*Adrian’s POV*I sat in the sterile hospital room, the hum of machines and the faint scent of antiseptic filling the air. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead cast an unforgiving pallor on everything, and the room seemed too small to contain the weight of our collective worry.I watched as Amelia lay unconscious in the hospital bed, her face pale and fragile against the white sheets. Nina was next to her holding her hand, and I desperately wanted to trade places with her. Almost losing Amelia had put into perspective how much she meant to me, but I was still working through those emotions. Because of that, I continued to keep my distance.James and Evelyn also sat in a tense silence, their faces etched with concern. I hadn’t wanted James there, but Nina was insistent that Amelia would want him to know she was okay. In the end, I caved and called the son of a bitch. I watched his face and could see the strong emotion he felt while staring at Amelia’s angelic sleeping face.The
*Amelia’s POV* “Sarah, do you have a minute?” Mia leaned against my office door and asked.I sat aside the report I was working on and looked up, “Of course, what’s up?”Mia was wearing a button-up Hawaiian shirt and black slacks. Her blonde hair was pulled back into two buns that sat on top of her head, and her blue eyes sparkled with charisma. She was adorable and seemed like a really fun person, though we hadn’t talked much. She reminded me a lot of Nina. The non-profit I worked for, Sunshine Global, had a business casual dress code with an emphasis on casual. It had been a month since Agent Gregory had whisked me away from DC and shoved me into a new life as Sarah Mitchell, research liaison. I was in charge of finding new projects to take on all across the state of California, and Gregory thought my background as a lawyer would make it a good fit for me.It was a huge adjustment, but I was beginning to see why he had placed me here. Outside of being a force in the court
*Adrian’s POV*“Hello, ‘wife’”, I said as she stepped into the living room and set down the grocery bags full of food. She rolled her eyes and flipped me the bird, “Don’t stand up to help me all at once. It’s not like I just carried all this shit up three flights of stairs.” I stood up from my spot on the couch and walked over to help her. Things between us had been a little tense since the WPP placement. We both missed our old lives and to say we hadn’t had to adjust would be a lie. Amelia had been emotional, and I resorted to anger and rudeness whenever I was uncomfortable.It’d be perfectly acceptable for Amelia to kick me in the nuts for how I’d treated her. Not only since we’d moved here, but before that, during what had happened with MID, as well. My life had slowed down exponentially, and it allowed me to look back on my life and come to some new realizations. We silently unpacked the groceries Amelia had picked up, and I thought about everything I wanted to tell he
*Amelia’s POV*“No, Amelia. Not just sex. I want this. Us,” Adrian admitted.I felt my face get hot, and my stomach lurched at his statement. Adrian's eyes, those same hazel eyes that had first drawn me in, bore into mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. He had always been a master of charm, but this time, he was unveiling something deeper, something more profound."Adrian, you can't just drop a bomb like that on me," I stammered, my fingers nervously toying with the sheets. "I mean, it's not like I don't want this too, but..."He sighed, his hand reaching out to gently cup my cheek. "But what, Amelia? We can't keep pretending that this is just a casual thing. I can’t keep pretending." I could feel him struggling to say those words, and they rang true, but my fear ran deep-rooted in the knowledge of Adrian's troubling history of lying, manipulation, and deception. The shadow of his past actions had cast a dark cloud over our relationship, making it difficul
*Adrian’s POV*My breath tickled her neck and I lightly bit into her earlobe, eliciting a soft moan from her. I had carefully pinned Amelia's wrists above her head, keeping her trapped beneath me. The contrast between the vibrant California sun-kissed hue of her skin and the stark white tile of the bathroom floor was striking, and I could've easily stayed in that moment forever.“I bet you’re already wet, aren’t you? You don’t even know what your punishment is yet, and I bet your panties are drenched,” I muttered, “You keep trying to pretend you don’t fucking love my dark side. Yet, here we are.”Her eyes widened and her lips softly parted, “Please, Adrian,” she begged, her voice barely above a whisper. I loved how I could make her body come alive beneath my touch, “Please what?” I asked, trailing my fingers up her arm, savoring the sensation of her skin against mine. “Punish me. I deserve it,” she pouted, her bottom lip poking out deliciously. I used my left hand to hol
*Amelia*“Don’t get yourself in trouble, Amelia. This case is dangerous as it is,” my friend Samantha mentioned as we said goodbye. “I bet your boss won’t be happy when he finds out that you started interviewing people behind his back.”“I promise I will be careful. I won’t put my life at risk until I get a solid case against them. In Mom’s memory, I need to make it work.”She nodded and gave me a smile, waving a hand and blowing me a kiss as we both parted ways. I sighed, walking back home, Sammy’s words resonating in my mind all the way until I made it to my apartment.I sat in my threadbare, sparsely decorated apartment and looked at the mountain of case files and legal documents piled before me. On top of the stack closest to me, there was a picture of a gorgeous woman with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. She had smile lines that showed grace and poise. She had the most beautiful, kind smile that resembled my own. I caught a glimpse of myself in the window, and I could see
*Amelia*I stepped into the well-lit reception area and was surprised by how cozy it was compared to some of the others in the courthouse. There was an assistant’s desk sitting clear and uncluttered other than a calendar, computer, and notepad. There were two comfortable-looking armchairs with a small coffee table between them that held an array of magazines. The adjacent wall had a bookcase full of legal books and crime novels. The walls were painted in a deep shade of green and adorned with paintings and various artwork on the available space on the opposite wall."How can I help you?" a beautiful woman with silky blonde hair styled into an effortless twist asked me. Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked up to welcome me, a warm smile gracing her lips. I almost jumped because I was lost in thought, but I recovered quickly and replied, "Hello, I'd like to see Mr. Chase, please."The woman glanced down at the calendar, no doubt checking his appointments. She looked back up and
*Amelia*I wearily trudged up the steps of my apartment, the leather of my work bag creaking with each step. When I pushed open the door, a boisterous rendition of Total Eclipse of the Heart filled the air. My roommate, Nina, was spinning around the room, her curly black hair flying in all directions as she gesticulated wildly and sang into a hairbrush microphone."What the hell are you doing?" I yelled over the chaos.Nina spun around with a smile, "Just getting my steps in. The rain kept me from going on a run, so I decided to dance it out. How was work today?"I rolled my eyes and walked to the kitchen to grab a snack, "It was long and tiring, per usual. But I made progress on the wrongful injury case I'm working on with Michael. I just need his final approval before we can move forward."Nina followed me into the kitchen, "That sounds promising! Did you find out anything about the suit against MID?" she asked cautiously.Nina was well-versed in my obsession with justice