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“No, Ade,” he said. “You don’t…you don’t have to marry me.”
“What?”
My heart stumbled at his words. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice suddenly small compared to the thundering in my ears. “Are you…are you breaking up with me?”
“Breaking up with you? We’re not even a couple,” he said quickly, his blue eyes wide and anxious. “God, no, Adriana. I’m not…I wouldn’t...” He sighed, running a hand through his dark blond hair.
“What are you saying, then?”
“I’m saying that you don’t have to marry me out of obligation or because it’s a smart move for the family business. We’re going to have children together.”
“You can’t be backing out again.”
He sighed, his shoulders shaking. “Ade, be reasonable,” he replied. “That’s alliance enough.”
Chapter Thirty-Five: Adriana
Silence filled the room, hanging heavily between us. His words echoed in my head, causing my heart to pump faster. He didn’t want to marry me? I felt a sharp sting, even if it was something I had been aware of from the start. But hearing him say it out loud was unexpectedly painful.
"I thought..." My voice was barely a whisper; I had to clear my throat before speaking again. "I thought you wanted this, too."
He looked at me, his eyes softer now. "I do," he said, kneeling at the edge of the bed. “But not at the expense of your safety.”
I felt a jolt of pain at his words. A sting of rejection. What did he mean we weren't even a couple? Hadn't we forged something deeper, something more intimate than just a business arrangement? My mind replayed every shared glance, every heated touch, and the warmth that had started to bloom in the pit of my stomach when I thought about him.
"I…" I began, but the words caught in my throat. His gaze was heavy on mine, and I felt like an open book under his scrutiny. Those piercing blue eyes seemed to see too much, to strip me bare with their intensity.
"I didn't agree to marry you just for the business," I said finally, my voice shaky but resolute. "We are having children together and whether or not you want to believe it, there is something between us. Something more than just this family alliance."
Tristan let out a slow breath, looking away for a moment before his gaze met mine again. "I don’t care about my duty, or your father’s threats, or a rat in the Orsini op. I care about you, Ade. I care about our children. I love you,” he said. “So you’re off the hook. I’ll help you flush this person out and then we can figure the rest out.”
I felt my eyes filling with tears. “I want to marry you.”
“No, you don’t. I kidnapped you, almost killed a man in front of you, let you get taken away by Nick Rossi, and then asked your father for your hand without even seriously asking you if you wanted to marry me. You should be with someone you love. Someone who leaves you breathless when you think about him, not…a Callahan. You don’t deserve the Callahan curse in your life, Ade.”
I stared at him, my heart pounding against my ribs as if it were trying to escape. This was Tristan–the man who had stormed into my life like a hurricane, the man who was soon going to be the father of my kids–telling me I deserved better. It was as if he was trying to absolve himself of something. But what? His grip on my hand tightened, and his eyes met mine with a look of grim determination.
“Ade,” he murmured, his voice grating with an emotion I’d never heard him express before. “You deserve more than this…than me.”
“But…” I started, my voice faltering in my throat. A torrent of emotions swirled within me—fear, confusion, love. Love? Yes, love. “I love you.”
His eyes widened for a second. His mouth opened a little, and for a second, I though he was about to cry. He composed himself quickly. “Okay. And?”
"And?" I repeated, dumbfounded. Tears spilled over my cheeks, the salty drops slipping unnoticed down my face. "What do you mean and? And…I don't care about any of those things. Yes, you kidnapped me. Yes, you almost killed a man in front of me. But what's dangerous about you…it also makes me feel safe. You make me feel safe. You don’t scare me."
His piercing blue eyes stared at me, his expression unreadable. His hand gripped mine tighter, and I saw a flurry of emotions pass through his gaze before it hardened into that stoic mask again. “I should.”
We remained in a deadlock, our hands locked, our eyes glued to each other. The silence that filled the room was so heavy I could almost taste it. A knock echoed from the door before it swung open with a gust of cold air. The intrusion was as unexpected as it was unwelcome, snapping the thread of whatever emotional connection we had left.
“Who has keys?” Tristan asked me, his hand immediately going to the pocket where he kept his gun.
“Only my family,” I said, sitting up. “Carm?”
“Hey,” Carmen said, her gaze darting between us as she arrived at my bedroom, looking frazzled. “Dad said you were back. I came here as soon as I heard. Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I said. “Just really tired.” My response was automatic, a poor attempt to repel the waves of unease that rippled through me at her sudden presence.
Carmen nodded, taking off her scarf. “Yeah, being pregnant will do that to you.”
