Chapter 11 - The Last ThreatAdrian wanted Lily gone from Manhattan within the hour.
Then she tore it in half.
Adrian stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Rejecting it.”
“That was obvious.”
“Then why ask?”
“Because most people don’t tear five-million-dollar checks.”
“Most people don’t hand them out over breakfast.”
Adrian leaned back.
Noah sat in a high chair between them throwing blueberries onto the floor.
“You deserve compensation.”
“For what?”
“Everything.”
“You didn’t kidnap me.”
“My family did.”
“Daniel did.”
“My family.”
“That doesn’t make you responsible.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“You nearly died because of my world.”
“I nearly died because Victor Crane was a psychopath.”
“And Daniel.”
“And Vincent.”
“And your tendency to walk into dangerous buildings without permission.”
“My tendency?”
“Yes.”
“You followed me.”
“I was rescuing you.”
Lily smiled.
“You are exhausting.”
His expression softened.
Three months had changed everything.
Vincent Moretti faced dozens of criminal charges across two countries.
Federal investigators cleared Adrian of the financial crimes Daniel and Vincent had fabricated.
Moretti Holdings survived.
Barely.
Adrian removed half the old executives and brought independent auditors into every company.
Several illegal operations inherited from older generations were shut down permanently.
That decision angered people.
Adrian didn’t care.
He had spent years telling himself there was no leaving the life he inherited.
Then Noah arrived.
Suddenly excuses sounded weak.
Daniel pleaded guilty to conspiracy, kidnapping-related charges, fraud, and obstruction.
His cooperation reduced the sentence.
Not erased it.
Lily testified.
So did Adrian.
Daniel accepted responsibility.
Once each week, he wrote Noah a letter.
Lily saved them in a box.
Whether Noah would someday read them would be his decision.
Ethan moved into an apartment three blocks from Lily and immediately became the most irritating uncle in New York.
And Lily?
Lily was no longer starving.
But she refused to become dependent on Adrian.
That drove him insane.
“I offered you an apartment,” he said.
“You offered me a penthouse.”
“Technically, a townhouse.”
“With six bedrooms.”
“You need room.”
“I have one baby.”
“Babies have things.”
“He does not need six bedrooms for his things.”
Adrian looked at Noah.
“Do you?”
Noah slammed a blueberry.
Adrian nodded.
“He agrees with me.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
“He clearly does.”
Lily laughed.
Adrian loved the sound.
He had never told her.
He had not told her many things.
Not that he checked the building cameras when she worked late.
Not that the tiny bottle she dropped at Aurelia remained inside the locked drawer in his study.
Not that he had secretly purchased the laundromat building, renovated it, and transferred ownership to Carmen.
Not that he had stopped waking from Sofia nightmares almost entirely on nights Lily and Noah stayed over.
They had not defined whatever existed between them.
That was deliberate.
Lily needed stability.
Adrian feared offering her another cage disguised as protection.
So he waited.
Mostly.
“You’re staring,” she said.
“No.”
“You are.”
“You have blueberry on your face.”
She wiped her cheek.
“Where?”
He stood.
“Here.”
He brushed it away with his thumb.
Neither moved.
The air changed.
Lily looked at his mouth.
Adrian noticed.
“You should stop doing that.”
“What?”
“Looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
His hand remained against her cheek.
“Like you want me to kiss you.”
Her heart hammered.
“Maybe I do.”
Adrian became completely still.
“You shouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not safe.”
“You’ve spent three months making my life safer.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“Lily.”
“What are you afraid of?”
He stepped away.
“Nothing.”
She laughed.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“The famous Adrian Moretti lie.”
“I don’t lie.”
“You do when feelings are involved.”
He looked irritated because she was correct.
She walked closer.
“You ran into a burning warehouse.”
“Yes.”
“You faced armed men.”
“Yes.”
“You confronted the man responsible for your sister’s death.”
“Yes.”
“But kissing a waitress scares you?”
“You’re not a waitress.”
“I’m literally working at a restaurant.”
“You’re managing it.”
“That happened last week.”
“You earned it.”
She smiled.
“Nice diversion.”
“I’m skilled.”
“Coward.”
His eyebrow lifted.
“Be careful.”
“Or what?”
That did it.
Adrian caught her waist.
Lily gasped.
He stopped inches from her.
“Tell me no.”
She looked into his eyes.
“No.”
His hands immediately loosened.
Lily smiled.
“No, I’m not telling you no.”
He stared.
“That was cruel.”
“You survived.”
“Barely.”
She kissed him.
Adrian froze for half a heartbeat.
Then everything he had spent months suppressing broke.
He kissed her gently at first.
Carefully.
As though Lily might disappear.
Then she wrapped her arms around his neck.
He pulled her closer.
For several seconds there was no Moretti empire.
No Daniel.
No past.
Just warmth.
Then Noah screamed.
They jumped apart.
The baby was laughing.
Lily covered her face.
Adrian looked offended.
“You have terrible timing.”
Noah threw another blueberry.
Lily laughed.
Adrian kissed her forehead.
“I love you.”
The words escaped before he could stop them.
Everything went silent.
Adrian looked horrified.
Lily stared.
He released her.
“That was—”
“Don’t.”
“Lily.”
“Do not take it back.”
He stopped.
“Did you mean it?”
Adrian had faced guns more comfortably than this conversation.
“Yes.”
Her eyes filled.
“How long?”
“I don’t know.”
“Liar.”
He exhaled.
“The vineyard.”
Her mouth fell open.
“That long?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because loving me comes with consequences.”
“So does loving anyone.”
“Not these consequences.”
“You don’t get to decide what risks I’m allowed to take.”
His face tightened.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“I’m learning.”
Lily touched his hand.
“I love you too.”
Adrian stared.
“Say it again.”
She smiled.
“I love you.”
Something almost boyish appeared on his face.
Then Noah began banging his bottle.
Adrian looked at him.
“I was having a moment.”
Noah continued banging.
Lily handed Adrian the bottle.
“He wants you.”
“Of course he does.”
Adrian lifted him.
Noah immediately settled against his chest.
Lily watched them.
And for a moment, happiness seemed possible.
Then Adrian’s phone rang.
Marco.
Adrian answered.
His expression changed.
“What happened?”
Marco’s voice came through.
“Vincent escaped during federal transport.”
Lily’s smile disappeared.
Adrian held Noah tighter.
“How?”
“We don’t know.”
“Where is he?”
“We don’t know that either.”
Adrian looked toward the windows.
Manhattan spread beneath them.
Millions of people.
Millions of hiding places.
Marco continued.
“But a guard recovered something from Vincent’s transport van.”
“What?”
“A photograph.”
“Of?”
May you like
Marco hesitated.
“Lily and Noah.”
