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A laugh burst out of King and the sound made Addy smile one of those tentative, unsure smiles. But the more she thought about it, the more the knowledge that this was what was meant to happen solidified within her. The more her muscles relaxed and the raging storm inside her settled.
“I’ll share you with him. I can’t ask you to give up who you are—”
“I’m in love with you too, Adds. Yes, I’m attracted to Liam, yes I want him, and I love him too, but the fact that I’m bisexual doesn’t mean I can’t be monogamous. I chose you because I love you—”
“I know that, and that’s one of the reasons why I know I can tell you it’s okay to do this. I trust you, King. I asked you to tell me if you wanted this friendship between you and Liam to progress, and you called me the moment it nearly went further. You pushed him away because you’re faithful to me.” She paused, knowing she needed to be frank with King, to lay it all out there for him in no uncertain terms, but she had no idea how.
She’d tried to tell him before. Hinted that her feelings ran deeper for the man than were obvious. But there were some things better off left unspoken. Was this one of those times? Confessing that she was in love with Liam too would only muddy the waters. It would complicate things even further, and King deserved better than that. It wasn’t fair to lump that on him too. Adelaide was strong enough to deal with her feelings on her own—she’d had quite a few years’ experience already.
“I didn’t think anything between you two would ever be possible,” she confessed past the lump in her throat. “Maybe that’s why I said to talk to me in the first place. But now hearing you say how sorry you are, I understand the path we’re supposed to take. I want you to have him, King.”
“You want me to have him?” King repeated, disbelief colouring his tone. “Adds—”
“Liam’s a good man. He deserves having someone like you love him. King, you’re an incredible man. I want to give you the world, and if that means opening our relationship up to Liam so you can experience loving him, then that’s what I want for you.”
King was silent except for his heavy breathing. He sounded winded, his breaths choppy. When he spoke, he was unsure, his words slow and unsteady. “You want me to be with Liam too? As in a one-night stand?”
All the uncertainty plaguing her fled. As much as it hurt to want for herself what she was giving permission to King to do, Adelaide knew her actions were right. She loved King as completely as she was capable of. But she wanted more for him. Adelaide had no idea that Liam was attracted to him, but there was one thing she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt—Liam didn’t play games. He was upfront with people. If he was only in it to get off, he put it out there before anything went down. He didn’t fuck around with people’s feelings. So, if he’d made a move on King, it meant something.
“If you both decide you only want to be together the one time, then yes. But if you want more, if you want to be together long term, like you and I are together, then that’s okay too.” Her voice wobbled on the last few words, and she cleared her throat, forcing herself to continue. She squeezed her eyes closed, shoving back the tears. She’d be fine. The pain was temporary, just until she adjusted to her new normal.
“King?” she heard Liam ask. “I’m sorry, I should never have put you in the position to make that call. Tell Addy I’m sorry for hurting her. I never meant to try to make you cheat. I reacted on instinct, and it was wrong.”
“Lee, I…” King started, then paused. “Thank you.”
“Yeah.” There was silence and Adelaide held her breath, waiting to see what King would do. But she didn’t hear a sound. Not even his breathing.
“King, go to him. Kiss him.”Like I would kiss you. Like I would kiss him.“Make each other feel good. Open yourself up to the chance.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Adds.”
“You won’t,” she lied, bracing herself for when the eye of the storm passed.
She held onto the phone, listening to King as he sucked in a breath. She heard a door slam and the surprise in Liam’s voice when he said, “King? I thought—” Their voices were farther away when she heard them speak next, but it was unmistakeably King. She couldn’t make out what he said, but she knew. It was happening. They were together. She hung up, not needing to hear them get intimate. A prickling sensation like pins and needles set in, every pain receptor in her body on high alert, and Adelaide cried.
She didn’t know how long she stood there, but it was long enough that her friend came looking. “Adelaide, oh my god, what’s wrong?” Mallory asked, slipping into the doorway with her and grasping her arm.
Adelaide wiped her eyes and tried to smile. She was sure it looked fake—it was probably more of a grimace than a smile. “I’m fine, but I think I’m gonna go. I’m not really in the mood for company anymore tonight.” With a nod, Mallory fetched Adelaide’s bag while she ordered a rideshare.
She needed to be alone so she could process what was happening. The reality was that she could have triggered a rockslide. Something that would sweep the ground out from below her and leave her battered and bruised. King loved her; she knew that. But what if he loved Liam more? Adelaide wanted to be secure in herself. She wanted to be able to do the very things she’d told King she would do. But fear and insecurity were bitches.
An hour later she was in her rented bedroom, climbing the walls. She had a missed call from King. Was he calling to give her an update? To tell her what they’d done? Visions of Liam naked with King swirled around in her brain. Her insides were in a meat grinder, her breathing short and sharp. She couldn’t suck in a full breath. Over and over she’d told herself that this was good. It was okay. Giving King more love was positive. Him being with Liam should make her happy. She knew that they were meant to be together. It was one thing she was certain of. But it didn’t make it easier to swallow. The crush of pain on her chest was crippling, but the hollowness inside her—the emptiness expanding like a black hole—pushed back. The tears wouldn’t come. Nothing would. She was numb.
She needed to… Adelaide didn’t even know.
She paced. Counted the minutes that passed, unsure of what to do with herself. Should she call him back? Act like nothing was happening? She didn’t know what else to do, but call the one person she knew would understand. Katy. If she wasn’t around, maybe Robyn would be. Both of her friends had been in similar situations. Both had worried about losing their man to another person. In their cases, they’d fallen for the newcomer. Hers was decidedly different on that point.
“Adelaide!” Katy answered on the second ring. There were voices around her, laughter and talking. “You’re missing girls’ night.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll go,” she mumbled, disappointment surging through her. She needed her friend.
“No, no, don’t be silly. Adelaide’s on the phone. Say hi.” A chorus of hellos from Emma, Katy’s cousin-in-law, Helena, Emma’s daughter, and Robyn came through the phone. Robyn asked how she was.
“Yeah, fine,” she choked out.
“No, don’t do that. What’s wrong?” Katy’s tipsy giggles were gone in a flash and her serious side, the one filled with concern, shone. “We’re here for you. I can take you off speaker if you need me to.”
“No, it’s okay unless Helena will understand.”
