Fatal Alliances: Chapter 47

“Yes.” I sobbed with a short laugh.

“What?”

“Marry you.”

I’ve never seen him look like that, smile like that towards me, a real smile. It was so undeniably genuine. I liked seeing him like that, seeing this side of him.

“You have no idea what you had just put me through,” he whispered into my ear and kissed me on the side of my head, only to be consumed by his embrace again.

“The rain’s not planning to stop anytime soon,” he stated pulling away slightly, “Come on.”

I didn’t say anything. For the first time in my life, I felt like keeping quiet to enjoy the moment. He guided me into his car where he drove to what seem like a small cabin not too far away from the church.

“What is this place?” I asked as I got out of the car.

“A place my family and I used to visit. This was before my father’s accident.”

“Oh.”

Stepping into the small house, I was actually a bit surprised at it. Adrian had always struck me as the spacious modern kind of guy, but here, this was completely different. It was small and traditional but at the same time it was nice and cozy.

“I like it here.” I smiled taking a step back to look at the place but accidentally bumped into Adrian who caught me.

“You should be more careful, Miss Greene,” he stated leaning in on me staring at my lips. That probably made me feel more awkward than ever. No- not awkward, nervous, and a bit jello-like.

The way he looked right now was different from his usual look, well, besides the fact that we were probably both drenched. His damp hair seemed to be a little longer than normal giving him this playful kind of look. As for his clothes, he wasn’t in his regular dress shirt but instead a white tee-shirt which clung to his toned body like glue mostly because of the rain, and of course dark blue jeans. I knew my face was burning up, I knew he knew because of the wicked smile he was giving off. Keeping his grasp on my wrist with one hand, he used the other to gently pull me closer to him, if we could possibly be any closer to each other.

“What a delicate little thing you are,” he said in a raspy voice as he kissed the tender skin of my neck.

I lightly entwined my hand through his damp hair as I kept the other clutching onto his shirt. He trailed his kisses from my collarbone up almost every single bare part of me towards my lips. My blood heated, rushed for each sensational second of it. His lips brushed onto mine slightly as he grazed his hand from the small of my back to the cup the back of my neck savouring every touch, every feel. As he deepened his kisses, I felt myself sway and become weak in the knees but he held me up, bolted me with him. I knew I wasn’t going to fall when I’m with him. For some reason I found him resisting a bit, suppressing himself from becoming too rough and aggressive with me, with the kiss.

Adjusting himself in a more comfortable stance, he pushed my baby pink cardigan off my shoulder, peeling it off my arms showing my thin tank top which clung to me firmly. Pulling away slightly he stared at me, consuming every part of me with his eyes while grazing his hands on my exposed arm.

A sudden feeling of anxiety crossed me. All this, all these uncontrollable sensations I was having right now, I wasn’t sure if I wanted it to go any further- at least not today. But at the same time, I wanted this- to be with him- to be together but… As if he knew what was going on in my mind, he softly chuckled.

His voice with velvet and grace, “I’m not going to force you into something you’re not ready for yet, love. Believe it or not, I respect you too much.”

Hearing that was odd. I’d expect Adrian to be the type of guy to take what he wants when he wants it but here he was being decent and sweet to me, being somewhat of a gentleman. I knew I made the right decision by agreeing to spend the rest of my life with this man. I knew he wasn’t as bad as everyone thought he was, as I thought he was at first. Honestly, I liked seeing him like this- seeing his sweet and caring side. He was unpredictable, no doubt.

“I’ll wait for you Julie.” he said, kissing me on the cheek, “It’s going to be hell for me, but I’ll do it for you.”

That was all I needed to know that made Adrian perfect in every possible way. Respect was something I held high in my life, and if he had that for me- then I know everything would be okay. Snaking my arms around his neck, I fervidly pressed my trembling lips onto his- craving his full response. I didn’t want him to hold back anymore, I wanted him to kiss me the way he did the first time. Taking my hint, he feverishly entwined his fingers into the back of my hair as he suddenly lifted me with him keeping a heated hand at the back of my thigh. With my both arms still locked around his neck and legs wrapped around him, I felt him smirk as we kissed. He was more than just enjoying this, taking a few steps back we fell on the sofa and I suddenly pulled away shifting at the side of him.

“I’m not done.” he wickedly smiled as he caged me in with one hand at the back of the sofa.

Arching an eyebrow at him, he leaned over me dominating my lips, and slipped a hand beneath my back arching me towards him almost possessively. As my top gathered upwards showing my bare stomach he used it to his advantage as he tauntingly brushed his fingers at my sides. My hold on him seemed to get even tighter as I felt my senses heighten, I could smell his rich strong cologne when I buried my face into his neck, the thudding sound of my heart seemed to be on loudspeaker, and my vision- I had no idea about that because I was closing my eyes in reflex of the sudden new sensation I was experiencing.

Damn. I’ve never felt like this before. I didn’t want to make a sound, it would be embarrassing. Keeping my arms tightly around him, he held me, in the same manner, grazing his lips on my neck. A soft moan escaped my lips as I clung to his hair, he gave a chuckle which in some way sounded pleased. Slowly, he steadied us back down on the sofa. God, did I grip onto his hair too tightly? I shouldn’t have done that. I’m such an idiot.

“I’m sorry.” I exhaled as I lay on the sofa facing him.

“Sorry?” he raised an eyebrow edging me to the back of the sofa while keeping a hand around my waist and the other propping his head.

“If I had hurt you,” I whispered running my fingers through his long dark hair.

Adrian gave a soft laugh and shook his head slightly, “You’re too innocent.”

I wasn’t sure how exactly to respond to that, being around him made me feel like that. Snuggling myself into his chest, I closed my eyes thinking about him- his past. Adrian went through so much, with his father. He was deprived of having someone to care for him, I wanted to fill that emptiness. If he could have made a promise to never leave me then I’d do the same. I won’t go away from him, I’ll love him until the end. Right now honestly, I didn’t care if I was still drenched. Being with him just felt right and I didn’t want to lose this moment right now.

“Wake up sleeping beauty, I can’t have you getting sick already,” he said slightly pulling away.

Tiredly opening my eyes, I sighed and shifted myself to look at the ceiling, “You just don’t want me soaking your sofa.” I teased as I tried to get up and cross over him but fell on top of him suddenly.

“I’m sorry.” I panicked feeling very flustered and embarrassed.

Adrian seemed amused as he kept his hand on the small of my back and brought himself closer to me but I pulled away with a laugh, “I have to change, remember.”

Getting himself up from the sofa, he took a deep breath, “You’re right, we could do that after. Your health comes first.”

I smiled at his words, “I like you like this.”

“What?”

“When you’re sweet and considerate.”

“Don’t think I’ve gone soft. Like I said, only for you.”

I couldn’t help but flush at that thought. The thought that Adrian Vandermir trying to be a decent man only for me, trying to be nice only to me.

Wearing a Navy blue T-shirt Adrian had given me, I came out of the room to find a warm cozy fire lit at the fireplace. It made the house seem more like a home than usual. Adrian wasn’t anywhere around, ‘he’s probably changing’ I figured. Going up to the fire and taking in the heavenly warmth felt mind-blowingly amazing. I sat on the plush rug on the floor near the fire when I noticed a small album at the tiny table on the side. There wasn’t anything else to do here so I decided to look at some of the pictures when Adrian suddenly came out with tousled hair and a clean crisp T-shirt and jeans. Heading to the kitchen he came back with two cups of hot chocolate and sat next to me placing a cup near me.

“It’s hot,” he stated.

“I know, that’s why they call it hot chocolate.” I laughed.

He gave a tired sigh at me, “You’re a special case, Greene.”

“Stop calling me Greene, Adrian,” I told him as I shifted uneasily.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because she isn’t real. It’s not my real name. Juliet Greene doesn’t even exist.”

As much as I didn’t want to think about it like that, I always end up doing so. It just… it hurts to know that my entire life was based on a lie.

“She’s real. She exists to me,” he stated seriously, taking a drink of his hot chocolate.

I took a deep breath and tried to push the thought away, I wasn’t going to get myself depressed right now.

“So, how long are we going to be here?” I asked trying to change the topic while moving closer to him resting my legs on his.

“We could leave now if you want.”

“What? No! I don’t want to leave right now. We can leave when the rain is over.”

Giving me an amused look, he slipped an arm around my waist, “Is that an order?”

“You better get used to those.” I teased playfully as I continued to look through the album.

He looked so different in the pictures when he was younger but I noticed that his smile kept fading in his older pictures. Everything began to make sense to me now, the families, him, why he was with Finny’s family. At the bottom of the page, I saw a picture that honestly I didn’t know how to feel about. It was a picture of Adrian, Finny, and Melissa.

Melissa, the girl that he probably used to loved, does he even still love her? No, he wanted to marry me, but what if I was just like a rebound? I mean, she was taken already. Was l like his second choice? No, Adrian wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t stoop that low or think that shallow. I trusted him. But I still wanted to know about her, there was something else that he wasn’t telling me, the reason why Finny kept lying to me.

“How long did you know her?” I asked in a soft voice.

“Who?”

“Melissa.” His body tensed. I was right, there was something more.

“It doesn’t matter,” he stated gluing his eyes on the picture of her.

It doesn’t matter? Is that what he would tell me?

“It does matter, Adrian.”

“Julie-” he said in a frustrated manner standing up and walking to the window while running his hands through his hair.

“Just tell me. If you love her then why-“

“Love her?” he spat, “Where would you get that idea from? For the matter, I hate her.”

“Because she left you, I understand.” I swallowed painfully.

Adrian stared at me in disbelief and laughed, “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Then what is it? Why did Finny lie to me when I asked him about his relationship with you?”

“Because I told him not to- not to mention the past to anyone.”

“That doesn’t even make sense, you told me that he’s your brother, that you were adopted by his family. What’s wrong with that?” I asked in confusion.

“It’s what happened after,” he stated and looked at me hesitantly, probably wondering whether he should tell me or not, “During the time I stayed there, Melissa took a liking to me. But I couldn’t- I couldn’t give her want she wanted, it was wrong. I would’ve betrayed her parents’ trust, and it wouldn’t be fair to either of us. I told her that I don’t feel the same way, she needed to know that, she needed to stop building hope.”

“So she left when you told her that?”

“I wish it was that simple,” he gave a short pained laugh, “She got angry, mad at everyone, at her parents who she thought was keeping me back from loving her. Mad at me for not returning her feelings. She lost it when she realized that the person she loved wouldn’t feel the same way.”

Somehow that reminded me of the agony I felt when I thought Adrian didn’t think about me the same way I thought about him. I wanted to run away, get away from the pain, angry at my life and the situations I faced. Strangely, I understood the pain Melissa must’ve felt.

“I saw how love turned into hatred for me.” he sighed.

“You can’t force someone to fall in love.”

“No, but you can get revenge on them,” he continued raising his eyebrows, “She hated me, said if she couldn’t have me then she’d make my life hell. As if I didn’t know what hell was already.”

“What did she do?”

“Left the house leaving a letter telling her parents that I defamed her, tarnished her image, that she couldn’t live like that for the rest of her life so it’s better if she ran away. Her little plan worked because her protective father wasn’t too fond of me at the beginning.”

“She told them you raped her?” I asked in shock.

“Well now that you take the sugar-coat off it, yes. Her parents were furious, wanted me out, didn’t believe me when I told them I didn’t. But Finny did, he stood up for me against his own parents. The kid’s an idiot, leaving his family for me.”

“He’s not… he- he stood for the right thing.”

“I ruined his life,” Adrian said turning away, “When I went there.”

“You didn’t. You’re not the one to blame for what happened.”

“I wasn’t going to prove anything to anyone so I left. When I left that house, he did too, I told him to stay but he didn’t. Not too long after we found out that Rocillie had gotten his parents killed and as for Melissa- we got hold of one of Rocillie’s men who gave us information that she used to work for him for some time but then they killed her. Honestly, Juliet, Finny’s done more for me than anyone ever did in my entire life. When I would think the world would be against me that little kid would be right by my side.”

I smiled at the sudden thought of Finny and Adrian. They were so contrast yet always with each other, had each other’s back from the beginning until this date. That’s why Finny trusted Adrian so much, that’s why he never questioned Vandermir’s decision even if it would be crazy- because they were family- shared a strange, complicated yet beautiful brotherly bond. Suddenly, Adrian’s phone began to ring. Looking at the call hesitantly, he took it and went into another room.

It was all shares, deals, meetings I heard him speak as he left. God, this man’s first language must’ve been the business language.

After skimming through the album, I got up from where I was sitting and stretched my legs while taking in the fire’s warmth in front of me. It was so peaceful, so tranquil, it was a lovely little house. Jenna would love a place like this, it had her name written all over it. God, I missed her. When I get back, what do I tell her? I wouldn’t tell her about the covert partnership, I knew I could but I won’t. What good would that do anyway? But I had to tell her about Adrian, I couldn’t keep him a secret. I trembled at the sudden thought when I suddenly felt a strong hand snake around my waist and someone’s hot breath into my ear.

“Don’t forget this,” he whispered slipping something onto my ring finger.

Gently resting his chin on my shoulder and softly swaying me with him in a slow unnoticeable dance with no music. No- the only music was the tiny crackling of the fire, uneven drops of the rain which had now stopped and the tempo of our beating hearts. If I told that to anyone it might sound cheesy but honestly, I don’t care because it didn’t feel cheesy at all. It felt wonderful, and if anything had to do with cheese, if I was the cheese, then damn I would be melted right now.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked in a low silky voice.

“I’m not going to tell you that.” I teased.

He chuckled playfully, “Really?”

I didn’t answer, I didn’t have to because everything was clear between us. A silence hung in the air yet it wasn’t the awkward, uneasy kind, it was understanding and somewhat enjoyable.

“Adrian, are you afraid of anything?”

That was a question I always wondered. When I first met him he was the guy who struck me as the type that could take on the world, the one that wasn’t afraid of anything. He still keeps that image for himself. Maybe he doesn’t want to tell me because he doesn’t want me to think that he’s weak. Truthfully, I’d never think that. I don’t think I could.

“Everyone’s afraid of something. You know, if it’s something stupid you can tell me.” I giggled, “I bet you’re scared of bugs.”

“I’m not afraid of bugs.” he stated with a bit of annoyance turning me to face him, “But I do admit I am of one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m afraid of waking up right now and everything turns out to be a dream,” he answered.

He meant it, the way he looked at me right now. It was unexplainable. And I understood because I was feeling the same way as well.

“I can’t live without you, Juliet. I can’t.” His voice broke.

“It’s not a dream, Adrian.”

“I’m taking you back with me, you don’t have to stay here again.” His face was serious and firm.

“I want you to take me back to Rocillie’s place first. Just one last time.”

“What the hell are you thinking, Julie? Why would you want to go there?”

“Please, Adrian, it would be the last time I’d ever be in that place- where my mother used to live. Please… just once… “

That wasn’t the reason, the only reason I wanted to go back there was because of Lucas. I wanted to try to fix things between us. What if there was some kind of misunderstanding as to why he hates me so much? I couldn’t just leave like that.

With a sigh, he frowned tiredly, “Fine. I’ll take you there and come back for you later. I have to take care of something in the meanwhile.”

“Alright.” I smiled, more than contented with his answer.

I sat in the car quietly as he drove along. With a quick glimpse, I noted how his hair tousled to perfection- if that was even possible. A soft smile tugged at the edge of his lips yet he said nothing. There was something I had been meaning to do. I had to tell him something. He had the right to know.

“Mr. Vandermir.” I breathed softly.

“Miss Greene.” He replied with a gentle smile, eyes glued on the road.

“I love you.”

My voice was soft and raw and I felt fuzzy inside when I said it. Adrian looked at me through the mirror. It was as if he stared at surreal happiness. Maybe he did. I don’t think he ever expected this to happen- us to happen.

I slipped my hand into his as he gently squeezed it. It’s funny how we didn’t even have to look at each other to know how we were feeling.

Stopping near the house, he kept a hold of my hand and looked at me. I didn’t want to let go of his hand just yet. It felt as if I’d lose him when I did. I didn’t want to lose him. I won’t be able to live without him. The need almost hurt. I had this sinking feeling that if I did let go, I’d never see him again.

“Julie.”

“I- I’m fine.” I quickly swallowed and achingly slipped my hand out of his.

No, no. I was being silly. I had to stop worrying.

“Call me when you’re ready.” He stated.

I nodded in response and unlocked the car door. In a quick second, I turned back around and kissed him on the cheek.

“I won’t be long. I promise.”

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