adrianlia bot

broken ballerina and her mobster husband.

“What do you think you’re doing, Lia?” I love the sound of my name on his lips. In fact, I love it so much that I may have leaned closer merely to hear it clearer in the tenor of his voice. Snap out of it, Lia. “Just dinner,” I say with nonchalance.

“Then he asked me to prepare lunch boxes so he could take them to you. After that, he at least started eating dinner. And ever since he married you, he makes the time to eat breakfast and lunch with you, too.” “There are a lot of things that you’ve changed about him.”

This morning, he feels closer somehow. It could be because he didn’t leave before I woke up or because he told me about himself as normal couples do. Wait. We’re not a couple. Right?

“Is she really your fiancée?” Lia’s apathetic tone greets me. I start removing my coat. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” she bites out. “Why not?” “Whether you’re leaving or staying is up to the answer to my question.”

“Are you my shrink now?” “Not your shrink, no. I’m merely trying to understand that part of you better.” I don’t know why that warms my heart, why everything in me becomes even more tender at those words. He shouldn’t care, he really shouldn’t, so why does he?

Will this pull between us ever end? Will there ever be a day where I’ll be in Adrian’s vicinity and not wish to be closer?

His lips twitch in what resembles a smile. “The phone call, Lia.” “Uh…nothing.” “People don’t make phone calls for nothing.” I rack my brain for something because I really don’t want to tell him I was on the verge of hyperventilating due to a visceral nightmare I had about him.

Resting my nose against his scalp, I inhale his marshmallow scent. “I’m going to miss you, my angel.” “It’s okay, Mommy. I’ll play with Papa.” “I’m sure you will.” I straighten and glimpse at Adrian who’s standing behind him. A scowl is etched across his beautiful features.

I love this man, I really do, but he’s so apathetic sometimes, it drives me insane. Well, he’s apathetic most of the time. The moments he’s not are few and far between. Why couldn’t I love someone normal? Oh, right. Because I’m nowhere near normal myself.

It’s been years, six long years, filled with all sorts of things that should’ve turned him off, but he’s never looked at me differently from how he does right now. With raw lust. With a furious need to touch me.

My papa might be heartless, but he’s the best husband and father alive.

Her eyes are wide, lips pale, and chin trembling. She’s obviously scared, but she meets my gaze as she repeats, “Is she your fiancée?” “Whether she is or isn’t doesn’t concern you.” “Of course it concerns me! I will not be the other woman!”

It didn’t even matter when I thought I was a different person. I fell in love with him all the same and I’m starting to think there’s no way out for me after all.

“Does that mean you wouldn’t have…you know…” “Fucked her?” My cheeks heat as I stare at my hands and nod once. “What do you think?” “You have a crazy sex drive…so…it could happen.” The words burn in my throat on their way out.

“Mmm-hmm. But do you know what I love the most about them?” “What?” “How rough they are while still being caring.” She flattens my palm on her beating heart. “See how much I love it?”

I hate to admit that I miss him and his words, no matter how few they are. Since the day at the hospital, he’s been the one person who can get me out of my head.

He sat with me underneath my wool blanket as I watched a mindless movie and then maneuvered my head on his lap so that I was more comfortable. His fingers stroked my hair back in a way that made me nearly purr like a kitten.

“Adrian doesn’t have a weakness.” “Yes, he does. I’m actually surprised you didn’t figure it out.” “What is it?” “The question is who, not what.”

“Lia,” I blurt out, fear getting the better of me. “My name is Lia.” “Lia…” he rolls my name off his tongue with his accent, as if that will give it meaning. “So you’ll pretend you saw nothing tonight, Lia?”