Adriel POV
"I love you," I say, the words cutting through the heavy silence of the bedroom.
Betty freezes instantly.
Her eyes widen, tracking my face as if searching for a trap.
"So why have you been avoiding me?" she asks, her voice dropping into a sharp, accusatory whisper.
It is the single hardest question she could throw at me right now.
"I wanted to give you space," I say, forcing my eyes to lock onto hers without flinching. "I did not want to overwhelm you."
She does not answer with words.
Instead, she leans forward, her movement sudden and aggressive as she presses her lips against mine.
I do not pull back this time.
The restraint I built up over the past weeks snaps instantly.
I kiss her back, my hands moving to grip her waist, pulling her flush against my chest because
