"Hmm..." Adriana hummed. She and Jack were in bed, laying face to face. "Those chocolates smell amazing."
He took a deep inhale through his nose, unable to smell them since they were down the hall in the kitchen.
"You want them?" he asked her.
She nodded with a smile. He left the dark room and returned moments later with the box from the kitchen. He turned on the bedside lamp and handed her the box.
"Smell that," she said after opening the box.
He was finally able to smell them. He got into bed beside her and watched her taste a few of the chocolates. The aroma was rich and decadent. She ate four of them and he watched her lips as she chewed.
"Do you want one?" she asked him.
"No," he replied. "You go on."
"Mmmm," she said and ate two more.
When she was done, she handed him the box and he sat it on the table behind him. He watched her lay back on the pillow and close her eyes. He knew he should turn off the light again, but he was enjoying looking at her. It had been a long time since he had been able to freely gaze at her.
"When do you start work?" she asked him, opening her eyes again.
"Next week," he told her.
"Will you get an employee discount?" she asked.
"Yep," he replied.
"How much?" she asked.
"Forty percent," he said and watched her smile.
"Score!" she said and put a fist up in the air and then began to stretch with her fist still raised.
He reached out and took her hand, unfolding her fingers and she noticed their energies were different. She was feeling giddy and childish, while he seemed quieter and more serious.
"I'm happy," she told him.
"I can tell," he responded. "The discount is generous."
"Not about that..." she said. "Well, yes about that too of course but...I mean...I'm happy that we're finally... you know."
She reached up to touch his cheek and kiss him.
"I'm really happy, Jack," she told him.
He caressed her forearm gently while her hand rested on his cheek.
"Happiness is an emotional state," he told her. "An emotional state is not permanent."
"Oh..." she said, seeing his statement as odd. "I know."
"You didn't seem very happy a couple hours ago," he said.
"Hm?" she asked.
It was nearly four in the morning, and she had been with him in bed for at least five hours. They'd had sex over half a dozen times with breaks. This seemed to be the final break as it was nearing dawn.
"When you charged at me," he told her.
"Huh?" she asked, not remembering.
"You said that I was yours forever," he said.
He then watched her trying to remember. It was surprising that she could not immediately recall such and intense moment that had happened only a couple hours ago.
"Oh..." she said, finally remembering and laughing. "Right..."
He was surprised that she had been able to laugh about a moment that seemed deadly serious.
"You understand that I am not going anywhere," he said. "Am I correct?"
She stopped laughing and smiling when she could see that his tone held no humor.
"Yes," she said.
"If anything happens, it will be you who will have to leave me," he told her. "I am here until you are through with me."
"Jack..." she said, taking his face with both hands. "I'll never be through with you."
He felt the tips of her fingers on his cheeks, tracing along the smooth skin that was once ridden with scars.
"It's just...'" she said.
As she searched for the words to say to him, he could see in her eyes that her light and happy mood had become anxious and fearful. He sensed dread.
"It's just what?" he asked.
He watched her shaking her head, like she was trying to stop her thoughts from going down the path they had begun to go.
"Say it," he said to her.
"You're...a man.." she said, and her voice began to tremble. "And I know men. I...am used to it...I am used to men....I know there's always a chance that..."
She sat up and pressed her fingertips against her eyes.
"I love you so much, Jack," she said. "I don't want to be stupid...I don't want to be naive."
She rubbed her eyes.
"Even if you did...I love you so much that..." she said. "Even if you..."
Jack waited for her to finish her sentence, but she was shaking her head again.
"I shouldn't be saying this out loud..." she murmured to herself.
"Even if I what, Adriana?" he asked firmly. "Say it."
She turned her head and looked at him, and he could see a hopelessness in her eyes. It felt like he had already hurt her. The look in her eyes gutted him.
"Even if you cheated on me," she said. "I can't...I can't guarantee that I would leave you."
She wiped her eyes quickly.
"What a way to start a relationship," she said to herself. "Telling you that...I love you so much that even if you hurt me, I would stay."
She sighed and looked like she was taking in her own words.
He watched her face beginning to turn away and before she could fully turn away, he grabbed her face. She gasped and her hand flew up to his wrist. It did not hurt but he had turned her face so quickly that the movement was aggressive.
"You will not let me hurt you," he commanded her. "If I do, you will not stay. Hear me?"
She was still so stunned at how determined his movement and tone was.
"You will leave me," he said. "And you will tell Bruce whatever it is that I have done."
"Bruce?" she asked.
"He will make sure that I suffer and that I am never near you again," he said. "Of that I am entirely certain."
She could see that he meant every word.
"If we are to go forward together," he said. "If this is to work, I need your word that you will not let me hurt you. Not even once. You will let Bruce know that he needs to put me away. And I am sure he would do so expediently. He knows that clearly...for me to hurt you, to betray you...I would no longer be of sound mind. And I would no longer be fit to be above ground. And Bruce would have no problem...handling me. He would put me where I belong. I would sooner return to the pit I see in my darkest nightmares than to see you allowing me to hurt you. Do you understand? Do we have an agreement?"
She nodded.
