ADELINE'S POV
After Dante's explanation, I felt a little bit better. I'm still shaken up by the fact that he got shot because what if the bullet hit him in a more vital area. He could have died and I don't know exactly when it happened but I can't imagine my life without Dante in it anymore. I'm already in too deep with him in such a short period of time and just the thought of losing him makes my chest constrict in a painful way.
Everything he told me today only proved to me more that he still has a lot of unresolved issues from his past. I can't even imagine how hard it must have been for him and his sister losing both their parents at such a young age. He probably didn't even have time to mourn them because he was immediately hit with the responsibility of taking care of his sister, of making sure he provided for her in the absence of their parents. He had to grow up in the blink of an eye and I can't even say how sorry I am that he went through that.
And as if that wasn't enough, he lost his sister. He had to navigate his entire life all by himself, closing up his mind and his heart to any social and meaningful relationship that might have come his way. He truly is all alone in this world. He carries himself so well and he's built such a good mental standing that he's still able to navigate life and build a successful career online.
I know my parents and I don't have a good relationship but they're still the people who raised me and I can't imagine losing them in the blink of an eye. I can't imagine ever losing Liam.
"What do you want to see first?" Dante asks as he comes to a stop in front of the aquarium, turning off the engine and unbuckling his seat belt. I didn't even realize that I had zoned out. After our little fight and make up session in my car, he insisted we still come to the aquarium and despite all my protests, saying he needed rest since he literally just got his skin stitched up, he just brushed me off and drove us here anyways.
"Sharks." I say, shaking off any disturbing thoughts. I'm spending the day with Dante and it's going to be a good day. I flash a smile at him and he looks at me from my eyes to chest for a split second before stepping out of the car. He opens the passenger's door for me and helps me get out of the car before shutting it behind me.
Locking the car, he intertwines our fingers and starts leading us inside the aquarium. He pays for our tickets and leads me to the shark tank. He makes his way around the place easily, as if he comes here often and I don't know why it comes as a surprise to me that Dante Russo likes staring at fish.
"You want to go swimming with sharks one day?" He asks and I immediately shake my head aggressively.
"Oh no. Nope. Never…" I say without thinking twice. I'm a brave girl but I'm not stupid. "I watched a movie with Liam one time about two girls who got into a cage and were sent underwater to see swimming sharks, and then the thing suspending the cage in the water broke and they fell like to the bottom of the ocean so no."
He laughs and my eyes gleam at him in pure admiration. He must have the sexiest laugh in the world. "You do know that was just a movie right? Stuff like that almost never happens in real life." He explains.
"Yeah, but I'm not taking any chances. Besides, I'm not in love with sharks. I do not want to see them so bad that I have to go underwater with them." I say folding my arms across my chest as we look at the sharks in the aquarium in front of us. It's kind of sad really. Zoos and places like this always make me sad because they're animals taken away from their natural habitat to be put on display for us humans. I always wonder if the animals know they're in cages, trapped.
"You know sharks have been around for over 450 million years. They're basically older than dinosaurs and there are over five hundred species of sharks known to man." He says grabbing my hand and moving us closer to the glass of the aquarium.
"That one is a great white." He says pointing to the shark right in front of us. "It kind of looks like you, no?" He teases, looking at me with a tilt of his head as if he were trying to find familiarities between my face and the shark's.
I laugh girlishly and punch him playfully in the stomach. "You know I can fight right? You do not want to mess with me Mr. Russo." I laugh playfully and he raises his brows as he looks down at me. I can see curiosity flash in his eyes and I smirk challengingly.
"I'm pretty sure I can take you down even with my wounded shoulder." He claims.
"You underestimate me Mr. Russo." I say as he starts leading me to the next fish to look at.
"How about we put that to the test later, princess."
We bicker and walk around the aquarium for a few more minutes. Dante seems to know a lot about fish and he takes the role of my very own personal tour guide, giving me random facts about every single fish we see. I didn't think staring and talking about fish would be so exciting but every single one of my emotions feel heightened when I'm with Dante.
The first time I met Dante, I immediately knew he was a carefree person if you really got to know him. He's not uptight and really easy to talk to. Apart from his secretive side which I'm sure he'll work on after our conversation today, he's everything I look for in a man and more.
After going through all the fish, Dante takes me to a Chinese restaurant where he watches me fill my stomach with delicious Chinese food.
"Do you ever eat?" I ask him as he drives us home. All day, all this man has had is a bottle of water and it's weird because he's wounded. I immediately remembered I have a lot of groceries at home and I'm making a full course meal once we're home.
"Why? Would you like to feed my appetite Adeline?" He says glancing at me for a split second. His remark makes sparks tingle all over my skin and I notice a small smirk playing on his face at my reaction as he focuses on the road.
"I'm going to make you something when we get home." I state and he flashes one of those his signature smiles that makes my heart melt.
As soon as we reach home, Dante picks me up and starts invading my mouth with kisses and I love it and it feels so good but I'm really worried about his arm.
"Put me down Dante. You're going to open your stitches." I say with a light laugh. He walks with me all the way to the kitchen counter and lays me on my ass.
"What are you making? I want to help." He says caging me to the counter with one hand and playing with my hair with the other.
"I can handle it. You just need to relax and watch me." I say breathing heavily. It's almost magical what he does to me. I have no idea how he's able to make my body react the way it does.
"As amazing as that sounds, I don't just want to sit around doing nothing. Let me cook with you Adeline." He says and brings his face close to my neck. He doesn't kiss me or even touch me. He just breathes heavily against my neck so I can feel his warm breath on my skin. He places both hands on the counter and tighten his hold around the counter until his knuckles become white.
"Okay…" I let out a whisper because that's all I can do right now with his body this close to mine. I crave Dante Russo with every breath, every heartbeat, every single fiber of my being. It's no longer a matter of choice and it's not even because I always want to have sex with him.
He's in my veins, entangled in my soul and it's affecting my heart. His presence leaves me in a calm state. He leads me down from the counter and leads me upstairs where he undresses me slowly and gently so I can get into more comfortable clothes.
He puts on a pair of sweatpants and I didn't even realize that a lot of his stuff is at my place already.
"I think you should move in with me Adeline." He suddenly blurts out, turning to face me in only pair pf grey sweatpants. I glance down at his waist, taking in his v-line and noticing the bulge of his erection. I swallow and trail my eyes from his abdomen, to his chest and then finally collide eyes with him.
"Keep staring at me like that and the only thing I'll end up eating today is you." He states folding his arms across his chest as he leans back on the wall. He looks a me eagerly, waiting for a reply to his request. I don't even think we're moving too fast. I think it's a wonderful idea to move in with him. I'll be closer to him and I'll have the chance to learn a lot of things about him.
But my parents are still here and I feel like I should stay right where I am till they leave. They'll probably want to come over from time to time to check up on me and I don't want to cause an even greater scandal by telling them I moved in with Dante.
"I'd love that Dante. It's just my parents are still here and…"
"I know that princess." He cuts me off and starts walking towards me. "You can move in after they're gone. I hope this isn't too soon for you cause if it is all you have to do is tell me and-"
"It's perfect Dante." I say cutting him off with a laugh that is pure happiness and wrap my arms around him. "It's perfect."
I'm so happy because if he's asking me to move in, that means he's ready to share his life with me. He's ready to open to me more and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Dante kisses me with passion and happiness, we cook together and spend the rest of the night watching romcoms. I don't care about my parents right now or Adrian Wellington. Dante is the one I want and I'm keeping it that way.