Chapter 9 Bittersweet Taste


    Third Person POV


    Adrian''s mind moves back to the hacker, Tracer, that he spoke with earlier in the day. Just like the mafia princess, she reminded him so much of Ste with the way her messages looked.


    His mind runs at a mile a minute, unable to quiet or calm down like he am usually able to. He pulls away from ra and pinches the bridge of his nose. Images of Ste''s face attack his mind, leaving him no relief.


    Adrian sees her in the mafia princess. He imagines her sitting behind aputer as Tracer. He remembers her in the hospital gown she wore just a few days ago, her hazel eyes swollen and red from crying


    "I met a hacker today who spoke just like Ste, and now the mafia princess has her eyes," Adrian nces down at ra. "There is no way in hell that they are all connected"


    A small scoff leaves ra''s mouth, a tinge of a smile spreading across her lips before it disappears.


    "Ste? She''s far too timid for that kind of role. She doesn''t have the aura of a renowned hacker, let alone a gang princess," ra''s tone drips from patronization. "If you''ll excuse me.....”


    ra squeezes his arm. She quickly fixes her hair before turning back around to face therge banquet hall. She forces a cheery smile on her face and steps deeper into the room.


    As soon as people spot ra, they either turn around and lower their voices to not draw her attention to them or they walk away, leaving her close proximity. ra joins a group but they immediately fall silent, simply staring at her.


    ra turns away and attempts to join another group''s conversation. They tantly ignore her,ughing when she''s silent and going silent when she tries tough with them. Her smile breaks, a frown now hanging on the lower half of her face.


    A n begins to brew inside her head. ra knows that the only way for her to truly fit inside Adrian''s social ss is to marry him. She must do it and she must do it as soon as she possibly can.


    Ste, who stands on the other side of the banquet hall, is swarmed by many men in fancy suits and masks. They remained calm and orderly, due to her five brothers looming close behind her, and politely asked her to dance at


    her ball.


    When one man gets too close, Sebastian is quick to step in. He takes Ste''s hand and guides her to the dance floor, ring at the man as they pass.


    This bes a routine for Ste and her brothers throughout the night.


    Whenever Ste leaves the dance floor, she asks for a ss of champagne to quench her thirst. When she''s done and some random man begins to approach her for a dance, one of her brothers are quick to step in, stealing her away before the other man has a chance to ask.


    The constant care and attention from her brothers made Ste feel safe. She was nervous toe, prepared for the oue that she is used to: being thest choice. Tonight proved the opposite.


    She was thankful that she danced with just her brothers instead of random men, especially Adrian.


    However, Ste''s mind quickly became dizzy from the constant drinks. She clung to her brothers for support towards the end of the night. It ended with Sebastian helping her into a nearby private bathroom so she can change out of her dress.


    She swayed around in the bathroom. She could barely perceive where she is. The only thought on her mind is-


    "Adrian," Ste''s voice is muddy from the expensive alcoll. She pushes out of the bathroom, body colliding


    with a man


    Adrian catches her in his arms, his hands instinctively resting on her waist. He looks down at her, his expression moving from confusion to one of relief and happiness.


    He can''t help but think that this is Ste''s own, and quite weird, way of reconciliation. She melts into his arms, slurring his name before her body''s weight fully gives in this.


    If this isn''t her being desperate to reconcile, then why else would she be at the Belova Hotel?


    Adrian isn''t too keen on her being drunk and incoherent in his arms due to her body working at half power due to the excessive surgeries she underwent.


    The


    man cannot deny, though, that he feels happy that she is there in his arms,pletely submissive to his will. He knows that Ste won''t care that he takes her back to their home.


    Adrian pushes her dark hair out of her face, adjusting her in his arms. Her face is beautifully lit under the warth lighting of the lobby. His mind remembers that they haven''t been intimate with each other in a long time; he weirdly craved the feeling of her body against his.


    Luca and Ss notice Adrian carrying Ste towards the front doors of the hotel. Sebastian catches their movement from the corner of his eye, seeing a sh of their guns. He''s quick to shove the weapons back inside, their concealed spaces.


    "He has Ste," Luca hisses under his breath.


    "I know," Sebastian whispers back, "but Ste wouldn''t want us risking her connection to us and the Underworld in Adrian''s presence."


    Luca and Ss nce at each other. Deep down, they know that Sebastian is right. By exposing her connection to the underworld, it will only open a can or worms that they will not be able to close. It will lonely bring more trouble than it does good.


    The three men shadow Adrian''s movements, remaining close behind. They watch as the man ces Ste into the backseat of the car before vanishing inside himself driving away.


    Ste''s body is warm in Adrian''s arms as he carries her up the stairs and into his bedroom. Heys her down on the bed, her dark hair fanning out around her head.


    Adrian''s touch lingers on her body, goosebumps forming on her skin wherever he touches. Her sleeping face pulls him closer to her. The sudden urge to kiss her overtakes his body, his face now hovering over her own.


    They have had sex many times before. They are married, after all, it is only natural to make love with their spouse.


    Since Ste''s absence, Adrian had begun to feel out of his element, especially now as he gets on top of her. He hovers over her, not cing his full weight into her just yet taking his time to admire her body now that she is back in his arms.


    Ste''s eyes flutter open. The dim lighting of the room doesn''t hurt her eyes, the alcohol slowly wearing off. She tilts her head to the side and notices Adrian on top of her.


    The sight of his face instantly sobers her up. She gasps and her hands connect with his chest, pushing him away from her.


    Adrian falls to the side, watching as he sits up in bed and looks around the room. He raises an eyebrow and scoffs, unsure as to why she is ying so hard to get right now.