"What are you going to do?" I'm afraid to ask. "When you find him?"
"That depends on what he does next." Adrian tilts my face up to look at him. "But I won't lie to you. If he threatens you or our child, I will kill him. No hesitation. No mercy."
I should be horrified. Should beg him not to. Should defend my brother.
But all I can think about is that alley. The terror. The blood. How close I came to losing everything.
It would have killed me. I might have had complicated thoughts about my son then, but I loved him. Instinctually. Fiercely.
I love Gabe, but I'll protect my son and Adrian with everything I have.
That knowledge makes my next words easier.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"If he threatens us, you do what you have to do." My hand covers his on my stomach. "This baby comes first. Not Gabe. Not me. Our son."
He nods.
"Our son comes first."
Three days later, Adrian tells me he's arranged a spa day. It's so sudden when he tells me I feel as though I have whiplash.
"A what?"
"A spa day. You and Gemma. Massages, facials, whatever women do." He's getting dressed for a meeting, adjusting his cufflinks with practiced efficiency. "It's all set up. Car leaves at ten."
I blink in surprise. He's been incredibly attentive, but he's been more protective than ever.
"Why?"
He turns to look at me. Really look at me. "Because you haven't been sleeping properly. Because you're barely eating. Because the doctor said you're underweight and your stress levels are concerning." His voice softens. "Because you look exhausted, and it's not good for you or the baby."
I glance in the mirror. He's not wrong. I look haggard. There are dark circles under my eyes, and my face is thinner despite the pregnancy. Even my hair looks dull and lifeless.
Just as things have been getting better, the revelations around Gabe have been weighing heavy on my mind, and I haven't been able to eat or sleep.
"A spa day isn't going to fix this," I say. "It's not going to make things better."
"No. But it might help you rest." He moves behind me, hands on my shoulders. "And Gemma needs it too. She's been miserable since the engagement. Maybe you two can... I don't know. Talk. Bond. Whatever."
I raise a brow. "You want us to be friends?" I had hoped for that once, but Gemma had been MIA since her engagement, and I'd been wrapped up in work and the baby, so I hadn't reached out.
I'm too tired to feel guilty about that.
"I want you both to have someone who understands." His eyes meet mine in the mirror. "This life is lonely. Especially for the women. You should have each other."
It's surprisingly thoughtful and completely unexpected.
He's also not wrong. Besides Gemma and Bianca, I have not met a single other woman in this life. I've never really had girlfriends, but I need someone to talk to who doesn't have a dick and therefore inherited power.
But I also promised myself I wouldn't take any unnecessary risks with my safety, and a spa day feels like a risk.
"Will it be safe? With everything going on with Gabe?"
"I'm sending six guards. The spa has been cleared. No other clients. It's as safe as I can make it." He kisses my neck. "Please. For me."
