Chapter 8 - The Mafia Boss Who Had Saved My Life Finally Told Me Why He Had Been Watching Me for YearsAdrian confessed.
He had known who I was before we met.
Not everything.
But enough.
“My father had a file.”
“On me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he promised your father.”
“What promise?”
“To protect you.”
“Since when?”
“Since the night your mother died.”
I stared.
“You watched me?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“From a distance.”
“Why?”
“Because your father asked me never to approach you.”
“Until when?”
“Until the Crown resurfaced.”
“And it did.”
“Yes.”
“That night at the club.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I was being watched.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my father was alive.”
“I suspected.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You really love that word.”
He smiled.
“Maybe.”
I looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't want you to trust me because I knew your secrets.”
“I didn't.”
“You do now.”
I smiled.
“I trust you because you gave me a choice.”
His expression softened.
Then he said:
“I love you.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“I didn't plan to.”
“When did it happen?”
“I don't know.”
“That isn't romantic.”
“I know.”
I laughed.
He took my hand.
“It happened slowly.”
“When?”
“When you refused my money.”
“That was stubbornness.”
“When you argued with me.”
“That's personality.”
“When you protected Lucas.”
“He's my brother.”
“And when you walked into my world terrified and still chose to stand.”
I looked at him.
“I love you too.”
He smiled.
Our first kiss was quiet.
No cameras.
No guards.
No guns.
Just two people standing beneath the city lights.
Then the door opened.
Lucas.
He looked embarrassed.
“Sorry.”
I laughed.
He smiled.
“You two are disgusting.”
Adrian rolled his eyes.
“Leave.”
Lucas looked at me.
“You really love him?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
He nodded.
Then:
“I think Dad would approve.”
That was the first time we spoke about my father without anger.
The family was healing.
But healing wasn't the same as being finished.
The Black Crown had left consequences.
And one final enemy remained.
A man who had escaped before the network collapsed.
May you like
The man who had ordered the first attack.
Victor Hale.
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