Page 105 of Blind Devotion
“I won’t beg.”
“I wouldn’t give you mercy even if you did. You should have let matters rest.” Then I returned the favor, shooting him point-blank twice in the chest, once in the head. Fresh blood dribbled down the hole in his head and darkened his shirt as his lifeless eyes stared back at me. “No one threatens what’s mine.”
It was fast, too fast for any kind of relief. I should have toyed with him. I should have skinned him layer by layer until he feared how much longer I would torture him. Until he understood the fear I went through when he tried to take Tessa from me, but there wasn’t time. My woman upstairs deserved my support today. When she woke up, I would be there to show her she came first in everything.
Chapter 43
“What’sallthis?”Iasked, walking into the living area, wearing only my nightgown, covered with a silk robe. The commotion was overwhelming.
The dining table was already full. I couldn’t pass my fingers over the grain of the wood more than three inches in either direction without hitting a plate. Yet hotel staff kept transferring more metal cloches wobbling shrilly on serving dishes onto the wood surface, each one with a soft clack. Bacon, hash browns, eggs, sausages, freshly baked croissants andpain au chocolat, fresh fruit, freshly pressed orange juice, and so much more from the mouthwatering smells. Something was also scratching its way down into the ice bucket, probably a bottle of champagne, from the green blob sticking out of it. This was an obscene amount of room service.
“Everyone out,” Adrien barked.
I cinched the satiny robe tighter around myself, feeling a little out of sorts. What was all this about?
I vaguely remembered Adrien carrying me through the hotel and tucking me in bed last night with a soft goodnight kiss to mylips. It made me feel safe, cherished, and loved. That was enough to send me into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.
In the light of a new day, the shitstorm of the last two days assaulted me like a baseball bat to the head. Was this his way of trying to derail our talk once again?
Quickly, the last pattering of footsteps and roll of cart wheels vanished behind the shut door to the suite. In their absence, quiet settled like an ocean between us. Where exactly did we stand?
“Thank you…” I cleared my throat, hugging my waist. “For coming for us last night.”
“You never have to thank me for that. Ever.” There was so much remorse in the way he said that I didn’t understand. “Eat. You had an eventful night. Your body needs the food.”
My stomach growled and bubbled against my hold on my waist, but it felt like sitting down and eating, as if there were no issues between us, was equivalent to sweeping them under the metaphorical rug.
The balcony doors must have been opened as a breeze swept through the room. Now that no one was here but us, the noise of morning traffic and honked horns filtered through. The Lyon cathedral bells tolled, only once, meaning we were halfway through the hour.
“What time is it?”
“Eight thirty. There’s still time.”
Before my audition, he meant. We had about two hours. I hadn’t even realized how worried I was about that, and I felt my shoulders loosen.
His dress shoes clipped across the room until he was blacking out my entire view with the dark-gray suit sculpted over his impressive form. One hand swept around my neck and into my hair, the other pulled me close by my waist. He engulfed me inhis warmth and scent, and it felt so good to be there again after what happened last night. I melted into his embrace.
“I was a fool,” he whispered against my hair.
“Adrien?” I pulled back gently. His hand cupped my face, his thumb massaging the skin around my eye with a slight tremble.
“I caused all this.”
“No.”
He nodded against me. “And I almost caused worse last night.”
“That’s not on you. You didn’t kidnap me.”
“No, I let it happen by abandoning you like I did years ago. Never again. You have to believe that, Tessa. Never. Again. I will stand by your side every moment of every day. I’m never leaving you out of my sight again.”
“That’s a little extreme.”
“I don’t give a shit.” His hold around my neck tightened. “Last night almost gave me a heart attack. If I’d lost you…”
“You didn’t.” I leaned into his hand. “You’re not going to, but we need to talk. I just want your honesty.”
I debated telling him what I remembered, but this had to come from him. He had to be willing to put the work into it. A relationship wasn’t just about jumping in, guns blazing, when an outside force threatened to tear us apart. A big part of it was working out our kinks and squabbles. If we couldn’t do that now, then this, us, was doomed.
