Chapter 5 - The Night the Groom Learned the Truth
The boathouse stood at the far edge of the lake.
Wind pushed hard against the water.
Adrian wanted to bring six men.
Claire insisted on two.
They compromised at four.
Vanessa stayed behind with Matteo.
At midnight, Claire entered the boathouse.
Adrian followed.
Wood creaked under their feet.
A lantern burned on the table.
No one stood beside it.
Claire searched the room.
Then she saw an envelope.
Inside was the missing page.
And beneath it was an old photograph.
Adrian took it.
A younger version of his father stood beside Leonard Carlisle.
Between them stood another man.
Victor Hale.
All three were smiling.
On the back was written:
Before the betrayal.
Adrian’s face hardened.
“He lied to me.”
Claire nodded.
“Your father was part of the Ash Circle.”
“But he turned against them.”
“Yes.”
“And Victor helped him.”
“Maybe.”
A voice came from the darkness.
“He did.”
Victor stepped into the lantern light.
Older than the photograph.
Scar across his cheek.
White hair at the temples.
Gun in hand.
Adrian aimed.
“You should be dead.”
Victor smiled.
“So should your father.”
Adrian’s finger tightened on the trigger.
“Why did you kill him?”
Victor shook his head.
“I didn’t.”
“Who did?”
“Your wife’s father.”
Adrian stared.
Victor continued.
“Your father planned to expose Leonard. The night he died, he gave me the ledger.”
Claire looked at the book.
“Then why was it hidden?”
“Because Leonard found us.”
Victor looked at Claire.
“And because your handler was working with him.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
Victor stepped closer.
“Your agency was compromised.”
“That’s impossible.”
“It’s why your entire unit was killed.”
Claire’s face drained.
Adrian looked at her.
“What is he talking about?”
Victor answered.
“She wasn’t sent to watch you.”
He looked directly at Claire.
“She was sent to recover the ledger before Leonard could.”
Claire took a step back.
“No.”
Victor’s voice softened.
“Your handler sold the operation.”
The truth hit her with physical force.
Her handler.
The person she trusted.
Dead, supposedly.
But if the unit had been compromised, then the operation had never belonged to the government.
It had belonged to someone inside it.
Adrian lowered his weapon slightly.
“Claire.”
She looked at him.
“I didn’t know.”
“I believe you.”
Victor raised an eyebrow.
“You shouldn’t.”
Adrian did not answer.
Claire stared at Victor.
“Who is controlling the Ash Circle now?”
Victor hesitated.
“Someone you know.”
Claire’s skin prickled.
“Who?”
A gunshot tore through the wall.
Victor fell.
Adrian fired toward the window.
Claire dropped beside Victor.
He was bleeding badly.
“Who?” she demanded.
Victor gripped her wrist.
“Your father.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
Victor coughed.
“Leonard didn’t build the Ash Circle.”
He looked at Adrian.
“Your father and Claire’s father built it.”
Claire’s heart stopped.
“My father?”
“You were told he died in a fire.”
“He did.”
“No.”
Victor shook his head.
“He disappeared.”
Claire stared.
Her whole life had been built around the death of a man whose body had never been recovered.
She had been told the fire was accidental.
Her mother had cried.
Her handler had recruited her.
Everything she thought she knew had just collapsed.
Victor whispered.
“He changed his name.”
Claire’s lips trembled.
“To what?”
Before Victor could answer, footsteps thundered outside.
Adrian pulled Claire up.
“We have to go.”
“What about him?”
Victor shook his head.
“Leave me.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
His eyes met hers.
“You were never the weapon.”
He smiled faintly.
“You were the witness.”
Then he pushed a small key into her hand.
“Find the room beneath the room.”
The boathouse doors exploded inward.
Adrian grabbed Claire.
They ran.
Bullets tore through the wooden walls.
They reached the lake dock.
A boat engine roared.
Adrian shoved Claire inside.
He jumped after her.
They sped into the darkness.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Claire stared at the key in her palm.
Adrian sat across from her.
“You okay?”
“No.”
He nodded.
“Neither am I.”
She looked at him.
“My father might be alive.”
“Yes.”
“The people I trusted might have killed my team.”
“Yes.”
“The woman I thought was my enemy was used as bait.”
“Yes.”
Adrian paused.
“And I’m starting to think I never knew my own family.”
Claire laughed once.
It broke something inside her.
“I spent seven months pretending to be someone else.”
Adrian moved closer.
“And who are you when you’re not pretending?”
Claire looked at him.
“I don’t know.”
He reached out.
His fingers closed gently around her hand.
“You don’t have to know tonight.”
She stared at their hands.
Then at him.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Doing what?”
“Being kind.”
Adrian smiled.
“I’m not usually.”
“You are with me.”
“I know.”
She swallowed.
A dangerous softness filled the boat.
Then Adrian said the sentence that changed everything.
“I trust you.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“That’s exactly what I was afraid of.”
“Why?”
“Because if you trust me…”
She looked at him.
“I might stop being afraid of what happens if I lose you.”
Neither moved.
Then Adrian kissed her.
Not violently.
Not possessively.
Carefully.
As if he were asking a question.
Claire answered.
For one moment, the war outside disappeared.
Then her phone rang.
A message.
UNKNOWN:
YOUR FATHER IS WAITING.
Attached was a photograph of a man standing at the airport.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Same eyes as Claire.
She dropped the phone.
Adrian picked it up.
“Claire.”
She whispered.
“My father.”
The message continued.
May you like
COME ALONE.
OR ADRIAN DIES BEFORE THE WEDDING.
