Adeline's Ροv
“Dad’s hosting a dinner tomorrow for some business partners. Your father will be there too.” Reign says as I pack my bag. He doesn't bother bringing anything from home which saves him quite some time after class.
“You’re more than welcome to join.” He offers.
This is exactly what he's been doing for the whole week. He doesn't pressure me but he keeps dropping hints or making subtle suggestions to hangout.
He hasn't mentioned becoming friends or anything more than that. He just watches me as I bake and holds small conversations during it.
“Actually I’m going shopping with Valerie tomorrow and I'll only have Sunday to rest so…” I didn't have to give him an explanation but I felt obligated since he's been behaving so well the whole week.
“It's okay.” He says instantly. “But if you change your mind you have my number.”
The time I invited him home for the assignment, I purposely called him from the landline and naturally he asked me for my number the next day at class.
But I declined. It would be another hope for him which I don't want to encourage at all.
“Or you could just come without a notice. Either would work.” He added.
It's cute how he always panics thinking he's offending me. I feel bad that he's still trying his best to get with me but it's not my fault. I've been transparent about my disinterest.
I nod, ending the conversation and swing my backpack over my shoulder. As always, we’re the last one in the class. We stay talking about something or the other for a few minutes before I have to eventually leave as one of my brothers waits for me outside.
Reign tells me about his basketball match next month —and obviously invites me to it— as we walk to the exit. But when we got to the reception, my eyes widened seeing the guy sitting at the waiting area.
He smiles at me and makes his way towards me. I really wanna go hide somewhere. I knew this workshop would only attract more trouble for me. I should just stay home my whole life. That's the best option.
Reign furrowed his eyebrows looking at me. “I think that guy’s coming over for you. You know him?”
“I… actually…” I fell silent as he finally stood in front of me.
“Hi, addy. I was waiting for you.” Jordan says and steps forward to hug me.
I had made up my mind to stand up for myself and not let him touch me again. But he chose to do it publicly. I can't create a scene in front of everyone.
I gulp as his arms wrap around my figure and fingers grab my waist so intimately that I can feel the heat of his touch seeping through the two layers I'm wearing.
I don't like this.
He finally pulls away after a few moments and looks at me with admiration clear in his eyes. “How're you?” He asks brushing his thumb on my cheek.
“I'm fine.” I replied, taking a small step away from him.
“You didn't introduce me to your friend, Adeline.” Reign said politely but there was a tightness in his jaw as he glared at Jordan.
“That's Josh's cousin.”
“Josh, your stepbrother.” Reign says.
“Yes…”
I mentioned Josh in a conversation a few days back. Given his reaction, I'm assuming Reign already knew who he was —as he has some great stalker skills— but he definitely doesn't know about Jordan which is apparent by the expressions of confusion and pure disapproval on his face.
“Jordan. Her crush.” He chuckles, bringing his hand forward.
If I could, I would just disappear into thin air right now. Why does he have to embarrass me each time? The crush thing was personal to me and he's going around spreading the information like it's public knowledge.
My cheeks flush and Reign's face turns more furious than it was a few seconds ago. Jordan doesn't mind his glare though. For him he's just a kid but he doesn't know that's the heir to the North American Mafia’s throne.
“Reign. Her boyfriend.” Reign shakes his hand.
My eyes widen at his words. I thought I've already reached the peaks of my embarrassment but the guys here had bigger plans than I expected.
“What?” Jordan asks me, sounding offended.
“What’s so surprising? Two people with just months’ gap can very well date. It’s legal and appropriate.” Reign shrugs.
Jordan looks at me with such rage that I nearly shrink under his gaze. “He's kidding. He’s not my boyfriend.” I mumble.
No matter how much I want Jordan to stay away from me, making a fake boyfriend isn't a good idea. And Reign shouldn't have made such a sick statement in the first place.
“So I thought.” He says and pats my head in approval.
Reign eyes drift between the two of us but he stays silent. I can feel the anger radiating from him but he doesn't have any prove to be sure if there's anything suspicious about our interaction.
“How did you know I was… you know… that I was gonna be here…” I ask hesitantly. I didn't want Reign to think Jordan was a creep. It might not end well.
“Josh told me so I decided to hop here and say hi.”
He says it so casually that anyone who hears him won't think there's anything inappropriate going on here. And Jordan has always been the type of guy that everyone trusts. He has that charm.
“Oh.” I didn't know what else to say.
I couldn't be mad at Josh for talking about me with Jordan because he still thinks that we’re on the same terms as we used to be in front of everyone —good friends.
“Look at you baking and all like a big girl, hmm?” He jokes and effortlessly changes the subject.
“I joined last week.” I replied awkwardly.
“Your brother must be waiting, Addy. Don't you think we should go?” Reign urges.
For the first time I'm glad for his presence. “Yes. I gotta go, Jordan. See you some other day.”
I hurried to move past him but he held my wrist and pulled me back. “Give me your number.”
His voice was authoritative. It was like he thought my personal information was his right. He didn't even try being polite about it. It felt like he wouldn't let me go until I do as told.
“Um… okay, it's…” I gave him my number.
The only catch was, it was the old one. Lucius had canceled it since Marcus' call.
The reason I didn't give him a fake number was so he wouldn't hold me accountable if we came face to face again. I didn't want to get on his bad side.
For some reason I was scared he would tell everyone about our past if I pissed him off.
He types the number and pockets his phone again. “I'll call you tonight. By the way, Josh said he doesn't have your new number and you use landline. Your phone bill must be sick considering you guys talk for hours.”
I'm glad Josh lied. He didn't know that if he told Jordan about my workshop, he would come here. Maybe it was a slip up. But I'm grateful he didn't make the same mistake and avoided giving him my number.
“Uh… dad pays for it.” I said the obvious.
It was an answer in itself. It’s no secret that my father is filthy rich.
Jordan looks at me with a hint of a smirk. “Sure he does. He must do everything his princess tells him to?”
I frown at the weird tone of his voice and ignored the question. “I really gotta go, Jordan.”
He nods. “One more thing, I work fifteen minutes from here but unfortunately my shift’s till ten so I can't come here everyday. I took a half day for you today. I think we should set some time-” His eyes slid to Reign like he just remembered he was there. “We'll discuss that on call.”
His words make it clear that he wants to meet me regularly. I can tell he thinks I'll continue our relationship after three years but so many things have changed since then.
I'm not the same person now.
I know there's no way around him. I'll have to either continue hiding our secret and deal with Jordan’s demands or come clean to my father and stop being scared of a foolish mistake.
I'll choose the latter.
This secret will come out some day. It would be better if Lucius knows it from me than anyone else. I don't want to break his trust.
Even if he doesn't forgive me or judges me for my mess up, I still have to tell him. Maybe he would guide me on what I should do. Or maybe he could tell Jordan to stay away from me because I don't want this anymore.
For now I'm just trying to get out of this situation, so I nod to him and mumble a quick ‘goodbye’. But before we could leave, Jordan steps in front of Reign and blocks his path.
“Next time boy, keep your jokes to yourself and stay the fuck away from her. Trust me, you don't wanna see my bad side.” Jordan says in his most threatening voice.
I see Reign’s face turning deadly and if he doesn't launch his fist into Jordan's face, he would empty his gun in his head. And both are unfavorable for me.
Reign was about to say something when I stepped between them and held his hand so he calms down. I silently pray to God that he won't cause a scene and thankfully he just glared at me, not saying a word.
“We should go.” I said to him and pulled him towards the exit.
Jordan didn't stop us. And I quickly exited with Reign. Once we were at the front of the building, he finally spoke with all the anger evident in his voice.
“Why didn't you let me tell him who he’s fucking messing with?”
“Reign, he’s… leave forgive him, he didn't mean that. And if he knew who you were he wouldn't have said that. It's just that he's… a bit protective of me.” I said the best excuse in my mind.
“Felt like you need protection from him.”
My lips part as I feel at loss of words. “No, you're getting it wrong. He’s Josh’s cousin so I'm like a sister to him.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “You gave him a fake number.”
My eyes widened. “How do you know my number?”
He looks away. “It's not that difficult to get someone's number if you really want to.”
“Then why did you ask me to give you my number if you already have it?” I ask genuinely confused.
He bit his lip like he was uncomfortable with what he was about to say. “Because… I want your permission to call you. I’ve literally memorized it in the hopes that one day you'll let me ring it.”
I was about to blush when I felt a sharp moment in my stomach. My babies are reminding me to stay focused so I tuck a stray strand away to look less nervous.
“Is there a problem here?”
I heard a very familiar voice and instantly turned around. My mouth dries up seeing who it is. I felt like a criminal getting caught committing a crime.
“Ewan,” I give him an awkward smile. “I was waiting for you. Where were you?”
He raises an eyebrow. “I've been in front of the parking for the last twenty minutes. Where have you been looking?”
“Um… I… the class got late.” I lie.
His eyes drift to Reign again and he grits his teeth. “You can leave her hand now.”
I look down and realized I was still holding his hand. Ofcourse Reign didn't care about it and let me hold it as long as I wanted.
I immediately free his hand and step towards my brother who encircled his arm around my waist pulling me towards himself while keeping his eyes on the guy in front of us.
Reign shook his head. “You're after the wrong guy, Ewan.” He then looks at me. “Bye, princess. See you on Monday… or maybe sooner.”
Once he left Ewan brought his attention to me. “What did he mean by that?”
I decided to play dumb. “I don't know. He keeps saying things that make no sense. I think he's stupid, don't pay him any mind.”
“By the way, why were you holding his hand?” He asks like I'm a suspect for a mass murder.
“Um… we were talking and he was gonna fall so I steadied him holding his hand and then we just walked like that and I didn't notice I was still holding his hand. I don't even like holding hands. And I don't like Reign either. He even smells bad, his perfume is so strong I literally threw up yesterday because of it, so obviously I'm gonna hate him. Holding hands was just accidental because I'm a good person and I couldn't see him trip and fall to his death.”
Ewan looks at me for a few seconds. “That makes total sense.” He mutters and walks to the car with me following behind.