Chapter 10 - The Safehouse in the Woods
The Mercedes tore down a winding mountain road, plunging deeper into the dense, foggy pine forest outside the city.
After forty minutes of aggressive driving, Adrien steered the SUV down an overgrown dirt track.
Hidden behind a thick wall of ancient trees sat a sprawling, modern glass-and-concrete cabin.
It looked completely deserted from the outside.
Inside, however, the glow of high-tech security monitors illuminated the darkened rooms.
Adrien parked inside a subterranean garage.
He cut the engine.
The silence of the forest immediately rushed in, broken only by the steady patter of rain on the roof.
“Out,” Adrien instructed, stepping out of the car.
Maya unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out onto the polished concrete floor.
Her emerald-green dress was ruined.
Her hair was messy.
Her feet ached from the velvet heels.
She looked like she had just survived a war zone.
Because she had.
Adrien walked over, unlocking a reinforced steel side door that led into the cabin’s living quarters.
“Come inside,” Adrien said, holding the door open.
Maya walked in, wrapping her arms around herself against the sudden chill.
The cabin was surprisingly luxurious.
A massive stone fireplace dominated the living room.
Leather sofas, warm wooden accents, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the foggy abyss of the forest.
Adrien walked over to a wet bar, pouring two glasses of amber whiskey.
He handed one to Maya.
“Drink this. It will calm your nerves.”
Maya took the glass, her fingers brushing against his.
She took a small sip.
The burn of the liquor hit her throat, warming her instantly.
“I suppose this isn’t on the company benefits package,” Maya murmured dryly.
Adrien let out a soft sigh, sinking into a leather armchair across from her.
“I am sorry, Maya.”
Maya blinked, genuinely surprised.
“Did the great Adrien Moretti just apologize?”
“You were dragged into a world you never asked to be part of,” Adrien said, his dark eyes staring into the fire.
“Because of my war with Rossetti.”
Maya walked over, setting her whiskey glass down on the coffee table.
She sat down on the sofa opposite him.
“Nobody asked for a broken pipe either, Adrien,” Maya said softly, using his first name for the very first time.
Adrien looked up.
Hearing his name on her lips sent a strange, unfamiliar jolt through his chest.
May you like
“You dropped my last name,” Adrien noted quietly.
“Well, after shooting a mafia assassin together, ‘Mr. Moretti’ felt a little too formal,” Maya replied with a tired smile.
