Page 234 of Bona Fide

“Goodnight, Tsarina. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He hangs up, I stride to my bathroom that adjoins my bedroom, brush my teeth, and remove my earrings while staring at myself in the mirror.

It’s not the first time I don’t recognize myself.

I seem to change like a chameleon to my surroundings and the things going on in my life just to keep myself safe.

With Wade, I threw myself out there just to be thrown back.

I understand his fears. I’m aware of how he doesn’t want me to be harmed, also add on that he just buried a wife.

My selfish needs seem to overpower anything that he may be going through, and I need to rid myself of those things. I’ve never felt so enraptured by someone before. Jed was my first, I wanted Wade to be my last. Regardless of his position, it was surprisingly easy to overlook.

Just not easy to overcome.

It’s been over a week since he told me he loved me but couldn’t take me on. Seven days of my trying to react and function like a normal person. I haven’t gone to the bar to have someone fuck the memories out of my brain. Nor have I rebounded back to an old flame.

Wade wants me to thrive. I long for him to find some peace. We both know that out here, in this big and nasty world, that we’ll always hold a piece of each other.

That has to be enough.

My phone buzzes against the cheap marble countertop of the bathroom, displaying Marty’s text of “I love you more”.

I know he does. Which means getting him out of B723 takes main precedence right now.

Wiping off my face, I walk into my bedroom, throw my phone on the queen-sized bed, and start for the front room to grab a water from the fridge.

All it would take is one scream to have the Hulk running into this room and tackling the man now standing in my kitchen.

But I know him. I can feel him from feet away, the pull so compelling that it draws me a little closer.

“Wade.” It’s a whisper, more like a croak as he turns to face me. Still dressed in his black suit and tie, his eyes rake over my body before coming back to my face.

“Miss Shelton,” he drones. “We have some things to discuss.” My face twists in confusion as he continues to gape at me with zero emotion in his face and eyes.

“Like?”

“For one, your little plan to fuck my whole night up.”

I raise a brow. “What?” The door to Marty’s room violently swings open, and I leap right into the wall. “Goddammit, Hulk!”

“The fuck are you doing here?” Hulk sneers, stepping out and in front of me, to face Wade.

“Go take a walk.” Wade’s order is calm and monotonic as Hulk straightens his spine, extending his over six-foot frame in warning. “Need me to have it tortured out of you for you to understand or…some sort of sign language you need to have done?”

“You don’t get to walk in here and recite off commands.” A deep chuckle leaves Wade’s lips, but I can’t see him because Hulk is becoming legendary for always being in my way.

“I can because, thanks to you and your squad, I’m the President of the United States. Have a good time.”

Hesitantly and surprisingly, Hulk moves, pulling his cell out of his black sweatpants and making his way out the front door to more than likely rat me out to Marty.

Asshole.

The weight of Wade’s eyes descend on me, making me raise my own spine, not feeling the confidence that I normally have when I’m in a difficult or uncomfortable situation.

But this is Wade Lockwood, he demands me to feel more.

“I went to a party,” he quips. “And you just happened to be there.”

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