Page 48 of False Heir

“Best for us? Or just playing it safe?” His tone was a mix of hurt and accusation. “You’re thinking about the twins, about what happens if I—“

“Stop!” I cut him off, my own fears clawing their way to the surface. “I can’t lose you to this madness, Tristan. Your self-destructive path ends with me standing over your grave, and our children asking why they never got to meet their father.”

He took a step closer, the distance between us shrinking until I could feel the heat of him, even through the layers of our clothing. I hadn’t even put on my coat before storming out. “Then help me,” he pleaded, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that didn’t quite mask the desperation within. “Help me change the outcome. I can’t do this without you.”

Before I could argue further, he reached out, cradling my face in his hands, and kissed me with a fervor that spoke volumes more than words ever could.

Despite everything inside of me wanting–so much–to give in, I pulled away from him.

“I won’t be another one of your pawns, Tristan,” I spat out, the words like shards of ice. “I make my own choices.”

“Adriana, you’re not understanding—“

“No, you don’t understand!” My hands, trembling with a cocktail of anger and fear, found the solid wall of his chest and pushed. He stumbled back, a look of shock etched across his face that mirrored the ache in my heart. The space between us grew, filled only by the harsh whisper of our breaths forming misty clouds in the air.

“Respect me, Tristan,” I demanded, my voice unsteady but fierce. “Respect my autonomy. I’m not just an extension of your will.”

He recovered his balance and looked at me, those eyes that held storms and secrets now clouded with pain. “Ade, I do respect you, more than anyone,” he said, his voice low and threaded with hurt. “But I’m trying to protect what’s ours. I’m scared to death of turning into my father, of failing you, the twins...everyone.”

“By controlling everything around you?” I countered, wrapping my arms around myself against the chill and the vulnerability that threatened to crack me open.

“By trying to keep the chaos at bay, yes.” He ran a hand through his short-cropped hair, a gesture of frustration I’d come to recognize. “I know I’ve got this darkness in me, Ade. I’m fighting it, every damn day, for you, for our family. But I’m terrified that it’s not enough.”

“Then let me in, Tristan,” I pleaded, my resolve softening as I saw the man beneath the authority, the uncertainty behind the confidence. “Share the burden, don’t just shoulder it alone. That’s what partners do.”

He looked away, his jaw clenching as he fought with whatever demon was gnawing at him from the inside. The silence stretched out between us, and I could almost hear it cracking.

“Last night...” Tristan finally began, breaking the quiet with a voice that sounded like it was dragged over gravel. “It’s better if you don’t know. There are things in my world, Adriana, dark things that I don’t want touching you.”

My frustration flared up again, hot and blinding. “This is exactly what I’m talking about!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. “You can’t keep me in the dark and expect me to be okay with it. I’m not just some damsel in distress; I’m your partner—in life, in everything, remember?”

He met my gaze then, his blue eyes intense even as they swam with something unspoken. “I remember,” he said quietly. “But this... it’s complicated. It’s ugly. And it’s not just about protecting you—it’s about protecting what we have.”

“Tristan, that doesn’t work for me. Not knowing doesn’t keep me safe, it keeps me scared. We can’t live like this, always on the edge of a secret warzone,” I argued, my heart hammering against my chest.

“Listen,” he started, but I cut him off.

“Can we even survive this?” My voice broke, betraying the emotional exhaustion gnawing at my core. “Do we even truly understand each other?”

He reached for me then, his hand hesitating in the air between us. I wanted to lean into his touch, to let his warmth chase away the cold uncertainty that had settled in my bones. But I stayed rooted to the spot, needing him to see me, to really see the woman standing before him.

“Understanding each other isn’t our problem, Ade,” he said, his words wrapping around me even as his arms didn’t. “We understand each other. I just need you to trust me.”

“If you need to trust you, then how come you don’t seem to trust me?”

He shook his head. “It isn’t about that.”

“Tristan,” I whispered, “I want to trust you more than anything. But love has to be built on more than just desire and whispered promises in the dark.”

His eyes searched mine, the blue depths revealing a storm of emotions he so rarely let show. “I know,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “And I’m going to prove it to you. Every day, every moment, until you have no doubt left.”

Before I could respond, he closed the distance between us, pulling me into his arms with a ferocity that left me reeling. His lips met mine with a passion that seared through my defenses, igniting a fire that consumed all thoughts of caution. The world fell away, leaving only the two of us locked in an embrace that spoke volumes.

The kiss was endless, a promise and a plea, a testament to the depth of his feelings. But as his mouth moved over mine with a fervor that left me breathless, a part of me held back, clinging to the harsh reality that love alone couldn’t shield us from the dangers lurking in our shadows.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. Tears blurred my vision, drops of raw emotion that I couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Tristan,” I said, my voice shaking, “this...as much as I love this, it isn’t enough.”

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