143: Be My Girlfriend

143: Be My Girlfriend
RUE

I stacked the last of the ammo boxes on the counter, tapping my gloved fingers against the wood. The smell of gun oil and powder hung thick in the air, and I tried not to inhale too deeply. The smell gives me a headache.

"Yep. That's the last shipment for today," I muttered, scribbling numbers in the ledger. My phone buzzed in my pocket, making me jolt. One glance at the screen, and I knew it wasn't just a work text.

Trouble: Ruin... Can you not distract me?

I rolled my eyes, trying not to grin. Who's distracting whom?

Seriously, who texts like that during normal business hours? Oh, right. Adrian. The man whose identity revolved around chaos.

Quickly I sent him a reply.

'Trouble. Not now. I'm in an important meeting. Can't be distracted by thoughts of your smirk or whatever disaster you're plotting.'

He responded nearly immediately.

'Mhm. But that's exactly what I want. Your mind on me. Always on me.'

I snorted. "Always on you," I muttered under my breath. As if.

I wiped my hands on a towel and tried to focus on the ammo logs. But no, my brain had other plans. Adrian. His hands. His damn voice when he said my name.

I glanced at the clock. Meeting in fifteen minutes.

Blowing out a sharp breath, I typed quickly.

'You know you can't turn me on right now, right? Not when I'm about to talk business with people who think less is more. Less excitement, more profits.'

Adrian promptly sent me a sulking GIF.

I laughed quietly, shaking my head. The corner of my mouth tugged up, and I felt my chest tighten. That was him. Adrian. My personal chaos agent, certified trouble, and completely irresistible.

I tapped the screen one more time before shoving my phone back into my pocket.

Mind off Adrian. I need to focus on the meeting. Yeah, right. I grabbed my blazer and gave the stacked ammo a final once-over.

Somewhere deep down, I was already planning exactly how I'd kill him. Slowly, with kisses, right after the meeting.

.....

The meeting dragged on endlessly. However, my mind ran laps around Adrian. Every once in a while, my phone buzzed in my pocket, making me twitch. I knew it was him.

Finally, the last handshake was done. I sank into the lobby chair, letting out a long, satisfied sigh. My phone buzzed again. I snatched it up.

A video call from Adrian.

I grinned as his handsome face filled the screen. One eyebrow was cocked, a smirk tugging at his lips. That smirk could convince a saint to sin in under three seconds.

"Trouble," I said, letting the nickname roll off my tongue. "How's my favorite disaster?"

"I'm excellent now that I'm seeing your face," he replied smoothly, leaning back in the chair he was lounging in. "So...how did the meeting go? All the usual boring adult stuff?"

I rolled my eyes, but the grin tugged stubbornly across my face. "Boring? Sure. But I survived. Mostly. And no one died, which is a win in my book."

He chuckled, and I swear my chest did that thing where it's too small to contain my heartbeat. "Good. That's my girl. Survive first, conquer later. I like it."

"Mm," I hummed, letting him bathe in my attention for a second. Then, because I couldn’t resist pushing his buttons, I leaned back and smirked. "By the way...do you realize something?"

He tilted his head. That one good eye...dangerously wide. "Do I now?"

"Yes," I said, cackling softly. "You haven't asked me out yet."

The change in his expression was instant. He went rigid instantly.

"Excuse me?" he uttered tensely, rubbing his forehead.

"Oh, come on," I teased, leaning closer to the phone. "You forgot, didn't you?"

He shook his head frantically, and I swear he looked like he'd been caught red-handed in a felony. "No, no! I didn't forget. You just...weren't supposed to bring that up."

My smile faltered. "Wait...what?"

He leaned in, lowering his voice. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

I froze mid-grin. A surprise? My heart skipped a beat, and suddenly the mundane lobby chair felt like a rocket launchpad.

"A...surprise?" I asked cautiously, my voice softening.

"Yes," he said, one corner of his mouth twitching into that damned smirk. "You'll see soon."

My brain short-circuited, my heart betraying me with every impatient thump. A surprise...from Adrian. I couldn't decide whether I was thrilled or terrified. Probably both.

I smirked anyway, though I felt my cheeks betray me as heat rushed to them. "Trouble," I whispered, "if this is anything less than life-threateningly perfect...you're dead."

"Noted," he replied, grinning. "Dead or alive, Ruin. That's the point."

I laughed, breathlessly. Screw me, no man apart from my dad had ever made me feel this jittery.

...

I gathered my things and stepped out of the building, squinting against the afternoon sun. The meeting had drained me, but my mind still buzzed from the video call with Adrian. A small smile tugged at my lips as I unlocked my car. But then something caught my eye.

A small package sat on the sidewalk near my feet. Curious, I bent down and picked it up. My name was scrawled in his messy, perfectly illegible handwriting. I tore it open, and inside was...a box of my favorite chocolates.

I blinked. "Okay...that's cute," I muttered, grinning stupidly.

"Ma'am. There's a package for you."

I turned around at the sound of a masculine voice. He was holding another package. Biting my lower lip, I accepted it before proceeding to place it on the car hood.

Inside it was a soft cashmere scarf, which was the exact shade of blue I preferred. I laughed softly, shaking my head. "Rue, you're being pampered by Mr Trouble," I whispered to myself, tucking it around my neck.

Winter was close. So, good thinking.

"Miss?"

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

I turned to see an older woman standing there with a bouquet of fresh flowers.

"Someone asked me to give this to you," she said, beaming at me.

"Thank you," I replied, flashing her a smile as I accepted it.

By this point, my eyebrows were creeping up my forehead. What the hell was going on?

After a couple more deliveries, my heart sped up with a dangerous little flutter. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out. There were no new messages.

I laughed softly at the absurdity. "Okay, Adrian. This is ridiculous. Stop trying to ruin me with sweetness," I muttered.

"Alright, alright."

I froze when I heard his voice.

I turned, and there he was. He was dressed in a dark green turtleneck and black slacks. He stood by my car, leaning casually against the side door. But it was what he held that stole my breath.

A giant poster. Written in bold, messy letters were the words:

"Will you be my girlfriend? Say no. And give me a reason to kidnap you."

My heart lurched. I couldn't breathe for a second. My cheeks burned, my fingers tingled, and I swear the whole place shrank until it was just the two of us.

He grinned, that cocky, mischievous grin that made every nerve in my body hum. "Well?" he said softly, leaning forward just slightly, his eye locked on mine.

I laughed, shaking my head as I took a careful step closer. "You...you're ridiculous," I whispered.

"You love it," he countered, his eye softening just enough that I thought I might melt right there on the asphalt.

I shook my head, laughing again, but this time the sound had warmth, happiness...something tender I didn't even know I could feel so openly. "Fine," I said finally, still trying to catch my breath. "Yes. Yes, Adrian...you idiot. Yes."

He smiled, a slow, victorious curve of lips that made my knees go weak. He moved closer and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, just above my eyebrow. "Ruin," he murmured, "you're mine now."

I pressed my hand over my chest, smiling. "I know," I whispered. "And I'm not running."

My phone buzzed again, and I glanced down. A new message.

It was a photo.

My stomach dropped. I opened it and froze. Me, mid-laugh with my head thrown back, while my eyes sparkled as I stared at Adrian. Completely caught off guard.

I blinked. A chill ran down my spine. Someone had taken this photo...someone close by. My gaze swept the parking lot, and there he was. Not lurking in shadows or sneaking around. He was just casually standing near the line of cars, speaking with Uncle Ethan.

Daddy Cross.

Oh, of course. My father. Mafia king, master manipulator, terrifyingly smart. And apparently...my biggest fan.

Another buzz. I glanced at my phone:

Dad: I didn't know my baby girl could still laugh like that. It annoys me to know that he's responsible for that, princess.

I froze, then I exhaled slowly, a mix of embarrassment and warmth washing over me. My dad...he always had a way of knowing things and seeing everything.

My cheeks heated, though my heart squeezed with affection for him.

I still didn't fully trust him, not when it came to Adrian. Daddy didn't trust Adrian either. My father had a radar for bullshit, and Adrian...well, he was dangerous in all the right and wrong ways.

But...he was my dad. My favorite. I loved him fiercely. I always would.

I tucked my phone back in my pocket, leaning against the car, staring at Adrian, letting the heat of his presence ground me. My father could watch. Could know. Could even disapprove. But right now...this moment was ours.

And Adrian, for all his trouble, had my full attention.

My boyfriend leaned in to whisper in my ear, the smell of his cologne washing over me. "I think he's judging me," he said, and I chuckled.

Since when did the great Adrian Romano cower?

Well, I couldn't blame him. My father was a scary man.

As if on cue, Dad looked at us, and Adrian tensed.

I frowned. Because there was something on my dad’s white shirt, right over his heart. Red light. There was a sniper nearby.

No….

No, please.