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I step around her, giving her a wide berth so I don’t brush against her. “For now, I’ll leave it alone, but I won’t forever. Get whatever you need done, done because once my own business is handled, we are going hunting.”
I don’t wait to hear if she will comply or not before I turn and head back to my bedroom. All of this defiance grates on me, and the need to control rises up enough that I’ll need to work out or hit a punching bag to take some of the edge off. Or else I’ll end up taking my rage out on my men. Like Kai.
Hot stinging guilt winds its way into my chest. Since Valentina showed up, I’ve done nothing but treat Kai poorly. If he wouldn’t fail me, I wouldn’t be doing so, but here we are, stuck in a vicious circle.
When I’d pulled up the video feeds, I saw them together in the hallway…him handing her something while looking grimmer than usual. I’ll keep that under wraps for now as long as Valentina starts being a little more forthcoming. I already know she won’t let me hurt Kai for her sake, so…if I have to, I’ll put a gun to his head and force him to his knees all over.
My angel is going to give me answers whether she likes it or not.
11
VALENTINA
The second he left, it felt like the air had been sucked out of our bedroom. The ruin of our bedroom after Adrian let loose his rage on it. Strangely, even though the décor and glass flew around precariously close to me, not for one second did I feel unsafe. Before…I couldn’t even walk into the same room as Sal without the ice fingers of dread creeping up my spine.
I lie on my side in our bed, which still smells like him. My skin feels clammy and sticky, but I don’t care. Even the faint throb in my neck reminding me I’m stuck here forever is more of a relief than anything else.
Or it would be. I spread my fingers across my still flat belly. At some point, I’ll need to speak to the doctor Adrian seems to keep stashed around here in a closet. Worse…I’ll have to tell Adrian and face whatever that flavor of his rage looks like. It’s not like I have a choice.
I peek over my shoulder at the clock, an ugly ornate thing I’ve never liked. Pity he didn’t smash that in his redecorating. It’s early in the morning. As if reminding me, my stomach lets out a large gurgle. Soon, I’ll have to venture out and find something to eat. For now, though, all I want to do is lie in this bed and savor the still lingering warmth his body left behind. The scent of him. The feel of his naked skin against my own.
A shiver rolls through me, and I curl sideways to grab the bunched-up bedding on the floor. Once I shake some glass from the folds, I drag it over my body. It smells like him too, and I inhale that spicy ginger scent of him all over. Gods, I love that smell. I love him. More than anything.
A slippery spiral of guilt worms through me. I left to protect our baby, and I left to protect him as well. Now that I don’t have a choice to leave again, I’ll have to trust him. Trust that he’s stronger than I’m giving him credit for. Trust he’s not the monster so many people told me he was when we first met. Not that I’ve seen any hint of that man since we’ve been married.
Is he stubborn? Volatile? Overbearing? Of course. But he’s never made me feel like a lesser person than him. Never made me feel like he’d hurt me for the enjoyment of it.
Or am I trying to rationalize things out of my own fear? I don’t know.
I clutch the blankets into a bunch and tuck them under my cheek, settling into the pillow to think about it more. Just as I let my eyes close, the door of our bedroom bursts open to hit the wall behind it with a heavy thud.
Adrian marches in, seemingly oblivious to the glass littering the floor, despite wearing nothing but his underwear.
Even with his handsome face lined in anger, he’s breathtaking.
I sit up, letting the covers fall into my lap. “Be careful. You’ll get glass in your feet.”
His only answer is to scowl at me. Then he tosses something on the bed and plants his fists down to surround it.
I’m not sure if I’m supposed to look at what he’s hovering over or if I should stay still and wait to learn what else I’ve done to upset him.
“What do you have to say about this?” He stands and waves at the object.
