"Happy Birthday Sweetheart..."
"Thank you so much Mom". I smiled, it was Emma, apologising for not wishing me before leaving for home, from the events of today, I wouldn't blame her, even if she had wished me a month later.
"I know this was a very hard day for you, but honey please don't ever think you are alone".
"I won't Mom, thank you so much for being here".
"Ohh honey, I'm always here for you both, how about you guys take a vacation for sometime, things have been quite stressful for the both of you".
"Ummm... I don't know".
Before I can speak, Adrian comes from behind, hugging me, as he takes the cell phone from my ear, "Hi mom, yeah Ailey is fine, yes a vacation sounds perfect, we have to go now".
He declines the call, dipping his head in the crook of my neck, holding me tight. Ok this is so not Adrian like, its a good feeling agreed, but it's questionable to say the least.
"Adrian... that was so rude..."
"I don't care". He whispers kissing my neck making me gasp as my insides turn to jelly.
"Okayy... stop it Romeo, what are you doing?"
He smirks, pulling me closer, "Why Mrs. Vittorio, I am just being a good husband,"
"Umm Adrian, I think, there is alot to think about, before we reach, that point don't you think we should talk things through and besides you're mood swings tend to confuse me at times".
"You're right, there are a lot of mistakes and misunderstandings to be undone, how about, you shower while I bring up some of my famous coffee and a packet of your oreos".
That makes me smile, I kiss his cheek, and nod in approval, as he backs towards the kitchen and I walk towards, our room, to grab a change of clothes and my toiletries. Once I do reach the bathroom. I lock the door and turn the shower knob on, the actual fear of all the events starts pooling in today.
How could Evelyn do this. To go to such a high extent. Blackmailing. Killing. Something didn't add up, I needed certainty that Axcel was out of our lives for good. But more than that, I was broken. Shattered to pieces, if what he said was true, then, had I made a misjudgment of character when I had befriended Evelyn.
My head started getting hazy again, so I grabbed on to the towel stand to grab on my change of clothes.
Finally getting into my favorite grey hoodie and blue jeans, I walk towards the door to open it. As soon as I open it, Adrian comes rushing in almost making us fall to the ground.
" What the hell Adrian?"
"Hey don't look at me, you weren't opening the door, and its been more than 40 minutes since, you were in there, I got worried".
I smile at his innocent face and immediately cascade my eyes down, him being just close to me, is adorable and is it just me or did this place get a little bit hot.
Grabbing my hand, he walks us to the bedroom. I nibble on my lips as a pool of anxious feelings forms in my belly. Adrian passes me some Oreos, and I smile at him. The look he gives me is of pure adoration which to be honest doesn't help with the anxiety I am feeling.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"
"No reason".
Once done with the coffee and Oreos, I pull my legs back on the bed as Adrian sits in front of me.
The silence is torturous but, I manage to hold back the words that are on the tip of my tongue, what seems like decades, Adrian speaks, "I think, this the most quite I have been with you since we have been together".
"It's kind of weird, there are a million of things to talk about, rather, I don't think, I can even think of one thing to say".
"Saying sorry, won't suffice here Ailey".
"Adrian, if you think apologizing to me again and again, would do the trick, I highly doubt it, it won't, I have been thrown of the edge far too many times to be treated this poorly". I managed to say, without managing, to let my voice sound coarse; regardless, of how heavy my heart was feeling.
Adrian, worked his jaw, a tension rose between his brows, his gaze was transfixed towards the ground,I wondered whether his jaw was really that firm, what if I nibbled on it, I wonder, how he would react, wait what ?!! I really need to get my mind out of the gutter; it wasn't my fault, I was gifted a husband that had the features of an dark Italian prince, and the brooding looks of Greek God, if only he knew, how that small move was affecting me, he'd be smirking his notorious smirks at me while I would turn into a puddle of pure embarrassment.
"Ailey....Ailey.... AILEYYYYY"
"what ? Who ? I wasn't staring at you !" I replied, suddenly, as Adrian shook me, my cheeks flushed at the contact and when had he moved so close to me, I really need to work on maintaining my attention span.
"I never said you were. But you seem a tad bit flushed? You sure, it isn't from ogling me?" He smirked, taking a step closer, as I immediately stood up giving me a spinning head rush and making me fall on the bed. Adrian, stifled a laugh as I glared at him.
Finally, Adrian sat down beside me on the bed, with a smile bright on his face, while I grumpily looked up at him.
" I believe, you are right, I can't apologize and run off again, however, I have a better proposition, hear me out," he put up a hand before I could object, " , I know I haven't quite been the husband of the year even when I had ample of opportunities in front of me; and you have every right to hate me or leave me, but if I let you go, there is a mighty chance, my cousin is going to try to harm you, and I promised your aunt, I wouldn't let even a stray hair of yours in harms way".
Surprised at his revelation I looked up at him blatantly, he stood silent, letting it all seep in, then started speaking again, after a small pause,
"And, I know, my family has ties, Evelyn would be out of rehab or jail whatever she prefers, before morning and I wouldn't take that risk, she knows this mansion far to well, something that I feel highly ashamed about, therefore, I believe Mother is right, we shall move to my private beach house first thing in the morning, I think it will do both of us some good, and I know you will be safe there".
Wait what? That was the most stupid thing I had ever heard, it made completely no sense, knowing, that I would be picked up like some kind of trophy and put up somewhere safe, without my own regard or say in it, anger coursed in my veins.
"I certainly, don't think so, Adrian, you can't just push me to do something out of the spite of being hunt down, by your crazy ex girlfriend, look I know Evelyn sounded completely insane at the moment, but, I can't just pack up and run. You might find this surprising, but I too have a life!"
"Agreed. You do have a life, a life that I intend to protect, so stop being stubborn and lets get packing, we leave first thing in the morning".
"I am not leaving, until you ask nicely".
"Goodness Gracious Woman! Do you always have to test my patience?!"
"Have it your way Adrian, but if you think, you can pressurize me into going, I will be more than delighted to have a tea party with Evelyn rather than be pushed around".
Adrian's eyes shown with anger, he immediately got up and slammed the door shut, as he walked out towards, his room, I huffed a sigh, this was stupid, why were we forced to run, from our own mansion because of fear, of an outsider. It was scary to be held at gun point, but to be forced to live in accordance, to what someone else thought was better, was too damn exhausting. I mustered the courage to lie down, without the tremors of fear affecting me as much as they were, but every time I closed my eyes, the images flashed back in my mind. A second passed then a minute, my heart beat kept on rising until, I could no longer take it, hesitantly, I got up, call it my weakness, but I felt I needed to find some kind of closure, the actual panic that I had felt in the bathroom, hit me full force, when they said that post trauma was the worst, a person could suffer, I knew now what it meant; just as I reached the door, Adrian opened it making me shriek. Adrian eyes looked at me, those stormy, dark blue eyes that I had started to adore. They looked down at me as I gulped and cascaded my eyes downward.
"Scared?"
As much as I was feeling terrified, my conscience refused to submit to be that weak, so I decided to remain quiet. Adrian slowly came and wrapped me in a bear hug, as I delved into the musky scent of his cologne, the panic slightly fading away; although that seemed to be quite a peaceful embrace, my happiness and comfort was short-lived. Adrian pulled back, allowing me to have a complete look of what he had been wearing, he had changed from his grey three piece suit, into a rather comfortable white shirt that tugged on his muscles with a black trousers, that made him look darn adorable. His hair was still wet as water dripped from the tiny tendrils down his forehead.
He smiled at me as I scrunched my nose up at him, "What seems so amusing ?"
"You are adorable Ailey Vittorio".
"Oh shut up" .
At this, he laughed out loud, making me blush more, pulling my cheeks as if I was a little girl, he pulled me by the hand, straight into his room. Once inside, he wrapped his arms, around me pulling me into bed, and running his lean fingers in my hair, making me feel not only those fluttery somersaults in my belly rather a lot more relieved than I was before.
"I came to check up on you, since I know that's what you are wondering right now. I know what trauma is. And I know you are scared to death right now. But, know this Ailey Vittorio", he paused and looked me straight in the eyes, "I will not let any one harm you, promise or no promise, until I live".
"But... why?"
I asked confused, "Because a stray rose in the garden of thorns deserves to be protected".
The soothing warm embrace and his sweet words, allowed sleep to consume me, as my eyes draped shut, soft lips touched my forehead and a soft voice whispered, "Sleep love, I may be a thorn, but I'll protect my Rose..."