Unseen Scene — 'It's Time….' (Adam POV) (Patreon)

So this is one of those scenes I had in the plan for Book Three but cut out because of it not really fitting in! But I've been desperate to write for soooo long, and I just couldn't wait anymore, lol.

It's after everything happens at the auction, and the love interest finds out either Bobby or Douglas (Bobby in this case) kind of ruined their plan and got the MC captured, and before all the intensity that comes in the later major love interest scene.

_ _ _

Adam sits in the armchair of the living room, seething.

He tries not to let it show. He keeps as much of his well-practiced stoic mask plastered on his face, even though he’s the only one in the room.

But his hands grip the arms of the chair so tightly that the material creaks as it threatens to tear beneath his force.

“How are you doing?”

Adam flinches, whipping his head around to spy Nate in the doorway, offering an uncertain smile.

The team leader turns back around to stare into the empty fireplace, wondering if his anger alone might be enough to ignite it.

“I am fine.”

Nate steps in closer, his smile turning annoyingly knowing. “Because your body language just screams that you’re fine.”

Adam’s brows cut downwards. “I have no right to be anything but fine.”

There’s a moment of quiet before Nate sighs and sits on the sofa opposite Adam. “That’s true. But our feelings rarely react as they should do. Hearing that Bobby—”

Adam pushes himself out of the chair with a soft growl. “[Name]’s previous love life, as well as their current one, is not something I wish to interfere with.”

Nate snorts, gaining a glare from the team leader.

“Sorry,” Nate mumbles out before leaning back in his chair, balancing one ankle on his other knee. “When we care for people—”

“I—”

Nate holds up a finger. “Don’t lie to me right now and say you don’t care for [Name]. Don’t you dare.”

The team leader rolls his lips shut and turns to stare out of the window.

“When we care for people,” Nate continues, pausing to see if he’s interrupted yet again. When he isn’t, he continues, “It can be hard to hear of others in their lives. Knowing they’ve had a place in their heart when we don’t know if we do.”

Adam rubs at his chin. “It is not the issue that [Name] was once with the reporter. It is that, even with the connection they once had, that the reporter would use their bond and endanger [Name].” The fury returns, burning in his chest until he has to intake a deep breath to stifle it before it burns through his entire system.

Nate nods and sighs. “That was a pretty asshole move.”

“That reporter’s stalking was the reason [Name] got caught and put through all of what occurred.” Adam throws out an arm. “That they had to suffer once again. How can someone who supposedly cared for [Name] cause them such harm?”

“Bobby didn’t know that was going to happen,” Nate replies, folding his hands in his lap. “And Bobby suffered the consequences of that choice”

Adam scoffs and turns away. “Not enough.”

There’s a slight creak as Nate stands from his chair and paces to Adam’s side, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I hate to be the one to say this…but you’re hurting [Name] just as badly as the reporter.”

Shock slices through Adam, but the pain of it radiates with a guilt he is familiar with by now. “I…”

“You are going to have to make a choice. And you are going to have to make it soon,” Nate states, his hand falling back to his side, but a soft smile on his lips in some attempt to cushion the pounding blow of his words. “You either keep offering [Name] hope of something they will never be able to have because you can’t offer it. Or, you tell them how you feel. You both try to let yourselves give into what is obvious between you both.”

The guilt continues to pool through Adam, stinging and gnawing inside of him.

“It’s time, Adam,” Nate says. “Make a decision.”

He steps out of the room, closing the door silently behind him and leaving Adam to his solitude.

Adam continues to stare through the window.

Outside, the world is falling into quiet shadow. The moon is a whisper of a halo in the inky sky, stars winking into existence around it. There’s so much peace, serenity, up there. Whereas all Adam feels is turmoil.

How can being in love with someone cause such joy and heartache all at the same time?

And why does Nate always have to be right?