Chapter 7 - The Revelation
Men had reportedly crossed state lines to avoid disappointing him. Bankers lowered their voices when they said his name. Rivals described him as a man who could ruin someone without ever raising his pulse.
But standing three feet from Nora, Adrian looked almost shaken.
His eyes dropped to her mouth for one brief second.
Then he stepped backward.
That was the moment she fell in love with him.
Not because he touched her.
Because he could have, knew she wanted him to, and chose not to.
Adrian walked over to the window, turning his back to her, his chest heaving as he stared out into the stormy Chicago night. He ran a hand through his dark hair, gripping the strands tightly.
“Why?” his voice was barely a gravelly whisper.
Nora sat up, pulling the sheet over her chest. “Why what?”
“Why tell me that now?” He turned slowly, his eyes dark, burning with an internal torment. “You know what I am. You know my life is surrounded by violence, blood, and enemies. Handing me your innocence... your absolute vulnerability... is like handing a loaded gun to a killer.”
“Because I trust you,” Nora said simply, her voice ringing out clearly in the vast, silent room.
Adrian flinched as if struck. He crossed the room in two strides, dropping to one knee beside the bed. He didn’t touch her skin; instead, he rested his forehead gently against her knee, his breath warm through the fabric.
“No one has ever trusted me like that, Nora,” he murmured, his voice cracking with raw emotion. “Everyone in my world wants something from me. Money, protection, blood. You... you just want *me*.”
Nora reached down, resting her hand softly on the back of his neck, her fingers threading through his silver-streaked hair.
“I do,” she whispered.
May you like
Adrian lifted his head, his dark eyes shining with a fierce, unbreakable vow. “Then hear me now, Nora. No one will ever hurt you. I will burn this city to ash before I let anyone lay a hand on you.”
***
