Chapter 7 - ALLIES AND ENEMIES
Adrian didn't need martial arts. He fought with the raw, brutal desperation of a man protecting the only thing that mattered. He struck Briggs in the ribs, sending the giant man staggering backward, while Claire swept Vanessa's legs, dropping the heiress to the wet asphalt.
Sirens wailed in the distance. The shipyard security had called the police.
"Get in the car!" Adrian yelled. He grabbed Claire's arm, pulling her into the passenger seat. He threw the car in reverse and sped into the night just as police cruisers blocked the shipyard entrance.
They drove to a safe house Adrian owned in the mountains—a secluded cabin off the grid. Inside, Adrian carefully bandaged Claire's bruised shoulder. The proximity between them was electric. For eight years, Adrian had lived a lie, surrounded by vipers. For eight years, Claire had made herself invisible. Now, looking at each other, they were fully seen.
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"You came for me," Claire said softly.
"I promised myself I would never let another Bennett die for me," Adrian whispered, brushing a stray lock of chestnut hair behind her ear. He leaned in, and the kiss they shared was born of adrenaline, grief, and a fierce, undeniable connection. It was a promise that they were in this together, until the bitter end.
