“Okay,” I choke out.
“Just rest across the table. I’ve got you,” he says, gently setting me on my feet. He turns me around, and I immediately see Dad. No. Edward. He isn’t my dad. I grit my teeth and bring myself down to the table on my forearms. Adrian pushes my skirt up, and I hear the lube before he slowly pushes into me. Relief sweeps over my body, and I relax, making Adrian relax.
“Remember when you had me pretend I didn’t want it?” I glance back and ask softly.
“Yeah. I’ve got you,” he says. “One hard fucking coming up.”
“You’re a dork,” I laugh softly.
Adrian chuckles and kisses my shoulder before squeezing my hips in his large grip and slamming into me hard enough to make me cry out. Each thrust is brutal and unforgiving. I push my hips back, and he speeds up. Soon, he is fucking me so hard that I can’t think about all of the bad. I can’t even speak; I only moan. My belly aches, but in the best possible way. I push my hips back and we both moan. I keep doing it, and my eyes roll back.
We come in beautiful harmony, our moans are synchronized, and the world disappears for a while. When I come crashing back down into reality, Adrian scoops me into his arms.
“Adrian, you have to wait for the others to…” Headmaster Charles says.
“She is done, so we are leaving,” Adrian snaps.
I am carried somewhere, but I don’t know where until Adrian sits me in his car before running around to get in. Before starting the car, he buckles my seatbelt.
We take off, and I just stare out of the window. “I have all of our stuff. I’ll get you new electronics and clothes,” he says.
“Okay,” I say simply.
“Are you okay? I mean. I know you aren’t, but…”
“I’m fine,” I snap.
“I’m here when you are ready to talk,” he says softly, gently laying his hand on my thigh.
“I won’t,” I reply coldly, knocking his hand off me.
I could fucking cry with how silent he gets. I miss his touch, and I’m not okay. I am far from okay. How do I explain that I’m angry that I’m alive? How do I explain that I gave up long before the Hunt started today? Brent didn’t even show up to the ceremony. He really is gone.
Chapter Twenty
Adrian
I have a millionthings running through my mind. I can see how badly she is hurting, and I know why. I need to call Brent when we get to the house. I’m worried about him, but I’m more worried about Alania. I’ve never seen someone get mad over being saved. She isn’t actually angry, though; she’s sad. She’s never known loss because she has always stayed closed off. She finally let her heart reach out for Brent, and he walked away. Worse than that, now Mark is dead. I don’t know why he was even there. Last I knew, he was going to help Eli. I can’t force information out of her, though.
When we get to the house, I take her upstairs and get the bath ready for her while she stares blankly at the wall. I undress her and have her sit down in the water before I kiss her forehead.
“I need to make some calls. When you get done, try to get some sleep, okay?” I say. When she doesn’t answer, I lift her chin. Her beautiful blue eyes are red from Fredrico strangling her. Blood is coating her face, chest, and hair.
I can’t leave her like this.
I sit on the edge of the tub and grab the washcloth.
“I’ve got it,” she says, taking the cloth out of my hand.
“Alania,” I say gently. “You are covered in blood, Little Dove.”
“Just… leave me alone,” she says flatly. “Please.”
“Okay,” I say. All I want to do is wrap her in a big hug and never let go, but that’s not what she wants. I can’t force her to accept my affection. I just need to support her the best I can, and sometimes that means giving her the space she asks for. I don’t know what else to do, so I gently kiss her and leave the bathroom. When I shut the door, her sobs crack through the silence, and it breaks my heart.
I pull my phone out and keep walking. “Hey,” Marisol says. “Is she in the bath?”
“Yeah. Just give her space. Fredrico almost killed her, and Mark was killed. She’s not handling it well and asked for space,” I say.
