The Vows of Vengeance

Chapter 12

Lara shut her office door behind her but didn't sit down right away

Her hands rested on the edge of her desk as she stared out the glass wall that overlooked the city

She wasn't angry anymore, not exactly, She was tired Of fake apologies, Of half truths, Of men who said they were confused when they were just selfish

Outside the glass she saw movement, A familiar figure, She looked closer and it was Adrian. He walked out of the building fast not in his usual confident stride...this was different. Like he had somewhere to be and didn't want anyone to know.

Lara narrowed her eyes, something about that made her pause. But she shrugged it off, she had bigger things to deal with.

The city lights thinned out as Adrian drove farther from downtown, Past tall mirrored buildings, past streetlights that buzzed like secrets. The road narrowed to a quiet private drive tucked between two black steel gates. One opened slowly as his car approached, The security camera blinked red above.

He didn't pull into the garage, he parked on the side hidden between trimmed hedges and an old tree that curved like a question mark. He got out, looked around making sure no one was following him.

The penthouse stood above concrete and glass, it had a wide balcony that overlooked a private pool no one used, It was silent like a place where people came to disappear.

He took the elevator up, his finger hovering over the button for a second longer than needed, thhence pressed it. The door opened directly into a vast open space, Floor to ceiling windows, White walls, two sunken living rooms, and a soft jazz song playing from nowhere.

She was there, sitting on the couch in the second living room. The one near the fireplace that was never lit, she didn't turn to look, Just stared ahead like she was waiting for him to make the first move.

Adrian stepped in slowly, without saying anything , he moved towards er and dropped his coat. He slipped behind the couch and bent low, his lips met the back of her neck like a whisper then trailed lower down the curve of her shoulder.

He kissed the spot that always made her shiver and she leaned back into him, still not saying anything. His hands found her waist and slid under the silk blouse like he owned it. Her fingers reached for his and guided them lower but then stopped halfway. Finally she spoke.

"He doubts it, Ethan. He looked at me today like i was a stranger"

Adrian chuckled against her skin.

" Of course he does, he's scared. Men like him never know how to handle consequences, but don't worry he'll come around, he has no choice now".

She turned to face him, her eyes looking lazy and her voice slow.

"You think he'll accept it"? She asked. 

He brushed her hair behind her ear.

"He'll have to, you're married and you're carrying his legacy or at least he thinks you are".

She smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck

"You make it sound like it's all so simple"

"It is"....

he said softly

"because he doesn't know what we know"

He kissed her again, this time on her lips slow and deep like there was time, like the world outside didn't exist. Then he pulled back and dropped to his knees, rested his hands on her hips and pressed his lips against her stomach.

"How's my baby today"?

he whispered and she laughed and tilted her head back.

"What baby?....the poor thing hasn't even started forming yet. Maybe we should give it a name anyway, keep up appearances.

He looked up at her his smile curling

"How about little vengeance jr, perfect name for a baby born from chaos"

she rolled her eyes and tapped his forehead

"No...something classy....like Elara, or maybe Ace that's gender neutral something that keeps the press guessing"

He stood up slowly, wrapped his arms around her again.

"I still think it's wild you pulled this off"

She shrugged

"I told you, no one watches the woman who cries first, they just assume she's broken but what they don't see...is that she's already rebuilding"

He kissed her temple

"Do you ever feel bad, about her....About lara"?

Maya's voice turned cold

"Never....she always thought she was smarter than everyone, always looked at me like i was just the little sister in her shadow. But now, she's standing on a stage i designed exactly where i want her to be"

Adrian leaned back just a bit, studied her face.

"And what about me"? he asked

"You..... she smirked

"you're just the bonus prize i decided to keep"

He laughed quietly then kissed her again, longer this time his hands moving slowly. Maya shifted in his lap, her legs curled around him now, her fingers tracing lazy circles on the back of his neck. She whispered

"Do you think she knows?I mean Lara...about us?

Adrian leaned into her touch, his voice low

"If she did, we wouldn't be here right now trust me, she doesn't trust anyone anymore.Especially not me and that makes it easier"

Maya looked past him, out the window....her eyes softer for a second

"I used to be scared of her you know.....she always had this fire, like she could set a room on fire just by walking in..."

"And now"? he asked

"Now i'm the one in charge, I ain't scared no more besides I've got you my darling " she said and smiled

He kissed her shoulder again, a little slower this time.

"You ever wonder..... he said

"what happens if this all blows up in our face"?

Maya sighed but didn't move

"Then we vanish, simple.....you've got contacts in geneva and I've got offshore accounts. We disappear, start over somewhere no one knows the names Ethan Vale or Lara Alden".

He raised an eyebrow

"You've really thought this through"

"I've had time, while you were busy playing the good guy in the office"

"I'm not playing" he said

"Not anymore, You and i both know ethan's not innocent, he made his mess, we're just smart enough to mop it up with a smile"

She laughed quiet and warm, but her eyes were far away again.

"You think it's still ours? The plan or is this whole thing slipping"?

He cupped her jaw gently and looked into her eyes

"Maya we're still in control, you've got his name and I've got his secrets, Lara's just noise....loud noise but noise all the same". He assured 

"You don't get tired of pretending" she asked

"I mean in the office, with her watching, with Ethan acting like he still owns your space "

"Sometimes, but then i think about this....."

He ran a hand down her side

"About you and i remember what we're doing this for"

her expression softened almost for real.

"You know sometimes, when you talk like that i almost forget this whole thing started with hate"

he brushed her lips with his again, maybe it did but now he looked down at her belly it's bigger than that.

Her hand landed on his, resting flat on her stomach

"You want it to be real don't you"? she said

"I don't know, maybe" He said

"Or maybe i'm just tired of being the one in the shadows"

She stared at him her eyes searching.

"Do you want me for real or is this still part of the plan"

He didn't answer right away, just leaned in and kissed her again but it wasn't rushed, it was the kind of kiss that asked for trust and tried to return it.

When they broke apart he finally said

"I want what we said we'd build.....Power, Freedom and maybe you....if that's still on the table"

Maya bit her lips, her eyes gleaming

"Then don't fall in love with me Adrian.....

she whispered

"we're only just getting started"

He smiled

but deep down something shifted, just a little because part of him already had.

Back at Vale Group...

Lara glanced at the clock on her office wall

she should've left by now, but something told her to wait, she opened her laptop again, checked the staff log system.

Adrian's name blinked green it was logged out an hour ago.

She stared at the name for a long time then finally shut the laptop. She stood and walked to the window. Beneath her the city sparkled like temptation and somewhere in that mess, people she once trusted were planning her downfall, but she wasn't afraid.....not anymore.

She smiled faintly, just enough to feel dangerous.

If they thought the game had started, they were wrong...

She hadn't even played her first move yet.