บททั้งหมดของ Empire of Deception: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

*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 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 got back to the penthouse and parked in the private parking garage. The asphalt had been recently redone, and I could still smell the wet cement. When I turned off the engine, the sound echoed off the concrete walls. I could sense the impending argument with Amelia in the atmosphere, and I crossed my fingers that she'd be sulking in her room mad at me for abandoning her after the night of passionate sex we’d shared.I laughed at the stupid thought. Amelia would never cower away from a fight, it was one of the things I admired most about her.I stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the top floor anxiously. My heart raced as I thought about what I needed to do. The elevator doors opened and I stepped out into the lavish penthouse suite.There she was, sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand and a book opened in her lap. She looked up at me with those deep green eyes that cut through my soul like daggers, and it felt like we were connected by

*Amelia’s POV*The door creaked open, revealing a space that felt strangely foreign. Everything was just as I'd left it- the couch where Nina and I watched movies together, the kitchen table where we ate breakfast side by side. The walls seemed to be closing in on me, and the air felt thick with sadness. I hadn't realized how overcome by emotions I'd be until I was in the Uber after I'd left Adrian's penthouse."Amelia?" Nina called out from her bedroom. I texted her from the Uber and let her know I was coming home."It's me," I assured her.I hadn't brought anything other than my briefcase and purse, and I already regretted not grabbing some of my clothes. I made my way to my bedroom and carefully placed my bags on the dresser. I looked around in amazement; every surface was visibly polished, and not a single item seemed out of place. I remembered the mess that had been left behind when our apartment was ransacked, and realized Adrian must have hired somebody to clean it up.

*Amelia’s POV*As I pulled into the parking lot, the morning sun cast a blinding glare through the windshield. My head pulsed with a dull ache, and my eyelids felt heavy. I had stayed out too late with James. The night had been filled with a sexual energy and guilt.When I got home around eleven-thirty, Adrian had called me twice and texted me once, but I sent him to voicemail. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind raced with anxiety early into the morning.With a sigh, I exited my car and jogged up the steps into the courthouse. As I entered through the double doors, my calves burned from moving so hastily in my heels. There was a lonely desk in front where an older woman sat hunched over scribbling something in her notepad with intense concentration.She always sat there on Mondays drawing portraits of the people who waited in the lobby, and she'd been doing it for as long as I knew. Her name was Margaret, and everyone in the courthouse treated her like their grandma.