Page 38 of Violent Little Thing

On His Knees

DELILAH

W e made it as far as the back of Adonis’ Maybach before I fell asleep.

I vaguely remember Victor driving us back down the long drive, away from the manor as my eyes drooped and my head found Adonis’ shoulder.

His scent is the last thing I can recall and the first thing to hit my nose when I wake up the next morning.

Sleep still thick in my eyes, I open them and there he is.

In a chair pulled up beside my bed, with his tuxedo jacket draped across the back of it. Tie gone. Sleeves rolled up and the residual stress from last night lining his face, mixed in with blatant relief when he sees I’m awake.

“Did you watch me sleep all night?” I stretch before inspecting my clothes. He may still be wearing last night’s attire, but I’m in pajamas I don’t remember changing into. I touch my face, and my jaw drops when I realize he also cleaned the makeup off my face .

Adonis looks at me, unblinking. Like I’m not sitting here with the knowledge that he carried me to bed, undressed me and removed my makeup.

“From now on, I want you in my bed every night.”

“Why would I do that? We’re not together.”

“Delilah.” My name is wrapped up in an exhale, a warning of sorts. I sit up against my headboard and watch him.

“We’re not together, Adonis.”

“We kissed,” he states matter of factly. “You think I’m letting somebody else experience you?”

“You’re very possessive for a man who’s engaged to another woman.”

His eyes flash in the early morning sunlight and it satiates a need I didn’t know I had inside of me. Watching the torture play across his face is its own special kind of bliss. He deserves it .

“Where’s Titus?” I ask as a yawn steals my voice. My eyes water and when I open them again, more misery has found its way into Adonis’ expression. I wipe the sleep from the corners of my eyes and cover another yawn.

“I won’t marry her,” he blurts when I reach for my glasses on the nightstand.

“That doesn’t seem like something you can undo overnight just because you kissed the woman you kidnapped, Adonis.”

Vacating the chair, he’s on his knees beside my bed, hands closing around mine in my lap. “It won’t be overnight, it’ll take time. But if you tell me I have a chance with you, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

He pulls my hands to his lips and plants kisses up and down my wrists .

“You kissed me back,” he reminds me. “And you told me you liked me.”

“I was under duress,” I bite back, avoiding his gaze.

“Delilah, please.” He brings my hands to his chest. “Let me fix this.”

All I’m saying is that I didn’t cheat on her by falling in love with you.

Last night, I thought he was talking to make himself feel better, but maybe I just don’t know what a man in love looks like.

However, Adonis on his knees, mouth on my skin, and a desperate plea on his lips might be my new standard.

“Menace, say something.”

“Did you change my clothes last night?”

“Yes, after I carried you up here.”

“Have you done that before?”

“Carried you to bed?”

“Changed my clothes while I was unconscious.”

His face falls but he nods. “Yeah, only once before last night.”

“Why?”

He kisses the inside of my wrist. Then he tells me about the night I almost drowned in his pool. A night I don’t remember but one that scared him enough that he held me all night.

“It was the night before your first appointment with Silas. That was the first time you scared the shit out of me, menace.”

The somber shift in his demeanor tugs at something in me, so I attempt to lighten the mood. “Why didn’t you tell me he had a twin?”

Alonzo, with his lopsided smile and hand kisses enters my mind. I smile at the way Adonis tenses, knowing that his head jumped to the same memory.

“What does he do?”

“He’s a doctor too.”

“Really?”

An unreadable look masks his previous expression. “Yeah, he doesn’t practice like Silas though. He prefers being behind the scenes.”

“What does that mean?”

“How many questions you gone ask me about another man, Delilah?”

Laughter tumbles out of me and his eyes land on my mouth like he’s in awe of the sound. Or maybe in awe of me from the way his eyes soften.

And that awareness kills the laugh on my lips.

“Go shower. I’ll take you to breakfast and explain everything.”

One final kiss to my forehead and he’s on his feet, walking to the door. I stare at the empty doorway for a spell after he’s gone, then I toss my covers to the side and walk to the bathroom for that shower.

The waiter beams down at us after placing another dish at the center of the table. “Mr. Samson, is there anything else I can get for you?”

Adonis looks around at the full spread of brunch between us and excuses the man.

As I unwrap my silverware, I can’t help but think about how everyone knows who he is every time we go somewhere. It’s a level of notoriety I can’t grasp, but it makes sense. Even I’d heard of him before I met him, and I’d been locked up in that house my whole life.

My mood almost sours, but the view of the waterfront beneath us momentarily suspends my thoughts until Adonis clears his throat.

The same man who claims he’s killed for me looks nervous piling pancakes onto my plate.

“You didn’t take me to get back at my brother?”

“Eat and let me explain.”

Nothing will ever top Ms. Agnes’ pancakes, but the stack in front of me comes close. As I eat, Adonis sits in front of his empty plate and starts from the beginning.

“You never left my mind after the graveyard and when I saw you at the auction, I recognized you immediately. I didn’t know you were Weston’s sister until I saw him pull you into that room.

” He adjusts the strap of his watch, biting his lip.

“I don’t regret shooting him, but I regret the way it played out.

You became a pawn in a losing game. But if I hadn’t taken you, I never would have gotten to experience you, Delilah.

And that’s something I will never regret. ”

“Before yesterday, you had never even kissed me, and you want me to believe you killed for me just because you like my company?”

He sits back and watches me with a teasing smirk. “I more than like your company, menace.”

“So, what now?”

“Now you let me make it up to you. The right way.”

“And when my brother gets out of rehab? What then? Will you still try to kill him?”

My question goes unanswered.

“You’ll do whatever I say?” I wonder aloud, toying with my fork.

Adonis’ focus on me doesn’t waver as he gives me another heart-melting smile. “You have more power than you think, Delilah. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

“I want you to stop tracking my phone.”

“Done. I haven’t checked your phone in over a week, anyway.”

My brow raises. That was too easy.

“What else?”

“I don’t know yet. Give me time to think.”

He nods. “Okay. But I have my own conditions if this is going to work.”

“What?”

“I was serious about wanting you to sleep in my bed every night. I want to be the one who takes you to your doctor’s appointments, and I want you to take the test for your G.E.D. You’ve been studying all summer, and your practice scores are high enough to pass. So why haven’t you taken it?”

“I need a laptop to sit for the virtual test. Phones aren’t allowed. I was saving for one before…this.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why would I tell you when you were the reason I lost my job?”

Guilt clouds his features. “We’ll get a laptop when we leave here. What else do you need?”

“A gun.” When he shakes his head, I rush to add, “For protection.”

“Delilah, you don’t know how to use a gun.”

That hadn’t stopped me from using them.

So, I counter, “You could teach me.”

“No.” He leans forward, but only enough for me to catch a whiff of his scent and hear the deep timbre of his voice as he continues, “If you’re ever in a situation where you need a gun, just look at me and I’ll take care of it. ”

“You can’t be everywhere I am.”

“You’ll see.” He relaxes against his seat. “I am your first line of defense. Always.

Keeping my face neutral, I concede.

“Fine. No gun.” I wipe the corners of my mouth. “But I want you to help me meet my mom.”