“Welcome to the family, Selene.” Adrian says, making her giggle. I know the asshole is just doing it to get a rise out of me.
“I suggest you put her the fuck down brother before I make myself an only child.” I growl out, which just makes him laugh harder. He places Selene on her feet and I pull her to my side, growling at the bastard. I swear he lives to get on my last nerve.
He holds up his hands, still laughing. “Calm down there, Casanova. I was just welcoming Selene into the family.” He winks at her, making her face go up in flames.
“It’s nice to meet you Adrian, but me and Alexander aren’t together. He’s just helping me right now and I will be out of his hair once this blows over.” She won’t meet anyone’s eyes and what she just said pisses me the hell off. Jesus, is that what she thinks? I’m only doing this to be a friend. Fuck that, she will soon learn her ass isn’t going anywhere. I know it down to my soul. She’s my other half. I don’t want to have this conversation in front of my brother and judging by his face, he’s enjoying this way too fucking much, so for now I will let it slide, but we will have it later today. By the end of today, Selene Doyle will know she's mine.
Chapter 3
We’vebeensittingatthe police station for over an hour now and I’m so ready for this to be all over. I’ve repeated myself four different times of what all John has done to me and it's giving me a migraine having to repeat myself over and over. They wrote everything down and will go out today to find him and, along with Alexander’s connections, we were able to get a restraining order quickly. And don’t even get me started on Alexander. He’s been growling this whole time listening to everything. Honestly, I just can’t figure out why he’s so upset. I mean, I get he wants me safe. I just don’t understand the motive behind it. The way he’s acting as if he truly cares what happens to me, as if he likes me more than a friend, but that can’t be it. Can it? I mean, look at him, then look at me. I definitely don’t fit into his world at all. He can have any woman he wants, yet the way he looks at me is like he’s interested in more than just friendship, and it’s confusing the hell out of me. I mean, he’s dubbed a playboy for a reason, right? Gah, this is all too much for my brain to comprehend right now. I just want this nightmare to be over with so everything can go back to normal.
Don’t even get me started on his overprotective ass calling in reinforcements so his brother can be my personal bodyguard. We definitely will be having a conversation when Adrian isn’t around. Not that I doubt Adrian can’t do the job because the man has a larger-than-life personality, and he’s huge. Alexander and Adrian look alike, but Adrien is so much bigger, hitting well over 6 foot 6 inches tall and muscles upon muscles and always has a smile on his face and mischief in his eyes, so basically the polar opposite of Alexander. Like right now, Adrian is leaning up against the wall as if doesn’t have a care in the world and Alexander is pacing behind me, cursing.
My left eye twitches as he passes behind me yet again for the hundredth time. We are just waiting for the police officer to come back with the paperwork so we can leave. “Would you sit down, Alexander? Your pacing is making me dizzy.”
He pulls out the chair to sit beside me. “Sorry, but all this waiting around while they get their shit together isn’t moving fast enough. They should be out there right now instead of wasting time trying to find the fucker from in here. If you would have just let me go, we wouldn’t be sitting here still.” He growls out, pissed off.
Omg, not this again. On the way here, he kept saying he could just go and find the fucker and end him. His words not mine. Call me crazy, but I don’t think he would look good in prison orange. I turn to look at Adrian. “A little help here, please.”
I narrow my eyes at his smile, knowing what he’s going to say something I will not like. “No can do Selene. I’m with Alex on this one. I mean, we wouldn’t have hurt him much when we found him, just show him the error of his ways just a little.” He holds his fingers up, showing me. Yet for some reason, I don’t believe him one bit.
I can't help but snort at his boyish smile, shaking my head. He’s nothing but trouble. “Ya right and I’m the tooth fairy. How about we just let the police handle this one? I just want this to be over and done with so I can move on with my life. And that way you can both get back to your lives without me interrupting things.”
I can’t meet Alex’s eyes when I say the last part, which just pisses him off because he slides my chair until I'm facing him. “I didn’t want to have this conversation in front of my brother, but you leave me with no choice with that last statement. You're mine, Selene, and I take care of what’s mine. You are my life now and you will soon realize that. I would burn my damn company to the ground if that would make you happy.”
His words stop my heart and make it race at the same time. Wow, I can’t believe he just claimed me and in front of his brother, no less. Inside, I’m doing a little happy dance. This is everything I thought I never would have with him. But does my brain to mouth filter say how happy I am? Nope, it fails me yet again. “You can’t just say something like that and expect it to be so. Or did you learn to woo a woman in caveman school, Alexander Wade?” Jesus, I could literally smack myself right now. First it was I had to wash my plants and now this. The man I’m secretly in love with confesses that I’m his, and that’s what I say. He has me all twisted up inside.
He narrows his eyes at me while Adrian laughs his ass off in the corner. “Fuck, this is going to be so much fun to watch. Caveman school, that's a good one, Selene. I’m so glad I got that one on video. The boys at work are going to appreciate it.” He’s still chuckling in the corner, playing with his phone. My face goes up in flames that he recorded that whole thing.
Alexander pulls me to his side, kissing the top of my head. “Ignore the asshole, baby. I do most of the time. He is just jealous he doesn’t have anyone.”
“Man, fuck you.” Adrian says while still laughing, so I know he’s not mad at what Alex said.
Before anyone can say anything more, the police officer walks in with the paperwork in his hands, making me sigh with relief. “Sorry that took so long. Here’s a copy of the paperwork for your records. I also heard from the other officers. When they went by his place, he wasn’t home and the bank hadn't heard from him since he quit, so we will keep looking. In the meantime, if you see him, don’t engage him. Just call us and we will be right there. Have a good day.”
“Thank you, officer.” I whisper as Alexander takes the papers from my hands and steers me out of the police station towards the parking lot. We walk to his truck in silence, my mind going a million miles an hour. He helps me inside, buckling me in, shutting the door without me saying anything. I watch as he speaks to Adrian for a few minutes before getting in and starting the truck.
“Where is Adrian going?” I watch as he pulls out and goes the opposite way of Alexander’s house.
Alexander pulls into traffic. “He’s going back to his office to see what he and his team can dig up on John. I don’t trust the police to do their job fast enough, and Adrian and his team are the best at what they do. Don’t worry, they will catch him. Also, Adrian will be at the house in the morning to take you to work and is to stay with you all day. You won’t even know that he is there.” He grabs my hand and kisses the back of it, making me suck in a deep breath. Tingles race up and down my spine. I turn my head so he can't see my smile. He drives until he pulls into a restaurant, pulling into a spot and shutting off the truck.
Saying nothing, he gets out and rounds the front of the truck, coming to my side and opening the door. He doesn’t wait for me to get out, he just picks me up as if I weigh nothing. The feel of his hands on me are doing things to me that I’m not ready to look at right now, especially being in a parking lot. “Come on, let’s get you fed since you skipped breakfast.”
We walk hand in hand towards the restaurant as soon as the door opens, the smell of steak and fried food hits me, making my stomach growl. He's right, of course, not that I would tell him that, but I was too nervous to eat anything knowing we were going to the police station. Everything seems to me moving at warp speed but slow at the same time. Since the other night, I don’t know if I’m coming or going. The hostess shows us to our table telling us our server will be right here. After placing our drink and food orders, I look around the restaurant, too nervous to look at Alexander.
He grabs my hand to get my attention. “Are you really okay? I meant what I said. He won’t get close to you again.” He moves his finger back and forth against my hand, making me shiver.
I push my hair behind my ear, my hand shaking slightly. “Ya, I’m okay. I just want this to be over and not have to look over my shoulder. Thank you for everything you are doing for me by letting me stay with you, and even though I don’t agree with having a bodyguard, I appreciate everything. I’m also sorry I called you a caveman.” I cringe at the last part. It was definitely not my finest moment.
“You have nothing to thank me for, Selene. I told you already that I take care of mine and baby, you're mine, but I will wait however long I have to for you to be on the same page as me. Trust me, I’m not going anywhere. I know I made a mess of the first time we met, but I’m going to make it up to you and show you I’m here for the long haul. You threw me for a damn loop with your beauty and I acted how you accused me of being a caveman. I know what the tabloids say about me calling me a playboy and they just aren’t true. Hell, they only started that rumor since they never saw me with anyone before and I refused to answer any of their questions. Just don’t give up on me, on us, give this a chance.” The food is dropped off, but neither of us has touched it yet.
I swallow the lump in my throat at his confession and I feel like such a shit for judging him based on what others say, and yet I did the same thing. God, could it really be this easy to have what I want with him? To be loved by him and yet I want to try. Even if in the end I crash and burn, I know if I walked away I would regret it. So I’m going to take the leap. “I want to try, but I’m scared. I’ve never done this before or had an actual relationship. If we are being honest here, it’s why I ran that day in the breakroom, telling you I had to wash my plants. Looking back on it, it wasn’t my finest moment, but I freaked out and ran. But if you're willing to be patient with me, I want to try this. I want to be with you.” My heart is beating out of my chest at my confession. I never thought I would have this chance to be with him. It feels surreal. I’ve fantasized about this moment happening, just never thinking it could come true, and here I am sitting here in front of the one man that has stolen my heart before he even knew I existed, telling me he wants me.
Alexander has a massive smile on his face. Lifting my hand off the table, he kisses the back of it, his lips lingering. “You just made me the happiest man alive, Selene. We will take this as slow as you need to. Now eat your food before it gets cold and we can talk more when we get home.” Now that I have everything I want, I don’t think I want to take this slowly. I want to jump off the ledge with both feet. I just hope in the end Alexander doesn’t let me crash and burn.
Chapter 4
Afterwelefttherestaurant and made it back to Alexander’s house, he told me to go relax and that is what I did. Okay, fine, I maybe raced up the stairs like the hounds of hell were nipping at my heels, but I seriously needed a moment to myself. Since yesterday, I feel like I’m living in the twilight zone. Everything seems to be moving at warp speed and I don’t know which way is up or down. What if the road leading up to me being with Alexander was only because I have a stalker? What happens when this is all finally over? Will he still feel the same?
