Page 34 of The Biggest Secret
“Expected? Oh no. You’re not going to just say it and expect it to happen. Just because we’ve had five minutes of communication doesn’t mean we’re going to work.”
This fucking guy. This is exactly what I thought would happen when I told him I was pregnant. He would stay because he felt obligated, not because he was ready or wanted me and the baby.
“Why did you come back then?”
“For Dominic! It was the right thing to do! Adam, we weren’t working before I left, why do you think we’ll work now? We have addedpressure now. Navigating a relationship with a child is a hundred times more grueling, even for those that are stable with each other.”
“Why weren’t we working, Chelsea?” When I stay silent, he continues. “Dom needs two parents. So that’s what we’re going to give him.”
Leaving Adam has made him spiral back into ‘Take Charge Adam’. Now I’ve returned and he’s desperately trying to gain control. I see this conversation for what it is. I just can’t stop my mouth from letting him know it.
I stand and grab my glass and his bottle and move to the kitchen. I need to pace. I need to do something to keep myself from reaching out and choking him. Turning to him again, I say, “Here we go. Was wondering when TC would come out.”
“Who?”
“TC. ‘Take Charge Adam’. Come on, you’re honestly telling me you have no idea about the names?”
“What names?”
“AAA sound familiar? How about the Principal? Bobby Knight?”
He stands and follows me into the kitchen, but I move away as he gets closer. There’s a weird push and pull with us. I’m not afraid of Adam, not at all, but I also know I shouldn’t be near him right now. My body is begging for him, but my heart sayspump the brakes, bitch.
“What the fuck are you talking about Chelsea?”
“Your siblings,” I grin. “And Jackson. And me. We all have little nicknames for when controlling Adam shows up. They’ll kill me for telling you, but I can’t believe you didn’t know.”
He’s fuming. His eyes are on fire. If there is one thing Adam hates, it’s not being included or not knowing what’s going on. There are no secrets unless Adam is involved. I kind of like that I have this over him right now.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Adam
I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now. We were having a good day. Telling my parents was scary but exhilarating. It made Mom’s year to find out about Dominic. And despite how we got here, I’m proud that I could give that to her.
CJ and I are getting along. There wasn’t anything too heavy being talked about, but it was a good ice breaker, just being around each other, and adjusting to this new normal.It made me rethink what my brothers said about dating her. They may be onto something. It makes sense, we need to be together for Dominic. We’re older, things have certainly changed so maybe it could work after all.
I don’t want to be estranged from her, but I don’t know if I can trust her. I still want her. That’s one thing that never went away. Her subtle little touches throughout the day have kept me on edge. I haven’t been this turned on since she left me.
But this line of conversation? Her pushback against me always mademe burn hot, so even though I should be mad as fuck at her right now, all I want to do is fuck her like mad.
“AAA? Care to share what that means?”
She smirks, happy to have a secret I don’t. “Alpha Asshole Adam,” she proudly states.
I narrow my eyes at her. “And the Principal? That’s Chessy isn’t it?” I shake my head as she giggles. “I already get the Bobby Knight reference, fucking Gage,” I say to myself more so than her. He would always call out that name, there was no rhyme or reason for why he did it, that I could see. But now I do. Bobby Knight was an over-the-top college basketball coach who did things his way, made others listen to him and only cared about what he wanted and what he thought would work. Go ahead, give him a google, you’ll understand.
Overbearing.
Yup, I can see it.
“It was our little rebellion, to have something you didn’t know about. To call you out to your face, even if you didn’t know that’s what we were doing.”
“Games. Nothing but games with you all.” I stalk closer to her, like prey. I see her breathing pick up. “You better get with the program here, Chelsea Jo. That’s my son you have, and I want him. I want to give him what I had growing up. Stability. Love. It’s what he deserves. So, yes, we’re going to go out and we’re going to get to know each other again. We’re going to date and then we’re going to make this work.”
I step even closer to her. Her eyes are wide, her lips parted. I know what gets Chelsea going. I always did. She loves my dominant side. She’s been missing it, and this is exactly what she wants, noneeds, to hear.
I move around behind her and lean into her ear. “But I remember one thing that you seemed to have forgotten.”
