Tangled (42 page)

Groaning, Tess stiffly pushed off the blanket. “Adonis?”

He didn’t answer.

 
With a wince,
Tess clambered off the couch and shuffled to the door.

Cameron stood on the other side. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Dark circles bagged his eyes. A sickly, blue-black
bruise blossomed at the corner of his jaw where Adonis’s fist had struck.
Forgetting herself, Tess moved aside. “Sorry. Come in.”

“I’m not staying long.” His eyes were somber, tired. “How
are you?”

“Could be better, could be worse.” Could be dead.

He dropped his gaze. “Tess-”

“Don’t, Cameron. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Not directly, no. But you wouldn’t have been in that
situation if it wasn’t for me.”

There was no contesting that. Out of her periphery, she saw Adonis
appear from the living room. Instead of announcing his presence, he folded his
arms and leaned against the other side of the door, jaw set in disgruntled
vigil.

Cameron took a shaky breath. “I just came by to apologize
and let you know I’m pulling out of classes this semester.”

“What? Why? Because of us?” she said, awkward.
 

“Somewhat,” he answered truthfully. “But it’s more than
that. I need some time to myself. Clear my head. Figure out what I want.”

He raked a hand through his disheveled hair. “Look, when you
see Adonis, tell him I’m sorry. I never meant any of this shit to go down like
it did.”

“Why don’t you tell him yourself?” Across from her, she felt
Adonis scowl.

Cameron laughed. “I doubt he wants to hear from me. Not
after everything.

“Let him know…he’s done good. I’m proud of him.”

Adonis gave a soft snort. “I will,” Tess said, struggling to
maintain a straight face. “Good luck, Cam. Stay in touch.”

He smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Heart heavy, Tess closed the door.

“Good riddance,” Adonis grumbled.

“You can still catch him.”

“No. Not now.”

She nodded, understanding. Everything was
still
too fresh, wounds
too raw. Tess knew it would take time, but she hoped
they would eventually grow to trust one another again.

He helped her hobble back to the couch. She’d just sat down
when the doorbell chimed again.

“Why won’t these people leave us the fuck alone!” Adonis
snarled and stormed to answer the door.

Whoever darkened their doorstep must not have been that bad
because his voice lowered. He almost sounded friendly.

Just as she began edging off the sofa to sneak a peak,
Adonis reentered the den. A woman of indeterminate age brought up the rear. Her
face was unlined, her features gentle.

“This is Melanie. She is—was my mother’s best friend.
And her health care power of attorney.
“

“Nice to meet you,” she said and shook the older woman’s
hand.

“Likewise.” Her gray eyes twinkled. “He certainly has
exceptional taste.”

She blushed. “Thank you.”

Her gaze returned to Adonis. “Mr. Barrow, your mother’s
attorney, has been trying to get in touch with you for weeks. So I decided to
drive down.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“Considering you’ve been avoiding the man like the plague, I
felt it imperative.” Her smile waned. “Also, I felt I owed you an explanation.
For taking your mother off life support.”

Tension braided the muscles of his forearms. “You don’t have
to. It was time to let her rest. She was never coming back to us.”

Her eyes glassed over. “I held out hope.
All
of these years.
I loved her like a sister. She would’ve been proud to
see what you’ve made of yourself, Adonis.”

He looked away. “Not really.”

“We all make mistakes. It’s up to you to decide what you’ll
make of yourself after the fact.” Melanie dabbed her eyes with a linen
kerchief. “Before I forget. I’m supposed to give you this.” She pulled out a
brown envelope from her bag.

Adonis stared at the package as if it would leap up and bite
him. “What is it?”

“Your mother’s will. Lionel has already received his copy.”
When he made no move to take the envelope, she took his hand and physically put
it in his grasp. “I know the finality of this is difficult to take in. But perhaps
it will give you the closure you seek.”

He swallowed. “Ok. Thanks.”

“I would stay, but I’m due in the city for an auction
tonight.” Melanie reached up and kissed his cheek. “Don’t be a stranger. Tess,
it was a pleasure.”

“You too.”

Melanie gave Adonis one last, watery-eyed once over. “I’ll
see myself out. Take care. Both of you.”

He settled on the couch beside her, his form rigid. Lips
pressed tight, he unsealed the envelope, pulled out the document, and began to
read. The blood drained from his face. “Holy shit.”

“Is that a good holy shit or a bad holy shit?”

Adonis swallowed. “She left me everything. Her assets.
Paintings. Estates.” He sucked in a breath. “And I’m now the majority shareholder
of the shipping company.”

She looked at him carefully. “Is it not what you expected? I
mean, I thought you’d be more excited.”

“I used to think that.” He studied the documents pensively
and returned the papers into the folder. “But even if didn’t inherit all of
this, I wouldn’t care.”

“Why?”

His eyes swung up to hers. “Because last night I found something
more important.”

Although he’d pronounced his love for the night before, it
was different hearing in the stark light of day. More real.

“Careful Adonis, your vagina is showing,” she teased.

He grabbed her ankle. She yelped and giggled as his fingers tickled
her sides. Breathless, Tess allowed him to pull her into his lap. She threaded
her arms around his neck as he kissed her hard.

“I wonder
who
I have to thank for
that,” Adonis said into her mouth.

Laughing, she reversed their positions so she sat on him
astride. Beneath sooty, curling lashes, his gaze was hooded.

Not for the first time, the fierceness of his beauty
mesmerized her. The molten gold of his irises, ringing the iron core of his
pupils smoldered.

For her.

A part of her feared he would consume her, wholly,
unequivocally and without remorse.
Another part of her ached
for it.
To take on his fears and strengths and
weaknesses; to make them her own.

And to think she’d been willing to settle for something
less. She deserved more. Never in a million years did she think Adonis would be
the person to fulfill that role. She knew that they had their work cut out for
them. But somehow the future didn’t seem as bleak.

Overwhelmed and humbled, she bent down and touched her
forehead to his. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him.

His hands landed on her waist, bracing her weight. “What?”

“I think I’m happy.”

“You think?” he growled, flipping her onto her back. “I
guess I’ll have to work harder.”

“You can try,” she smiled.

Smirking, Adonis settled between her legs, the heavy,
comforting weight of him making her ache. “Watch me.”

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to all of those who’ve been
with me from the start.
And major shout out to Meg. This story would not have reached half of its
potential without your input.