Heart of Stone - Stone and Fire #1 [17+] (REWRITING)

Chapter 30

fuck. (i mean that literally)

Adriana's POV

"I'm freaking out, Layla."

I paced the room like a wild predator on the verge of extinction. I'd sworn to stop biting my nails ages ago, but the urge was rising again. And, knowing my bore of irrational things, I never freaked out over them. 

So the fact that this man was making me pull my hair out over a pair of fucking shorts, made me wonder when the hell I'd gotten so desperate.

"You know, it's not hard. He likes black, so wear it."

I nearly threw the phone across the room. After the club, Layla had muttered something about needing to pick up a mall order, so she'd left in a cab. I'd returned with Max and a stupid lump of anticipation in my chest. Both good and bad.

"I don't even know if we're going to, you know, copulate."

Even I cringed as the word left my mouth.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Copulate? Since when are you afraid of saying the word fuck?"

"Ugh.. Since he told me he's expecting me to tell him about Petrov. Him and the entirety -the entirety- of what happened."

I felt her realization click as the line went silent. "Oh, shit."

"Yeah, shit. So either, I come up with another excuse and pray to heck he doesn't figure it out, or I tell him everything and brace myself for denial."

"Listen. I seriously don't think he's going to deny it. He's understanding-"

"Understanding? Exactly what Nikolas have you been talking to? Is there some new alter-ego I should be aware of?"

"Goodness. I don't think I've ever seen you this stressed over a man. Gone are the days when you used to pull two male strippers into a room and go at it 'till dawn."

I sat on the edge of my bed and took in a slow, proper inhale. Then, I leveled my voice. "Okay. You know what? You're right. I'm a different woman now. I'm independent, sensible, and, you know, love-deprived, but we don't have to talk about that one."

She chuckled over the phone. "I can see you both with a little army of kids. A girl, two boys-"

"Enough. You know what, go make your husband a cup of tea."

"Tea's not enough. I'll mix in a bit of molly to really enhance the heart-stopping effect."

"Perfect."

"Don't forget to use a condom-"

I shut off the phone and threw it on the bed. Then, I rubbed a hand down my face. I'd kept the lipstick on for maximum effect, and, with my eyes switching between the two pyjama sets, I resorted to the same black shorts and top like always. My default and most trustworthy being in this entire world.

Just as I mussed up the back of my hair a little to seem like I hadn't spent two hours getting mentally and physically prepared, I heard the front door open.

My heartbeat started it's daily trek up the rollercoaster's peak. I prayed silently to God that nothing would go wrong. That I wouldn't freeze up mid-way and start hallucinating a motel room. I had it covered. All I had to remember was that it was Nikolas. Nikolas, who was gentle -sometimes-, trustworthy, and mostly respected boundaries. He wouldn't cross any lines when it came to.. that.

I wrapped the memory of Petrov with a big sheet of opaque, black paper, and threw it to the trash bin in the back of my head. He wasn't here, but if he messed this up... I couldn't give him the satisfaction of losing. A simple no to that.