“Finish?” His eyebrows shoot up. “You were already packing?”
“Yes. Though I wasn’t sure if you were up to talking to me, after the way I left.” I wince. “Or what time I’d end up heading home.”
“You mean, if you’d be heading home.”
My face burns. “That, too,” I murmur, for his ears only.
Mom looks on, resignation and understanding in her expression. “Go on.” She takes a deep breath ending in a trembling smile. “Get your things together, mija.”
My heart’s breaking at the thought of her being on her own.
“Addler,” Bill calls his attention. “Why don’t you help Elena while Annie calls Lonny over to sit with her.”
That makes me feel a little better. She won’t really be alone. Lonny’s been with her night and day at times.
Addler’s hold on me tightens. I glance at him.
“Let’s get your things,” he says quietly.
I nod, taking a deep breath as I head down the hall to my room. Addler’s a couple of steps behind me. The duffle bag’s on the bed, where I left it when I heard the commotion.
* * *
Addler
Elena’s got one pair of jeans in a bag sitting on her small bed.
“You’re going to need a lot more than that,” I point out. “Because I may have you running around in—”
“Addler,” she says between her teeth, turning her concerned gaze toward the part of the house where her mother and Bill are sitting.
I censor my words, knowing others may be listening. “You’re going to need clothes for work tomorrow. Especially since you’re having a visit from corporate.”
“I had only planned on tonight…at the time.” She hitches a shoulder, her expression insecure.
“Well, we’ve cleared that up now, so how about we get you a larger suitcase.” I put my hands around her hips, moving in close to her. “I’m not having you running home whenever you want.”
“I can’t abandon my mother, Addler,” she says softly, placing her palms on my chest. It’s a plea for understanding, not a demand, so it’s better received.
“You can come visit any time, Elena. You can also have her come visit whenever you want. But make no mistake, you’re mine. And that’s not going to change.”
She takes her lower lip between her teeth, looking up at me through her lashes. My gut clenches. I have a feeling I’m not going to like what’s coming.
“You mentioned…” She clears her throat, her gaze flipping down to my chin for a second before finding mine again. “Implied that you had a child. What, um, what about the mom?”
I stare at her. Where did she get that? “A child?” I shake my head. “I don’t have a kid.”
Her eyes widen, and she straightens her back. “You said I didn’t have to worry about consequences.” She swallows hard. “And that your family only has one child per generation.” She shakes her head. “I-I assumed you meant you already had a kid.”
Oh. “We’d already had unprotected sex a few times. I figured it was too late to worry about it by then.”
She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. Somehow I figure that’s the best thing that could happen. “How could y—”
I take her mouth, cutting off her words. To prove my point, I back her up against a nearby dresser, grinding into her. I’ve got my fingers wrapped around her nipple when I finally break the kiss. Her eyes are heavy-lidded, her lips swollen. “That’s how,” I murmur against her mouth.
It’s enough to break the spell. She shakes away the fog, focusing on me. “Addler.” She glances over my shoulder, her eyes wide with concern. “My mother doesn’t think twice about coming into a room,” she whispers by my chin. “I don’t want to give her a heart condition.”
After everything that went on tonight, I understand. “Then we’ll have to continue this once we get home.” I wait for her response, knowing I’m walking a tightrope after what I just admitted.
Her gaze goes from one of my eyes to the other then she finally lets her shoulders settle. “Yes, I suppose so,” she murmurs.
“Good. I didn’t want to have to throw you over my shoulder when you have a little de Marco growing inside you.”
“You can’t be sure I’m actually pregnant,” she says, kidding herself. Obviously she’s forgotten how hard we fucked.
I trail my fingers down her stomach to the clasp on her jeans. “We can fix that right now.”
“Addler.”
I grin, taking her mouth again.