Chapter 6 - The Man Inside the House
Adrian did not run.
That frightened Claire more than if he had.
He simply released her hand and said, “Stay with Marcus.”
Then he walked inside.
“Adrian.”
He stopped.
“Ethan.”
“I know.”
Claire followed anyway.
The mansion changed instantly.
Doors locked.
Security lights activated.
Men moved through hallways.
Claire’s heart hammered.
“Where is Ethan?”
A housekeeper appeared.
“Playroom.”
Claire ran.
The playroom was empty.
A wooden train still circled the track.
Claire froze.
“Ethan?”
No answer.
She saw the patio door.
Open.
“ADRIAN!”
He appeared seconds later.
Claire pointed outside.
Adrian’s face became terrifyingly calm.
They followed small footprints across the damp lawn.
At the far edge of the garden stood Daniel Cross.
Ethan was beside him.
Claire’s breath stopped.
Daniel had one hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Don’t,” Adrian said.
Daniel turned.
Ethan looked confused.
“Daddy?”
“It’s okay, son.”
Adrian’s voice was impossibly steady.
“Come to me.”
Daniel tightened his grip.
“I’m sorry, Adrian.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I didn’t want it to happen like this.”
“You gave Sloane Claire’s address.”
Daniel’s face twitched.
“He has my brother.”
Marcus whispered behind Claire.
“Jesus.”
Daniel’s eyes filled.
“Victor found out about Michael’s gambling debt. He said he’d kill him.”
“So you sold my family.”
“I gave him schedules. That’s all.”
“You gave him Ethan.”
“No!”
Daniel looked down at the boy.
“I would never hurt him.”
Adrian took one slow step.
“Then prove it.”
Daniel’s hand trembled.
“Let him go.”
Silence.
Then Ethan did something nobody expected.
He looked up at Daniel.
“Are you scared?”
Daniel froze.
Ethan continued.
“Claire says scared people make bad choices.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel’s face collapsed.
Slowly, his hand fell away.
Ethan ran.
Adrian dropped to one knee and caught him.
For a second, the feared Adrian Mercer disappeared.
There was only a father holding his child too tightly.
“Daddy?”
“I’ve got you.”
Claire turned away, crying silently.
Daniel surrendered.
Adrian could have punished him according to the old rules.
Instead, he did something his entire organization would discuss for years.
He called the police.
Marcus stared at him.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“What about what Daniel knows?”
“Let lawyers handle it.”
“That isn’t how we handle betrayal.”
Adrian looked at Ethan.
“It is now.”
Later, Ethan slept between Claire and Lily in the guest wing while Adrian sat alone in his study.
Claire entered quietly.
“You changed another rule.”
He looked up.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my son was watching.”
Claire sat opposite him.
“That never stopped you before?”
“No.”
He looked toward the hallway.
“But I’m starting to understand children remember what we normalize.”
Claire studied him.
“You’re afraid Ethan will become you.”
Adrian did not answer.
That was answer enough.
“Maybe that isn’t the only option.”
“You don’t know everything I’ve done.”
“No.”
She leaned forward.
“But I know what you did today.”
He looked at her.
Claire continued.
“You chose not to teach him revenge.”
Adrian’s voice lowered.
“Victor is still out there.”
“Then stop playing by Victor’s rules.”
A faint smile touched Adrian’s mouth.
“You make that sound easy.”
“I teach kindergarten-level emotional regulation. Everything sounds easy.”
He laughed.
A real laugh.
Claire stared.
Adrian stopped.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
“I finally understand Ethan’s drawing.”
He shook his head.
“You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Silence settled.
Not uncomfortable.
Warm.
Then Adrian noticed Claire’s hand.
A medical band was around her wrist.
“What’s that?”
She instinctively covered it.
“Testing.”
“For the transplant?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Two weeks, if Lily remains stable.”
“And after?”
“Recovery.”
“How long?”
“Several weeks.”
“You’ll stay here.”
Claire smiled.
“That sounded dangerously like an order.”
“It was.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“I have an apartment.”
“With a broken front door.”
“I’ll fix it.”
“I already bought the building.”
Claire stared.
“You what?”
Adrian realized his mistake.
“You bought my building?”
“The owner was negligent.”
“You cannot solve everything by purchasing it!”
“He accepted quickly.”
She stood.
“Adrian!”
“He was overcharging tenants.”
“That is not the point.”
“I’m lowering the rent.”
She stopped.
“What?”
“And replacing the plumbing.”
Claire tried to remain angry.
“And the locks?”
“Already done.”
Her mouth twitched.
“Stop making it difficult to yell at you.”
“I’ll try.”
“You won’t.”
“No.”
Claire laughed.
Then suddenly winced and pressed a hand to her side.
Adrian stood immediately.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re pale.”
“I haven’t eaten.”
His expression darkened.
“Again?”
“I forgot.”
Adrian walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To make you food.”
Claire blinked.
“You cook?”
“No.”
“Then that seems dangerous.”
“Ethan survives my eggs.”
“Ethan hides your eggs under toast.”
Adrian stopped.
“He what?”
Claire burst out laughing.
Twenty minutes later, the most feared man on Philadelphia’s waterfront stood in his kitchen at midnight attempting grilled cheese.
Claire sat on the counter giving instructions.
“You’re burning it.”
“It’s bread.”
“It’s smoke.”
“It’s toasted.”
“That is carbon.”
He glared at the pan.
She laughed harder.
Neither noticed Ethan standing in the doorway.
The boy watched his father and Claire.
Then smiled.
But the peaceful moment ended when Adrian’s phone rang.
Marcus.
“We found Victor.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
“Where?”
“Warehouse 18.”
The same warehouse where Rachel Mercer’s car had been serviced the day before the crash.
Marcus paused.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“We pulled old records.”
May you like
Adrian’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Rachel’s accident may not have been an accident.”
