Kissed by a Rose✔️

26) The Club

I rush out of the house and happily meet the cold air of the outdoors. Fresh tears cascade down my face, making my cheeks cold from the wind. Ive never told her off like that, ever. She can hate me all she wants for it, but I cant help but feel like those words cant be left unsaid, especially with my close encounter to death I had just days before. I walk towards the vehicle down the road that was hiding in plain sight for me to return to. Luckily, the partition is up, so after the driver is signaled by my guards, he speeds off.

Pain radiates in my chest at my mothers words. Not those of a concerned mother for her child, but those of a terrified woman for her own life. It sickened me, how being vulnerable with a woman who raised and mothered me meant less than a demand to get her husband a beer. I'll never understand what came over her to expect anything less from me at some point. That talk was a long time coming.

When my father was arrested, I remember seeing Him at the scene, nurturing and kind to my betrayed mother. Even in my young age, the fact she clung to him to be comforted rather than coming to me to ensure I was safe and emotionally well was apparent to me. Ive never expected her to tend to my every need, but she chose him before me long before she married Hank.

The driver gets us back to the house quickly, most likely due to Theos instructions to waste no time, and before I know it we are parked. Before both my feet even hit the cement of Theo's driveway, the driver has my duffle in his hand and informed me that Theo wanted to see me in his office when I got back. I nodded, hoping my tanned complexion would hide the red in my cheeks. I luckily didn't run into anyone on the way up and stopped right outside the door to Theos office.

I try to fan my face before entering and take deep breaths to nuetralize my color again. All to no avail when I hear Theos strong voice chime ," Come in, mi amore."

Cursing under my breath, I open up the door to find Levi and Griffin in the room as well, both with paper spread out among them on the couches they occupied. All three of them look up at me at the same time, and Im met by a three similar frowns.

Theo instantaneously drops his papers, a crease in his brow apparent. "Adeline? Whats wrong?"

I decide to go the oblivious route. "Im perfectly fine, you wanted to see me?"

I wait with baited breath to see if this worked; the oblivious route almost never works. However, I was put on the spot and there wasn't much else I could think of.

Im shortly given my answer when Theo dismisses Levi and Griffin without sparing them a glance. The door shuts behind me, signaling that it was just us two now.

"Are you hurt?'

I shake my head, not meeting his eyes. "No."

His sigh of relief doesn't dismiss the tension in his body from his protective nature. He motions a finger towards me, and I oblige, but decide to sit on the nearest couch rather than completely obey him. He frowns at this, but I can tell from knowing me long enough he knows to give me some space for me to talk. His fingers twitch, and he tries to play it off by folding his hands together in front of him on the desk. The restraint he has shown has massively improved since we met, something I am very grateful for.