ZADE.


    I don’t think she’d steal, but something is really off with this entire fucking situation.


    She tries to move away, but the man grabs her. “Don’t touch me!” she growls, only for the man to yank


    her back, about to grab her bag when she spins around, bringing her knee up as she grabs his cor


    and knees him in the nose. The man splutters as blood spurts from the now clearly broken nose.


    Just then, the other guard steps forward, and I intervene, grabbing him by his throat.


    “I said to back the fuck off!” I snarl, doing my best not to snap his neck as mymand ripples through


    the air, but I am not their alpha.


    Suddenly, three more guards are on the fucking scene. My aura res, my eyes zing as one of the


    men grabs the strap of Adriana’s bag, roughly yanking it back. I turn, ready to pull her free from his hold


    when a low animalistic growl rings through the air, making the men freeze.


    “Unhand. Her.” The guttural growles, a voice I barely recognise. I turn to see none other than


    Atticus standing there with a ck towel wrapped around his waist, dripping wet and from the looks of it


    he didn’t even rinse off properly as there’s still suds of soap on him.


    The man instantly lets go and Atticus walks down the few steps, looking Adriana over.


    “Are you hurt?” he asks. I watch sharply, looking between the two. Her heart is beating way too fucking


    fast.


    “I’m perfectly fine and was doing fine before you arrived,” she replies, her voice icy.


    He looks over at me and I cock a brow, only for his frown to deepen when he looks me over. I’m sure


    the love bites are still there, with some being a little low on my hips, but if my girl wants to get down and


    naughty, I’m not fucking stopping her.


    “I’ll call you,” Adriana says quietly to me before she turns, shouldering her bag.


    Atticus frowns. “You need rest. Don’t rush to leave-”


    She simply scoffs, cutting Atticus off before she breaks into a jog.


    ‘Adriana? What is going on?‘ I ask sharply.


    ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow Zade, I need to clear my head. Please.‘


    1/4


    +15 BONUS


    I don’t push it. Whatever it is, she’ll tell me when she’s ready. I watch as she disappears.


    “Take my SUV and ring me when you get to your destination. The keys are with the valet,‘ I say through


    the mind–link as Atticus steps forward as if about to walk after her, when I block his path. “Let your


    valet know she’s taking my SUV and to give her the keys.” z


    “Move out of my way.


    “I think you and I need to fucking talk,” I say quietly, ignoring hismand.


    “Yeah, we do.” He frowns, staring down at me again. “What do you think-”


    I cock a brow. “Not about my sex life, but what happened between you and Adriana for her to be in


    such a rush to get out of here?” I’m observing him intently and, as predicted, he looks a little uneasy.


    ‘Nothing happened. I just…” He trails off as he looks me dead in the eye before he turns and looks at


    his guards. “You are not to attack our guests.” He growls at them before he storms


    inside.


    I frown, watching him intently as I take the steps two at a time and follow him back in.


    “Atticus.”


    “I have let the valet know. This conversation is over, Zade. For Valerie’s sake, drop it,” he


    says quietly.


    I don’t n to, but it’s obvious he won’t be giving me any answers. Shaking my head, I return to the


    room we’re staying in, the smell of sex and Valerie instantly bringing my irritation down, but she’s not


    on the bed as Imanded her to be.


    Frowning, I wonder if she heard what happened and got up, but then I spot her to the side, standing by


    the chest of drawers, staring down at her phone. Instantly I wonder what’s wrong, shutting the door.


    “What’s wrong?” I ask walking over to her, wrapping my arms around her naked body from behind and


    pulling her close.


    She shakes her head and I look at her phone screen, where she has her calendar pulled up. Did she


    miss something important?


    “Baby girl? What is it?” I urge before shees out of her reverie.


    “Oh, sorry… I just… with everything that happened, I realised I’m not on birth control and…”


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    My stomach sinks, realising what she might be implying.


    2/4


    +15 BONUS


    “Are youte?” 1 ask emotionlessly, really hoping she isn’t.


    She tugs free as she turns and faces me. “I’ll find out tomorrow or the day after…”


    I swallow hard. “It’s not a problem. We’ll deal with it if you are…. There’s a way to get rid of it. I don’t


    want kids.” I say, not looking her in the eye. 7


    Her breath hitches, her heart racing, but I’m unable to face her. “Get rid of it? I will never get rid of it,”


    she whispers, sounding shocked.


    I now look up into her eyes. “I wasn’t born to be a father. That’s not who I am… no kid needs that. Trust


    me. You don’t want kids with me.‘


    She opens her mouth and I know she’s about to argue with me, but I can’t. I just can’t fucking do this.


    Turning, I head to the door again.


    “Zade!”


    I don’t reply, knowing she’ll never understand because she just sees the good in me. But there really


    isn’t much. I’m a killer and I always will be. That’s not the kind of father a kid needs. My demons will


    always be there. 2


    “Zade!” I shut the door, and she doesn’t follow since she’s naked.


    ‘I’ll be back. I just need to clear my head.‘ I say through the mind–link. I owe her that much, but right


    now I don’t want to be around her in case I say something that I can’t fucking take


    back. 2


    stare un


    Stepping out into the night once more, I at the sky.


    If she’s pregnant…


    I don’t know what you’re ying at, Selene… but we both know that there’s something inside of me


    that’s broken. Something that makes me unworthy of taking on the responsibility of a child. Ever. 7