AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nodded. “It wasn’t that bad,” he replied. “Just a few switches here and there.”
I followed his instructions and found an old, percolator-style coffee pot nestled in a cabinet. I filled it with water and coffee grounds, then set it on the stove.
“You slept okay?” he asked as I fiddled with the stove’s controls.
“I did,” I lied. There was no need to worry him further about my nightmares.
“That’s good. We need to keep our strength up.”
I busied myself with the coffee, avoiding his gaze. His casual tone felt unnatural given our circumstances. It was as though we were on some strange holiday rather than on the run from someone trying to murder us.
“You like eggs, right?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Good,” he said, “I managed to find a few in the refrigerator. They seem to be okay.”
“Seem okay?” I asked.
“They’re from a few weeks ago, and I checked the expiration date. They should be alright. You want one?”
"Even with the power off?"
"I don't think the power was off for long. None of the food in the fridge has spoiled."
My stomach grumbled. “Okay.”
He cracked an egg into a frying pan, and soon the smell of sizzling butter filled the room. I watched him move around the kitchen with such familiarity, it was almost as if he’d been here all his life. His movements were fluid, practiced, his broad shoulders slightly hunched as he focused on his task.
His back was to me, leaving me free to observe him without detection. In the soft morning light, I could see the lean lines of his muscles straining against his shirt as he moved. His dark blond hair was slightly tousled from sleep, giving him an irresistibly boyish charm.
It was a shame he was such a dick. Maybe, in another life, we could have been together.
I silently sipped my coffee, its rich aroma filling my senses. It tasted slightly bitter but comforting nonetheless.
“Here,” Tristan said suddenly, placing a plate of eggs in front of me. “I hope they’re okay.”
“They smell great.”
We moved to the living room, where we ate our breakfast—runny eggs over toast—in a companionable silence. I was grateful for Tristan’s easy demeanor, considering how anxious I felt about what was going to happen next.
Tristan took a sip of his coffee before he turned around to look at me. “So you’re telling me,” he said. “Last night, at the pub, those weren’t your dad’s men?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said. “I mean, maybe some of my dad’s men’s men, but I doubt it. I didn’t recognize anyone. Plus, the moment they saw me, they would’ve stopped. They would’ve recognized me, Tristan. No one goes against the Orsini boss’ daughters, right? Not if they value their own head.”
Tristan nodded, his blue eyes narrowing. “But they do have some motivation, correct?” he asked. “Because I…because I said I wouldn’t marry you. Because I told my dad I couldn’t go through with the deal. I mean, our union was supposed to stop decades of war, right? And I balked.”
I shook my head. “I don’t blame you for not wanting to marry me,” I said. “If I were you, I wouldn’t want to marry me either.”
Tristan reached for my hand, halting my self-deprecating words with his warm touch. “Don’t say that,” he said, his voice low but firm. “It’s not about not wanting you, Adriana. It’s about, well…it’s complicated.”
“I know. I’m used to complicated. Did you forget I keep my father’s books?”
He laughed. “No,” he said. “I didn’t.”
I looked at our intertwined fingers, the contrast between his calloused hand and my smooth one strangely comforting. I saw in that moment how Tristan was struggling, just as much as I was. We were both pawns in a game orchestrated by our fathers, a game neither of us wanted to play.
I was silent for a minute, contemplating Tristan’s words. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. Our union had been intended to bridge the gap between the Callahans and the Orsinis, to cease the endless bloodshed and power struggle. Instead, we had potentially ignited a spark that could lead to an all-out war.
