Page 68 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

Alexander emphasized the last words. They stared at each other and I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle to understand what was going on.

“I warn you, Alexander Caldwell,” Callen spoke back, his voice slightly elevated in agitation. “I will not allow you to come after my publishing house.”

Alexander didn’t even bother answering him, just watched him in his unnerving way. I felt a little sorry for Callen because I knew firsthand how uncomfortable it could be under his cold gaze.

“Talk to you later, Livy,” Callen shifted his gaze to me, leaned forward placing a gentle kiss on my cheek. Alexander’s hand gripped tightly onto my shoulder. “Congratulations.”

Not a single emotion fluttered in my heart when he kissed me. It was like a kiss from a good friend or a sibling. I watched him walk away, flashes of our years spent together going through my mind. How odd that our journey brought us here.

I glanced around, ensuring nobody else was nearby and I turned to face Alexander to find him watching me with a guarded expression.

“Okay, what is going on?” I asked him. “Why does Callen think you are going after his publishing house?”

“He is just paranoid,” he spoke calmly, his voice and expression detached. “He knows he fucked up when he let you go. We have a publishing house and he is worried we’ll beat him.”

“Wedon’t have anything, Alexander,” I told him. “You,” I accented the word, “have a publishing house. I just want to make sure nobody takes Brandon from me. I’m doing this for Brandon and you are doing this for your publishing house.”

His gaze flickered to my lips and back to my eyes. “Nobody will take him away from you. And we have a publishing house, half of it is yours.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. “Are you kidding me right now?” My words sounded slightly bitter. “Are you sure Callen is not related to you? Because I swear it feels like I heard that before. In fact, those were the exact words Callen told me.”

I barely got the words out, and abruptly he advanced towards me. Shocked by his reaction, I didn’t even realize I took a step backwards, marble stone rail pressed against my butt.

“Callen is nothing like me,” he growled. “I can promise you that.”

The cold and calm Alexander was gone, and his eyes burned as his face neared mine. Astonished at the transformation, I just stared at him, my breathing slightly hitched at feeling him so close, his cologne and heat invading all my senses.

His lips stopped an inch from mine, and those eyes burned. It felt like drowning in a deep, stormy sea. His lips crashed against mine and he plunged his tongue into my mouth. His kiss overwhelmed all my senses and I sucked on his tongue, wanting more of him.

“Ah, there are our newlyweds,” his grandfather’s voice startled me out of my stupor over this enigmatic man.

Both of our breathing heavy, I placed my hands against his chest and pushed him gently away, trying to get my senses back. Finally, I found my voice and whispered low so only he could hear me. “Don’t even think about bullying me or anyone I care for.”

His surprised look said it all. But I meant it. I would not put up with it.

“You two look like you can’t wait to get going onto your honeymoon,” his grandfather announced happily. He couldn’t have been further away from the truth, but I just smiled.

Alexander could do all the lying. I’d just smile till this whole damn charade was over.

Chapter Thirty-One

Liberty

As we were getting ready to leave for our honeymoon, and I was making quotation marks in my head around the word, I noticed Maxim and Alexander arguing about something as I waited for Alexander to come on.

“What is that about?” Layla asked in a low voice.

“No idea,” I murmured low. “By the way, why would you say that I preferred Maxim over Alexander. I never said that.”

She chuckled pushing her beautiful blonde hair out of her face as she shrugged her shoulders. “I just wanted to see Alexander’s reaction. That man is jealous, like crazy jealous.”

“You are crazy, Layla.”

“Did you only now realize that?” she retorted back, chuckling.

“I’m going to miss you, Livy,” Brandon’s voice brought my attention back to him with Layla standing next to him.

I crouched down, wearing my blue jeans and a simple white sweater. I was glad not to be in that overly fancy wedding dress.

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