Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Aaron’s POV

“So, are you a math whiz or more of a history buff?”

༣(91

55 vouchers

“I like art,” he said, puffing out his chest. “But I’m the best at gym. I can already dribble the ball between my legs, and I don’t even trip! I want to be a pro basketball player. I want to be a legend.”

The air left my lungs. He was determined, focused-a mirror image of the boy I used to be.

I remembered my father and grandfather sneering at my dreams, calling basketball a ‘peasant’s distraction’ that would tarnish the Tyrone legacy. They had been the walls I had to break through.

Looking at Adrian now, seeing that familiar spark of grit in his eyes, I’made a silent vow to the man in the mirror.

I would be the wind beneath his wings. I would never be his wall.

Our first stop was a local ice cream parlor. I watched him tackle a double scoop of mint chocolate chip with a ferocity that made me laugh.

From there, we headed to the cinema. I’d rented out the entire theater for a private screening of The Lion King. I couldn’t risk a public scene, but more than that, I wanted this moment to be just ours.

I bought enough popcorn to feed an army and sat beside him in the darkened room.

During the movie, I found myself watching him more than the screen.

I took dozens of pictures: Adrian mid-laugh, Adrian wide-eyed at the stampede, Adrian asleep for five minutes before waking up with a start.

After the movie, we hit the arcade. I’d made sure the entire place was cleared out too.

I watched him navigate the rows of games, his small frame silhouetted against the vibrant, shifting lights of the racing simulators and claw machines.

That’s where I really started to learn him. I noticed how his eyes didn’t just wander; they locked onto anything bright, anything that popped with color.

He was drawn to the vibrancy of it all. It was a small detail, but it felt like a massive victory-a piece of the map to who he

was.

Before we headed to our final stop at the park, I reached into the back seat and pulled out a gift I’d grabbed on a whim earlier: a bright, multi-colored baseball hat.

“Buddy, we’re going to the park now,” I said, fitting the hat onto his head and pulling the brim low.

“I want you to keep this on, okay? It’s our ‘secret agent’ look.”

Luckily, Adrian was too excited to ask questions. “Secret agents! Got it!”

I pulled on my own disguise-a dark hoodie, sunglasses, and a plain black cap. I knew my build alone could give me away to some fans, but I hoped the low profile would hold.

Hand in hand, we stepped into the park.

The afternoon sun filtered through the canopy of trees in golden patches, and the air was a thick, sweet swirl of cotton candy and fresh-cut grass.

10:30 Wed, Jan 28 RG.

Chapter 117

All around us, the world was alive with the sound of kids shrieking on swings.

ས 91

55 vouchers

I let Adrian take the lead. I was just the shadow following his light as he darted from the tall slides to the sandbox, his small hands working with fierce intensity to build lopsided castles.

I played the part of the overprotective giant, hovering just close enough to catch him but far enough to let him feel like the king of the playground.

Then, he stopped. He turned back to me, his small fingers tugging at my hand as he pointed toward the horizon.

“Ferris wheel! Can we? Please, Superstar?”

I looked up at the towering steel circle against the blue sky and felt a flutter of amusement.

I looked back down at him and smirked.

“You sure about that, tough guy? Those things go pretty high. You aren’t afraid of the clouds?”

“I’m not scared!” he declared, puffing out his chest with a defiance that was so familiar it made my heart ache. He was bold; I’d have to give him that.

“Alright, buddy. Let’s go.”

The ride was nothing short of magical. As our carriage crested the very top, suspended in that breathless space between the earth and the sun, the world below seemed to shrink.

Adrian didn’t flinch. He let out a pure, excited giggle, his small hand clutching mine with a grip so fierce it felt like he was anchoring my soul to the seat.

I looked at him-really looked at him-as he leaned into the wind, soaking in the horizon without a trace of vertigo.

I couldn’t help but smirk. I might have a little gangster on my hands, I thought.

When the ride finally groaned to a halt and we were back on solid ground, he looked up at me, his face flushed a healthy pink from the excitement.

“Water, please?” he piped up, his voice slightly breathless.

“You got it, champ,” I said, instinctively scanning the crowd and pulling him a little closer to my side. “Stay right by me. Don’t let go.”

We were walking toward a vendor when a figure stepped out from behind á large oak tree, blocking our path.

It was a woman in a heavy oversized hood, her face shadowed and hidden.

My protective instincts flared, and I stepped in front of Adrian instinctively.

“Can I talk to you, sir?” she whispered, her voice urgent and strained. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

I stiffened, my hand tightening on Adrian’s. “I’m with my son,” I said coldly. “Whatever it is, it can wait.”

“It can’t,” she insisted, stepping closer, just enough for me to catch the flash of a bruise on her jaw under the hood. “It’s about Kennedy Tyrone. And what he’s planning to do to the girl.”

My blood turned to ice. I looked down at Adrian, who was watching the exchange with confused eyes, then back at the stranger. The peace of the day shattered instantly.

10:30 Wed, Jan 28 R