1927: Redemption

I don’t belong here!

“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

2021-DECEMBER-FLORIDA

An annoying ringing of Adeline’s phone at some ungodly hour in the morning woke her up out of a seemingly blissful sleep. Letting out a groan, she rolled over, slapping her hand around the nightstand until she found her cell phone. It took her a second to figure out how to answer the stupid call before putting the phone to her ear and grunting as a hello.

“Get your ass out of bed, Adeline Martinez.”

“Excuse me?” She sighed, fighting back a yawn.

It took her a half a second to realise that she happened to be talking to someone she didn't even know.

“Uh, who is this?” Adeline demanded, suddenly very awake as she sat upright.

“Who do you think this is, genius?”

Oh, hell.

Adeline immediately recognised that familiar snarky voice. Of course, it had to be Arris Jonathan calling her. She should have known, it wasn’t as if she had been talking to anyone else recently.

Except, the beast.

Oops, sorry… not the beast.

William is his name! Thought Adeline.

“What do you want, Ace?” Said Adeline, a hand on her forehead. “Why are you calling me?”

“To wake you up,” Ace said like it should have been obvious. “Now get over here.”

Yawning, “Over where?” Said Adeline, flipping backwards onto the mountain of pillows. “You woke me up to give me orders?”

“Adeline Martinez.” Ace’s voice sounded amused, something she had definitely never heard there before. “It’s almost eleven in the morning, and we are having dinner at four. Did you forget you were invited?”

Oh, s**t!

That was right.

Adeline started babbling out a string of obscenities, apologising in between. “I’m so sorry, Ace.” She babbled like an i***t. “I’ll be over there as soon as I could-”

“Jesus, shut up Adeline Martinez? Get over here and let’s leave it at that.”

“Okay,” she sighed, gnawing on her lip.

“Come safely.”

That was the last thing Ace said before the line went dead.

The exhaustion from last night’s events clung to her along with the warmth the sun brought. While she was not drunk enough to forget last night's events, she knew she had not fallen asleep in her own bed. And yet, in her own bed where she woke up.

The blanket William had placed around her was still curled around her fingers, the strangely intoxicating scent lingered on the blanket and gave her a sense of security.

William must have brought her back to her bed. The thought of him carrying her sent a shiver down her spine. She wished she had stayed awake long enough to enjoy the feeling of his arms around her.

Adeline felt like she was becoming more attracted to him, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her feelings were already ever so present in her mind, and there was no way of stuffing them back down.

Hastily, Adeline threw on some clothes and Andy into the bathroom to freshen up. By the time she walked back into the bedroom, William was leaning against the wall watching her.

“Don’t you ever get tired of watching me?” Adeline huffed at him, feeling a little irritable from her lack of sleep.

Adeline slept soundly after drinking some of his whiskey, but it had been a half-assed alcohol induced sleep.

William raised his eyebrow at her and shook his head, “No.”

Ignoring the fluttering in her stomach, Adeline reminded herself that she had always felt his watchful eyes on her for the last five years.

“Grumpy.” His deep voice stated as if it were obvious.

Adeline froze in place.

Feeling her jaw drop as she processed his simple comment. The word sounded strange coming from him. Adeline grimaced at him incredulously as his full eyebrow listed and the fabric of his mask twitched. Adeline could tell even with the mask covering his face, that he was smirking at her.

“I’m not grumpy.” Huffed Adeline and stomped past him, opening her bedroom door and walking into the room situated in front of her bedroom.

“Oh look, William has a sense of humour,” Adeline grumbled to herself. She could hear a deep amused rumble coming from his chest at her words.

Together, they entered the secret condo that she discovered last night and went over towards the table where all the documents were laid down.

William followed her and stood across the table in front of her as she stood at another side of the counter.

Leaning, her hands gripped the edge of the counter as she asked, “You promised to help, will you?” Sincerity flickered in her eyes which did not go unnoticed by him.

Reluctantly, he nodded and leaned towards her, his hands on the counter, an inch gap between the two of them.

Adeline bit her lip, eyes everywhere but on William. Then he moved closer with those eyes that looked so deeply into her own, "I will indeed."

Her breathing became softer, the pensive look melting into a smile as soft as the morning light. Her body squirmed just a little as her muscles relaxed. There was something about that gaze of his she would never find in another man as if at that moment their souls have made a bridge.

Saying that William attained his previous position and a small smile formed on her lips, showing faint dimples on her cheek as she pressed her lips against each other, nodding a bit.

“Okay,” started Adeline as William stood with amusement in his eyes and his hands on his pockets.

“Why is this science equipment here?” Asked Adeline, looking around her.

“It’s your father’s hiding spot.” Answered William, heading toward the small refrigerator to get her a drink and Adeline scanned the room.

“Everything is kept as it is, except the fridge.”

Adeline whirled around, as William handed her juice.

“Oh.” Said Adeline as didn’t know anything about her father. “Did you know him?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes widened, as she asked, “Really, what was he like?”

“He was good at heart, a genius, but his mind got corrupted and he became greedy in the end.”

His answer angered her a little, but keeping aside it, she asked, “What did he do to you?”

William took a nice look at her, asking a question to himself- can he trust her?

Fixating his trust in her, he finally managed to say what he wanted to for the last twenty-one years.

“He lured me into the 21st century, I don’t belong here, my place is in 1930.”

Adeline spit out the juice that she was drinking, looking at him with wide eyes.

What did William say next?

Why did he meant by that statement?

Was he going to reveal everything to her?