Lahat ng Kabanata ng Empire of Deception: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

*Adrian’s POV*My head pounded and my mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton balls. ‘What the fuck happened?’ I thought to myself. One minute I was checking the perimeter of the warehouse, and the next I was waking up with an excruciating headache. I tried to stand, and I realized I couldn’t move. My eyes shot open, and I saw the dingy walls of the room were painted a nauseating yellow, and the floor was covered in dirt and grime. I heard the sound of footsteps outside the door, and I knew something must have gone very fucking sideways. I was being held captive in some run-down shitty apartment, and MID had to be responsible.Regret began to creep up my spine, I should have told someone other than Bill that I was going out there to check things out. I had made all of my extra security keep tabs on Amelia because I was untouchable, but this wake-up call was proving the opposite. Even the mighty fall when they make stupid ass choices. This was the first time in a long time

*Amelia’s POV*The sun had just set by the time we had everything we needed to rescue Adrian. All of the men were dressed in tactical gear, and we walked to the van and settled in for the drive across town. The air hummed with anxious energy, and Nina said, "I don't know how cops do this shit. I'd never be able to relax.""Right? I feel sick to my stomach and my hands are shaking," I replied.A hush fell over the people in the van, and we all contemplated what was to come. James had been quiet all evening, and I think it was mostly because he knew I cared for Adrian.He leaned in close to me and whispered, "It was stupid of you to ever get involved with a man like Adrian. You're never going to be safe in his world, Amelia. He can't protect you, he can't even protect himself."He was right about never being safe. Even after the MID case was over, Adrian's life would always be dangerous. We weren't dating or exclusive, but I realized at that moment that I wanted to be something

*Amelia’s POV*Sirens wailed as the cop cars, ambulances, and firetrucks careened around the corner and pulled up in front of the building. Numbly, I stood in the dew-wet grass of the early morning and watched as emergency responders approached us. The men who had helped us rescue Adrian had left because James had said it was too suspicious for civilians to have an armed SWAT team. It was just Nina, James, Adrian, and me standing and waiting to be questioned. We had readied our story, and then James called it into the local precinct. He had told them we had gotten a call to come pick Adrian up from the address. Bill had already tied up the men from MID and was holding Adrian hostage, but we didn’t know it until we got there. There had been a struggle, and Bill was killed. The men from MID may have a conflicting story, but they were criminals, so it would be their word against ours. We just needed to stay consistent. “Ma’am, are you alright?” a kind EMS worker asked as she place

*Amelia’s POV* “Sarah, do you have a minute?” Mia leaned against my office door and asked.I sat aside the report I was working on and looked up, “Of course, what’s up?”Mia was wearing a button-up Hawaiian shirt and black slacks. Her blonde hair was pulled back into two buns that sat on top of her head, and her blue eyes sparkled with charisma. She was adorable and seemed like a really fun person, though we hadn’t talked much. She reminded me a lot of Nina. The non-profit I worked for, Sunshine Global, had a business casual dress code with an emphasis on casual. It had been a month since Agent Gregory had whisked me away from DC and shoved me into a new life as Sarah Mitchell, research liaison. I was in charge of finding new projects to take on all across the state of California, and Gregory thought my background as a lawyer would make it a good fit for me.It was a huge adjustment, but I was beginning to see why he had placed me here. Outside of being a force in the court

*Amelia’s POV*“No, Amelia. Not just sex. I want this. Us,” Adrian admitted.I felt my face get hot, and my stomach lurched at his statement. Adrian's eyes, those same hazel eyes that had first drawn me in, bore into mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. He had always been a master of charm, but this time, he was unveiling something deeper, something more profound."Adrian, you can't just drop a bomb like that on me," I stammered, my fingers nervously toying with the sheets. "I mean, it's not like I don't want this too, but..."He sighed, his hand reaching out to gently cup my cheek. "But what, Amelia? We can't keep pretending that this is just a casual thing. I can’t keep pretending." I could feel him struggling to say those words, and they rang true, but my fear ran deep-rooted in the knowledge of Adrian's troubling history of lying, manipulation, and deception. The shadow of his past actions had cast a dark cloud over our relationship, making it difficul