Page 81 of Reclaiming Adelaide

“I do, but I want to make sure you don’t fall and hurt yourself or worse.”

We rode down the elevator, my arm never leaving her body until I had her sitting in the front seat of the overly cleaned rental.

“I’m sorry,” she said as I slid into the driver’s side. “I keep messing up while trying to do the right thing, but everything goes to shit, and once again, I’m a fuckup.”

Adelaide caressed her tattoo, and I covered her hand with mine, interlacing my pinkie finger, so my King of Hearts touched hers. “I’ve been trying to tell you this. Maybe not in the best way, but I’m here to protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you if you just give me the chance.”

She shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I just didn’t see how that was possible with how much you hate me.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, squeezing my eyes before opening them. “I don’t hate you, Adelaide. There’s just so much shit that’s happened between us. I need time to process all of it.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She hung her head, casting her gaze to the floor as she moved her tongue to her lip. “Where’s my lip ring?”

She’d been awake and alert for the last three days, and she hadn’t noticed the damn thing missing? “They had to remove it when they intubated you. I have it in your bag.”

“Mom will jump for joy when she sees it’s gone.” She pinched her lip in its stead, substituting that action for her typical self-soothing.

“Speaking of parents…” I glanced at her as we pulled up to a red light, debating whether I should bring it up. But I’d wanted to shake her awake from her coma for an explanation, and now that we were alone and on our way home with her strength returning, my mouth decided it was the perfect opportunity. “Can you explain why you asked about my parent’s death when you already knew from reading their police file?”

She frowned, her brows knitting together in a transaction of confusion and wonder. “What are you talking about?”

The light turned green, and I pressed on the gas with too much enthusiasm, jolting us forward. “The little job you did for Nico. You did a little more than that, didn’t you?”

“Nico?” She braced her hands against the dash. “How do you… how do you know I did a job for him?”

“You think I wouldn’t find out that Nico Moreno hired you to erase the evidence against Charity from the police database?”

“But… how?”

“I’ve known them for years.”

She reared back. “You’re friends with the mob?”

“Associates.”

I wouldn’t go into detail about how Luca had been our number one seller of drugs and guns for the last several years, or how Charity dated my friend, or how I grew up in this town hearing about the notorious Moreno Mafia. That wasn’t important. What was, was me getting an answer I’d waited five excruciating days to hear.

Adelaide pressed her hand to her forehead and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “Any other criminals you ‘associate’ yourself with?”

“Including you?”

She gave me a lopsided smile and glanced away, tucking her unruly hair behind her ear, which brought a smile to my face.

How was it I still craved to be inside her, despite all the evidence pointing towards her betrayal? Eventually, I’d overlook it all just so I could stay with her and witness her beauty every morning, but for now, I’d stay… cautious and reserved.

“I do some things… in my time off that others would find… less than savory.” I shrugged.

She turned to me with brows furrowed, her fingers pinching her lip. “What does that mean?”

I sighed. Was she ready to hear this? “Another time, sweets.”

“Don’t you think I should know which monster to fear?”

I laughed as I switched hands on the steering wheel and scratched the five-day-old scruff on my face. “Let’s just say… you should be happy I’m the monster who got to you first.”

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. “My head hurts,” she said, wincing and rubbing her temples again.

I reached into the back seat and pulled out a Gatorade, placing it in her lap. “Drink this. You need to stay hydrated.”

---