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Tristan looked down, rubbing his forehead with the exhaustion of a man torn. His gaze met mine, those blue eyes full of an array of emotions I had only recently begun to understand. He sighed heavily, a weary sound that resonated deeply within me.
“Alright,” he conceded reluctantly. His gaze never left mine as he spoke the words. Despite the tension in the room, despite his brother’s presence, it felt like we were the only two people in the entire world. “We’ll go home.”
Relief crashed over me in an overwhelming wave, leaving me momentarily breathless. But it wasn’t just relief. Going home meant dealing with whatever it was that we were to each other, and I had no idea how to do that. Our parents would want us to get married, I knew that for sure. But Tristan hadn’t wanted that in the first place, and now I knew the kind of man he was.
I didn’t know how I felt about him yet. I appreciated his protective streak, but there was something about his character that scared me. And yet, when he looked at me, when I saw the fear flicker in his blue eyes, I could see that this man—this complex, beautiful man, the father of my child—was pleading for me to trust him. After everything we’d been through, after all the secrets and lies, could I trust him?
I took a deep breath, trying to steady the rapid pounding of my heart. How did I feel? Was it fear, anger, or something else–something more dangerous and intoxicating? I studied Tristan as he waited for my response, his eyes piercing into mine with an intensity that was almost unbearable. He looked…vulnerable, and the realization sent a shock wave through me.
Tristan Callahan–fearless leader, heir apparent to his father’s empire–was afraid. And it wasn’t the fear that scared me. It was the trust he had placed in me by showing that fear to me.
“Okay. I think you’re right,” I finally echoed, my voice hoarse. “We’ll go home.”
Chapter Twenty-Four: Adriana
Iwasn’t excited to be going home.
I was terrified. The thought of dealing with our families, the Rossis, and everything else that came with our less-than-ordinary lives was overwhelming. But I packed up our things from the hotel room, my hand shaking as I folded clothes and tucked them into suitcases. Every so often, Tristan would look over at me, his blue eyes filled with concern.
“You alright?” he asked after a long silence, his voice soft.
I nodded, tucking a stray tuft of hair behind my ear. “Just...thinking.”
He studied me for a moment, his gaze unwavering. “About what?”
I took a deep breath and sat down on the edge of one of the beds, fiddling nervously with the hem of my shirt. “Everything,” I admitted. “Going home, the baby…”
“Us?” He finished, sitting down next to me.
His proximity made my heart flutter in my chest. I nodded again and bit my lip. “Us.”
“Do you need me to show you how much I want you again?” Tristan said, his hand cupping my cheek. “Because I can show you whenever. Every time you want.”
I looked up at him, our eyes meeting for a moment that felt like an eternity. His gaze was so intense. I swallowed, feeling my throat go dry.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted, the words barely audible. He nodded thoughtfully, his thumb stroking my cheek gently.
“Okay,” he said softly, a touch of melancholy tinting his words. “That’s okay. Do you want me to try?”
“Isn’t Kieran waiting for us?”
“I can make you come quick,” he said. “And Kieran can wait as long as it takes.”
I shook my head, holding back a smile. “How can you always talk like that?”
“Ever since you got pregnant, I’ve been crazy horny for you.”
“That’s not funny,” I replied.
“I wasn’t joking.”
The smirk that danced on his lips told me he wasn’t. I shook my head, pushing him playfully. The tension in the room seemed to dissipate a little as Tristan let out a soft chuckle. It was moments like these when I allowed myself to remember that beneath his ruthless exterior lay a man who was as human as the rest of us–scared, uncertain, and desperately trying to do right by the people he cared for.
His fingers found mine, interlocking our hands together. “Adriana,” he began, his voice low and serious. “I know things have been a mess lately. But I want you to know...no matter what happens, I’m here for you. And our baby.”
I swallowed. “You really want to have sex right now, don’t you?”
“What? No, I was being earnest.”
