Chapter 1 - The Getaway
Adrian did not look back at the Harbor Crown Hotel.
He simply opened the passenger door of his black sedan.
Emma stared at the dark leather interior.
She felt entirely numb.
The cold November wind whipped around her thin sweater.
"Get in," Adrian said.
His voice was low and carried no trace of pity.
Pity was the last thing Emma wanted right now.
She slid into the passenger seat.
The car smelled of expensive cologne and absolute power.
Adrian walked around the hood and got behind the wheel.
He did not ask where she wanted to go.
He put the car in gear and drove away from the wreckage of her life.
Emma watched the hotel disappear in the rearview mirror.
Her wedding was supposed to be in three days.
Her dress was hanging in her childhood bedroom.
Her sister was currently adjusting her clothes in the honeymoon suite.
A dry sob escaped Emma's throat.
Adrian handed her a crisp linen handkerchief without taking his eyes off the road.
"Crying over my brother is a waste of hydration," he said.
Emma wiped her eyes.
"He was my entire future," she whispered.
Adrian let out a dark, humorless laugh.
"Cole was a stepping stone," he replied.
Emma frowned in confusion.
"What does that mean?" she asked.
Adrian steered the car onto the private coastal highway.
"My father's will has a specific clause regarding the family empire," he explained.
He gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"Cole receives his fifty-percent voting share on his thirtieth birthday, provided he is married to a respectable woman."
Emma felt the blood drain from her face.
Cole was turning thirty next month.
"I was a business transaction?" she choked out.
Adrian finally looked at her.
His dark eyes were merciless.
"You were a shield, Emma."
He stopped the car at the edge of a jagged cliff overlooking the ocean.
"But Tessa is a weapon," Adrian continued.
He reached into his jacket pocket.
He pulled out a thick envelope and tossed it onto her lap.
"Open it," he commanded.
Emma opened the flap with trembling hands.
Inside were dozens of glossy photographs.
They were pictures of Tessa.
Tessa was not with Cole in these photos.
Tessa was kissing a man with a scarred face, exchanging briefcases in dark alleys, and smiling in a way Emma had never seen.
"Your sister has been working for a rival syndicate for two years," Adrian said softly.
May you like
Emma dropped the photos in horror.
"And tonight," Adrian added, "she just successfully infiltrated my family."
