Chapter 5 - The Man Who Took The BulletNo One Touches HerAdrien refused the hospital.
Naturally.
He allowed a doctor from the family's private medical team to remove the bullet fragments in a secure bedroom while the estate remained locked down.
Clara sat outside the room.
Her hands still smelled faintly of blood.
Maria brought her tea.
"You should rest."
"I can't."
"You've been through enough."
Clara stared at the closed door.
"He got shot because I was there."
Maria shook her head.
"He got shot because someone wanted him dead."
Clara looked at her.
"Do you know what happened to his mother?"
Maria hesitated.
"Everyone knows."
"But nobody talks."
Maria sighed.
"Mrs. Valente died after refusing to sign something."
"What?"
"I don't know."
"You do."
Maria's eyes filled with fear.
"Sweetheart, some things are safer buried."
She walked away.
The bedroom door opened.
Adrien stepped out.
His shoulder was bandaged beneath a clean shirt.
Clara stood.
"How bad?"
"Annoying."
"You were bleeding."
"I've done worse."
He noticed her hands.
"You're shaking."
"I'm fine."
"You are not."
He came closer.
Clara didn't move.
Adrien gently turned her wrist over.
A thin line of blood crossed her palm.
"That's mine."
"I know."
Something about the way he said nothing else made her heart race.
He released her.
"Get a coat."
"Why?"
"We're leaving."
"For where?"
"Somewhere they can't find us."
Clara frowned.
"This is your estate."
"Exactly."
He led her through a hidden passage beneath the library.
They emerged inside a detached garage.
A black SUV waited.
Snow hit Clara's face as they ran toward it.
Halfway there, she heard a gunshot.
Adrien pulled her down.
Security fired toward the tree line.
"Someone's outside the perimeter," Luca shouted.
Adrien pushed Clara behind the vehicle.
"Get inside."
They drove through a secondary gate hidden behind the stone wall.
For twenty minutes, neither spoke.
Finally Clara asked,
"Where are we going?"
"A house nobody knows about."
"You have one of those?"
"I have several."
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
Adrien noticed.
"You find that funny?"
"A little."
"You've been shot at twice tonight."
"Three times."
"That doesn't help."
"It wasn't intended to."
Silence returned.
Then Adrien asked,
"Why did your business partner steal from you?"
Clara looked through the window.
"I don't know."
"Did he leave without a word?"
"Yes."
"Did he owe anyone money?"
"I found out later that he owed a lot."
"To whom?"
"I never knew."
Adrien's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"What was his name?"
"Ethan Cole."
Adrien went quiet.
Too quiet.
"What?"
"I know that name."
Clara turned.
"From where?"
"I haven't decided whether I should tell you."
"Adrien."
He sighed.
"Six months ago, one of my companies discovered someone was creating shell businesses to move money through New York."
Clara's stomach tightened.
"Was one of them mine?"
"I don't know."
He reached into the console and pulled out a photograph.
Ethan.
Standing beside a man Clara had never seen.
The man wore an expensive suit.
His face looked familiar.
Clara frowned.
"Who is that?"
Adrien's expression darkened.
"My uncle."
She stared.
"Gabriel Valente."
"I thought he was dead."
"He was."
"When?"
"Seven years ago."
Clara studied the photograph again.
"Then why is he standing beside Ethan?"
Adrien didn't answer.
The SUV suddenly swerved.
Tires lost traction on the snow.
Clara screamed.
A truck blocked the road ahead.
Adrien slammed on the brakes.
The SUV stopped inches away.
Men in masks surrounded them.
Adrien grabbed his gun.
"Stay down."
The passenger door opened.
A masked man pointed a weapon at Clara.
Adrien moved instantly.
He stepped between them.
"Take me."
The masked man laughed.
"We didn't come for you."
His weapon shifted toward Clara.
May you like
"We came for the girl."
Then the muzzle flashed.
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