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"It's three in the morning."
"Yeah, well, Dr. Bianchi told me to do what I have to in order to relax, so here I am."
Adalena sits up in bed, her laptop in front of her as she types away passionately. I've never seen someone's fingers fly across a keyboard as effortlessly as hers do.
I crawled out of bed thirty minutes ago in order to get dressed for my red-eye to Las Vegas, but she must have woken up after I entered the attached bathroom. I'd ended up staring at her mindlessly from the doorway as her brows continuously furrowed and she mouthed the words she was typing.
"I am writing emails and reading reports because this is my job and this is what makes me calm." Just when I think she's finished with her short rant, she continues, "Especially since you're leaving today to go talk to the pest that I wanna step on with a red bottom. But, yes, it's three in the morning, so by default, I should just go to sleep and wake up even more worried than I would be if I didn't watch you walk out of this door, right?"
Her hypothetical questioning makes me purse my lips.
"Okay." All I can do is nod. Nothing I can say or do will change her ways. This is how she's always been and I can't help falling more in love with her.
She approves my response, "Give me the plan." I open my mouth but she holds a hand up, "I know you're going to say we've gone over it multiple times but please, humor me."
My lips purse and I can't help the smile that grows on my face. "Well, the flight leaves at four. Thirteen-hour flight. Meet with Kory at the casino. Listen to what he has to say. Come back home to my babies before they miss me too much." With each sentence that leaves me, I step closer and closer to the love of my life. She stares at me as I stare at her, lowering myself onto the bed so my face is lined up to her stomach.
I kiss her skin, "Take care of mommy, okay? Don't antagonize her, especially when she's just trying to help you, my loves."
"Ugh, the plurality of that word is..." She groans as she pushes her laptop off to the side.
Her lack of a complete sentence makes me arch a brow at her and finish it for her, "Nerve-wracking? Daunting? Too much for the ever successful and ever powerful Adalena Washington?"
A smile grows on her face and I can see the calm settle within the storm behind her stormy gaze. And somehow, with the background of crickets chirping outside and the buzzing lightbulb beside her, the moment becomes somber. And then... a sniffle.
I look up at her, adjusting myself so I'm now in line with her face. She wipes away a fallen tear with a manicured finger but not quickly enough for me to miss it.
My brows furrow in concern, "What's wrong, my love?"
She shakes her head profusely and attempts to straighten her face but I can see the distress in her eyes, "Nothing."
"Don't lie to me, dolcezza."
A minute passes as she composed herself, pressing a hand to my cheek in comfort. Whether it's for herself or me or even both is unclear, "Promise me you'll be safe. Don't get cocky, get the full story and get out."
I know that's her fear speaking, and she wants me to be as safe as I can, but she also knows that I will do whatever I can to keep my family safe — if a bit of cockiness and violence is how I do it, then a promise might not be worth making.
She stares at me expectantly. And judging by the look on her face, she can read the look on mine perfectly. Hence why she sighs and settles for pressing a kiss to my lips.
She pulls away, her lips close enough to mine that I continue to peck them but she speaks through the process, "Just come back."
I hold her head in my hands, caressing her soft cheeks with my thumbs as she clenches a tight fist around my hand, "I promise."
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