here for the art."
"The art? I didn't peg you as an art-enthusiast. Or cultured in any way, for that matter."
God, she wanted to slap that self-assured smile of his face…
"I have specific tastes. Did you know Gerytof has a whole room dedicated to the depiction of martyrs?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "Is that how you see yourself, Pierce? As a martyr, fighting and willing to die for what you believe in?"
"Not me. You."
She laughed coldly. "Oh, great. The psychopath is going to give me some insight into myself."
"It's true, sweetheart."
"I told you not to-"
"What else would you call someone who would renounce who she truly is just to please her holier than thou-family?"
Her blood blazed again. "You need to shut up about my family. And about me, for that matter. You don't know me, Pierce."
"Don't I?" he rumbled, his eyes holding hers intensely. Once again, she was grateful for the vampire blood coursing through her veins. It stopped this sick bastard from compelling her. "Maybe I'm the only one who truly sees you. Who sees the darkness, the potential. Wouldn't you rather be free to be who you really are, Salvatore? To rule men who will kill for you? To sit by my side on a throne of bones, making this world tremble?"
For a moment, all Adrianna could do was stare at him…and then she did something that finally made that damn smile drop.
She laughed.
Right in his face.
"Oh God, I couldn't keep it together," she snickered, brushing a tear from her eye. "I tried but you're even crazier than I though."
"You can deny it all you want," he hissed, clearly irritated. "But you know your place is by my side, sweetheart."
"Fuck you."
His eyes darkened again. "There would be a lot of fucking me, yes. As a vampire…or a human. If you'd rather do the ritual and Breed with me as The Crescător, I'm all for that."
There was that vomit again.
"You're out of you goddamn mind, Pierce. I would never join you, in any way."
"Maybe you're not ready to accept it yet, but you can't fight your nature forever, Salvatore."
Her eyes narrowed into slits. "Whatever you think you see in me is just my hatred for you, Pierce. There's no darkness in me."
"No darkness, huh? I know four people who'd beg to differ. Which reminds me, I wanted to ask you, did they beg? Before you killed them?"
She froze in his arms, but he kept moving, forcing her numb body with him. No. There was no way he could know…
"I saw what you did, Salvatore," He said from somewhere far away, a reverence to his voice that made cold sweat appear on her neck. "Well, not the actual killing, but the aftermath. I smelled your blood and saw the car. I would've given anything to see the actual deed, though. Just thinking about you slaughtering those humans makes me hard."
His foul mouth brought her back into the moment. Digging her heels into the ground, she finally made him stop the charade of dancing with her. Now, they just stood there, her legs shaking but keeping her upright even though emotionally, he'd knocked her down.
"I don't know what you think I did, but-"
"Oh no, don't do that," he rumbled, those thin lips curling up. "Don't ruin such a magnificent kill by denying it. Own it. Own who you truly are."
"That wasn't-" She lowered her voice, repeating softer, "That wasn't me."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I see you're not ready to accept your true self yet. But you will. Once everyone you love turns away from you in horror when they find out what you did. When they find out who you are. Then, you'll come to me, because you'll have no one else. Or do you really think your powerful boyfriend will have anything to do with you once he finds out you're not as innocent and righteous as you pretend to be?"
He reached out his hand, his bony fingers grazing her cheek. It took her too long to slap his touch away, too long to say anything. Because she didn't know what to say. He was right. Maybe her family could forgive her over time, but Lucian…He wasn't biologically programmed to love her. He'd leave. And she couldn't blame him.
She could feel tears pushing to break free, but there was no way she was going to let Victor Pierce see her cry.
"Leave town, Pierce," she hissed. "Tonight or so help me God, I'll send my brothers on you!"
He wasn't impressed and she could tell by the spark in his blue eyes that he knew he'd gotten to her.
"My work here is done anyway," he said, his words dripping with satisfaction. "I will see you soon, sweetheart."
Don't call me sweetheart.
The second Victor was gone, Alexander started making his way towards her, but she couldn't deal with him right now. She couldn't deal with anyone. So, she ran. As fast as her heels could carry her.
Hades stood outside of Gerytof's mansion, leaning back against the cream white building, breathing in the night. Not that it helped. The cold air might've filled his lungs, but Adrianna was in his blood like a fever, burning him up from the inside out.
After a few moments, he seriously considered jerking off before he went in again, but since humans had laws against that sort of thing in public, he decided against it and instead just tried to focus on anything else but her.
Which was pretty hard considering he could smell her on his clothes.
Taste her on his tongue.
Feel a slight sting where her fingers had pulled his hair when she'd orgasmed.
Realizing there was no getting around his hard-on, he shrugged off his jacket and strategically draped it over his arm, hiding his crotch from sight.
He was just about to head back inside, when he spotted movement in an alley across the street; as if someone had ducked his head out and back in.
Someone was there, watching.
Maybe waiting.
For her.
The fire in his blood turned to rage as he stalked towards the darkness. If they wanted his woman, they would have to go through him first.
No streetlight made its way into the alley, which meant Hades went in blind. When his eyes adjusted to the dark though, he spotted a shadow heading his way in a determined stride.
The shadow of the one thing that could make his hard-on disappear in an instant.
"Vasquez," he sighed annoyed. "What the hell are you doing-"
The PI's fist slammed into his jaw before he could finish his question and once again, Hades was reminded of the worst part of being mortal.
Pain.
Rage burning in his chest, Hades glared at the human. If that ridiculous little man had any idea who he was messing with…
"She's alive?!"
Hades' eyes widened as his rage was replaced by guilt. He'd forgotten to tell Vasquez that Adrianna had survived the car crash. With everything going on, it had completely slipped his mind. Which meant the man had been living under the assumption that Adrianna was dead for days. And he looked like it too. The guy was a mess. He was still wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing the night he'd told her she was gone; his hair was a mess, his eyes were red and exhausted and the stench of alcohol seemed to come out of his pores. He'd clearly been on a bender for days.
What would you look like? If you'd still believed she was dead?
Worse.
A lot worse.
"Vasquez-"
"Was it all some twisted joke?!" The Pi continued in a loud voice. "Did you make me suffer just for the thrill of it?!"
"No," he said, trying to keep his voice kind, like Adrianna somehow always managed to do. "I truly thought she was dead."
"And when you found out she wasn't, you didn't think to give me a call?"
"No," he answered honestly. Although, judging from Vasquez' face, he probably should've lied. "I'm sorry."
"You're sorry?!"
The man's fist flew out again…and Hades let him hit his target. He deserved it. If anyone had pulled this crap on him, he would've done more than land another well-aimed hit to the jaw. He would've ripped the fucking thing off.
"Do you have any idea what I've been through!" he fumed. "This is the first time I've been outside since that night! When I thought I saw her getting out of that car earlier, I thought I'd gone insane!"
"Again, I'm sorry," Hades said, his voice already less kind. This male was way too distraught. Hades had always known he had a crush on Adrianna, but it was more than that. He was in love with her. Deeply in love.
Hades didn't like that.
At all.
When the PI moved to get passed him, no doubt heading for Gerytof's place, Hades stopped him with a hand to his chest.
"Don't touch me, Nox," the man snarled, his eyes flashing. There was something dangerous in those eyes Hades hadn't noticed before and for the first time, he saw the man as someone to be reckoned with. Although, it was probably just liquid courage doing its thing.
"You can't tell her about that night."
Vasquez snorted. "You're giving me orders? Now? Seriously?"
"She can't know you saw me, that I thought she was dead."
"And why the hell would I keep that from her? She is my friend. You are no one to me."
Vasquez pushed against his hand, but Hades held him in place.
"Then do it for your friend."
He frowned, but listened as he continued.
"She's not ready to talk about what happened yet, about the car crash. And if she knows that I saw the wreckage, if she knows that I know that certain things she's saying don't add up, she'll feel obligated to talk about it. And I don't want that. She's been through enough."
"What's not adding up?"
Hades glared down at him. He wasn't going to tell this PI things Adrianna had told him in confidence. She was none of his business.
Vasquez sniffed, getting the message.
"You know-" he hissed. "-before you came along, her life sure as hell seemed a lot simpler."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that maybe you should get the fuck away from her."
Hades snorted, grinning coldly. "And this is coming from a place of concern for your friend, is it? It doesn't have anything to do with jealousy?"
"Jealousy?"
"Oh, please, Vasquez. It's disgustingly obvious."
For a moment, the PI just stared at him, his eyes narrow.
"You're not good for her," he finally hissed.
"Maybe not, but she chose me."
"She chose you because she didn't know there were other options."
Hades cocked a dark eyebrow. He could keep his mouth shut. He should. He'd put the guy through enough…but the fact that this SOB thought he had a change with his woman, that given the choice she'd choose him over Hades, rubbed his monster the wrong way. She was his. Only his.
"She knew you were an option, Gabriel," he rumbled, his voice soft and patronizing. "How could she not. Like I said, you're disgustingly obvious. Face it, she just doesn't want you."
The man's entire body tightened, a vein in his neck throbbing as his nostril flared.
"Go home, Vasquez. Clean yourself up and then you can see her. If you watch what you say."
"Then I can see her?" he snarled, that dangerous glint in his eyes again. "You decide who she does and doesn't see now?"
Don't kill the human.
She likes the human.
Don't kill the human.
"Go home, Vasquez. You'll never get in Gerytof's house anyway. Not without an invitation and definitely not looking the way you do."
Hades was sure the bastard was going to take another swing at him at that point and he'd already decided that this time, he wasn't just going to take it...but then, the guy turned his back on him without another word and stalked out of that alley, hissing under his breath.
"Well, at least I'm decent again," he mumbled under his breath, slipping his jacket back on. His hard-on might have been gone, but his skin was still itching and a part of him wished the PI had taken another shot at him. Maybe a good fight would've burned off the fever in his blood. Not that it would've helped for long.
Trying to prepare himself, he made his way back into Gerytof's, his eyes immediately scanning the vast room…but coming up empty.
Damn it, I told her to come straight back here. Does that woman ever listen?
"Ryder," he gnarled when he joined the man at the bar. "Where is she?"
The bastard got a look in his eyes he didn't like. At all.
"Ryder, don't make me ask twice."
"I thought she was with you," he whispered, worry clouding his face. "Isn't she?"
Something cold clutched Hades' heart.
"What happened?" he pushed out through clenched teeth.
"I don't know. She ran out a few minutes ago. I thought she was coming after you."
"She just ran out?" Hades blood went glacial. "What did you do?!"
"Nothing."
Hades took a threatening step forward.
"I swear," the man said, realizing he was close to being beaten within an inch of his life. "We danced and then she danced with her friend and-"
"Her friend?! What friend?!"
"I don't know. She didn't introduce us. She said he was an old friend, that's all."
Hades' chest hurt from trying to contain his rage. He could feel himself taking deeper breaths, trying to rein in the monster.
"Where is this friend now?" Hades snarled.
Ryder's eyes went over the room. "He's not here. He must've left."
"Let me guess, right after Adrianna did?!"
The man's eyes widened when he understood what Hades was saying. How could it not have crossed this imbecile's mind that she might have been dancing with the man who'd tried to kill her?! That he'd possibly threatened her to get her alone?!
"Goddamn it, Ryder, you fucking moron!"
A few heads turned, but Hades couldn't care less. With wide strides, he left that house and disappeared back into the night, grabbing his cellphone out of his pocket. The only thing that kept him from losing it completely was the fact that his men hadn't been at Gerytof's anymore either.
"Tell me someone's got eyes on her, Xavier," he snarled at the head of her security detail.
"Yes, sir. We have her in sight."
Hades let out a deep breath. "Is she okay?"
"She's upset, but she's okay."
"Where?"
"We seem to be heading towards the park."
The park? His fist clenched.
"Stay on her. Closely."
"Off course, sir."
"Damn it, Adrianna," he barked as he snapped his cell shut, getting behind the wheel of his car. "What the hell are you doing?"
When he reached the park, he left his car right out front, blocking the entrance. They could give him a ticket or tow the damn thing. He didn't give a fuck.
"Where is she?" he snapped into his phone again.
"At the lake."
He hung up and broke into a run. The lake was right at the centre of the park and the thing wasn't exactly small.
The first thing he saw when he reached the lake was the shadow sitting on one of the swings.
There's my girl, his heart sighed with relief.
She looked so fragile, so small.
"What happened?" he asked the man standing by a tree. Xavier was broad, with arms that matched his own and a professionalism Hades appreciated. He was always on top of things, had a grip on his men and never failed to report back to him, no matter the hours he'd clocked by the time he finished.
"I don't know, sir," he said, taking out his earpiece. "She was dancing with some guy and then, she just ran off."
"Did you recognize the guy?"
Xavier shook his head. "No. It wasn't Dimitri Rodchenko, though. I can tell you that much. He didn't look anything like the picture you showed us of him."
"Well, that's something," Hades rumbled.
"I did manage to snap a quick shot," Xavier continued, pulling out his cell phone. "But it's not very clear."
Hades took the phone, staring at the image on the screen. The picture was blurry and unfocused, but Hades recognized the man in it at once.
"Thanks, Xavier," Hades sighed. "Good work."
Xavier took the compliment modestly, simply nodding. "Do you want us to pull back, sir? Give you some privacy?"
Yes.
"No. She too exposed. Stay close."
He nodded again, repeating Hades' orders into his sleeve so his men knew what to do.
Hades tried to calm down as he made his way to Adrianna. His fear and anger made him want to yell at her for being so careless…but when he reached her and saw the broken little human in front of him, he simply shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her trembling shoulders. She glanced up at him with watery eyes as she slipped her arms inside his big sleeves.
Sighing, Hades sank to his knee, waiting for her to speak. The tears she shed smelled like spring rain and he'd never hated the scent more.
"What happened to your face?"
He sniffed when she reached out for his bruised jaw. She was concerned about him? She was sitting on a swing, crying, and she was worried about a little bruise.
"What happened to yours?" he whispered, brushing his thumbs over the salty drops that were slipping down her cheeks.
She shook her head, trying to hide from him, but he palmed her face, holding her gently.
"Adrianna, what's the matter?" Her teal blue eyes grew misty again. "Baby, please, just once, tell me what's on your mind."
She hesitated. "It's nothing. I just had to get out of there."
"Why?"
He stared at her while she fiddled with her clutch.
"Adrianna?" he forced out.
"I'm just being stupid."
Man, she was in full avoidance mode. What the hell had Pierce done?
"Adrianna, you're going to have to learn to trust me at some point."
That got her attention. In an instant, her eyes snapped back up to his, wide and apologetic. "I do trust you."
"No, you don't. Why can't you just tell me what's going on with you?"
Her eyebrows pulled together a little. And then, he couldn't stop himself from asking,
"Why can't you just tell me what happened to you in that car?"
A shockwave of pain came out of her, creating a breeze through the night that reached him in a cool rush and made his gut turn. He couldn't bear the anguish she felt whenever he brought up the subject and he wanted to do something to ease her, but there was nothing he could do. Not as long as she refused to talk about what was eating her alive. If only there was something he could fight for her; kill for her even. He would. But there was nothing at the moment. Nothing. There was no target he could eliminate. Not as long as she kept those beautiful lips of her sealed.
"Cara-"
"Why do you love me?" She suddenly blurted out.
He blinked a couple of times, not sure he'd heard her right. "What?"
"Why do you love me?"
"Baby, stop avoiding-"
"Please," she whispered, her eyes deep and begging.
He sighed, tucking a curl behind her ear as he thought about her question. Why did he love her? Simple. "Because you are everything, Adrianna." He let out a deep breath. "You have no idea what my life was like before you came along. Everything was dark, empty, meaningless. Time was just an endless stream of the same boring shit. I didn't feel anything, want anything. I'd given up on that a long time ago. And then, there you were." He smiled, remembering the vision he'd first seen her in. It had just been a flicker of her. Of those blue eyes. Of that warm smile. Of those curls brushing over her skin. But it had been enough to bind his heart to hers for all eternity.
She kept looking at him, longing for an answer he hadn't yet given.
"Do you want a list?" he asked, smiling in the hopes she'd smile along. She didn't. "Okay, I love that you're too stubborn to admit you're stubborn. I love the way you love. Fiercely. Without compromise. Your family, your friends…me. You love us, even though we're not all worthy." Her lips began to twitch, his chest slowly unknotting. "And I love that your mind is as dirty as your heart is pure."
That flicker of a smile faded and suddenly, she was on her feet, almost knocking him over in her hurry.
"I don't have a pure heart," she said, a touch of anger to her voice. "You seem to think I'm perfect, but I'm not."
"Oh, I know," he rumbled, her anger spurring his on. "Like this for example-" he said, waving his hand at her. "-this is a part of you that's anything but perfect."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Why won't you tell me what happened, Salvatore?" he asked once more. "Why does everything have to be this big secret?"
"Because you don't need to know everything!"
"Yes, I do!"
"Okay, then you don't want to know everything!"
"Again," he snarled. "Yes, I do!"
"No, you don't!"
"Goddamn it, Adrianna," he hissed, burying a hand in his hair. "What the fuck happened with Pierce?!"
Her lips pressed together into a thin line. "How do you-" she trailed off when her gaze landed on Xavier. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh! I would've preferred to hear it from you, but since that's not happening, I'll take whatever I can get! What did that vampire want, Salvatore?"
Her jaw clutched.
"Did he hurt you?!" He asked harsher.
"No."
"Threaten you?!"
"No," she closed his jacket tighter around herself. "He just talked to me."
"About what?"
"About…me."
"About you? What the fuck did Victor Pierce have to say about you?!"
"He said-" she took in a shaky breath. "He said some things that made sense."
"Like what?"
"Like…maybe he and I are not so different."
Hades let a deep laugh break free from his chest. Adrianna wasn't laughing though.
"That's what this is about? Victor Pierce spewing bullshit?" He reached out for her, but she took a small step back, robbing him off all laughter.
"Cara, please tell me you know that's ridiculous."
Her eyes started shimmering with tears again.
"Baby-"
"It's not ridiculous," she cut him off, her body shaking again. She couldn't be cold though, not with his jacket on. No, her body was responding to the emotions coursing through her. Emotions that made no sense.
"Adrianna, you know who Victor Pierce is. What he does. Why would you believe a word that comes out of that vampire's mouth."
"Because he was right!" she yelled, sadness seeping out of her. "I'm not who you think I am-"
"That's bullshit!"
"I'm not good or pure! I'm-"
"Stop it!" He closed the distance between them in two strides, cradling her face in his hands as he snarled, "Cara, listen to me. You do not, in any way, resemble that monster. You're Adrianna Salvatore. You're the woman whose heart breaks every time an innocent gets hurt; who sees the good in everyone even when they don't see it in themselves. You are so full of light and love and kindness that sometimes I wonder if you're even real-"
"I'm not," she sobbed, the tears now streaming down her face. "I thought I was. I thought I was all those things you're saying, but maybe I was just pretending. Maybe I was just trying to hide."
"Hide what?"
"Who I really am. What I really am."
Hades sniffed, but before he could say anything, she added,
"There's a part of me that's a demon, Lucian. A vampire."
"And that means what? That you're evil? Not all vampires are evil, sweetheart. You parents, your brothers-"
"I know that," she huffed frustrated, breaking free from his touch. "But my parents had time to adjust, to learn to live with their dark side, to get it under control. You don't think I've heard the stories about my mom and dad? What they were like when they first changed, before they met each other? They weren't always the way there are now. And my brothers were born vampires, so they've lived with it since day one, their darkness doesn't control them. But me…I've never been anything other than human. And I've always tried to do good. Even when I held a gun to Rodchenko's head it was to stop him from butchering anymore women. I knew my soul would be burdened forever, but I was willing to make that sacrifice if it meant saving others. But when I thought you were dead, when I woke up in that car-" She stopped herself and Hades wanted to scream, throw things, burn something down.
"Don't stop," he pleaded. "Tell me. Tell me what happened so I can help you."
"You can't help me."
"Adrianna-"
"Besides-" she cut him off, her blue gaze so full of pain and fear his knees nearly buckled. "-if I told you, you wouldn't want to help me."
He growled, taking another step towards her, anger coursing through his veins again at the accusation.
"Sir!"
Hades stopped in his tracks, watching Xavier as he ran up to them, talking in his sleeve.
Something is wrong.
Hades was on Adrianna before Xavier reached them. He could feel her fighting his grip, making him clutch her even tighter against him.
"What is it?" Hades asked, adrenaline pumping in his blood.
"Cops, sir. They're everywhere."
Hades frowned. "Cops? Are you sure?"
Xavier nodded.
"How many?"
"Eight."
Eight? That can't just be because of my parking violation.
"If the police is here that means it's not safe, sir," Xavier said. "We should go and-"
"He called them."
Hades turned towards the trembling woman in his arms, her face and lips suddenly pale.
"What?"
"Victor called them," she said, more to herself than to him. "He called the police."
"Victor? Why would Pierce-"
"Because this way everyone will know," she whispered, pressing her eyes shut. "He set me up."
"What are you talking about?" Hades growled, frustrated. "Everyone will know what?! Just tell me what is going-"
"Adrianna Salvatore?"
Hades' head snapped around, pinning down the man who'd called out here name with a vicious glare.
"Who the fuck are you?" Hades snarled, turning so his body shielded hers.
"My name is David Riel. I'm with the FBI."
"The FBI?" Adrianna had moved from behind him and was now standing by his side, everything about her screaming defeat. Her sad eyes, her relaxed body, even her smell. There was no adrenaline, no fear, no fire. Nothing. Not even when more people came out from between the trees, some wearing a suit like the man in front of them, others wearing a police uniform.
"What he fuck is going on?" Hades barked.
David Riel ignored him, his attention focused solely on Adrianna.
"Are you Adrianna Salvatore?"
"She's not answering-"
"Yes."
Hades' jaw clutched. What was she doing?
The FBI-agent nodded at a man in uniform and at once, the cop moved towards them. Towards her.
Snarling, Hades wanted to cut off his path, but Adrianna stopped him, her hand touching his chest as she slowly shook her head and whispered, "Don't."
When the cop reached them, Hades recognized the man. He'd been in Adrianna's apartment after that sniper had opened fire on them and then again in that alley when Adrianna had planned to shoot Rodchenko. He was a cop from her precinct.
"Anna," the guy whispered, his face almost as pale as hers. "I'm so sorry about this."
"About what?" Hades snarled.
"It's okay, Erik."
Swallowing hard, the guy reached for something behind his back. Hades moved forward again, but her hand was still on his chest, stopping him. She seemed to know exactly what was going on, staying calm, while he didn't have a fucking clue and was about ready to rip everyone's head off.
When a pair of handcuffs appeared in the cop's hand, he froze.
What the fuck?
"Adrianna Salvatore," The cop said, tightening the steel around her wrists. "You are under arrest for the murder of Patrick Williams, David Moore, Jack Richards and Cindy Jones."
Hades started laughing, about to tell those idiots they were making an obvious mistake…when he caught her eyes. She stared at him with such torment, such profound sadness and...self-loading. She opened her mouth as if she was about to say something…but instead of speaking, she just hung her head as if ashamed.
And in that moment, he knew. He knew why she'd been so secretive. Why she'd been beating herself up.
It wasn't a mistake.
"Don't say a word to them," Hades barked as the cop started dragging her away. "Do you hear me, Adrianna?! Not a word!"
She wouldn't meet his eyes, so he could only pray his girl had heard him and that she would take his advice.
Breaking into a run, he headed back towards his car, making damn sure that when those fuckers arrived at the police station, he'd be there.
Waiting.
