Page 54 of Captive Bride

And maybe it was how tired I was, or how delirious the cold water had made me, but for the first time in what felt like a long time, I believed him

One-hundred percent.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Adriana

The click of the lock yanked me from sleep, my eyes snapping open as the door creaked. I rubbed the tiredness away; every motion felt like dragging weights through thick mud. The room was tinged with the gold of late afternoon sun, but all I could think about was how my body ached for more rest.

"Adriana?" Tristan's voice, weary but unmistakable, cut through the silence.

"Here," I managed, pushing myself up against the pillows. My voice sounded like gravel, and I swallowed, trying to find some moisture in my throat.

Tristan wheeled himself in, his blond hair tousled and his face showing that he'd seen better days. Kieran followed just behind him, a shadow with dark circles under his eyes that told stories no words could express. They both looked like they'd been chewed up by the same storm that had been raging inside me.

“You’re here,” I said.

Tristan smiled. “Of course I’m here.”

“I’m also here,” Kieran mumbled, dumping his bag on the floor with a thud that seemed to echo off the walls.

Tristan didn't say anything, just met my gaze for a moment too long. There was something in those blue eyes of his—a question or maybe a plea. It was hard to tell with Tristan. He always had layers you'd need a shovel to get through.

Kieran grunted something that might have been an agreement and moved toward the window, leaving Tristan and me to circle around the unspoken things hanging between us.

“I’m just going to go to the bathroom and then I’ll leave you two alone. Is Carmen looking after the kids?”

“Yes,” I said. “She said I looked like I needed to sleep.”

Kieran nodded. “I’ll help her out,” he said.

After Kieran was done, Tristan and I were alone. And I had no idea where to start…we’d barely had time to talk since the babies had been born.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “You were right. I should have never trusted them.”

“You weren’t to know,” Tristan said. “Can I say hi to the twins?”

I nodded, gesturing toward the adjoining room where Carmen was watching the babies. Tristan wheeled himself over, hismovements slow and deliberate. I followed, my legs still unsteady from hours of lying down.

The twins were asleep in their bassinets, tiny chests rising and falling in perfect synchronicity. Tristan reached out, his large hand hovering over their delicate forms. He didn't touch them, just watched, his eyes filled with a mixture of awe and fear.

"They're so small," he whispered, his voice cracking.

I stepped closer, placing my hand on his shoulder. "But strong," I said. "Like their father."

Tristan looked up at me, his blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I was so worried, Adriana. About you, about them. I thought..."

His words trailed off, but I knew what he meant. I'd thought it too, in those dark moments when everything seemed lost. I squeezed his shoulder, trying to convey everything I couldn't say.

"We're here now," I murmured. "We're safe."

“And you need sleep,” Carmen cut in. “Leave them alone. Kieran and I got this.”

Tristan nodded, his gaze lingering on the twins for another moment before he turned back to me. We made our way to the bedroom, closing the door softly behind us. The silence stretched between us, heavy with all the things we needed to say.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my body aching. Tristan wheeled closer, reaching for my hand. His touch was warm, familiar. I intertwined our fingers, feeling the rough calluses on his palm.

"How are you really doing?" he asked, his voice low

I sighed, closing my eyes. "Tired. Sore. Scared." The words tumbled out before I could stop them. "But relieved. To have you here. To have them safe. To have you safe."

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