Diane sits back in her chair, a half-eaten muffin in her hand. "You have an answer for everything, Mr. Tasarov. I'm impressed."
That makes two of us.
While sipping coffee and eating pastries, Diane flung a barrage of questions at Adrik, but he never hesitated.
What kind of food will you purchase?
"I have a list of recommendations from the vet, but we'll wait to see what issues or aversions the dog may have before making a final choice," Adrik said. "But it will be a kibble diet with access to unseasoned white meats on occasion."
Where will the dog sleep?
"In a kennel in Isabella's room."
Adrik had answers ready for the kind of flea and tick medicine we’d use, how regularly we’d take the dog for vet visits, and where the animal would sleep if we ever left town.
He really did his research. I… can’t quite believe it.
Adrik waves Diane’s compliment away. “I like to be prepared.”
“I can tell. We like that in a dog owner.” She smiles and, for the first time all day, it looks like she means it.
Diane finishes her muffin just as Stefan comes in. “Is it okay if we crash?”
Before Adrik can tell them it’s fine, Isabella rolls past Stefan’s legs and right up to the table. She eyes the offerings like a kid on Christmas morning.
I can relate. After two days of nothing to eat, the table looked like actual heaven to me. I barely stopped myself from sprawling out on the tablecloth and making a food angel.
“Can I have a cupcake, Mama?”
Adrik promptly grabs a chocolate cupcake and holds it out to her. Isabella takes a bite without hesitation.
“Ask forgiveness, not permission,” he advises Isabella.
Diane chuckles, but I hardly find it funny. He’s putting his hooks in my baby, little by little. So insidious she doesn’t even know it’s happening.
Diane sits up in her chair. “As soon as you’re done eating, I’d love to take a walk outside with you, honey. Since you’ll be spending the most time with the dog, I want to talk to you, too.”
“Me?” Isabella asks.
Diane nods. “I have a few questions for you. But don’t worry, they’re easy.”
Isabella looks nervous. She glances over at Adrik. He waves her on. “Go on. You’ll be fine.”
Only then does she look at me.
I smile, trying to hide the flash of jealousy I feel because she turned to Adrik first. Maybe I was locked up for longer than two days. Because things couldn’t have changed so quickly in such a short amount of time.
Diane leads Isabella through the French doors onto the patio at the back of the house. Their voices get quieter as they go, but I can still hear her asking, “Will you love the dog?”
“More than anything,” Isabella vows just as the doors close.
The moment they’re gone, I feel warm breath on my neck. “You’ve been good. Do you think you deserve a treat?”
I straighten and turn to him. “I think you’re confused. Treats are for dogs. I’m your wife.”
He smirks. “Not yet you aren’t. If you were my wife, you’d know how to respond to a question like that.”
I snort. “Keep dreaming. I’m not stupid enough to keep playing these games with you.”
“It’s not a game, Emery. It’s never a game. I’m getting Isabella this dog, aren’t I? I did the research and impressed the breeder. She’s practically eating out of my hand.”
“Don’t let her hear you say that. She might get ideas.”
“I already have ideas,” Adrik says, wagging his brows. “After all, my fiancée has been… indisposed. Surely someone ought to pick up the slack? Even Isabella’s tutor offered to help me relieve some tension. ‘By any means necessary,’ were her exact words, I think.”
My stomach lurches, but I try to stay composed. It’s hard, though. Especially when I’m sitting in the same place where, just a few nights ago, Adrik bent me over the table and filled me up.
I’ve felt hollow ever since he pulled out. And not just because I haven’t eaten anything in almost two days.
“I’m surprised you had time to do all that research while you were so busy fucking your hired help.”
Adrik looks towards the doors. Diane and Isabella are still outside, chatting happily out of earshot. “Careful, darling. We don’t want Diane to think we aren’t exactly what we appear to be.”
I stare at him for a few seconds, trying desperately to glimpse behind the mask he wears. Or maybe it isn’t a mask. Maybe this is who Adrik is. Cold one second, playful the next. Cruel and generous. Which one you’ll get is a coin toss.
It’s infuriating.
I just want to crack his head open and see how he operates. I want to understand what he’s thinking, why he does this to me, whether he even knows what ‘this’ is.
“Why are you doing this, Adrik?” I ask suddenly. “The dog, the whole show with Diane. You put actual work into this. I’m just trying to figure out why someone like you would bother.”
“Someone like me?” he asks. “Tell me, Emery: who am I?”
I open my mouth and close it.
I don't know anything about Adrik. Not really. I don't know what he likes or what he does with his days. Not a single, solitary fact about him.
The way he feels inside of me probably doesn’t count for much.
“A man who can have whatever he wants,” I say simply. “A man who doesn’t have to be nice to a single mom and her disabled daughter. A man who—”
“Isabella,” he says sharply.
I frown. “What?”
“She’s not just your disabled daughter. Her name is Isabella,” he says.
I blink. Maybe the ice king has a weakness after all. A vulnerability I can use.
"She won't like it if you keep me locked up, you know. Isabella might be buying your lies for now, but she'll figure it out. You can't keep me in there forever."
"Locking you up forever was never the plan," he says. "But you can't seem to behave."
I press my lower lip into an exaggerated pout. "But you said I was a good girl,” I drawl viciously. “What about my treat?”
He isn’t amused in the slightest. “You’re not worth it.”
I roll my eyes and flop back in my chair. “Can you at least tell me what it was going to be?”
He leans in, his voice a soft hiss. “Dinner with me.”