Chapter 138 She Called Me Baby
Adrian’s POV
She stormed in like a hurricane wearing crocs, and the bond between us lit up like a live wire.
I almost started panicking, wondering what I did wrong, until I realized she wasn’t looking at me.
I could feel hatred pouring off her in waves…hot, sharp, aimed straight at the two people on their knees like she wanted to set them on fire with her eyes alone.
My wolf surged forward, chest rumbling with pride and something darker. Protect. Claim. Destroy whoever hurt her.
If she wants them dead this instant, I could make it happen in a matter of seconds. I would do literally anything just to see her smile more.
I watched her march right up to me, every step deliberate, that burgundy outfit hugging her curves like it was made to drive me insane.
I expected some kind of outburst but instead, her voice flipped…sweet, girly, the kind of tone a girl uses when she’s talking to her crush and the whole world disappears.
“Baby,” she cooed, “I missed you.”
Baby?
Me? She called me baby?
It took me a full second to remember how to breathe.
My heart slammed against my ribs like it wanted out.
Goddess, thank you for today. I didn’t even care that Frederick and Evelyn were watching.
I just opened my arms and she stepped in, wrapping herself around me.
Her breath was warm against my neck, and I pulled her tighter, one hand splayed across her lower back like I could fuse us together.
Whatever she had that turned her into this… I’m buying it in bulk…truckloads if I have to…because I’m not ready to stop feeling this.
She pulled back just enough to glance at the Summers like she’d only now noticed them. “Oops. Sorry. Didn’t see you two there.”
Lies. She did. But I don’t care.
Frederick scrambled to his feet, letting out this awkward, nervous laugh that sounded like a dying hyena. “No problem at all, Mrs Draven.”
I kept my arm around her waist and looked at them both. “Do you want the deal or not? As you can see, my wife and I have better things to attend to.”
Frederick didn’t even hesitate. “We do.”
I walked us back to the head of the table, pulling Kira with me, and settled into the chair before tugging her straight onto my lap. She fit perfectly, soft and warm and mine.
“Let’s continue,” I said, surprised that my voice came out audible.
That’s when I felt it…her, brushing against my mind like curious fingers testing a door.
The mind-link. She was probing, trying to push through.
Pride exploded in my chest so hard I almost grinned like an idiot. She’s making progress already.
My Queen.
Then the thought hit me… is Leah her wolf…or Arabella’s? How does that work? I haven’t figured out this whole complicated situation but I shoved it down again.
Later.
I’d figure every damn puzzle out later. Right now, all I cared about was her.
Her voice slid into my head, sharp and deadly. “Hope you’re not thinking about helping them or taking their side.”
I smiled at the room like nothing was happening and answered her silently, letting my amusement bleed through the link.
“The only side I want to take is yours, princess. Your side, your back, your front…everywhere you’ll let me.”
I gave her thigh a light, playful slap under the table and she yelped.
Frederick’s head snapped up. “Is there a problem?”
“No,” I said smoothly. “My wife just wants us to finish quickly. Like I said… We have somewhere else to be.”
Kira spoke up then, voice still sugary but edged with venom. “Please accept my condolences, Mr and Mrs Summers.”
Evelyn blinked, confused. “Why are you suddenly offering condolences?”
Kira tilted her head, all innocence. “Didn’t you lose two daughters? One was buried yesterday and the other, buried inside a psychiatric hospital this morning.”
The shock on their faces was beautiful…pure, delicious panic.
I cleared my throat fast before they could say anything. “What my dear wife meant to say is that you lost two daughters to insanity.”
Kira let out an awkward little laugh. “Yes. That’s exactly what I meant.”
Evelyn’s face twisted in anger. “My daughter is not insane. Miranda is very much healthy. She’s nothing like the dead one. I would like the lady to apologize.”
I felt Kira’s rage bubble up through the bond like lava ready to erupt.
My arm tightened around her waist, holding her in place so she wouldn’t launch herself across the table and slap the woman senseless.
She turned those big eyes on me. “Baby…”
Goddess, I wish she could call me baby for the rest of her life. I’d never get tired of it. Never.
I want to be her baby more than I want to be called the king.
She kept going, sweet as poison. “Baby…are they the ones helping us? Or are they begging us to help them?”
“They’re begging for our help,” I answered without hesitation.
Kira huffed. “Then why does this woman want me to apologize like they are the ones doing us a favor?”
I looked at the Summers, one eyebrow raised, waiting.
Frederick wiped sweat from his forehead with a shaking hand. “My wife will go on her knees and apologize for being unreasonable.”
“Frederick!” Evelyn hissed in anger.
He didn’t even look at her. “Kneel, Evelyn. Now! Or would you rather lose everything?”
She scowled, cheeks flaming, but she dropped to her knees.
Kira sulked, still on my lap. “I want both of them to kneel and apologize. They want our help, right? Then they should beg for it. If anyone else in the city is willing to help them, they should go. Which company or person would even want to associate with them right now?”
Frederick’s fists clenched so tight his knuckles went white, but he sank down beside his wife, utterly defeated.
Kira exhaled…long, slow, in pure contentment…and that sound made something warm and fierce settle in my chest.
My queen was happy. That was all I needed.
I signaled James with a flick of my fingers. He stepped forward and placed the thick folder of documents in front of the Summers.
Kira’s voice slipped back into my head. “What is this about?”
I answered silently, letting my satisfaction bleed through. “Didn’t you say you wanted the company? Well, I’m getting it for you.”
Her scream exploded through the link so loud I nearly flinched. “YES! YES! YES! YES!”
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud. Does she think this is a phone call? She’s literally screaming inside my skull.
But I would pick this over her silence any day.
She spoke out loud this time, all business and glee. “Sign it quickly then. I have somewhere else to be with my husband.” She nudged me. “Right, baby?”
Husband.
First baby. Now husband.
Oh my goodness. Is this the end for me? Has my time to die arrived? Could this be the happiness surge that comes right before everything explodes?
She nudged me again. “Right, baby?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice at all. I’m her baby and her husband.
Right now, I think it’s safe to say that I’m the happiest man alive.
Evelyn looked up from the floor. “You promise to give it back when the storm dies out, right?”
I was starting to get irritated at this point. “I’m beginning to get offended by your constant questioning, Mrs Summers. I am not forcing you to take this deal. If you don’t want it, you can leave.”
Frederick grabbed the pen and started signing like his life depended on it, even as Evelyn protested, “At least read the damn document first!”
“It’s Adrian Draven,” he snapped. “He’s too big a man to cheat us.”
I wasn’t paying attention to them anymore. My entire focus was on the girl wiggling excitedly on my lap, practically vibrating with joy.
James brought the documents over to our side of the table and placed it in front of us.
“My wife will be the one to sign it.”
“That’s not the deal—” Evelyn started.
I didn’t even glance at her. “She’s my wife. My other half. If she signs it, it’s the same thing. Didn’t you learn that in your own marriage?”
Evelyn opened her mouth again, but Frederick hissed, “Woman! Not another word until we leave.”
Kira scanned the pages, eyes widening with pure delight. Through the link I could literally hear her humming a victorious song like a kid who just got the last cookie. “It’s mine now. It’s all mine again!”
I answered in her head, soft and certain. “Yes, it’s all yours. And no one will take it from you again. Not as long as I breathe.”