Chapter 5 - The House With Too Many Locks
Claire had imagined Adrian Mercer’s home as a fortress.
She had worked there for almost a year.
She knew the cameras, guards, gates, reinforced doors and silent men stationed at strategic corners.
But she had never understood how much of the mansion was designed around fear until she entered as someone being protected rather than someone arriving for work.
Lily’s transfer was scheduled for dawn.
A private medical transport would move her to a rehabilitation suite Adrian had ordered converted overnight inside the estate’s guest wing.
Claire hated the idea.
Lily loved it.
“If there’s a bathtub bigger than our kitchen,” Lily murmured from her hospital bed, “I’m never leaving.”
“You’re getting a transplant and then going home.”
“Does his house have a pool?”
“Lily.”
“That means yes.”
Claire tried not to smile.
The transfer began at 6:20 a.m.
At 6:31, Adrian’s lead security vehicle abruptly stopped.
Claire felt the ambulance brake.
“What happened?”
The medic looked toward the driver.
Before anyone answered, three black SUVs blocked the intersection ahead.
Claire’s blood turned cold.
Adrian was in the vehicle directly behind them.
His voice came through the medic’s radio.
“Lock the ambulance.”
Claire grabbed Lily’s hand.
Outside, men exited the SUVs.
Then another vehicle screamed around the corner.
Adrian’s security team surrounded the ambulance.
Claire heard shouting.
A crash.
Glass breaking.
She bent over Lily instinctively.
“Don’t move.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Claire?”
“Yes?”
“I’m scared.”
Claire pressed her forehead against her sister’s.
“So am I.”
Outside, Adrian stepped from his armored sedan despite Marcus ordering him to remain inside.
“Boss!”
Adrian ignored him.
One of Sloane’s men raised a weapon.
Adrian’s security team responded immediately.
The confrontation lasted less than two minutes.
But inside the ambulance, it felt like an hour.
Then silence.
The rear doors opened.
Claire flinched.
Adrian stood there.
His tie was gone.
There was blood near his collar.
Claire’s face drained.
“You’re hurt.”
“Not mine.”
She stared at him.
He looked at Lily.
“Everyone okay?”
Claire nodded.
Then anger replaced fear.
She climbed out.
“You said we would be safe.”
Adrian accepted the accusation.
“I was wrong.”
That answer disarmed her more effectively than an argument.
Men like Adrian were not supposed to admit that.
“What happens now?”
“We change routes.”
“No.”
He frowned.
“No?”
“We change more than routes.”
Claire stepped closer.
“You said Victor is doing this because he thinks I matter to you.”
“Yes.”
“Then hiding me proves him right.”
“Claire—”
“You cannot keep moving Ethan and Lily and me behind taller walls.”
“I can if those walls keep you alive.”
“And when does it end?”
Adrian had no answer.
Claire lowered her voice.
“Your son already knows how to recognize armed guards before he knows how to ride a bicycle.”
The sentence hit him hard.
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I think you know it and tell yourself there’s no alternative.”
Adrian looked away.
That evening, after everyone reached the estate safely, Ethan found Claire in the kitchen.
He ran into her arms.
“You came back.”
The words broke something inside her.
“Of course I did.”
“You didn’t come yesterday.”
“I’m sorry.”
He buried his face against her.
“Daddy said bad people were being stupid.”
Claire glanced across the kitchen.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
“I edited the explanation.”
“So I gathered.”
Ethan pulled Claire toward the table.
“I made something.”
It was another drawing.
This time there were four people.
Ethan.
Claire.
Adrian.
And Lily in a hospital bed.
Above them was a giant house.
Claire smiled.
“What is this?”
“Our family castle.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
Ethan pointed at each figure.
“That’s me. That’s you. That’s Daddy. That’s Lily.”
Claire swallowed.
“Sweetheart, Lily and I don’t live here.”
Ethan frowned.
“Why?”
“Because we have our own home.”
“But this has more rooms.”
Adrian coughed suspiciously.
Claire shot him a look.
“Do not encourage him.”
“I said nothing.”
“Your face did.”
“My face is neutral.”
“Your face has never been neutral.”
Ethan giggled.
The sound filled the enormous kitchen.
Later that night, Claire found Adrian alone on the terrace.
Philadelphia glowed beyond the trees.
“You should sleep,” he said.
“So should you.”
“I don’t sleep much.”
“I noticed.”
She stood beside him.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Claire asked, “What happened to Rachel?”
Adrian went still.
“You know she died.”
“I know the newspaper version.”
He stared into the darkness.
“Drunk driver crossed the median.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I was supposed to be driving.”
Claire waited.
Adrian continued.
“I had a meeting. Rachel took Ethan without me.”
“You couldn’t have known.”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“But guilt doesn’t care what you know.”
Claire understood that better than he realized.
“I think that’s why you protect people like this.”
He glanced at her.
“You think you understand me?”
“No.”
A small smile touched her lips.
“I think I’m starting to.”
Something changed between them.
Adrian reached toward her, then stopped.
Claire noticed.
Slowly, she took his hand herself.
No romance.
No promise.
Just warmth.
Adrian looked down at their joined hands.
Then Marcus burst through the terrace door.
“Boss.”
They separated.
“What?”
Marcus held a tablet.
“We found the leak.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Who?”
Marcus hesitated.
“The hospital photos, Lily’s transfer schedule, Claire’s apartment address.”
“Who had all three?”
Marcus looked toward the house.
“Someone inside your security team.”
Claire felt Adrian’s hand close around hers again.
This time he did not let go.
“Name.”
Marcus answered.
“Daniel Cross.”
Adrian went completely still.
Daniel Cross had been part of Adrian’s inner circle for eleven years.
He had attended Rachel’s funeral.
He had carried Ethan from the wrecked car.
May you like
And at that exact moment, Daniel was somewhere inside the mansion.
With Adrian’s son.
