*Amelia’s POV* I worked through reading client testimonies and tried to make sure I was prepared for the next day's juror selection. I had the facts memorized, I knew they were responsible for the injury, but I still worried about the outcome. Law was always unpredictable like that.The first thing I learned when I began working was that you had to prepare for the unexpected. There wasn’t a single case that would come without surprises, and even the most straight-forward case would have twists and turns.I put the paperwork I needed for later that night into my bag, then tidied up my desk and looked out the window. The sun was still up, and there were people milling around the sidewalk. I liked to try and picture what they were here for, some for court dates because they were criminals, others were innocent people like my clients waiting to hear the fate of their cases.My mom and I had always loved ‘people watching’ together. We used to sit in the mall and make up silly stori
*Adrian’s POV*I watched Amelia storm out of the diner, and for the first time in my adult life, I felt a little bad about intentionally hurting someone's feelings. I had been doing whatever I needed to secure my spot in the world for so long, that I forgot what it was like to care about others.Amelia was gradually causing me to become vulnerable, whether she knew it or not. My emotions towards her put me at a disadvantage, and I wanted this case to be over quickly. I couldn't risk being pulled away from my work - the life I led was too perilous.I wondered what Amelia would do when the case was over: Would she be able to go back to her old life and forget about me? Or would I be stuck with a pining stalker who couldn't let go of the idea of the two of us having a happily ever after? I couldn’t imagine Amelia going to those lengths, but infatuation made people completely and utterly useless. She looked at me sometimes, and I swear I could see a future with me bubbling under the
*Amelia’s POV*My heart raced as I waited for what was going to happen next - surely whatever was about to occur wasn't good.The hand over my mouth tightened, and then a familiar voice whispered in my ear, "Shh, Amelia. It's me."My head spun with relief when I heard his voice, but then he let go of me, stepping away from me so that he could look at me properly."What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked sternly. "You shouldn't have followed me and snuck up on me like that. You know everything that's going on, I thought I was going to be killed."James straightened and gave me a serious look, "I'm sorry. But I don't trust Adrian and his men. I wanted time to talk with you without them breathing down the back of our necks. I have something to show you.""You couldn't have texted me and warned me?" I quizzed him.He shook his head, and his hair fell into his eyes highlighting the handsome boyish charm that exuded from his every gesture, "No. I don't know who’s reading your
*Amelia’s POV*"We have to follow that van, James," I urged him.He shook his head, "Absolutely not. You're not a cop, Amelia. You can't just approach people you think may be committing a crime and confront them. Hell, I can't even follow them and confront them right now because this isn't a case I'm even supposed to be working on. My Captain has no idea I've been doing extracurricular stakeouts. He'd be pissed."I gave him a shocked look, "You can't tell me he would be mad at you for trying to stop a company from exploiting some of society's most vulnerable people?"James sighed and took my hands in his, "Look, we don't have a shred of evidence that says anything bad is happening to those people. I can't go on a wild goose chase when nothing has been substantiated. Think of what could go wrong with you interfering with this when we already believe MID has a hit out on you. Do you think they'd let you leave alive?"Realistically, I knew he was right, but I still hated it when
*Adrian’s POV*Amelia hung up on me, and I threw my phone against the dashboard of my car. How could she be stupid enough to believe that worthless excuse for a cop could keep her safe? He walked her into a fucking murder scene without regard for her safety. My anger intensified with each passing second as I drove toward Rebecca's home, and anxiety began to rise in my core. With Amelia being so reckless, I knew that the odds of her getting hurt were too high.I turned onto Rebecca's street and fought to regain control of my emotions. I didn't want to enter her house and have her catch on to my foul mood. I needed her calm, relaxed, and complacent. The last time I was with her, she gave me valuable information, and I was hopeful she would continue to trust me enough to reveal more.I rang the doorbell and Rebecca answered, wearing a revealing negligee that accentuated her voluptuous body. Her long, auburn hair cascaded effortlessly down her back, and I couldn’t help but admire how
*Amelia’s POV*Adrian stepped into the open foyer warily, his eyebrows furrowed in a combination of admiration, apprehension, and vulnerability. He cautiously glanced from side to side as his shoes creaked against the hardwood floor.I stood still, watching him as he stared at me. My body tensed up as he entered the room, my shoulders raised and my fists involuntarily clenched. I'd expected him to come in ready for a fight after I'd abruptly left him at the diner earlier that day, but he barely made a noise as he shuffled closer. His eyes were hooded and his face emotionless, prompting a wave of shock to wash over me.I furrowed my eyebrows and clasped his hands in mine as I asked, “Are you alright?” His gaze softened before hardening again, and he shook his head slowly. A glimmer of hope drained away from my face and was replaced with a familiar disappointment. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, “It’s nothing, forget it. Sorry I took so long to get home – had to
*Amelia’s POV*Adrian slid his hand from my hip up to my throat and squeezed it tenderly, "My feelings don't matter, Amelia. My empire is what matters, and you make me weak."My eyes widened. I hadn't expected him to be so honest about his feelings. I could see the raw emotion in his eyes and hear the vulnerability in his voice as he spoke. I wanted to capitalize on that softness that was so unlike the Adrian I had come to know. Yes, he was saying what he felt for me didn't matter, but he was acknowledging that he felt something, and it made me feel less crazy.I tangled my fingers into Adrian's hair as my breathing increased. His lips were mere inches from mine, and it felt like a magnetic force was drawing us together. He leaned in, and for a brief second, time seemed to stand still. Then he closed the distance between us and our lips crashed together with an intensity that was both unexpected and electrifying.The kiss started soft but quickly grew more passionate as our ton
*Adrian’s POV*I woke up the following morning with Amelia’s nude body pressed against me. Her deep breathing and warmth had helped me sleep better than I could remember sleeping in years. All I wanted to do was cuddle into her and go back to sleep, but that thought alone was enough to make me panic, so instead, I snuck out of the room like a coward.I grabbed my phone from the kitchen island and saw that it was not quite five in the morning yet. I needed to get the fuck out of there before Amelia woke up. I had seen something in her eyes last night that went deeper than overwhelming lust, and that wasn’t a conversation I was ready to have with her yet. There wasn't a future where she and I could live happily ever after, and I was swimming in murky water allowing her to pull my feelings and emotions out of me.I went to the gym and punched the heavy bag until my hands were sore. Then, I ran on the treadmill until it felt like my legs were going to give out. I was trying to drown