Chapter 4 - The Night She Learned Who He Really Was
Living with Adrian was strange.
Not romantic.
Not at first.
Strange.
He had rules.
No doors left unlocked.
No unknown phone calls.
No walking outside alone after dark.
No giving information to strangers.
No accepting packages without checking the sender.
Tessa hated every rule.
She also followed every one.
One morning she walked into the kitchen.
Adrian was making coffee.
"You cook?"
"Sometimes."
"Can you cook anything besides coffee?"
"I can cook three things."
"What three?"
"Eggs. Steak. Pasta."
"That's basically one meal in three disguises."
His mouth twitched.
"You're difficult."
"So I'm told."
She sat.
He handed her coffee.
She took it.
"Thank you."
"You keep thanking me."
"I was raised properly."
"By your mother?"
She froze.
He noticed.
"What?"
"My mother taught me not to trust anyone who asks too many questions."
Adrian leaned against the counter.
"Smart woman."
"She is."
Tessa looked down.
"My father was a better man."
Adrian saw the grief.
"What happened?"
"He died in a warehouse accident."
"Five years ago."
She looked up.
"How did you know?"
He said nothing.
"You investigated me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to know whether you were connected."
"Connected to what?"
"To the people trying to kill me."
"And am I?"
"No."
"How do you know?"
"Because your father's death was one of the reasons they started."
She froze.
"What?"
Adrian placed a file on the table.
Inside were photographs.
Her father's warehouse.
Police reports.
An insurance investigation.
Then a picture of a man she recognized.
Calvin Reed.
Her supervisor.
Tessa stopped breathing.
"That's impossible."
"He met your father three days before his death."
"No."
"He also met the woman you mentioned from Bridesburg."
The room tilted.
"Adrian."
"I'm sorry."
"Tell me my father wasn't murdered."
He did not answer.
That was enough.
Tessa stood so quickly her chair struck the floor.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wasn't certain."
"You knew."
"I suspected."
"You knew enough to investigate."
"Yes."
She slapped the file onto the table.
"You don't get to decide what I can handle."
"I know."
"Then stop deciding."
Adrian came closer.
"You're right."
The admission stunned her.
"I should have told you."
She looked at him.
"Why didn't you?"
"Because every time I tell someone the truth, they end up dead."
She softened despite herself.
"Not me."
He looked at her.
"That's what scares me."
That evening, Adrian took Tessa to a private warehouse.
She thought they were going to inspect records.
Instead, she walked into a world she had only ever seen in movies.
Men carrying weapons.
Crates.
Black SUVs.
People who went silent when Adrian entered.
He walked through them without acknowledging anyone.
"Who are these people?" she asked.
"My employees."
"That's a funny way to describe armed men."
"It keeps them paid."
A gunshot exploded in the distance.
Tessa jumped.
Adrian immediately placed himself between her and the sound.
She stared at his back.
For the first time she understood.
He wasn't pretending to be dangerous.
He was dangerous.
The real Adrian Cross.
The man who could make an entire warehouse fall silent without raising his voice.
The man whose name was spoken carefully.
The man people called the Black Wolf.
She stepped backward.
He noticed.
"Tessa."
"I'm fine."
"You're not."
"What exactly are you?"
He didn't lie.
"A man who built an empire in a dirty world."
"And what am I doing here?"
"Trying to survive it."
She laughed bitterly.
"I got into the wrong car."
His eyes softened.
"Yes."
"That may have been the worst mistake of my life."
"No."
He stepped closer.
"It may become the best."
Before she could respond, Roman approached.
"Boss."
Adrian turned.
"Speak."
"We found Calvin."
Tessa went still.
"Where?"
"At the river terminal."
Adrian looked at her.
She knew immediately.
"We're going."
The terminal was empty.
Calvin stood beside a shipping container.
He looked frightened.
"Tessa, you don't understand."
"Then explain."
Calvin looked at Adrian.
"You don't know what you've gotten involved in."
"I know enough."
Calvin laughed.
"You think Adrian Cross is protecting you?"
"What are you saying?"
"He isn't."
Adrian moved.
Roman stopped him.
"Boss."
Calvin shouted.
"Your father started it!"
Tessa froze.
Adrian's expression changed.
"My father?"
"Charles Cross created the first network."
Adrian stared.
"My father died before I took over."
"He didn't die."
Silence.
"He disappeared."
Tessa looked between them.
Calvin continued.
"He's been running things from Europe for years."
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Adrian dragged Tessa behind cover.
Roman returned fire.
When the lights came back on, Calvin was gone.
Adrian stared at the empty terminal.
Tessa whispered:
"Your father is alive."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Yes."
"And he knows about me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
He looked at her.
"Because he knows exactly what scares me."
"What?"
May you like
Adrian reached for her hand.
"That the only good thing I have left will be taken from me."
