Chapter 77 Enough with these games.
Chapter 77 Enough with these games.
Adrian's POV
“I think it's time we move. Someone's coming.”
I immediately looked at Dael.
“Who's coming?”
Dael's eyes moved from me to Drew before settling back on me.
“I don't know.” He shrugged.
My eyebrows pulled together. “You just said someone was coming.”
“Yeah, I said someone was coming. I didn't say I knew who they were.” He gave me a look like I was stupid, and honestly, it infuriated me even more.
“Then how the hell do you know?”
Dael's jaw tightened. “My men saw movement outside.”
“And you didn't think that was important enough to mention before?”
His eyes narrowed. “I just did, didn't I?”
I felt my patience snap as I moved forward, but Raven quickly grabbed my arm.
“Adrian, please. Not now.”
I glanced at her. The worry in her eyes made me take a deep breath and step back.
She'd been through enough. I wasn't about to make things worse by getting into a fight with Dael.
Drew picked up the bag he'd packed earlier.
“We need to leave. That's if you two are done measuring your manhood.” He mocked.
Dael and I glanced at him but said nothing.
“Good. Then let's get moving.”
“Wait.” I looked at Drew. “Why did you say Rebecca might be in danger?”
“We don't know how long that location has been compromised. If someone else knows about it, we need to get there before they do,” he explained, not sparing me a glance as he readied his bag.
Raven nodded slowly.
“Then let's go.”
“Wait.” I rushed out, heading for the room where Blade and the woman were.
“We're leaving,” I informed them as the guards immediately untied them.
Raven and Dael also entered the room.
I began searching the table, and Raven came up to me.
“Adrian, what are you looking for?” she asked quietly.
“The files,” I muttered.
Raven looked at me.
“What files?”
“The ones I found earlier in the safe.”
I looked around the room.
“I brought them here before I was knocked unconscious by his men.”
I searched beneath the papers on the table, then checked the chair beside it.
Nothing.
Drew walked over.
“Do you mean the Aster files?”
“Yes.” I glared at him.
I checked again, even though I already knew they were gone.
Dael's expression hardened.
“Are you certain you brought them here?”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Of course, Dael. I'm not an idiot.”
“I didn't say you were.” He shrugged, trying to maintain his calm composure.
“You didn't have to.” I clenched my fists.
Raven sighed.
“Guys, please.”
Drew averted his eyes from me and crouched beside the table, searching the floor.
“When was the last time you saw them?” he asked.
“When your dumb men knocked me unconscious,” I hissed, and Raven gave me a look.
“And you left them here?” he continued.
“How could I have taken them when I was unconscious?”
Was the guy daft or something?
Drew slowly stood.
“Well, someone obviously took them.”
A strange silence settled over the room.
Dael looked toward the door.
“That shouldn't be possible.”
“Um, I have something to say,” Blade interrupted.
We all turned to him.
“Someone came in here. He was wearing a mask, so I thought he could have been one of your men, but something about him didn't sit right.”
I scoffed.
“Looks like it was more than possible,” I mocked.
His eyes snapped toward me.
“My men searched the building.”
“Well, apparently, they aren't as smart as you think. No surprise there, since their leader is pretty daft.” I deadpanned.
“Adrian!” Raven scolded.
Dael stepped closer.
“Watch your mouth.”
I closed the distance between us.
“Or what?”
Call it whatever you want, but I was itching to break someone's jaw right now.
Raven immediately stepped between us.
“Enough!”
She looked at me first, then at Dael.
“Can you two please stop acting like children for five minutes?”
Then she turned to me.
“Seriously, Adrian?”
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but she was right.
I was clearly acting childish, and this wasn't the time or place.
Drew suddenly looked toward the window.
He signaled for us to stay quiet.
We all obeyed.
He moved closer and carefully pulled the curtain aside.
“What is it?” Raven whispered.
“Lights,” he informed us.
“Where?” I frowned.
“Outside.”
I walked toward him.
Through the small opening in the curtain, I could see faint lights moving in the distance.
Vehicles.
“How many are there?” I asked.
Drew squinted.
“Two. Maybe three. I'm not entirely sure.”
Dael immediately turned toward the door.
“We have to go now.”
I pulled my gun from my waistband.
Raven looked at me.
“Do you think they're here for us?”
“I don't know,” I replied.
I checked the magazine before looking toward the windows again.
“But whoever they are, I'm not taking any chances.”
Dael motioned toward the hallway.
“There is another exit at the back of the building.”
We all nodded, and I gestured for him to lead the way.
“Stay close,” I instructed everyone.
We moved toward the door.
Raven stayed beside me, her hand occasionally brushing against mine.
Every time it happened, I was reminded that she was actually here.
Alive, safe, and with me.
After weeks of wondering whether I would ever see her again, I wasn't ready to let her out of my sight.
We had barely reached the hallway when the lights suddenly went out.
The older woman, whose name I didn't know, gasped.
“What happened?”
I immediately grabbed her and pulled her behind me.
“Stay behind me.”
I raised my gun and stared into the darkness.
I heard Dael move as well.
When I glanced sideways, he was standing in front of Raven from the other side, his gun raised.
For a second, neither of us moved.
Then I noticed the way Dael was positioned.
His entire body was shielding Raven. His eyes were fixed on every possible direction someone could attack from.
There was something different about the way he protected her.
It wasn't simply concern.
It was possessiveness.
Like he believed it was his right to keep her safe.
My jaw tightened, and I had to remind myself that this wasn't the place to get jealous.
At least he was protecting her.
Now I was sure.
He hadn't been lying when he'd said he loved her.
His feelings for Raven weren't some passing obsession. They ran deep.
And that made him dangerous.
“Adrian.”
Raven's quiet voice brought my attention back to the hallway.
“I'm right here.”
“I can't see anything.” Her voice was laced with panic.
“Just stay close to me.”
She nodded.
Then we heard it.
Footsteps.
Coming from somewhere down the hallway.
Everyone went completely silent.
One step followed by another.
Slow and careful.
Whoever was coming wasn't trying to hide.
My grip tightened around my gun.
Drew whispered something under his breath.
Dael raised a hand, signaling everyone to remain quiet.
The footsteps gradually grew louder.
Closer.
Then they stopped.
A man's voice suddenly echoed through the building.
“Dael!”
Dael froze.
I looked at him.
His expression had changed.
The confidence he'd been carrying moments earlier was gone.
“Who is that?” Raven whispered.
Dael didn't answer.
The voice came again.
“Dael! I know you're in there.”
Drew looked at him.
“Do you know him?”
Dael didn't answer.
“Who is he?” I pressed.
Dael swallowed.
“I don't know.”
I frowned.
That was a lie.
I was certain he knew exactly who it was.
The footsteps started again.
This time, they were coming toward us.
I pulled Raven closer.
Dael noticed, and his expression darkened.
For some reason, I had the distinct feeling that if the circumstances were different, he and I would have already been at each other's throats.
The footsteps stopped after a while.
Then the man spoke again.
“You've been hiding for a long time, Dael.”
His voice came closer this time.
Dael's hand tightened around his gun while I pointed mine in the direction of the voice.
“Who the hell are you?” I shouted.
A low chuckle came from the other side.
“You really don't remember me, Dael? Oh, stop being a little liar.”
Dael went completely still.
I watched his face carefully.
Something had changed.
I think he recognized the voice, and it might not be anyone good.
My expression hardened as I cocked my gun, ready to blow the brains out of the motherfucker if he came any closer.
Enough with these games.