A Dangerous Connection – Chapter 6

My breath catches in my throat as I stare up at Adrian. Seeing him again brings back a rush of memories. Late nights cuddled together, watching vids, weekend getaways to the countryside, his deep rumbling laugh that never failed to make me smile. The way he always took control when there were arguments among the other men in my network, and I considered him my number one.

Why did I run away from him?

Oh, right. The expectations, the commitments, the loss of freedom. My heart hammers with a mix of affection and anxiety.

“Sora.” Adrian steps closer, his hands coming up to grasp my shoulders. “What?” His mouth opens and closes as he tries to hold on to his emotions. “Shit. I can’t believe it’s really you. We’ve been so worried.”

I’m paralyzed by his gaze. My tongue is thick and useless, dead in my mouth. My heart is beating so fast, I’m on the verge of a panic attack.

Adrian’s gaze travels over me, taking in my disheveled appearance. “Are you okay? What happened?” His eyes flick to Tiago standing silently at my side, brows drawing together.

Uh oh. I’d better explain this… fast.

I find my voice again. “I’m… I’m fine. Just ran into some trouble.” I touch Tiago’s shoulder. “Adrian, this is Tiago. He’s been helping me.”

“Helping you? Helping you run away… from us?”

“No… No, I…” I’m unsure what to say. Yes, helping me run away from the problems of my own making. Yes, helping me run away from Athens. But run away from them? From my network? Tiago had no idea.

Stella pokes her head out of my shirt and blinks her pretty eyes at Adrian. He blinks back, surprised.

Tiago gives Adrian a polite nod. “Nice to meet you.”

Adrian doesn’t even glance at Tiago. Once he tears his eyes from Stella, his focus is solely on me. “The others will be thrilled I found you. We’ve been searching everywhere…” His voice trails off, joy shifting to uncertainty. “But it didn’t occur to me until now that you left of your own volition.”

My thoughts spin. He knows it was my decision. Ugh. And my network is here, now? I’m not ready. But refusing them again would be callous beyond measure.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “Of course I want to see them. I just – it’s complicated.” I run a shaky hand through my hair. Too many eyes are on us here in the open market. “Can we talk about this somewhere else?”

Adrian nods, all business now. “The others are in different cities. I’m the only one here in Terceiro. I have a place nearby we can go to. Follow me.”

He sets off at a brisk pace, not looking back to see if we’re accompanying him. Tiago and I exchange a wary glance but follow a few steps behind.

“So that’s Adrian?” Tiago asks.

I give a jerky nod, anxiety swirling in my gut. “Yeah. I… I’m sorry. I didn’t think… I wasn’t expecting to run into him.”

Really? That’s all I can say?

I owe Tiago a huge apology for keeping him in the dark.

Tiago’s eyes stay fixed on Adrian’s back as we weave through the crowded market. “How do you know we can trust him?”

“He was always the responsible one, the caregiver of the group.” I sigh. “He seems gruff, but he means well.”

Tiago makes a noncommittal noise but doesn’t argue. I wish I could take his hand to reassure him, but I don’t want to stir up more questions from Adrian. Not yet, anyway.

We leave the market behind, and Adrian leads us to a shiny high-rise apartment building. Inside an apartment on the eleventh floor, the modern decor creates a striking contrast to the cozy clutter of Tiago’s place. The open concept living area is bathed in soft, ambient lighting, casting a warm glow on the polished hardwood floors. The walls are decorated with abstract paintings. They’re pretty, but they’re also formal and impersonal, a sign that the place is only a way station for most people. A large black leather sofa sits prominently in the center of the room, with a sleek glass coffee table next to it. The kitchen, located adjacent to the living area, boasts stainless steel appliances that gleam under the soft lighting.

A hallway leads to the private areas of the apartment, but I’m not ready or even capable of exploring them. I’m too beat to do much of anything.

“Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll get you something to drink.”

I grab a throw blanket and make a little nest for Stella before sitting on the couch. Adrian returns with three glasses of juice and sits across from us while Tiago stands near the window, keeping an eye on the streets below.

An awkward silence descends. I’m not sure what to say, so I just stare at my hands. Adrian clears his throat.

“So… what happened? Where have you been all this time? You didn’t even leave a note. We thought you had been kidnapped.” His voice is calm, sweet, the side of him I fell in love with.

“Kidnapped?” Well, it’s common, so I shouldn’t be surprised. I shake my head. “No. I’m so sorry, Adrian. I shouldn’t have disappeared on you like that.” Shame falls over me like a waterfall. What I did to them was cruel. They would be crazy to ever accept me back again.

When I dare to meet his eyes, they’re filled with more hurt than anger. “We didn’t know what to think.” He drags a hand over his face. “Why did you leave, Sora?”

My throat tightens. How can I explain the panicked feeling that drove me to flee in the middle of the night like a thief? The claustrophobic sense that the network’s expectations were a cage closing around me?

I take a deep breath. “I got… scared.” I cringe at how I sound, like a little girl instead of a grown woman. I groan and run my hands through my dingy hair. “How can I provide for an entire network when no one will give me the time of day?”

Tiago turns to look at me now, and I drop my eyes to the floor again.

“I’m a failure. I was voted off the board, and my services were terminated the week before I left.”

“Who… what?” Tiago sputters. “What are you talking about?”

Adrian sighs and closes his eyes. “Sheergo. Sora was the head of marketing.”

I hate hearing that word, ‘Sheergo.’ That fashion brand was supposed to be everything. But I didn’t meet expectations despite increasing their profits two-fold. They wanted ten times, and I failed.

“And with you and the other guys looking to me for everything, …” I stop and shrug. I was afraid of everything. Of failing again, of commitment, of giving up my freedom for a new terrible job just so I could keep food on the table. Especially since no one wanted anything to do with me afterward. No one took my calls or answered my messages. It was like a black hole I was throwing myself into over and over. I spread my hands. “I ran.”

Adrian is quiet for a moment. “If you were feeling overwhelmed, you could have talked to us. We would have listened, helped you.”

Inhaling through my nose and leaning back into the couch, I nod, blinking back tears. “You’re right. I should have. But I figured you’d all start over again without me. You’d find someone more powerful, more successful.” I swipe at the tears on my cheeks. “Someone who is not me.”

Some of the tension leaves Adrian’s shoulders. “Sora, we only want you.” My eyes meet his, and there’s sincerity there I wasn’t expecting. I figured they would move on without me. I figured wrong. Again. “Well, the important thing is you’re safe now.”

Tiago speaks up. “We’re actually still in danger at the moment. Some corporate agents are after us.”

“Athens, we believe,” I clarify. “We rescued Stella, and they seem to want her. Now they’re hunting us.” I nod to her, sleeping on the sofa. I place my hand on her rump, and peace flows through me. She feels safe here.

Adrian frowns. “Athens Industries? They have some shady operations.” He cracks his knuckles. “You can and should stay here. We’re still a family, even after everything. You shouldn’t have to do this alone.”

Tiago looks away. I open my eyes to tell Adrian that I haven’t been alone. I’ve had Tiago. And I want Tiago, want him with me. Do I want him as part of my network? Maybe?

“Don’t worry,” Adrian says, interrupting me. “I can keep you safe here while we figure this out.”

I exchange a look with Tiago. Having a place to lie low and regroup would be invaluable right now. And despite Adrian’s intimidating appearance, he’s a soft guy inside.

Tiago gives me a subtle nod. “We’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

Adrian stands. “Let me show you the guest room. There’s only one bed, but the couch also pulls out. Tiago can sleep there. Bring Stella. She should stay with you.”

Adrian’s eyes flick between us, but he doesn’t comment. Once I’m settled in the small but comfortable bedroom, an awkward silence descends again.

“I’ll head out to get us dinner and you can have some privacy to rest,” Adrian says. “I’ll be about an hour. We can talk more later.”

He departs, closing the door behind him. After a few moments, the front door to the apartment clicks closed too.

I sit slumped on the edge of the bed, emotionally drained, my limbs leaden and weak. Stella crawls into my lap, nuzzling under my chin, and I stroke her soft fur.

Tiago sits beside me. He sighs. “I wish you had told me what was going on with you. It’s one thing to run from your network when you’re just not sure if it’s right for you. It’s another to run for all these other issues as well.”

I give him a wan smile. “I know. I fucked up pretty hard. I’m so sorry.” I sigh as Stella’s soothing emotions calm my frayed nerves. “It was a shock running into Adrian, but I’m glad we have somewhere safe to stay now.”

Tiago nods slowly. “So… tell me more about your network.” There’s an edge to his voice I can’t quite interpret. “And don’t leave anything out.”

“We’re all close. I like them… love them. We bonded quickly. Adrian’s the caretaker, always making sure everyone is happy.” I shrug, avoiding Tiago’s eyes. “I don’t even know what to do anymore.”

Tiago makes a noncommittal noise, his jaw tightening. I reach for his hand.

“You’re angry with me.”

He shakes his head. “Not angry. Confused is more like it. I’ve been hoping to find this kind of connection with someone, and here you are, running away from it.”

I wince. This is worse than I thought it would be. Actually facing the decisions I made, seeing them from Tiago’s perspective? I’m a horrible person.

He relaxes a little and gives my hand a squeeze. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to make you out to be the bad guy here. I just want to understand this part of your life better. You’re a smart and resourceful woman, Sora. If you had gone to your network for support, they would have helped.”

And there lies my biggest problem. I hate asking for help. I’m supposed to be the leader, the strong one, the one who provides for everyone else.

How does someone do all of that and ask for help?

It’s impossible.

“So now that we’ve found your network again, have you thought about what happens next?”

I frown, sitting up straighter. “What do you mean?”

Tiago sighs. “I mean, are you planning to go back to them?”

His words drop between us like a stone. Fuck. What do I say? I don’t know? I think I’m broken? I don’t think they’ll be as forgiving as Adrian?

“I don’t know.” Great, Sora. Real committal. “As much as Adrian is happy to see me, I ran away from them. They’ve all realized I’m terrible at this.” That’s when it hits me. “Even if I wanted to go back, I’ve ruined it.”

Tiago searches my face before sighing. “I don’t think you’ve ruined it. You and Adrian clearly have a connection still. And a network would provide the security you need.”

I cross my arms. “I thought you understood why I felt trapped in my network.”

He stands up. “I’m sympathetic to your situation, and I understand wanting independence.” Tiago drags a hand through his hair. “But abandoning people who love you, people who want to provide for you… That’s not who I thought you were.”

His words sting because he’s right.

But when I started my network, I didn’t know I would land up where I was, with three men depending on me, disappointed in me, angry with me. I stare at him in disbelief. “So that’s what you think of me? That I used them and threw them away?”

“No, I just…” Tiago grimaces. “I’m trying to understand.” He sighs. “Help me understand.”

My temper flares. I stand and begin to pace, agitation fueling my steps.

“You’re right, okay? I was selfish. I was a coward. I ran away because I was inadequate, and I couldn’t provide enough for them. I was weak.”

I whirl to face Tiago, tears burning my eyes. “I did what I had to do. I lived alone for months with barely anything in the hopes it would…” I groan and raise my fists to the ceiling. “It would fix something.”

Tiago steps closer to me. “Running away doesn’t fix anything —” I open my mouth to defend myself, but he raises a finger to stop me. “But distance does bring clarity.”

He stands to face me, and his gentle smile stops the arguments waiting to spill out. “I’m sorry,” he says, stroking his fingers along my chin. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I let him draw me into his arms, but I stay stiff, still stinging from his doubts.

“I just want to know where I stand,” he whispers, his lips at my ear. His breath is warm, and his lips brush gently along the sensitive skin of my hairline. “Do you see a future with me, or am I just a way to pass the time until you return to them?”

A thought pops into my head and my insides liquefy. What if…?

I pull back to meet his earnest gaze. “I want you all.”

His fingers trace the dips of my skin and muscles down my shoulder, pushing my bra strap to the side. He kisses my neck, my jaw, my earlobe, each touch a caress that sends my heart racing.

“I want you all,” I repeat. “You now. You and them later.” With the heat of desire burning through me, I realize it’s true. I want him. Adrian. And the others, too.

But for now, I’ll have only Tiago.

“I want you too,” he murmurs against my skin. He pulls back and his eyes meet mine. “And this time, I’m not stopping.”

“Good.”

He backs me up to the interior wall, pressing his body against mine, meeting all of my curves with his hard planes of muscle and strength. His erection presses against my stomach. Oh yes.

“The clothes have to go,” I say between kisses.

Tiago runs his hands up my sides and lifts my dress up and over my head, cupping my breasts in his palms. It’s a good thing I don’t wear a bra. He kisses my lips gently, a tease, a nip, before pulling away to trail his tongue along my jawline. I arch into him, my nipples hardening under his touch.

Afterward, we collapse onto the bed, our limbs tangled together, our breathing slowing down. I run my fingers through his hair, the soft strands tickling my palm.

Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to go straight for sex right now, when we’re on the run.

But I will not regret it.

Not even a little bit.