CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 30

Cynthia

Things have been going well with Adam, and I’m not blind to how hard he’s trying to fix our relationship. I’m trying to do the same, and it’s getting easier. So much so that I’m standing in one of my favorite bakeries to get him some snacks. I want him to try the things I like. I’m telling myself not to be silly and not to expect much, but I’m still excited to see his reaction. This is a Portuguese bakery, the only one in Detroit, and their items are incredible.

"Cynthia?"

I turn around at the familiar voice, and my eyes widen slightly.

"Tina," I utter, feeling uncomfortable. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a conference to attend," she beams at me. "It’s been so long! Is Adam with you?"

"Ah, no," I say.

She looks beautiful and elegant in her long red coat and heels, a white form-fitting dress underneath the coat, her hair long and sleek like a mesmerizing waterfall. Compared to her, I look drab.

I see a glint on her hand. It’s a diamond engagement ring.

My heart sinks at the sight of it. I know that in the eyes of the pack, Tina and Adam are still engaged and planning their wedding. I know it’s just a front, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

"That’s a beautiful ring," I murmur. "Adam gave that to you?"

The bitter words are out of my mouth before I can stop myself.

Tina blinks. "No. Reynold did."

"Reynold?"

"Didn’t Adam tell you about him?" She looks behind me and smiles at someone. Turning my head, I follow her gaze and see a blonde man approaching. I’ve not seen him before, and when he speaks, it’s in an exquisite French accent.

"We met at an art gallery." Tina smiles, fondly. "He turned out to be my fated mate. Once Adam is done with everything, I plan to move with Reynold to France."

I watch as Reynold wraps his arm around her waist, pressing his lips to her cheek. "My fiancée is less patient than I am. You must be Cynthia, Adam’s mate."

"You know of me?" I’m taken aback.

"Of course." His smile widens. "Your mate speaks of you with much love."

"Adam’s been beside himself," Tina confides in me, "ever since he sent you away. But I can’t tell my dad about Reynold, and I begged Adam to pull this engagement facade to protect both you and Reynold. Reynold was not happy either, as I imagine you weren’t, but I couldn’t leave Adam out there alone to face the sharks. You must be glad to have him back."

"I am," I say. "How bad was it for him when I left?"

She sighs and looks at Reynold. "Mind getting me something to eat, love?"

He nods, walking away, and Tina turns to look at me, "Jonathon was out for blood for some reason. Adam was accused of everything from the sun to the moon. I was there, but there were things even I couldn’t help him with. There was a point I begged him to bring you back. He needed you. He was being torn apart, and he was barely holding on. But he was so determined to seize the alpha position at any cost as soon as he could. There was a point when I began to question his morals."

She presses her lips together. "He was losing himself without you. It wasn’t a good time for him. He wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t sleep. It was like being next to a madman. His own company was beginning to suffer, and I had to step in. I’ve never seen him like that before. There was a time when I asked him if all this was worth it. He could just go to you and give up his alpha position. But he told me that even if he wanted to, he couldn’t. That he needed to become Alpha for you. So, when he told me he was finally going to bring you home, you can imagine my relief."

My heart is thudding painfully in my chest. I never imagined things had been like that for Adam. He and Tony had mentioned that it had been hard for him. A hard knot of guilt forms in my chest.

"Thank you for telling me all this." I give Tina a sincere smile.

Her own lips curve in response. "Of course. Adam’s my best friend, Cynthia. More than that, he’s like my brother. My father never understood that, and he never will. At the upcoming event this month, I was supposed to go with him, but he’s now decided to show you off."

I go still. "What do you mean?"

Tina grins. "Well, Adam doesn’t want to hide you anymore. There was another reason behind our fake engagement, a private reason for me. But I’ve gotten everything I wanted, so he’s now free to introduce you as his mate. He’s very excited about this."

She sounds just as excited, and I ask, smiling, "Does this mean, you will also introduce Reynold as your fated mate?"

"I’ll be introducing him as my mate." She winks at me. "It’s going to be quite a party."

As her fiancée and future mate approaches us, she suddenly says, "Oh, right. I forgot. Adam told me you were the head of marketing in one of the companies he owns here. I admit I was curious about your work since he bragged so much about your skills. I loved your campaigns."

She reaches into her bag and brings out a business card. "I was hoping that once everything is settled, you would consider consulting with my company. I mean, if you want to jump ship, I’m all for it, and I will triple your salary, but Adam will kick my ass for poaching you, so I’m willing to settle for this."

I blink, stunned. "You’re offering me a job?"

"Don’t tell him that," she says quickly. "I’m offering you a freelance position as a marketing consultant. Make sure he knows that."

I smile broadly. "Thank you. And I will definitely consider this!"

"I’ll see you soon." Tina smiles. "Reynold and I have to get going now."

I watch them leave, and my heart feels a lot lighter. I make my way to the counter and order some of the baked goods I had come here for.

As I leave, I find myself lost in my thoughts.

I had been so sure that forgiving Adam would be hard, that I would always resent him despite knowing everything. But the more I find out about what he went through to give me and Riya a peaceful life, the more that knot of anger within me loosens up. If he had told me everything beforehand, I would have stayed by his side. If he hadn’t forcibly sent me away, I would have made sure he was okay.

My eyes are burning as I clutch the paper bag in my hands.

No wonder he’s going above and beyond trying to win me over. That idiot! He could have spared himself all of this if he had just talked to me before he pulled any of this crap. Now, we’re both hurting because of his decision to carry all the burden by himself.

Reaching my car, I’m about to open the door when the hair on the back of my neck stands up. My head immediately turns to the side, and for a moment, my heart stops.

Norman!

He’s standing across the street, smirking at me.

However, a crowd passes by, and when I blink, he’s gone.

My hands are shaking as I look around, but there’s no sign of him.

Did I imagine him?

I stand there for a couple of minutes, my eyes searching for him, but I can’t see him. I might have simply imagined the whole thing. Ever since Adam told me that Norman was spotted in the city, I’ve been a little bit on edge.

I get into my car and drive back to my apartment. However, throughout the drive, I keep looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not being followed. But there’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Feeling more reassured, I shake my head. "You’re seeing ghosts now, Cynthia. Snap out of it. If he was around, Aiden would have found him by now."

I park my car outside and head inside.

When I enter the apartment, I hear Riya calling out, "Run, doggie! Run!"

Doggie?

I walk inside to see a large wolf standing in the middle of my living room, Riya on his back. I stare at the two of them, and Adam gives me an insulted look.

I shrug. "She likes doggie more than wolfie."

"Mommy!" Riya shouts out in glee. "Look at my doggie."

"It’s not nice to call your father a dog, Riya." I put down my things. "He’s a wolf."

"No!"

I raise my brows. "If you keep calling him a doggie, he won’t play with you anymore."

That has our daughter freezing, not having considered such dire consequences.

"There, there, wolfie." She pats Adam’s furry head, and he huffs in amusement.

"I got you some treats from a bakery." I hold up the paper bag. With an afterthought, I add, "For both of you."

When Adam looks at me, I can’t meet his eyes, feeling flustered. "Go wash your hands, Riya. And you go put on some clothes, Adam."

Riya jumps to the ground, leaving us alone, and Adam approaches me. He sniffs at me, and I nearly jump when he shoves his nose into my neck. "Stop that!"

His chest rumbles, and he suddenly licks my face.

"Adam!"

He’s grinning a big wolfish grin, his tongue out as he watches me.

When he tries to approach me again, clearly ready to lick me again, I hold up a finger. "Back off. I mean it!"

But he seems to be in a playful mood, trying to circle me and get in a lick here or there. His wolf is flirting with me, and I can’t help but feel amused even as I try to stop him.

He finally manages to pin me down on the ground, licking my face.

The only option I have is to shift myself and smack some sense into him, but before I can do so, Riya comes running back and squeals, "I want to play, too!"

She jumps onto Adam and grabs his tail. He lifts her up, using it, making her tumble onto his back.

Her laughter is the loveliest thing in the world. I’ve never seen her thriving like this. Ever since Adam came here, the environment has changed. He’s gone from staying over a couple of hours every day to living here. I don’t even know when that happened, but I find him sprawled on the couch when I wake up or cuddling with Riya in her bed. He’s not once stepped foot in my room.

I don’t know why that is. I don’t know what’s going on in his head.

I don’t even know what my response would be if he asked to share my bed.

But he’s been respectful of my boundaries, trying to do everything to keep me comfortable. Sometimes it seems like he’s the only one making all the sacrifices.

"If you two keep this up, everything will go cold. Adam, go change."

Adam makes a huffing sound before turning his head and grabbing Riya by the back of her shirt. She giggles as he drops her in the kitchen chair and licks the top of her head.

"Ew!" She laughs uproariously, making me smile.

I watch Adam walk away proudly to the guest bedroom where I know he keeps some clothes stashed.

When he comes out minutes later, I’ve cleaned Riya up and have put on some coffee. He helps me plate the bakery items, talking to Riya as he does. I’m quiet, a lot of thoughts whirring about in my head. I know the pack event is in two weeks, but Adam hasn’t said anything to me about attending or wanting to introduce me as his mate. I want to ask him, but I hesitate.

Adam seems to be debating something as well, and as I pour the coffee, I ask, "What’s going on?"

He gives me a considering look and makes sure Riya is sufficiently distracted before saying, "There’s a restaurant that opened nearby. An Italian place. Maya told me you like Italian."

He looks at me expectantly, and I stare back, waiting for him to continue. When he doesn’t, I raise a brow. "Are you asking me if it’s a good restaurant or what?"

"I’m asking if you want to go with me," Adam replies.

"Sure, Riya and––"

"Just you and me," Adam emphasizes.

My hand, which is reaching for my cup, freezes mid-air, and I ask, "I don’t understand."

It’s not that I don’t understand. It’s more that I want to be sure of his meaning.

"We never got the opportunity to date. I never courted you properly. So, this would be a date."

When I don’t speak for a full minute, he sighs. "It doesn’t have to be––"

"Tomorrow would be ideal." I pick up my coffee and focus my gaze on the liquid. "Tomorrow evening. I can ask Tony to babysit."

"Really?" Adam sounds taken aback. "I was sure you’d say no."

I stir the sugar in my coffee, trying to formulate my words. "I want this to be a new beginning for us. I’m not angry anymore. While I’m not happy with what you did, I understand somewhat. I want us to move forward. We have Riya to think of."

When I look up, his eyes are heavy. "So, you’re forgiving me for Riya’s sake."

"No, not entirely." I give him a small smile. "I want to be happy, too. And we both deserve a second chance."

"Are you sure you won’t regret this?" Adam asks.

"No." I sip my coffee. "I won’t. But I want you to be honest with me from now on. Not every burden has to be carried on your shoulders. If you had told me how hard things were for you, if you had just reached out at any point in these past four years and told me the truth, and told me about the situation you were in, I would have come back to you. I would have forgiven you. I’m mad because you took away my decision and my choice. If you ever do that again, I will never forgive you."

My voice is calm, but my eyes are hard.

He’s smart enough not to offer excuses and just nods.

"So, does this mean I can court you?" he asks, a broad grin on his face.

"I mean, we’re already mated so you don’t have to––"

"We did most everything in a backward order," Adam insists. "I want to do everything properly this time."

He looks excited, and his excitement is contagious, making me smile.

I bite into the mushroom pastry and then decide to tell him, "I ran into Tina today. And her fiancée."

Adam’s smile disappears. "What happened?"

"Nothing." I shake my head. "We just talked. She looks happy."

"She is."

"How is Watson going to react when he finds out about Reynold?" I ask, concerned.

Adam’s eyes grow dark. "He’ll be dealt with."

"But if he withdraws support––"

Adam blinks. "Is that what you’re worried about?"

"Kind of, yeah," I admit.

Adam takes out his phone and turns it around to show me something. "Do you know what this is?"

"They look like stock options," I murmur after a moment.

"They are. In both our names." He tucks his phone back in his pocket. "I have been buying stocks and investing in real estate where I can for a while now. There are a lucrative number of investments under the name of Cynthia Rose, and there are some under my name."

I gape at him. "What? Why would you put anything under my name?"

He studies me for a moment, and then he crosses the counter to come to stand before me, taking my hands in his. "Remember when you first came to work for me, and you told me you never received a salary? I realized you didn’t have a penny to your name. I decided there and then that you would never feel that way again, that I would make sure that you had so much money you wouldn’t know what to do with it. So, I invested, and I bought, and I built a fortune under your name. Even I can’t access it. It’s yours."

My heart feels warm. "You never told me any of this."

"I wanted to bring it up at the right time," he admits. "You’ve had to make a lot of adjustments in your life because of my decisions, and I didn’t know how you would react to this. I just didn’t want to make things worse for us."

It’s not the money that has my heart tightened with emotion but the reason why he did it.

"I also built a good amount in investments, and I won’t need any backing anymore," he says. "Your money is yours––"

"It’s ours," I say firmly. "Yours and mine, and Riya’s."

"No––"

I wrap my arms around his neck, and he goes still. I don’t know what to say to convey my emotions to him.

"Cynthia?" Adam’s arms inch around my waist.

"I know I’ve been awful to you," I whisper through tears. "And you’re still doing all sorts of things for me."

"No, I betrayed your trust," he says. "And this wasn’t to win you over. This was for you. Everything I do is for you and Riya."

"I know." A teary laugh leaves my mouth. "You make it really hard to remain angry with you."

He picks me up in his arms, grinning now. "Anything for my girls."

His girls.

His words make me smile.

I cup his face and kiss his mouth. My heart thuds in my chest at the contact, and my wolf rumbles happily. When I pull away, I tell him, "The money is ours, but thank you for caring so much. That means a lot to me, Adam."

Since he came back into my life, he’s been doing small things here and there, and they’ve been accumulating, my feelings growing, the ice cracking bit by bit. That he had remembered something that had eaten at me for so long and then made sure that it would never happen again is what made the ice finally shatter.

"So, date night tomorrow." Adam turns me around until my back is against the edge of the counter, and he kisses me. His skin is burning under my hands, and I feel my lower body tighten in need. "Do you think I’ll get lucky?"

"We’ll see." I laugh, trying to escape his hold. "Now, get off! Riya is watching."

Riya, who has taken her plate to eat in front of the TV, is now watching us with wide eyes.

Adam clears his throat and steps away, but he’s smiling and I’m feeling a little shy.

A date.

Just then the buzzer sounds, and I go to check the door camera.

"Delivery for Miss Cynthia Rose."

"I’ll buzz you in," I reply, and my finger is on the buzzer before Adam can stop me.

"Your surname," he says. "He used your surname. Take Riya and go inside the bedroom."

I pick up Riya and take her to her room. "Stay here and don’t come out until I say so. Okay?"

She nods, and I close the room.

I return to Adam’s side, and he snarls. "I told you to stay inside."

"Not anymore," I say firmly. "We face everything together."

He pushes me behind him just as there is a knock on the door.

He pulls the door open, and we’re faced with a regular Fed-Ex delivery guy. He seems startled at our hostile appearances. "Ah, here. You have to sign for it."

He’s clearly human and looks at us like we’re crazy people.

Adam takes the paper from him and hands it to me. I sign it and hand it back.

I’m about to open the box when he takes it from me, sniffing it. His expression distorts.

"What is it?"

"I don’t know," he breathes. "It smells like something rotting. There’s another smell that I can’t figure out."

He uses his claws to cut the box open, and as soon as he does, he takes in a sharp breath.

"Adam?"

I peer into the box, and a strangled sound escapes me.

It’s Jonathon’s rotting head.