Later, he joined me in the shower. The steam fogged everything except the look in his eyes when he pulled me against him. Soap lathered across our skin as his hands moved slowly, tracing every curve and ridge with a distracting amount of care.
“I probably should’ve told you more about today,” he grumbled against my neck. “I didn’t want to overwhelm you. I wanted you to meet Crina and Violeta. I’m really glad you did. They love you. More than they love me, which is extremely rude.” He chuckled, though his tone held a hint of seriousness.
His lips brushed my skin again, and his hand drifted lower, waking up a desire I was too exhausted to act on.
“I’m glad I met them, too. Today was… good. They adore you, Cezar,” I breathed as I turned, watching the smile bloom on his face.
“I love them,” he whispered. “Even if I don’t deserve to. But I do. I just want them to be safe.” He kissed me before I could argue, before I could tell him he deserved so much more than the scraps he thought he was allowed.
He deserved all the love in the world, someone who could give him their all…
Am I even worthy of Cezar?
I knew he put those girls above everything. He’d protected them better than anyone ever protected him, and bringing me here—knowing exactly who I was and what I came from—was his way of saying he trusted me with the most precious part of his world.
Everything lately made me feel uneasy about the future. I felt… scared when I thought about his future. If I could write my own story, we would be living a quiet life somewhere away from all the death that we have been a part of.
Shutting off my mind that night was nearly impossible. The shower had relaxed my muscles, and Cezar’s arms gave me the kind of comfort I rarely allowed myself to want, but sleep didn’t come easily.
Too many thoughts. Too many memories. Too many possibilities that I wasn’t brave enough to believe in haunted me.
He scooted closer, his breath at my neck as he draped an arm across my waist. He held me tight. That was what finally did it, not peace or exhaustion—just him.
The steady beat of his heart. The familiar scent of him. The simple comfort of knowing he was there.
It was enough to let my mind rest.
Chapter 50
ADELINA
Iwoke up to the sound of the girls getting ready for school. Liana tried to quiet them, but I didn’t mind. It was nice to see a mundane life. I never thought I would be envious of something so simple.
Cezar started tossing beside me, then shot up and grabbed his phone as if the world was ending. For a second, I braced myself for something serious, only for him to groan about forgetting to set his alarm. He threw on a shirt, left the room, then rushed right back in just to kiss my forehead.
Adorable.
He wanted to see the twins off.
He returned a minute later and flopped across the bed like the small task had drained his soul. I sat with my knees to my chest and watched him breathe. God help me, I was turning into a creep like him.
“Better get your ass out of bed. We have a lot of shit to do today, my dear Lina.” He stood and held out a hand.
He mentioned we wouldn’t be coming back tonight, said we needed one night alone. Whatever that meant coming from him; I’d soon find out.
I had never been to this part of the country, and it was beautiful. Not bustling with city life and crime. Different and odd, but calming.
We dined at a fancy restaurant. He was lively with excitement from the moment we walked in, even when things didn’t go his way. I kept drifting off in my own head, wondering if I could ever make something like this permanent. Wondering if this was what I wanted. I tried not to get lost in the spiral. It was hard to control.
A few times, Cezar had to snap me back to reality. Although he seemed concerned, he didn’t push. Being with him here, in this place, was enough for him. He just wanted my time.
Trying to list everything we did felt impossible. The day blurred, not because of the places or the food or the scenery, but because lately, every memory seemed to start and end with him. His laugh. His eyes. The way he watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking.
I blinked hard.
Cezar had been rambling about something and then stopped mid-sentence. “Petal… are you okay? Is this too much? I didn’t know what to do, so I picked everything I thought you’d like and crammed it into one day.” His fingers fidgeted while he forced the words out.
The fact that he thoughthewas the problem gutted me. He wasn’t. He never was. The weight in my chest was mine alone, and he was still trying to carry some of it anyway.
