ADELINE'S POV
Sex with Dante is great. But what's even better is the fact that he agreed to come with me to this party tonight. And what's even better is that Liam and Naomi will be here today too. I haven't seen Liam in forever since I've been spending a lot of time with Dante lately and I really miss him. Maybe if we have time, we can go on a double date within the week and that is only if my parents don't decide to start occupying my schedule.
It's only a matter of time before they start inviting me to lunches to meet their investor friends. My parents may not like my guts but they sure like to brag about the fact that their daughter is the most well-known therapist in all of New York.
As Dante pulls up to the parking lot with his car, my eyes widen at the number of cars present here already. We're about an hour late and that was my fault because I was so nervous and on the verge of changing my mind about coming here in the first place, but right now, with all these cars, I can tell there'll be a lot of people in this massive hall my parents rented and having to socialize with all those people is making me nauseated already.
As Dante, opens the passenger's door for me, I hold on to his hand, squeezing on it pretty tight as I take deep breaths. If I don't calm down right now, I'm going to lose my shit.
"I think we should go back." I start saying as I reach for the passenger's door.
"We're already here Adeline." Dante says intertwining our fingers and just that little gesture warms my heart and calms me down a little.
"Inviting me to this party was whole trap. They're going to announce to people that I'm getting married to Adrian Wellington. Hell, they might have started announcing it already. I don't think I can handle all that Dante." I say as I start breathing heavily.
Dante stands in front of me and grabs my cheeks in his palms. "Hey, look at me." He says with a voice so soft and full of worry that I can't help but avert my gaze to his brown and blue eyes. The lights reflect in his eyes giving him a sort of haunting but magnificent look. I take in deep breaths as I feel myself start to calm, distracted by his eyes.
"I would love to get you in that car and drive you back home this instant. But are you going to let you parents walk all over you or are you going to show them who's boss Adeline? I know it's hard but I need you to walk in there and let them know that there's no one else in charge of your life but yourself." He looks into my eyes deeply, his attempt at giving me a boost of confidence working as I nod my head slowly.
I stood up for myself once the first time my parents just met Dante. Dante was there and I had a sudden burst of Adrenaline and confidence. I know it's not a good thing that the only time I can face my parents is when Dante is with me but I'm working on it. Dante's right. I can either continue fearing what my parents think about me, or I can stand up for myself.
My parents need to learn boundaries and if they've told people in this fundraising party that I'm getting married to Adrian Wellington then they're about to be very disappointed when I show up with Dante.
"Can you do that baby?" He asks. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath, wrapping my hands around his biceps, building up all the courage and confidence that I would need to go against my parents tonight.
"Let's go." I say confidently and flash him a smile that says 'thank you'.
He leads us to the entrance and my heart starts beating faster because I was half expecting that my parents had ordered the guards to not let Dante in, in case I showed up with him but I immediately calm down and my heart starts beating normally again when they let us through n questions asked.
I guess my parents aren't as petty as I thought they were. I keep my hands wrapped around Dante's tightly as we walk into the grand hall together. Everything smells of richness as we step into a sea of chattering people. it's even more massive inside than it is from the outside and the amount of people inside this hall surprises me because I know my parents do not know this many people. And then it hits me. This is Adrian's influence.
I don't want to fed into his ego but Adrian Wellington a big shot in the world my parents live in. I'm sure as soon as people found out he would be attending this fund-raising party, and as soon as they found out he is associated with my parents, they all couldn't wait to get their expensive asses in here.
I tighten my hands around Dante's as he starts to lead us further into the party, a stern look on his face as he scans the room in a calculating manner. I've never felt safer around anyone else.
"Adeline!" I immediately hear a familiar high-pitched voice making me close my eyes shut as I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Here I was thinking I would have some more time to spend with Dante alone but now, along comes my mother, walking towards me with a smile that is no doubt fake. She sure knows how to put on a show and even if we're not exactly on good terms right now, she won't hesitate to fake all of us being a happy family and brag to everyone here about how much of a success her daughter is.
"You made it." She says when she reaches us, greeting me with a hug, something that my mother barely ever does and I immediately know something is up. I know my mother is up to something tonight because she never hugs me. She never hugs anyone. I scan the room as I wrap my hands around her frame, trying to see if I can find Liam and Naomi anywhere.
I spot my dad with a group of men at one side of the room, a massive smile on his face as he explains something which is no doubt about his new company to the men in front of him. This is not my scene and I would do anything to run out of here and curl up in my sheets with Dante's hands wrapped protectively around me.
"And I see you brought your little play thing with you." Dante glowers, his eyes scanning my mother from head to toe but his face stays stern, showing no emotion except from the deadly look in his eyes.
"Mother please. This is not the time and place for…"
"Oh look. It's Adrian." My mother cuts me off and walks past Dante and I, greeting a smiling Adrian. I glance at Dante and shoot him an apologetic look. He's here after all because of me and it's my fault that he has to stand and listen to my mother insult him all night. I know Dante won't fake a smile to be polite and part of me sort of likes it. There's nothing to smile about the way my mother is talking to him anyways.
He places his arm around my waist as Adrian walks towards us. Adrian's eager eyes scan me from head to toe and I immediately feel uncomfortable. He has a nice face, but there's a predatory look in his eyes that I can't seem to put my finger on. Where Dante's eyes are sometimes scary intentional and I know he would never hurt me, Adrian's eyes are empty even if he has a smile on his face and it males me think he's the type of person who would hurt anyone if only it got him what he wanted.
I don't know how I didn't see it the first time I met Adrian. I was probably so distracted with my parents but now, the look in his eyes is as clear as day. I'm a therapist. It's my job to know people based on their physical appearance and I know I'm right when I say I have a bad feeling about Adrian.
It's either that or I'm just a scared and paranoid girl.