Chapter 414

Vivian's weary eyes narrowed with suspicion as she caught the mischievous glint in Adrian's gaze. "I can manage on my own," she murmured hoarsely.

Yet Adrian effortlessly lifted her into his arms, carrying her toward the marble bathroom while disregarding her feeble protests.

True to form, his interpretation of bathing proved far from chaste.

Several hours later, Vivian's voice broke with exhaustion as she sobbed against his shoulder. "It's too much... I can't—"

Her words dissolved into shuddering breaths.

"If we continue, I'll shatter completely."

Only then did Adrian relent, finally heeding her desperate pleas.

He perched her gently on the vanity counter, parting her trembling thighs to examine the angry marks marring her delicate skin. "Be still, darling," he murmured, reaching for the medicinal cream. "Let me tend to you."

As he leaned closer, his movements stilled abruptly. His darkened gaze traced the vivid evidence of their passion with possessive intensity.

An unmistakable expression of male satisfaction flickered across his chiseled features.

He pressed a reverent kiss to one particularly sensitive mark before continuing his ministrations.

Vivian melted bonelessly beneath his attentive care.

When his lips finally claimed hers again, she surrendered to the kiss despite her earlier protests.

"See?" Adrian teased, his thumb brushing her swollen lower lip. "You're far more resilient than you believe."

Vivian managed a weak swat at his shoulder, her fingers lacking any real force.

Adrian's deep chuckle vibrated against her skin, but he mercifully didn't push further.

Instead, he meticulously cleansed every inch of her, reapplied the soothing ointment, and towel-dried her damp curls.

He dressed her in a scandalously sheer nightdress, but Vivian shook her head weakly.

"Pajamas," she insisted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You'll overheat," Adrian countered with an infuriating grin, sweeping her back into his arms before she could protest further.

He tucked her beneath the silk sheets with surprising gentleness, but when his hands began wandering, she caught his wrist firmly. "Absolutely not tonight."

Adrian merely pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Rest now, my love." For once, he honored his word, curling his powerful frame around hers without further demands.

The Next Morning

Golden sunlight danced across Vivian's eyelids as consciousness slowly returned. Her fingers stretched across the mattress, seeking familiar warmth, but encountered only cool emptiness. Blinking sleepily, she pushed upright, wincing as sore muscles protested the movement. The tantalizing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon drifted up the staircase.

Gritting her teeth against the discomfort, Vivian shuffled toward the railing. Below, Adrian moved with effortless grace between the kitchen appliances, his rolled sleeves revealing corded forearms as he arranged breakfast on a silver tray. Sensing her presence, he glanced upward, his stern features softening instantly.

"Morning, sleepyhead," he called, holding up a steaming mug. "Come down before your eggs get cold."

Vivian lingered, watching the domestic scene unfold with unexpected warmth. Memories surfaced of their early marriage—when she'd tiptoed around him like a frightened rabbit, viewing him as her rescuer from familial chaos. She'd poured her entire being into serving him, mistaking devotion for love. That version of love had nearly destroyed her.