Adalina Salvatore

Once upon a royal matrimony, I thought he was going to paint our life with black and grey. Little did I know Eden Salvatore had a smile that could lit up this whole kingdom and broke a thousand hearts in the process.

I munched on my cheeseburger while he silently enjoyed his Oreo McFlurry. We lounged on the huge throne after the room was vacant. I sat on his laps with my legs dangling off the hand rest of the throne beside his gun. I stared at the sight of my husband dressed casually in a grey crew neck and sweatpants. I quickly looked down and stole a peak of his dick print.

" You're a very pretty hooker. " I sighed, sinking into his embrace.

His chest shook as he chuckled from beneath me. " Are you talking to my dick? "

" Maybe. " I laughed, dropping the wrapper back into the paper bag. Eden followed me and placed his half eaten sweets down.

We looked at each other in silence while I pulled up his sweatshirt and shoved myself underneath it, coming out of the neck hole face to face with him. I wrapped my arms around his bare torso and he hugged me back. He smiled down at me with his adorable dimples poking out.

I wanted this moment to be written in history.

" Hi. " I beamed, kissing his cheek.

He pecked my lips. " Hi back. "

" How are you feeling, little shit? " he asked, brushing a strand of my hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear.

I dropped my head down and nuzzled my face into his neck, inhaling his scent. " Better that you got me food. Can we go home? "

" Adalina darling, I need to talk to Elian and sort everything out. You should stay with me to stop me from killing your brother but if you want to go Thane can take you. " he said, kissing my hair.

" I'll send Anastasia, Madeline and mom over. You can have girl's day. Go crazy. " he suggested and I smiled, nodding my head.

A chill day sounded perfect. Eden and I would talk about what happened, just not today. I wanted a nice relaxing day and when the sun went down he could come home and fucked me into the next sunrise. It was a plan.

Thane was waiting beside the car while Eden shamelessly shoved his tongue down my throat. He had his palm cupping the back of my neck and another on my ass. He kissed me like he was a soldier going away on military leave and I kissed him back like I was going to miss the shit out of him.

" Cut it out, you two. " the bodyguard mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Eden gave him a looks when we pulled apart. He placed another peck on mouth before leading me to the car and opening the door.

" You're so dead. " he grumbled at Thane who just grinned at his boss with pure amusement.

" I miss it when you fight like dogs. Happier time for me. " Thane quickly added then raced inside the car, slamming his door shut with a roaring laughter.

I laughed with him as he started the car and slammed his feet on the petal, driving away from his scary boss man who looked annoyed as always. We talked and made fun of my husband like we always did while listening to one direction on the radio.

I looked out the tinted window with a grin on my face. The cloudless sky was morally grey and looked like it was about to start raining as we pulled out of London. Lightning struck the sky and I held Eden's jacket closer to me, admiring the pretty weather. I loved the storm and the stinging chills that came with it.

" I forgot to ask how are you feeling, ma'am? " Thane smiled at me through the rear view mirror. He was addressing me formally to be a little shit.

" Good. " I scowled back playfully.

" Now that you're king and queen, does that make me the king of all bodyguards? " he asked, dramatically gasping while tapping his finger on the stirring wheel to the beat of the music.

The smile on my face dropped when a cold substance was pointed under my chin. I tilted my head sideways and my whole heart dropped to the ground. Zach leaned over from the trunk and yanked me back by my neck. His eyes wild on the road ahead of us and looking everywhere but my face.

" Thane. " my voice quivered as I winced at the gun digging into my throat.

Thane answered back with his own gun pointing between Zach's eyes. " How did you get in? "

Zach rolled his eyes, pressing the pistol harder. " Drive or I'll blow her brain out and don't even think about calling the fucking bastard she calls her husband. "

Grinding his teeth, Thane took one last glance at me before turning back to the wheel. He kept looking at me through the mirror the whole way back home while my body stilled under the cold grasp. I raked my brain trying to think of a reason why he could possibly be doing this when he claimed he wanted nothing to do with the crown or the politics alone. Was he pissed because we were punishing his mother for her crimes for killing my whole family?

The Zach I thought I knew would fight with me and everyone to protect his mother for awhile until he could accept the hard fact because deep down I knew he knew his mother was not a good person. Maybe I never really knew him after all. I knew no one in my life it was pathetic and heartbreaking.

The car pulled over a couple of feet from the front door that I missed so much over the past days we spent at my parent's. Zach ordered Thane to leave his gun in the car and walked ahead of us into the castle. He typed in the codes and unlocked the door, dismissing every guards from the property like my cousin asked him too.

Despite being held at a gunpoint twice in a day, I welcomed the smell of warm chocolate and pine cone. At least I was home. I tried to ask more questions as we walked into the sun room where I kept my good old piano.

Zach slammed my ass down the stool and gestured me to play by nodding his head toward the instrument. He threw Thane a handcuff and ordered him to put it on himself which he did because he had no choice. I gave him a small smile and started playing.

" I love you all my life. Do you know that? " Zach hummed, titling my chin up with the tip of the loaded gun.

My heart started thumping so loud I could hear it drumming inside my ears. I stared at him with wide eyes, searching into his. He couldn't possibly be serious. What kind of fucked up world was I living in.

Then he continued with a smile lacing his words between the slow beat. " Sometimes I thought you love me too. Your whole face brightens up every time you see me and the way you look up at me with adoration. You can't fake that, can you? "

I swallowed the lump in my throat. " Zach, I do love you. You're my brother. "

" Is it because of that guy you were forced to married to? Is it him that make you change your mind? It's him, isn't it? " his voice got louder and I flinched when he yanked me by my hair.

He glared at me like a maniac. I stole a glance at a horrified looking helpless Thane before turning back to look at him. " Zach, I understand you just learned about your mother and you're not taking it well. You're not thinking straight. Let me go. You wouldn't hurt me. This isn't you. "

He laughed in my face. " Don't you get it? I didn't join my mother because of you. You're the only one I care about, Addie. I love you and I don't care about her as long as you're okay and you're with me. "

I held back my tears as I stared at the only brother I had ever had, who I had always looked up to. How could he hide this obsession for so many years and how couldn't I see it. Eden met him once and he noticed. I should have seen it and let him down slowly, I had years to do so and now because of that we were here.

How many people do I really have to lose in a lifetime?

" I love you so much and yet you love him. I thought the whole marriage thing would end after you descend the throne. What does he have and I don't? " he growled, glaring at Eden and mine wedding picture on the wall.

I rapidly shook my head and spat out the lies. " I don't love him. " I cringed at my own words.

Zach didn't buy it either by the looks he had on his face. " You threw yourself in front of him. You were willing to take a bullet and die for him. Would you have done that for me? "

And, I would do it a million times over. He got his answer when I stayed silent. He let go of me and chuckled lowly to himself.

" I knew it then that you would never truly be mine. Not when he has your heart. The idiot didn't even know it but I do and I fucking hate it. You're mine. We were supposed to be together. "

" Therefore if I can't have you, then he couldn't either. No one could. "

Loud beeping sound tore through the stormy sky the same time he pulled a small square box out from under his suit jacket. I watched in fear when he suddenly threw the gun and the box to the ground and kicked it away. He sat down on the stool beside me and started playing with his eyes close.

" You can't run. There's not enough time. " he said, smiling to himself.

He looked like Zachary right now except he really wasn't, this was not the guy who lied to our parents for us when we skipped school and the big brother who always looked out for me and Blaze.

Without another thought I rose from the stool and raced toward Thane who was crouching down beside the beeping box. He turned his head when he heard me approaching him and flashed me a worried looks.

" Adalina, listen to me very carefully. " he said in a serious tone but the corner of mouth twitched as he said my name out loud like he couldn't believe himself.

I gave him a weird smile, not sure how to feel under this circumstances. Any other time I would have teased him.

" You've got about twenty seconds to run and you have to run fast. " he said.

I stilled as I stared at him in shock. " What about you? And, him? Can't you disable it? He couldn't have brought a real bomb. " I asked, glancing back at Zach who was playing nonchalantly like he lost his mind.

" He can die for all I care. You however need to get out of here. I can't hold the timer off for long. " he said, his fingers fumbling with the little ticking thing.

" What about you? " I asked again, getting anxious. I couldn't leave him.

Thane scoffed at me with a teasing smile. " Now I understand what boss man has to deal with. Adalina, run. "

I walked backward slowly. I swallowed the bile in my throat trying to get my words out. A single tear slid down my cheek as my heart broke for my friend.

" I'll order Eden to buy you all the black mustangs in the world if you run after me, Thane. "

He fully grinned at me. " I'm glad to be of your service, ma'am. "

And, I ran. Except I wasn't fast enough.

***

Eden Salvatore

" Adalina darling, do you miss me already? " I chuckled into the phone.

I heard something falling first before I heard her hoarse voice. She coughed loudly and I was on my feet with my car key in my hand. Elian stared at me from across the desk on alert.

" Hey, are you okay? " I asked.

" There's a little accident but I'm fine. I just want to hear your voice. " she said with a weak voice, following by the sound of something else falling.

" I should've gone with you. Fuck. Are you really okay, baby? " I cursed, raking a hand through my hair. Elian followed me out of his father's study into the courtyard where I parked my car.

" It's alright. Saving me was never your job anyways. " she chuckled softly and I could feel her weak smile behind the phone.

At this point my head went to the worst place possible, coming up with the worst scenarios I didn't dare think of. " Is Thane with you? "

She paused for a second before choking out her answer. " I'm sorry. I couldn't save him. "

I ran to my car when her sobs filled my ears. My heart pounded violently in my ribcage as my chest tightened with uneasiness. " Hey, it's okay. We'll find him. Stay with me, okay? "

" Eden Salvatore, you're the best thing that could ever happened to me you know that? "

" I love you so much. " she said.

And, I didn't get to say it back as the line went dead.

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