Chapter 6 - The Trap is Set
Ten minutes later, Marcus returned to the library, his face dark with frustration.
“Charles is gone,” Marcus reported. “He took the service car through the east gate right after the glass broke. He’s already in the city.”
Adrian sat behind his desk, his face carved from cold granite. “He thinks he’s won. He thinks his plan for tomorrow night is still on schedule.”
“Should we lock down the estate and call in all our tactical units from the city?” Marcus asked.
“No,” Adrian said quietly, a dangerous smile touching his lips. “If we lock down, Charles and the Genovese family will go into hiding, and this war will drag on for years. We give them exactly what they want. We let them think their surprise attack is going to succeed.”
Claire, who was sitting in a chair wrapped in a warm wool blanket with Lily sitting quietly in her lap, looked up nervously. “What are you going to do, Adrian?”
“I’m going to turn my home into a slaughterhouse for anyone who steps foot on this property with bad intentions,” Adrian said coldly. Then he turned his soft gaze to Claire. “But first, I am sending you and Lily to a safehouse in Maine under heavy guard.”
“No!” Claire stood up suddenly, clutching Lily tightly. “No, Adrian! I’m not leaving you!”
Adrian blinked, surprised by her sudden outburst. “Claire, it’s going to be a warzone here tomorrow night. It’s too dangerous—”
“We fled from Pennsylvania to escape a monster,” Claire said, tears welling in her eyes as she stepped up to his desk. “We came here broken and terrified. You gave my daughter a home. You gave her laughter. You gave me safety for the first time in my life. I am not running away while you fight for our lives!”
Lily looked up from her mother’s arms and nodded emphatically. “I want to stay with Uncle Adrian! He builds castles!”
Adrian stared at Claire, his heart pounding in his chest in a way it never had before. He stood up, walked around the desk, and gently took Lily from Claire, setting the toddler down with a basket of toys in the corner.
Then he turned to Claire, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her body flush against his.
“Claire,” Adrian whispered, his voice trembling with an emotion he had suppressed for years. “If anything happened to you or Lily, I would lose my mind.”
“Nothing is going to happen to us,” Claire breathed, looking up at his lips. “Because you are going to protect us.”
Adrian couldn't hold back any longer. He lowered his head and captured her lips in a deep, fierce, possessive kiss. Claire gasped against his mouth, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck, pouring all her fear, hope, and love into the kiss.
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When he finally pulled back, both of them were out of breath.
“You stay in the reinforced safe room in the basement,” Adrian promised, his thumb tracing her soft lips. “And when the sun comes up tomorrow, this war will be over forever.”
