Page 67 of Care: Part 1

Her heart was hammering in her chest. She tried to move out of Adrik’s embrace but he trapped her in between him and the nightstand.

"Adrik," she whispered out.

"Avelina."

His eyes moved from hers and over to the contract she left. He reached over behind her and picked up the paper.

"Is this why you are here?"

"Yeah, uh, and my clothes," Avelina informed.

Adrik nodded his head but didn't move to let her out of his restraints. Deep down, she knew she genuinely didn't want him to let her go. She longed to stay in his arms as long as she could without being overwhelmed with guilt.

"Will you ever come back?"

Slowly, she shook her head. "No. I'm going back to Brazil. I just need the money from the contract to do everything I have planned."

"I see.’

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing seemed to escape her lips. Adrik’s hand came up to cradle her cheek affectionately. Avelina couldn't help but let her head rest against his palm.

"I will sign it," he spoke.

She only watched him as he grabbed a pen. He flipped a few pages of the paper before settling on the words that required him to sign. After signing, he placed the pen down and let out a sigh.

"I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Truthfully, I do not believe I ever will," Adrik said softly.

Though she understood the feeling, she didn't voice it. Avelina promised Vincent to stay away from him, but there she was. He already signed the paper, yet there she was still waiting for something—anything.

Adrik's arm snaked around her waist, leaving her to let out a gasp. Avelina pressed her hand on his chest, ready to push him away, but she couldn't. God, it was frustrating how she couldn’t just move him. It was like she was compelled underneath his curse never to push him away.

Her eyes were glued to her hand on his chest. Push him away, Avelina.

"Avelina," he said, bringing her back to reality.

There was a bleak look on his face. Avelina was sure that her facial expression matched his perfectly.

Her hand that was still planted on his chest had balled up into a fist. When she was preparing to move her hand away, he gripped her wrist so she couldn't pull away.

"Stay," he ordered.

"No, Adr—"

He leaned down and pressed his head into her neck, pushing her body closer to his. Her eyes shut momentarily as her body welcomed every sensation he was giving her.

"Stay.”

Avelina’s breathing was labored. Her mind was stuck in a dreamy haze. She didn't know what to do.

"I-I c—"

His lips wandered up from her neck to her jaw. He pulled away only slightly just to gleam into her eyes. When she moved to speak, he captured her lips in his.

The tension in her muscles managed to ease. Her heartbeat quickly slowed, and her stomach erupted in those same butterflies that would never go away. All of the shocks and tingles that spun around them didn't go unnoticed by either of them.

She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him in even closer. Her body was calling out to him.His hand wandered to the button of her shirt, where he ripped it—leaving the buttons to bounce all over the floor.

"I hate when you wear napkins," he said.