Page 83 of Cocky Prince
I didn’t want Adam involved with Blackwell, but in some small way I could deal as long as he wasn’t a Blue Star—that mercurial barrier marking his transition to the dark side. If Bliss turns out to be what I think it is, I’ll have to turn Adam in to the police along with the rest of the Blue Stars…
I hunch over and hold my stomach, fighting the ache. “Shit.” The notion of getting Adam caught physically hurts me, but I can’t run from what’s right. Not this time.
The front door opens and I jump, still clutching my stomach.
Adam walks in, his eyes trained on me. His eyebrows pull together and he closes the door behind him. “Are you okay? You weren’t at work.”
“Don’t you knock?” I swallow my heart, which leapt into my throat the moment he entered the house.
“You should lock your doors.” His gaze takes in my face, then drops to my body, which is layered in a sweatshirt and tank top with no bra, and sleep shorts. Yeah, I’m looking good. It doesn’t stop him from walking toward me. “Are you sick?”
I step back and bump into the counter. “I needed a day off.”
This is impossible. I can’t be near him. Already I want to wrap my arms around his neck and pull him close. What’s wrong with me?
He takes off his suit jacket, folds it, and places it over the back of the couch. He steps closer and drops his keys on the counter. “You haven’t returned my calls.”
“Are you going to break up with me?” I don’t know why I say it. I’m pretty sure we broke up, but I honestly can’t keep track with the back and forth these last few days. And I need to know where we stand. Because I can’t see a happy future without the man I never thought in a million years I would fall in love with, yet I might have to.
Adam puts his hands on the counter on either side of my hips, his head just above mine. “Why would I do a stupid thing like that?”
“Because your friends say you always break up with girls before they break up with you.” And I need for him to stick to that behavior. I broke up with him once. I’m not strong enough to push him away again.
“If you recall, I haven’t had a girlfriend in a while. There’s a reason for that.”
I blink back tears, because dammit, having him close is brutal. I want to press my face to his chest and kiss him. And smell his neck. But I feel like I’m betraying people—or myself. Or him? Darn it. I don’t know. “What reason?”
“I see my future with you. So, no, Hayden, I’m not breaking up with you. That’s the last thing I’ll do.”
I glance up, and the freaking tears come back. I can’t help it: I press my head to his chest and his arms come immediately around me. “I’m so mad at you.”
“I know. But I need you to trust me.”
I reach for his hand, the one wearing the ring, and hold it up. “How can I trust you when you’re keeping this from me? What if I make a choice that tears us apart? Do you have any idea how complicated you’ve made everything by becoming a Blue Star?”
His arms tense around me. “Hayden, for the love of God, please don’t get involved. I know you think what you’re doing is right, but you don’t understand the half of it.” He steps back and scrubs a hand down his face. “It’s dangerous. I’m not telling you about Bliss, because the more you know, the more dangerous it is for you. I don’t trust Paul or Blackwell, and I worry about what Blackwell is capable of.”
“Then why are you supporting him?”
He doesn’t answer, head tipped down.
“Well, I’m a big girl. I can handle myself.”
His head whips up. “Like you did in high school?”
I suck in a breath, my face heating.
His gaze wanders to the side, as though he can’t believe he said it either. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.” He grabs my hand. “I’m trying to make a point, not make you feel bad about the past. I will tell you everything I know as soon as it’s safe.”
“How can I trust you?”
He lifts the hand I’m holding—the one with the Blue Star ring—and kisses my knuckles. “You can kick my ass if I do anything to hurt you.”
“I won’t wait to kick your ass—I’ll simply leave you.”
A flash of fear crosses his eyes, and he swallows. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
“Where?”
