Chapter 4 - The Breaking Point
They broke through the tunnel, Kael taking a grazing wound to the shoulder but refusing to stop. They emerged into the rain-slicked alley behind the Bellweather, the cold air biting at Mara’s skin.
A black sedan screeched to a halt, the engine roaring. Adrian shoved Mara into the backseat and jumped in after her.
“Go!” he roared.
The car tore down the narrow alleyway, drifting around a corner just as a hail of gunfire shredded the brick wall where they had been standing seconds before. Mara collapsed back against the leather seat, panting, the adrenaline finally beginning to ebb, leaving her shaking uncontrollably.
Adrian didn't offer empty comforts. He watched the rearview mirror, his gun resting on his thigh, his eyes tracking the shadows of the pursuing vehicles.
“You’re safe for now,” he said, his voice dark. “But Calder won't stop. He can't afford to. That drive… it contains more than just financial records. It contains proof of his involvement in a federal conspiracy that reaches all the way to the state house. He needs that drive gone, and he needs you gone.”
Mara looked at him, her eyes wide. “What do we do?”
“We hit him back,” Adrian said. “I have the resources to find where he’s keeping his records. We just need to get inside.”
“You’re going to war with him,” Mara realized.
May you like
“I was already at war with him,” Adrian corrected. “You just happened to provide the spark.”
He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was firm, possessive, and oddly grounding. “You are under my protection now, Mara. That is not a promise I make lightly. But understand this: there is no going back to the life you had. You belong to the game now.”
