Heirs To The City: The Quartet

Chapter Fifty Seven

When Adrian finally got home at seven thirty that night I watched him slink across the floor, looking tired, and drained. Cufflinks gone, likely I'm his pockets. Shoes in one hand with his jacket over the same arm. His hair was messy, looking like he'd ran his fingers through it dozens of times and considering the Gala was a week away I wasn't entirely surprised by his appearance.

Getting to the living room, he set his things down at the end of the couch before he fell back onto the long L shaped piece of furniture with his hands above his head, all while he sucked in a long breath.

"Long day?" I ask and he nods as if dazed.

"It feels amazing to just sit," he replies and I lightly chuckle.

"Sit up straight. I'll massage your shoulders," I say and he does resting his head back on the edge of the couch while I stood behind him and began rubbing and squeezing the tight points in his muscles while he let out slow even breathes.

"I should have gotten you to do this more often," he exasperates and I laugh once again.

"What made your day stressful?" I ask and he opens his eyes staring off for a long moment as I continued to work on his shoulders.

"I had three back to back two hour meetings, along with all the planning that had to go towards getting the fucking catering company to prepare for the gala. Picking between shades of purple and silver and blue is painful, especially since the tones have to be different each year," he says glancing up at me and sucking in a breath once I reached the central muscle groups in his back.

"That feels amazing," he let's out and I begin to circle my thumbs up his spine.

"Well, I'm sure the tones turned out perfect, and just because it has your name on it, doesn't mean you couldn't have assigned an event manager, you do hire people with the qualifications," I point out and he just nods slowly.

"Yes, and I feel like it's part of my responsibilities to make sure that the very thing that bares my name is organized by me," Adrian says and I knew deep down that he often felt that kind of pressure. It was also why he worked himself practically to the bone daily. He considered everyone's needs and life choices except his own. He barely ate, and got selective amounts of sleep, went through the day in a stress filled caffinated haze until he finished what he needed to each day. Time didn't exist for him, he just existed through night and day without considering that he could one day deprive himself of everything he worked for. Yet, he also bore all the pressure of the world because his family had collapsed. He admitted that his family collapsed to greed, and never wished to see it go back to almost being destroyed. It was Adrian who rebuilt what his family name meant, and it would likely be him that would preserve it for a century just from the work he did now. Even if he believed it wouldn't end, that his responsibilities to WGI would always be present until he was replaced when he and I had kids and they were old enough for that responsibility.

"Would you like me to take over the planning. You're busier then I am," I say and he muttered something, before repeating himself louder.

"Okay, I appreciate you," he says smiling at me as I finished the massage, and he rested his head back against my stomach. "None of this would have happened without you. I'd have a boring COO, probably would have glasses, and be an industry nerd," he teases, knowing that I had researched everything about each industry so that he'd be able to expand his business properly.

"You're awful sometimes," I laugh, and in an instant I was rolled over the couch and on top of him with my hands on his chest while his arms wrapped around my waist.

"You love that I'm like this, besides teasing you will always keep the romance alive," Adrian replies and I just shook my head before leaning down and kissing him softly. He then gently pulled my lips to his returning the gesture.

"I love you Olivia, I will make sure no one ever harms you," his conviction was like an igloo in a glacier. And I was certain it would only ever stop being warm when I had to say goodbye to him in this lifetime.

"I love you too Adrian," I say smiling at him as I rested my head on his chest while looking at him. He then began to rub small circles on my back like he was touch starved, but I also knew his love language to be touch, and I liked the feeling of his touch. It had always been his touch that made me feel safe when I was somewhere and without it I often sought out things that reminded me of him. Usually in the form of dressing in all black when he was away and sleeping with one of his hoodies when he was gone.

I also did it with his cars and why I drove them even if I knew he didn't love the idea of me driving a car that cost the same as someone's house on Long Island.

Though he also told me I was cute when driving so.

"I know you do, often you forgive me for the unforgivable," he breathes sounding amused with his own statement.

"I forgive you because you're human. And I understand you act with good intentions," I say and he smiles in verb back to me.

"I needed someone like you to be able to forgive me. Most others would have left, and yet I'm too fucking selfish to let anyone else have you".

"I'll smack a bitch if another girl tries or flirt with you," I say raising my eyebrows and he laughs silently but the vibration carried through his body.

"Permission granted for doing so to Taliya, who will definitely try to start shit," he remarks and I laugh.

"You bring security it'll be short lived and a knowing hum passes his lips.

"Short lived indeed Olivia, short lived indeed".

I don't bother asking what he means, trusting his judgement and go back to laying on his chest while his heart beats slow and hard. The sound of his heart for mine to follow.
   
  
Done I let yall down on this one, my bad. I've also made a side project that's taking up time which is my bad. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways

Peace✌️