Page 81 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

“Maxim and my grandfather are welcome in and out of this house as they please,” he commented. “Don’t you think they’ll wonder what’s going on if they decide to give an impromptu visit and they see you are not here?”

He had a valid point, but I wasn’t ready to give up so quickly.

“You could text me,” I suggested hopefully. “And I’ll hurry over.”

“That wasn’t our agreement.”

I blew out air out of my lungs exasperatedly. I could kill him when he behaved like this. He crossed his arms and leaned against the large mantel fireplace in his study, watching me. His old ways were back making my temper flare.

“Alexander,” I started. “Brandon won’t understand what happened when this all ends. He has lost a lot already. You and I are adults. We can distinguish between what is real and what isn’t, he can’t. He will get attached to you, to Maxim, to this place, and to his room. It isn’t fair to put him through it. When we leave, he’ll be devastated if we keep this up.”

He stalked towards me, the calm Alexander I knew was gone. He reminded me of a predator, just like the incident at the wedding when I compared him to Callen. I wasn’t even sure how I found myself against the wall, but he cornered me, caging me with both his hands on each side of me, towering over me.

“This is real,” he practically growled. “Our marriage could be real! If you only let it, Livy.”

His mouth crashed down on mine and my breath was taken away by the intensity of his kiss. His kisses were intense and volcanic. My body betrayed me, pressing against his hard muscles, and my hands went around his neck, pulling him closer.

“Livy,” Brandon’s voice reached me through a haze.

Alexander pulled away but was still too close for my brain to start functioning. I blinked. Once, twice, trying hard to clear my brain. I looked around and saw Brandon standing in the doorway. I was so lost in the kiss, I didn’t even hear the door open.

Brandon had a wide smile on his face. “Are you and Alexander going to be Mommy and Daddy?”

I stared at the little guy in confusion. “What?”

He opened his mouth to repeat the question and I stopped him.

“No,” I answered in a rush. “We were just talking.”

His expression clearly indicated he was confused.

“How about we all go out to dinner together?” Alexander asked Brandon. “We have a big day tomorrow. We have to go to court and show everyone you are taken care of and want to stay with us. Which means, you need to go to bed on time.”

“I almost forgot,” I mumbled to myself.

Alexander was consuming too much of my sanity and my thoughts. I would have never forgotten about something so important. After all, I did all this for Brandon.

Brandon grabbed both of our hands and squealed, “Tomorrow, you’ll be my parents.”

I looked at Alexander pointedly, trying to convey to him this was the perfect evidence to what I was telling him earlier, before he went all caveman on me. Completely ignoring my attempt, he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.

The control I had over Brandon and my life was rapidly slipping through my fingers.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Alexander

When I leave, he’ll be devastated if we keep this up. This is not real.

What the fuck! I was so furious, I saw red. I swallowed the ball of fury down my throat. I wanted to fuck some sense into her to make her see how real this was. I wanted to fuck her hard until she couldn’t think about anyone or anything… only me.

Liberty Rain Caldwell was going to be my undoing. I didn’t know if I was coming or going with my new wife. Now that I’ve had her, I wanted her even more. Her soft words, her soft skin, her taunting, lush, red mouth, her hazel eyes that shimmered with lust while I pounded into her. I knew I could never let her go.

I had to show her this was real; this attraction and pull we felt for each other was very real. This marriage was real; I wanted it to be real.

Women fell all over themselves to get my attention while the only one I wanted kept herself at bay. Maybe she didn’t trust me; maybe she was scared I’d leave her like Callen did. I would have to show her there was no walking away from this; we were good together. I wanted her and only her for the rest of my life. I wanted to be her all, make her happy.

She was the only one that could make me happy. She is the only woman I ever wanted to touch again and again, the only one I wanted to smell the first moment I woke up. I wanted to hear her soft moans every night; I wanted to feel her racing heart whenever I touched her or was near her. And she was already talking about leaving.

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