Page 57 of Adonis: The Cost of a Billionaire's Heart
I took a deep breath and opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?”
An hour and a half later, my small coffee table was a pleasant disaster of instructions and tiny LEGO pieces as the three of us assembled Mason’s new rocket ship set piece by piece.
“Okay, lil man,” Adonis said with a playful tone in his voice. “We’re almost done. Just put that last piece right there.”
Mason’s small hands gripped the plastic piece, determined to follow Adonis’s directions to the letter.
I couldn’t help but laugh to myself at how focused he was. “You’re such a great helper, Mase,” I encouraged.
The complex LEGO building kit, which was way too advanced for a four-year-old but still cool as hell, took shape with Adonis patiently guiding Mason through every step. I watched in awe, heart swelling three times its size.
As the night stretched on even further past his bedtime, Mason’s blinks seemed to grow slower as the minutes ticked by. I giggled softly, watching the repetition of his head drop forward and shoot back up, only to droop again.
“I think the little astronaut has finally tapped out.”
Adonis looked at him with a grin. “Lil man worked hard tonight.”
“And played even harder.”
Before I could fix my lips for a response, he scooped Mason into his strong arms with ease. Mason nestled his face against Adonis’s chest as if on instinct. I followed closely behind as he carried my son to his bedroom. I stepped forward, pulling back the covers before he gently laid him down and tucked him in.
“Sweet dream, my little astronaut,” I whispered.
“Night, night, lil man.”
Mason stirred at the sound of Adonis’s baritone voice, slowly blinking up at him. Then, with a sleepy smile, he muttered, “Night, Mr. H.”
My heart swelled another size larger.
Adonis leaned in, brushing a hand lightly over Mason’s curls before stepping back and turning toward me. Our gazes connected in a silent understanding. I could see it in his eyes that he meant every word he’d written on that contract. He wanted to solidify his place and stay in our lives for good.
As we stepped out of Mason’s bedroom, I lingered in the doorway for a second or two, watching him sleep peacefully. A relief-driven sigh flew past my lips as I gently eased the door closed. I turned to see Adonis leaning against the wall, chilling—not rushing me to talk about my feelings or the contract I still hadn’t acknowledged, not assuming shit was sweet between us since we’d been building with Mason over the last couple of hours. He just patiently waited for me.
The place was quiet, just the faint cartoon voices on the TV in the living room playing in the background. I leaned lightly against the wall next to him, my eyes searching for a clue in the dark hallway of what to expect next. A small part of me felt like I should’ve stayed with my son. Locked the door and held him as he slept. Because standing against the wall next to Adonis had my stomach in knots. Even after everything blowing up in my face the way it did, I still felt tethered to him in ways I couldn’t explain, and it didn’t matter how many times I told myself otherwise. But now, there was no more adorable four-year-old buffer between us. We had to talk.
“You were really great with him tonight,” I acknowledged. “He loves that rocket.”
His broad shoulders gave a half shrug, though the look in his eyes told me there was more to what he didn’t say. “Kudos to you for raising such a dope kid. It’s easy to show up for him.”
I eased out a breathy laugh through my nostrils while swinging my head in a no. “Thanks, but it’s far from easy. Motherhood is the hardest job I’ve ever had.”
“And I want both of you to know I’m here to make that job easier now. I’m not going anywhere, Sim, unless you tell me to. Maybe not even then.”
My heart stuttered in my chest.
I hadn’t taken a minute to consider what I expected when I met Adonis, bawling my eyes out in the elevator—if I was even looking for someone to step into this battlefield of landmines I’d learned to navigate since bringing Mason into the world. But this? His understanding of my situation, his involvement with my son, the way he carried Mason to bed as if he’d been doing it from day one . . .
Adonis reached out, his long fingers brushing lightly against my waist. The gesture was both hesitant and intentional.
“I meant that shit, Sim,” he said quietly. “I’m here. For both of you. If you’ll let me.”
Before I had sense enough to stop myself, I tilted my body into his, gently resting my head against his chest.
“I know,” I finally admitted. “And I think that’s what frightens me the most.”
My eyelids drifted shut for a moment, allowing the sureness of his confession to settle deep into my bones. And for the first time, I gave myself permission to believe him. I couldn’t lie, feeling Adonis’s warmth against my skin did something to me. His unwavering presence calmed my spirit in ways I still hadn’t been able to mentally process, let alone string my feelings into words.
A slow exhale escaped my lips when I felt him slowly start to pull away. He stepped back and slipped his hand into his pocket. I glanced up at his face. Adonis stared down at me, his eyes dark and soft. My brows downturned slightly as I watched him draw in and exhale a long, weighted breath.
