The secrets confuse me when they perhaps should not. I’m still waiting on that immunity agreement, but somehow it feels like more than that. It’s too late for me to try to understand. Adrian’s already walking away, his big, perfect body moving with lethal grace, a man with confidence and skill. A man who can kill but is so damn tender and sweet. I stare after him, confused, worried, twisted in knots.
I love this man. I know I do, but can I really confess that this soon? But how do I not? What if one of us ends up dead and I never told him? I touch my lips and it’s almost as if his goodbye lingers in the aftermath of our kiss.
I launch myself toward him and yell, “Adrian!”
He halts and turns back to me. I’m in front of him in a heartbeat, throwing my arms around him. “I need to say something to you. Adrian—”
His hand comes down on the back of my head. “First this. I love you. I know it’s crazy. I know it’s fast, but I need to say it to you. And I need you to know I’ve never said it to any other woman.” His mouth closes down on mine in a fast, hot kiss before he says again, “I love you.”
My eyes burn for no good reason. “You kind of stole my moment. I ran over here to tell you I love you.”
His lips curve. “Is that right?”
“Yes. I love you and I did say it to Logan, but I need you to know what I felt for him was nothing like this. It wasn’t love. You are—”
A whistle squeals through the air, and Savage calls out, “Let’s move!”
“Tell me later when we’re alone,” he says, his thumb stroking my cheek. “Be careful,” he orders softly. “Because Lord help anyone who hurts you.” With that, he releases me and jogs toward the white car.Chapter ThirtyPRI
I climb into the Mercedes with Lucifer and shut the door. He lifts the roof and revs the engine, setting us in motion. “It’s not flying a plane,” he says, “but it will do.”
“You’re a pilot?” I ask.
“I am,” he confirms. “If it lifts off, I can fly it.”
“Then why choose Walker for a career?” I ask. “It sounds like you love flying.”
“Walker has a fleet,” he says. “And I run a lot of overseas missions.”
“Adrian mentioned those missions,” I comment. “They’re dangerous, right?”
“They are, but they’re also big money,” he replies. “Walker makes us all millionaires.”
“At what cost?” I ask. “Your lives?”
“We save lives,” he says. “And Adrian did more than his share of saving people these past two years, or so I hear.”
“He doesn’t seem to like you much.”
“So I noticed,” he comments dryly. “But it’s okay. I’d still take a bullet for the asshole.”
“Why doesn’t he like you?” I press.
“He doesn’t know me and if I were him, I’m not sure I’d like anyone right about now. Even you.”
“Me?”
“Everyone is on the take with Waters,” he comments, pulling us onto a main road. “The fact that he just met you, you’re this deep in the Waters case, and still, he’s this into you. That’s bigger than you realize.”
“Yes,” I agree simply, while Adrian’s confession plays in my head. I love you, Pri.
He loves me.
Of course, I know that to some degree, Adrian and I are under duress. I know that means our love could be a façade, but it feels so damn real. It is real. I love Adrian, I do, good, bad, and all of him, though I know he doesn’t believe that. Driven to protect him, I dial Ed and get his voicemail again. Irritated, frustrated, desperate for answers, my feisty side flares and I don’t tamp it down. I mean, what do I have to lose? I text him: I assume you’re either on the phone or on your way to the airport again. I’d like to know which.
I wait for a reply, staring at the empty message box, with as much patience as I have watching paint dry.
“Everything okay?” Lucifer asks.
“Just trying to get Ed to reply. Adrian deserves his immunity agreement and even that won’t protect him. Waters’ people could charge him in every city in the country and make him prove he’s immune if they wanted to. It would be hell.”
“And your father is one of Waters’ people,” he comments, no emotion, just unreadable matter-of-fact. “Any word from him?”
“No luck there either, but Logan called. I’m sure you know that since you’re monitoring my communications.”
“I did know,” he confirms. “But it’s always nice to know you’re communicating with us.”
I frown. “You don’t trust me?”
“I believe you’re an honest person,” he comments. “Stuck between the man you most likely love and your family, who you will love, despite any and all abuse. That’s just how life works. And that makes your decision-making complicated.”