ADELINE'S POV
"I miss you so fucking much. Fuck I miss you. I want us to get married as soon as possible. I want you to be my wife." As Adrian speaks, holding me in his arms in a tight hug, I start thinking that the protectiveness he felt towards me has slowly turned into obsession. It also makes me think something is really wrong. He canceled on church and then he just suddenly barged into my office today while I was talking with a patient which was very ride but of course I didn't tell him that.
"Why did you cancel on Sunday Adrian?" I ask him as he still holds me in his arms. He lets go of me and starts pacing back and forth in my office. Then he comes abruptly to a stop in front of me and my heart starts beating frantically in my chest.
"He's not here to protect me anymore. I have a lot of enemies and he's the only one I trusted to protect me. To protect us and now he's not here anymore and I'm just so worried cause someone might hurt me. Someone might hurt you." I look at him with curiosity in my eyes and honestly some fear too because I have no idea what he's talking about and I've never seen him so out of character.
Also, I didn't think in a million years that if Adrian had a problem, I would be the one he would confide in.
"Adrian, what are you talking about?" I ask, walking towards him slowly. I'm surprised he actually lets me place my hands on his cheeks. He closes his eyes and breathes me in.
"Xavier, my bodyguard. He's missing and I think someone killed him." He blurts out and my stomach turns in an unpleasant way at the mention of death.
"What?" I ask, shocked at the news I'm just hearing. If I remember correctly, Xavier is the same bodyguard who kept following Dante and I around. The same bodyguard who kept following me around and a dreadful though crosses my mind. I don't know why but the idea that Dante has something to do with it just popped into my head, but I quickly shake away the thought.
"Let's not jump into conclusions. You said he's missing. Maybe he's taking a short hiatus and he just forgot to inform you." I say.
"No." Adrian shakes his head aggressively. "You don't understand. It's Xavier. He doesn't take holidays on short notice. He's been with me for three years and not once has he been absent. Something is wrong and I just know someone killed him, Adeline. I know it. Look I want you to move in with me." He says.
"You want me to what?" He's dumping everything at me so fast I don't even have time to respond and then it hits me. He's probably using Xavier's death as an excuse to try and manipulate me into moving in with him.
"It'll be safe Adeline. Look I know you just got out of a relationship and you're not ready to take certain steps with me but we're engaged for crying out loud and I know barely nothing about you. We don't even have to stay in the same room fi you don't want. I'll just feel better knowing you're safe with me." He says and he has a good point. After all, I am his fiancée, but I if I move in with him, it'll be more difficult for Dante and I to spend time together and that's what scares me.
"I don't think that's such a good idea Adrian." I start saying and then he cuts me off.
"Look I didn't want to use this against you but part of the contract your parents signed stated that once we were engaged you had to move in with me so whether you like it or not, you have an obligation to and-"
"Are you fucking serious right now?" His hold on my hands tighten as I cut him off and a sinister and impatient look crosses his eyes.
I start to think that maybe moving in with him might be a good idea. I wanted to snoop in his things anyway and find out about all the skeletons he probably has in his closet. If his bodyguard is missing and probably dead, it only means one thing. Adrian Wellington is a terrible person.
His face softens as if he just got back to his senses and now there's an innocent and pleading look on his face.
"Please baby. Just think about it okay?" I almost flinch and throw up from the word 'baby' leaving his lips. I nod my head slowly despite the fear and anger in my chest. He leans in to kiss me and my heart beat starts to rise. I immediately start looking for something to say and an excuse when Liam pushes open my office door and walks in. I have no idea what he's doing here but he literally just saved my life because Adrian suddenly jumps back, startled at the interruption.
"Oh shit. I'm sorry." He says when he notices how close Adrian and I are.
"Never mind. I was just leaving." Adrian walks out of my office in a haste and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding once he's gone. Liam walks in and the look on his face makes me roll my eyes because he looks worried and I honestly just want a break. I'm not in the mood for any more drama. I think I'm going to have a headache.
Liam almost never comes to my office. If he's here then something's definitely wrong.
"I saw Dante." He says and I snap my eyes towards him. "Isn't he supposed to be out of the country Adeline?"
"What? Where did you see him?" I ask immediately.
"At some really private gym. Did you know he was still in town Adeline?" His brows raise in suspicion and I scoff, looking for a way to cover up my own lies. I turn and head towards my seat, in an attempt to keep my eyes away from his.
"What? Of course not. He told me he was out of the country." I lie. This is my chance to tell Liam everything, to come clean about what Dante and I are doing yet I'm ruining that chance by lying again straight to his face.
He stays silent for a while before he finally lets out a breath and takes a seat. "I punched him you know."
I almost laugh. "You what?" I know Liam is not a violent person but then again, he's my best friend and he thinks Dante broke my heart. I guess he was just protective but I just can't help but visualize the look on Dante's face when Liam punched him.
"Yeah, I know." Liam says with a scoff. "I was just so mad, and I expected him to hit me back honestly but he just stood there. You know he said he loves you."
My heart falls to my stomach. "He did?"
"Yeah, and I believed him. I know it sounds weird and I have no idea what happened between you two but I'm a guy and trust me, I can tell when another guy is in love. Which I why I'm here because I think there's something you're not telling me. What really happened between you two?"
This is my second chance in one day to tell him the truth, but I just can't. He'll never let me push through with what Dante and I are doing. I stare at him for a few seconds because I just got tongue-tied and I need to think very carefully about my next words before lying to him.
"Look Addie. I know you, okay? You're loke my sister and trust me when I say I can tell when something is wrong. This whole thing between you, Dante and Adrian is all a bit to sketchy for me to believe. You're like a sister to me and I know something's wrong. I don't know why you think you can't trust me but I promise that you can okay? Whatever it is just tell me."
"Liam…" I start saying and he looks at me eagerly. I almost tell him the truth but then my mouth snaps shut. I can do this all by myself without being a burden to my best friend. He has his own girlfriend to worry about and I refuse to be a burden to him.
"Everything's fine Liam. I know this is all so sudden but I'm okay. I just need you to believe that everything's fine and I'm okay." That's all I can muster up because I can't bring myself to tell him any more lies.
He shakes his head and leans back in his seat, a look of disappointment on his face. "Well, that's the problem Addie. I don't believe you."
We stare at each other in silence before he stands and silently walks out of my office. I knew he was going to see right through me. It was only a matter of time and now my best friend knows I'm lying to him and I hate myself for it.