Chapter 47 The Duality
Phoebe
"Do you want to lick it again?"
I had no idea where I found the courage to say that. My mind seemed to be running wild, fueling a desire I hadn’t anticipated. Especially after hearing Adonis’s deep voice and that signature smirk of his—one that only appeared when his bolder side took over his normally shy demeanor.
Maybe I was starting to get caught up in his spontaneity. It was nerve-wracking, sure, but there was a small part of me that liked it. And that part was growing stronger. Like right now.
I grabbed a spoon from the kitchen drawer, feeling Adonis’s eyes on me the entire time. Scooping some milk from his glass, I let it drip onto my shirt—right over my chest—leaving a damp, see-through patch on my white t-shirt.
"Are you teasing me, Cherry?"
"Yeah, I want to know how it feels when you do it to me."
For a split second, I caught the flicker of orange in his eyes. Got him. I knew I had his attention now.
The next thing I knew, I was lifted off the ground and placed onto the glass dining table. Adonis leaned in, his breath warm against my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. My body reacted instinctively, a soft sigh slipping past my lips.
"You know, Hayden’s standing right at the door. You sure you want to continue?"
I froze. The thought of Hayden witnessing this made me feel cruel. I immediately pushed Adonis away.
"Did you do this on purpose, Adonis?" Hayden’s voice was sharp with accusation.
I turned to see him standing there, his gaze burning with anger as he stared at Adonis.
I had to stop them before things got out of hand again. My palms started sweating as I watched them silently exchange deadly stares.
"Listen to me, Hayden. This was all—"
"I started it, Hayden. Got a problem with that?" Adonis cut in. "Finley said you were finally willing to back down."
"I’m not backing down from you. But let’s hear what she has to say first. It wouldn’t be fair if we—the men who are supposed to be her mates—only voiced our own opinions, would it?"
Adonis smirked, completely unfazed by Hayden’s hostility.
"I provoked him. Adonis was just giving me some milk. Please, don’t fight."
"I promise, I won’t hit him." Hayden’s voice softened, but his next words made my stomach drop. "I just want to see how he feels watching me consume you."
My mouth fell open, trying to process what he just said. What was Hayden planning?
Adonis stepped back, leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed. He didn’t seem threatened—if anything, he looked amused.
Hayden lifted me back onto the table, spreading my legs apart. His hands moved up my thighs, tracing over my waist with practiced ease.
"Hayden, what are you—"
"We’re doing it here."
"But Coach Cooper might see us—"
"He already left."
"But—"
"Trust me, Phoebe. Everything will be fine."
And then he kissed me.
Hayden always knew exactly how to make me melt. And whether I wanted to or not, I trusted him when he kissed me like this. In moments like these, it felt like the world belonged to us alone.
Our bond was unshakable. My heart pounded as his lips trailed lower, brushing over the damp fabric of my shirt. I gasped when he latched onto me through the cloth, sucking gently.
My fingers tangled in his silver hair, tugging him closer as heat coiled in my belly. It didn’t take long for Hayden to tug my shirt up, exposing the thin fabric of my bandeau.
"Adonis was right—you taste even sweeter when I do this," he murmured.
"Hayden…"
I wanted to tell him not to stop. Every touch of his unraveled me, made me crave more. I pushed the last of my hesitation aside, slipping off my bandeau, letting it fall to the floor.
There was no use fighting the need burning through me. I moaned when Hayden flicked his tongue over my sensitive nppe, his teeth grazing my skin just enough to send a jolt of pleasure up my spine.
Now his hands were at my waist, untying the drawstring of my shorts. His fingers slipped beneath the waistband, brushing over my heated skin.
"Are we really doing this here?"
"Yeah, right here, in front of Adonis."
I had completely forgotten about him. When I glanced his way, I saw his jaw clenched tight, his expression unreadable. He was holding himself back.
Hayden’s fingers found my most sensitive spot, and I instinctively gripped his shoulders to steady myself.
"You’re soaking wet," he murmured against my skin. "Want me to keep going?"
"Yeah… do whatever you want. Just fck me, Hayden." My voice was hoarse, thick with need.
"Gladly."
"Stop it! ENOUGH!"
Adonis’s sudden outburst shattered the tension in the room.
Hayden immediately pulled back, but I caught the smirk playing at his lips. Like he had gotten exactly what he wanted.
"What’s wrong, Adonis?" Hayden taunted.
"You win, Hayden," Adonis gritted out. "I can’t pretend anymore. I lied when I acted like I didn’t care. Is that what you wanted to hear?"
"Good. Took you long enough to realize."
"What the hell is going on?" I demanded.
"He needs to want you for more than just physical desire," Hayden said. "He needs to actually care about you. If he does, then maybe—just maybe—I’ll consider backing off."
"Move, Hayden."
Adonis grabbed my discarded bandeau, gently wrapping it back around me. His face was unreadable, but something in his eyes made my stomach twist. This wasn’t how I had expected things to unfold.
After adjusting my clothes, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the kitchen. I glanced back at Hayden, who only smiled in return.
We walked in silence until we reached my bedroom door. Adonis finally let go of my hand and pulled his glasses from his pocket.
"I’m sorry, Phoebe. Now you know everything. I feel the same way Hayden does. I thought if I pretended not to care, it would make things easier. But it didn’t."
This version of Adonis—the shy, reserved one—was such a contrast to his bolder side. His duality sometimes left me reeling, but it never once made me feel unsafe.
I knew he was trying to keep his other side under control. And I’d do my best to be the mate who could stand by him through it all. I think Hayden finally saw that now too.
I wrapped my arms around Adonis, rubbing his back gently, hoping to soothe him.
"Listen to me, Adonis. You’re my mate, and I’ll do my best to be fair to the rest of you. We just need to figure this out together. You need to make peace with yourself and believe in yourself more."
I pressed a quick kiss to his lips. His green eyes locked onto mine, searching, processing my words. I smiled when I saw the shift in his expression.
"Can I kiss you, Phoebe?" he asked softly.
I nodded, finding it sweet that he was asking for permission—even though he had done much more with his other self.
I closed my eyes as he pressed his lips against mine. His movements were hesitant, gentle.
I parted my lips, letting him explore further. And though the way he kissed me was different from his bolder side, the effect was still the same—he made my heart race.
It didn’t matter which version of Adonis I was with. They were both a part of him. And no matter what, he had my heart.