DANTE'S POV
Adeline had to leave early for work at noon today but before she left, we took some of her things to my place where she'll be staying with me for as long as she likes. I don't usually like people invading my personal space, but ever since Adeline became mine, I suddenly want her all over my stuff.
I want to see her wearing my oversized t-shirts and I want my sheets to smell like her. I need her to live with me. Forever. I want to keep her. She stood up to her father yesterday and I'm so proud of her but she also did it in a very hot way which has made me not be able to stop thinking about her all day.
Today I decided to take my chances and try to track down one of the other middle men numbers that I was able to find and to my surprise, one of the numbers was suddenly back online. I don't want to expose myself and go hunting this guy so the best thing to do from home right now, is to hack his call logs and messages.
It'll take about the entirety of today to do that because his service line is well protected but it's nothing I can't pull off. I need to keep moving forwards and finding new leads so I don't end up with dead ends when I finally decide to start hunting these people again.
I was going to wait till Adeline's parents were gone but it seems she wants to have nothing to do with them anymore. So, I'll lay low for about another month, gathering information about everything I can.
I also need to get information on this Adrian Wellington guy. I was observing him last night just as Adeline was and I'm sure she has noticed it already. This Adrian guy had a dark look cross his eyes last night that was far from normal. I know I sound extreme but I'm really good at reading people and I'm not even trying to brag. I don't trust the guy and it's not just because Adeline's parents want him to marry their daughter so bad.
I'm worried because of how calm he's able to stay in a situation that definitely no doubt pisses him off. It doesn't only piss him off, it makes him furious and I saw it in his eyes last night. What makes me recognize the look in his eyes so much is because I know the look all too well.
It's the look I give to my victims just before I plan out all the ways I want to make them suffer. This man is dangerous and I want to know just how much of a threat he is. He didn't even flinch when Adeline kissed me yesterday. He just fixed his gaze at us with a sick look covering his features.
Maybe I'm wrong and he's just a rich brat, but my hunch is almost never wrong and I need to find a way to find everything I can about him online so can start hacking him.
I know I sound like a paranoid, love-sick obsessive stalker but I would do anything to protect Adeline from anyone who would ever try to hurt her. As I sit in my work space in a room upstairs, going through Adrian Wellington's Instagram and Facebook, I start to get bored as I can't seem to find anything particular out of place on all of his social media.
He keeps a clean profile, with pictures that show only his family and close friends, while other pictures are solely about business. It's almost too perfect. I decide to scroll down to some of his first ever pictures posted on Instagram and my eyes widen when I notice the person standing right next to him.
Adrian has his hand wrapped around the shoulders of a man I know all to well. All the color probably drains from my face, my blood stops running through my veins and my heart thumps in my chest as I start to brainstorm the implications of what I have just found out.
It could be an innocent picture, the man beside him could be just an acquaintance but that's pretty hard to believe given how close they are and the big smile Adrian Wellington has planted on his face. If what I'm seeing concours with what I'm thinking then Adrian Wellington is another sick piece of shit who needs to be put away from this world in the most painful way possible.
I had doubts about him but nothing could have prepared me for what I just found out. Now I have even more reason to keep Adeline away from that fool. I really hope my doubts are wrong and I wanted to keep a low profile but with what I know now, I have a feeling I'm going to have to start hunting people down again.
And the top person on my list right now is Adrian Wellington.
About two weeks ago, I killed a man who had a helpless girl on his bed he was no doubt about to rape. And now I just saw Adrian Wellington in a picture with that same man from about two years ago. A picture where they seem close. A picture that changes everything. If Adrian Wellington was close to this man, then he may or may not have something to do with the organization I'm tracking down.
I need to find out everything there is to know about Adrian and the relationship he had with this man. I quickly print out the picture I just found and keep it tucked into a drawer under my table.
Adrian Wellington is a powerful man in the real world. He's filthy rich and I won't be surprised if he's even one the investors that middle man was telling me about. I was supposed to keep a low profile, I was supposed to use this little time I have on Adeline but I guess Adrian had other plans for me.
I lean back in my seat and run my hands aggressively through my hair as my anger starts to get directed at Adeline's parents instead. I don't want to blame them but they seem like powerful people who wants the best and only the best for their daughter. They should have done more research before just planning to give away their daughter to whoever just for the power and influence.
If I weren't in Adeline's life, she would have probably said yes to the marriage. She would have married a fucking monster if all what I just fount out is true. In my secret room I see Adeline's car pull up in my drive way and I quickly put everything in place and get out of the room.
I won't be able to answer her questions if she comes in here and asks me why I'm stalking Adrian Wellington. The more I evolve with her, the more secrets I have to keep from her and it breaks my heart to pieces but if I let her in, I'd be putting her in danger and I'm sacred she'll leave me. She won't understand why is it I do what I do.
She'll think I'm a monster and maybe I am but she doesn't have to know that side of me. I walk out of the room and downstairs. Her face immediately lights up when she spots me. She jumps and wraps her legs around my waist and I carry her easily into the house with a wide grin on my face.
"I suppose this means you had a good day today." I say setting her down gently. I watch her take off her heels with a smile on her face as she walks closer to me and wraps an arm around my waist.
"I was able to get through to my patient today. I think he's finally letting me help him." She lays her head on my chest and breathes heavily. I don't think anyone really realizes how demanding Adeline's job is. She needs to have a very high level of empathy to be able to help all the people she does. She constantly has to put herself in her patient's shoes and relive horrible stories just so she can find a way to help them.
She takes care of so many people but who takes care of her? That's exactly why I'm here now.
"It's so sad what people have to go through Dante. It's a cruel world we live in." She says.
"I know baby. I know." She has no idea how much I understand. "If you ever want to talk about anything, I want you to know I'm here to listen. I'm always here to listen."
She looks up at me with teary eyes, in a vulnerable way I've never seen before and it activates some sort of primal male urge in me. I want to always be there for her. I would protect this woman with everything I have.
"You're so good to me Mr. Russo. Why?" She asks.
"I care about you Adeline. I have from the moment I laid my eyes on you. Call it destiny or whatever you want but I genuinely care about you. You're my person now and I would do anything for you. Anything Adeline. I want you to know you can count on me. I am always here."
She breathes heavily as she looks me in the eyes. A tear leaks from her eyes and she breaks out in a sob as she buries her face in my chest.
"I'm just so tired Dante. I just want my parents to accept me for who and what I am. I'm tired of always trying to please them. I know I act tough about all this but I love them. At the end of the day, they're still my parents. I'm just tired of trying to be perfect for them." She says with a cracked voice.
"Hey, look at me princess." I say cupping her cheeks gently as I raise her gaze to mine. "You're an incredible woman Adeline. If your parents can't see that, then that's really unfortunate and it's their loss. You have tried and lived all your life for them. It's time for you to live for you now. No one else. Do you what you love, step out of the shell you parents have put you in. It's a cruel world Adeline, but it's also a beautiful world. Don't hold bank anymore. I want you to shine baby and through it all, I'll be right here cheering you on."
I finish with a smile and plant my lips to hers.