Hey guys!

Hope you're all doing great!

I've been trying my best to catch up despite the fact that this week is crazy work-wise.

Writing this chapter was a challenge, hope you enjoy it.

Like always, thanks for your reviews and just for taking the time to read. I really look forward to see what you think about this one.

Happy reading!

Xoxo,

Nina

Back at the cabin, our friends couldn't stop laughing at our goofy faces; but neither of us cared. We were happy, in love and felt confident enough to open up and stand beside each other completely vulnerable, knowing that what we were building was a safe place, free of judgment and filled with love and care.

The funny thing was that they were mocking us, but everyone on that trip was in exactly the same position, and I was truly grateful to be surrounded by that positive energy, when other aspects of my life were in the dark.

The start of the day was just a preview of the rest of it. We had a wonderful time, swimming, playing in the water, even playing a little football, where the boys totally crushed us, but it was fun; and getting to see Adam half naked the whole day was definitely a plus.

Ditta was also enjoying her time outdoors, but mostly her time with Adam. I guess that's something we both share.

Bonding with Vanessa was also great, she was funny, outgoing, naturally cool and came across as an honest girl. I mean she had to be if she was with Kevin, I don't think he could be with any other type of woman. It was clear to anyone who took a few minutes to observe them that they were made for each other.

After a lovely cook out and once it was getting darker, we knew it was time to head back home.

I went inside to get my things and take them to my car. Even though I was super happy for having the chance to enjoy all this, a part of me couldn't stop blaming myself for being so stupid and having lost time, quote in quote, working when I could have been here, but most importantly a part of me was sacred to go back home.

"Hey." His soft voice made me turn around to find him in the doorway, closing it behind him as he walked towards me and wrapped his arms around me. "You ok? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine." I grabbed onto his back as if it was the only thing that was keeping me afloat, which kind of was. "I just don't want today to end."

"It doesn't have to end."

I looked up at him scrunching up my nose. "It kinda does, we work tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow. Not today. Why don't you come over to my place, we can spend the night together and try our best to stretch the remaining hours we've got?"

"I like that."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. But how about we take it to my place instead? Ditta." He chuckled once he heard what I was concerned about.

"No problem. We can go to your place, but our girl should start to get used to my apartment as well." He joked. "I think she really likes hanging out with me."

"You think? She fucking loves you. To be honest, I'm kinda jealous." I pouted playfully, inviting him to pull my lower lip with his teeth.

"Don't be. We love you, too." I slid my hands in the back pockets of his shorts, firmly grabbing his ass; which, honestly, was a work of art. "Don't do that if you expect to leave this place on time." He kissed me again and lingered his lips on mine before speaking one more time. "You know controlling myself is not one of my virtues."

"This is just a little preview of what awaits you at home."

"I'm excited to get there." He wiggled his eyebrows, making me laugh.

We all packed our things and loaded the cars, promising to come back and repeat this experience.

It turns out that Vanessa and Kev had made the trip to the beach house with Adam and Ditta in his truck, so in order to squeeze in some extra time together, he offered Kev to take his truck and Adam drove my car instead.

I think I never moved my hand off his knee. Every time he got the chance he would play with my fingers and I begged to find a red light on the way to steal a kiss from those gorgeous lips that I adored, while Ditta looked at us from the back seat.

"Listen." He called out, making me look at him attentively. "I'm dying for a hot shower."

"Ok, no problem. You can get that going while I order some food. There's no way I'm cooking tonight."

"Nah, you don't get it." He briefly looked at me with sparkling eyes and a huge lopsided grin on his face. "I want a hot shower with you." He explained with his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"Oh. In that case we can find something to eat later."

"I'm planning on eating your…"

"Adam" I cut him mid sentence.

"What? Ditta won't understand." He laughed and I blushed. "I know you like it when I tell you all the things I wanna do to you."

"Yeah, when you're seconds away from actually doing it. Not when I have to wait another thirty minutes."

"Well, if you want I can stop the car right now."

"Sounds very tempting. But I much rather have you completely naked and run my hands through your body freely."

"Oh, come on. And I can't say what part of you I want to eat." He whined like a little kid and we teased each other all the way to my place.

Once he parked the car in front of my building, he helped me unload the bags, and threw them over his shoulders so the only thing I had to worry about was Ditta and getting her to go potty before stepping inside.

When we finally made it to my door something called my attention. There was a flat box with a card that had my name written on it. Ditta was sniffing it like crazy trying to figure out what was in it.

"What's that?" Adam asked as soon as he saw it, his confused face matched mine.

"I have no idea. I guess someone delivered it and the doorman left it here." I crouched down to pick it up, not thinking too much of it, and realized that it was feather light. "Let's get settled and then I'll open it."

I think Adam was more anxious than I was to know what the mystery box was about. We still managed to take the bags to my room and get two bottles of beer from the fridge to set the mood for our well deserved shower.

It had been a long drive, we were tired, and my body was aching to feel Adam's hands on it.

He took a sip of his beer and looked at me. Loads of expectations in his eyes.

"Are you going to read the card?"

"Yeah." I was stalling, I know. Even though I have nothing to hide, Willis' ghost kept haunting me and something told me that this box was connected to him.

When I read the card I knew I was right.

I said nothing, but probably my face and the rolling of my eyes gave me out completely.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." I sighed.

"You're pale, Kim. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. It's just Willis apologizing."

"What for?"

"I don't know. I guess that it's for making me go to work when I wasn't supposed to." I shrugged and observed how every muscle is Adam's face was tensing up, making him furrow his eyebrows in complete disapproval.

God damn it! Was Willis ever gonna leave me alone? This had all the potential to bring me problems with Adam if I wasn't able to explain the situation to him clearly. But how can I do that and keep him safe from this psycho?

"What does it say?" He asked with a serious tone.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I hope this makes it up." I read with a complete lack of enthusiasm. I knew Adam was going to want to know what was in the box and I was truly terrified to open it.

"Do you want to see what's in it? Would you rather I wasn't here for you to do that?" He was nervous as he started to pick on the label of his glass bottle.

"What are you trying to say with that?"

"Nothing, maybe you want to be alone to see what he has for you."

"Adam, come on. You know I have nothing to hide from you."

"I know that Kim. I'm not trying to come across as a possessive asshole, I'm trying my best to keep the urge to kick his ass under control and to give you the space and freedom to make whatever decision you want."

If I opened it with him, I could potentially set off a time bomb and if I didn't I could make the first crack in our relationship. Little did I know the crack was impossible to avoid.

I took a deep breath and opened the box. There was another card in there on top of some turquoise lace. I knew what it was and I didn't even want to touch it.

Adam put his bottle down on the table and picked the smaller card to read it.

"Wish you'd use it with me." He read it aloud and I was scared when he turned his face to me, because I had never seen that look in his eyes. "What the fuck, Kim?" He didn't yell, his voice was soft, almost impossible to hear, the only thing I could translate that to was pain.

"Baby, I swear, it's not what you think." My eyes were watering up. "I did nothing. Please, believe me. I wouldn't do something like this." The tears started to roll down my cheeks. I had no idea what to do right now, because the truth didn't sound real with the context Matt Willis had just provided.

Suddenly I felt like I was suffocating, I was having difficulty breathing and I had to sit down because my legs weren't able to hold the weight of my body. Everything around me was blurry and it wasn't until I felt the cold glass and the fresh water between my lips that I began to feel better.

"Breathe, in and out, nice and easy." His voice was a soothing balm that slowly brought me back to reality. "Are you ok?" I nodded my answer, still not able to speak. "Kim, what is this guy doing to you?"

"It's nothing." My sobbing was impossible to control.

"Darlin' listen to me, listen." He brushed my hair away from my forehead and tucked it behind my ears. "I trust you, I know you love me. I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about you. What is going on, Kim? You need to let me know. I can help you, I want to help you."

I grabbed the glass of water he had brought earlier and took another sip in an attempt to calm down. "Kim, what is he doing? Is he…" He swallowed hard before finishing his question. "forcing himself on you?" Unconsciously his hands turned into fists, trying to control the rage that possibility created.

"No. He's not."

"Then what is it babe?"

"I don't know. I guess his ego won't let him realize that I'm not that girl that used to be with him."

"This can't go on like this Kim." He stood up and got his phone out of his pocket, ready to snap a few shots of the items scattered over my table.

"What are you doing?"

"Gathering evidence. This is harassment and I'm reporting it."

"No, no, no, no, no. You're not." I stood up and held his arm trying to stop him, but I honestly don't think I was able to.

"Why not?"

"Because it'll be worse. This proves nothing. He's just apologizing for being an idiot."

"Kim, are you serious right now? Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know!" The tears cascaded down my face again, and the knot in my throat didn't let me explain myself, the only thing I could do was sob. Adam held me in his arms and rubbed my back trying to get me to stop crying.

"Kim, let me help you."

"If you wanna help me, promise me you won't do anything."

"Kim…"

"Please."

"Only if you promise me you'll think about it. We can't let this go any further. His sick."

"Adam, it's my fault I'm here in the first place. Doing something would be useless. The only solution would be going back in time and I can't do that."

"Stop saying that. It's not your fault."

"Adam, promise."

"I won't promise that Kim. I'm not going to sit back and watch his little sick and twisted show." He let go of me and started to walk away. "Don't ask me to turn my back on you, because I won't." He looked down before speaking again. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Can I still join you?"

As strange as that sounded, I truly needed him right now to feel better.

"Not now. I need some space to think."

And with that he left me alone in the living room. As soon as he was out of my sight the waterworks began again.

I understood him, I knew where he was coming from. I just couldn't afford to expose him, I couldn't drag him to this shit hole I willingly put myself in when I made the worst decision of my life and got involved with Willis. I made that decision, Adam didn't; he is right, Willis is sick and I don't know where he's capable to take this to, or how much he could hurt Adam.

Keeping him away from this as possible was the best thing I could do for him right now. I just had to suck it up and face my poor choices.

I was exhausted; physically and emotionally drained and Adam was taking forever with his god damned shower.

My beer was getting warmer by the second, because all I could do was play with the bottle in my hands and try to slow down my thoughts, as Ditta's head rested on my lap. A light pressure on my shoulders pulled me out of that overpowering tornado of thoughts currently going through my head, making me jump a little.

"It's ok. It's me." He sounded ok, a bit more grounded and with a better management of his emotions. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better."

"Come on." He looked for my hand and invited me to stand up. That was when I realized he was halfway done drying himself and that the towel was wrapped around his waist. "I got the tub ready for you."

He didn't say anything else, he just guided me to the bathroom and started to strip me down like he'd never done before. There was nothing sexual about this, on the contrary, this was all about showing me his profound love and his tender care for my body and my soul, or at least that was how I felt it.

He helped me in the tub, where the warm water hugged me and started to work its magic, relaxing my muscles gradually. I looked over at Adam, and found him getting rid of the towel to get in the tub as well. He found a place behind me, both his legs on the sides of my body, and his strong arms around me, lightly pushing my back towards his chest, so I could rest there comfortably and feel how my sorrows slowly fleeded my body.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't the supportive man you deserve to have standing beside you. I just can't see you hurting like that."

"I'm the one who's sorry. You've been nothing but supportive and really understand where you're coming from. I just can't do anything else about this right now."

"I need you to know that I'm here for you."

"I know. But you need to let me do this my way."

He sighed and didn't answer. Adam wasn't going to make a promise he didn't know he could keep, and I respected him immensely for that. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"I do, and I love you too, Kim. Don't ever doubt that."