Chapter 3. A secret relationship

Emily

The sunlight hit my eyes first. Then, slowly, the reality of the night before came into focus.

I was naked. Not under a blanket, not half-covered. Naked. On my side of the bed. With Adrian Carter’s arm draped across me.

I froze for a moment, holding my breath, expecting panic or shame to hit. It didn’t. Not exactly. Not like I thought it would.

Instead, a surprising calm spread through me, like the kind you feel after surviving a storm.

I hadn’t regretted it.

Not a single bit.

My mind had finally caught up to my body, the alcohol having worn off enough for clarity. I could remember everything—his hands, his voice, the way he moved over me—and even now, thinking about it made my pulse flutter and my stomach ache with a kind of familiar longing.

But calm came next, along with worry.

Consequences.

Not because I was ashamed—though I wasn’t proud, either—but because we lived in a world where everything had repercussions. The Browns, the Carters, Nathan… the mess we could create if anyone found out.

I rolled carefully, careful not to wake him, and studied him. Adrian slept like he owned the world. Broad shoulders, the faint rise and fall of muscle beneath smooth skin. Dark hair falling across his forehead. Even in sleep, he radiated control. Command. Power.

And yet… last night he had been gentle. Careful.

I swallowed, sitting up slowly and wrapping the sheet around me, covering the barest hint of skin.

“Adrian,” I said quietly, testing my voice.

He stirred, eyes half-lidded, just enough for me to see that sharp intelligence.

“Morning,” he murmured, voice low, smooth, and… commanding, even now.

I didn’t respond immediately. I couldn’t. The way he looked at me—like he already owned this moment, like he had claimed me and didn’t even need to touch me to prove it—made heat pool low in my stomach.

Focus, Emily. Focus.

“Last night…” I started. My voice steadied. “We need to talk.”

He opened his eyes fully, sitting up slowly, revealing the hard definition of his chest and shoulders. I tried not to stare, tried to remind myself that we had to be rational now, that this was a mistake with consequences. But his gaze… it pinned me in place. Dark, intense, unwavering.

“What about it?” he asked, voice calm but heavy with intent.

I took a deep breath. “We need… rules. Boundaries. What happens in here stays in here.”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “You mean… you don’t want the world to know are mine?”

“I mean,” I clarified, cheeks warming, “I don’t want anyone else involved. I want you to be considerate. And... I’m not… yours. I'm engaged to your nephew!”

He tilted his head, watching me like I was entertaining him. “Not mine?” His voice dropped lower, thick with amusement and something else—something possessive. “Emily…”

“Yes,” I said quickly, trying to maintain my composure. “I’m level-headed now. I know what we did. But if anyone finds out, there will be consequences for both of us.”

Adrian leaned back, stretching, the muscles in his arms and chest flexing with the movement. He looked at me with a slow, deliberate gaze, like he was deciding how much of me he could take right now and how much he wanted to wait for.

“Consequences?” he repeated softly, and the edge in his voice made me shiver. “I don’t care about consequences.”

I blinked. “What?”

“I said,” he leaned forward, resting one hand on the bed near me, keeping me pinned by the weight of his presence, “you’re mine now. My woman. And I don’t intend to let you go.”

I froze. Not with fear. Not with shame. But with shock.

“Yours? Adrian, we—” My voice caught. “We can’t—”

“I said, you’re mine,” he repeated, flatly, almost casually, like he was stating the weather. “And if anyone—anyone—tries to take you away or interfere, I will make sure they regret it.”

My stomach dropped. He's crazy. How can he say that so easily when I just had my engagement party with his nephew?

Well, I'm also in bed with him so maybe I'm also crazy. But I can sort this out. I always did.

“So...wait—wait a second,” I said, trying to gather my thoughts. “You want me to—what? Be… with you?”

He leaned back slightly, eyes dark, commanding. “I’ll marry you.”

The words hit me like a slap.

It's confirmed.

He's crazy.

I almost laughed, almost cried, almost shouted. “Excuse me? Adrian… I’m engaged. To Nathan. Your nephew!”

He smirked, unbothered, almost amused by my objection. “And?”

“And… and that matters. It’s… I mean…” I stammered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks. “I can’t. We… you can’t just—”

“I just did,” he interrupted. His voice was calm, even teasing, but carrying that weight—that command. “You’re mine. I will marry you. And if you refuse, Emily…” His eyes glinted, sharp, almost predatory. “…I will tell everyone everything that happened last night.”

My stomach lurched. My pulse raced. The consequences I had tried so hard to avoid were suddenly all too real.

Was he being serious right now?

He's also involved, isn't he worried about his reputation?

“Wait,” I said, my voice firmer now, trying to regain control, “we can't…get married."

"Why?" His tone was harsh "You'll risk ruining your reputation for Nathan?"

I sighed. "It's not that. It's just... I’m not ready to get married. But, I can be… with you. If you promise to keep it secret.”

He leaned closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off him. He studied me, not like someone making a deal, but like someone who had already won.

“And why,” he asked softly, dangerously, “would I ever want to keep it a secret?”

I swallowed hard, trying to maintain control. “Because… because I don’t want anyone else involved. I don’t want to complicate things. I want you to… be considerate.”

He smiled slowly, predatory but amused, and leaned back. “Considerate. That’s… cute. Fine. We keep it secret. For now.”

“For now,” I repeated, feeling the word like a shield. I swallowed the lump of desire and fear in my throat and tried to draw a line.

He'd probably get bored of me in a few days and I have my peace again.

I sighed in relief, it was a win-win.

He chuckled softly, a sound that made my pulse spike. “You really think this will last as just a relationship?”

“I… I hope you get over me soon,” I admitted, trying to sound casual.

He tilted his head, eyes glinting with something like amusement mixed with obsession. “Oh, Emily,” he said softly, almost reverently, “you think I could get over you?”

I looked away, gripping the sheet around me. I was still level-headed. I had to be. I had to keep some control.

But deep down, I already knew the truth: Adrian Carter didn’t do compromise. He didn’t do letting go. And I had already lost — terrifyingly, myself—to him.

He leaned forward, resting his forehead lightly against mine. His hand slid to the back of my neck, holding me in place with gentle yet unyielding strength.

“Ok, let's keep it between us. For now,” he murmured, lips brushing against mine in a whisper. “But don’t fool yourself. You’ll never be just temporary to me.”

I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of his body and the weight of his gaze wash over me. I didn’t regret last night. I didn’t regret him.

But now I had to survive this. Navigate it. Control it—or try to.

“And if you break this,” I said softly, opening my eyes, meeting his, “I’ll… I’ll make sure there are consequences.”

His laugh was low and throaty. “I doubt you will. Because you’re mine, Emily. And now, everyone else can just deal with it.”

I pressed my lips together, swallowing the surge of desire and fear. I nodded once.

Fine, I thought. A secret relationship. For now.

But even as I said it, part of me knew the line I thought I was drawing between us didn’t exist anymore. Adrian Carter didn’t do compromise. He didn’t do letting go.

And I had already surrendered.