Page 29 of False Heir

“Okay, so let’s talk strategy,” she began, her sharp wit cutting straight to the chase. “We need to know who we can trust. Allies are thin on the ground these days.”

“Agreed,” I nodded, rubbing my jaw thoughtfully. “So we know who our enemies are.”

“Yeah, sort of. We know the Rossis don’t like the Callahans right now. And we know my dad doesn’t like you.”

“Shocker,” I said, smiling at her.

“But as long as I’m with you, I don’t think anything will happen to you.”

“I really don’t like the idea of using you like a human shield,” I said.

Adriana sighed. “You guys will sort things out,” she said. “I have some people my sister trusts. I’ve made a list and we can go through them.”

“We could, but cutting someone into the operation requires assurance and assurance comes in many forms,” I mused. “Money, power... or information.”

“Information,” she echoed, leaning forward, elbows on knees. “That’s our currency right now. We need to find out who’s backing the Rossi’s play.”

I shook my head. “I mean. Your dad, right?”

“See, that’s what I thought too,” she said. “But then who is backing the play against my dad? Against all the Orsinis? You heard what happened. Things were crazy for him too.”

I shook my head again, trying to ignore my now growing headache. “I can’t make sense of any of this. If my dad was here, he would…”

“What?”

“I don’t know,” I said, because saying beat up a prostitute seemed like the wrong thing to say. “He would know what to do.”

She sighed, rubbing her own temple. “Ugh. Maybe I could call Carmen.”

“Kieran’s right, we’re not going to get shit done while we’re still hungry,” I said. I didn’t think we were going to get much further talking about this without any new info so I was soon standing up and stretching my arms above my head. The tightness of the white shirt against my torso reminded me that it had been too long since I’d last eaten. But as my gaze settled on Adriana, with her sharp wit and the way she carried her pregnancy with a sort of defiant grace, another kind of hunger stirred within me.

I reached out and grabbed her hand, feeling the familiar jolt of electricity that always shot through me at her touch. “But I’ve got other ideas in mind.” Without waiting for her response, I pulled her toward the master bedroom.

We crossed the threshold and I kicked the door shut behind us with my foot. The room was filled with midday light, casting everything in a warm glow. It felt like the world outside these walls didn’t exist, at least for a moment.

Adriana raised an eyebrow at me, her dark hair framing her face perfectly. “And what might these ‘other ideas’ be, Tristan?” She asked, her voice laced with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. I could tell she was playing along, intrigued despite the exhaustion that shadowed her features.

I leaned closer, my lips brushing her ear as I whispered, “They involve having you climb on top of me and fucking me until we forget about everything but this.” My hands found her hips, fingers digging slightly into the fabric of her leggings.

She let out a soft laugh, the sound echoing around the spacious room. “You really think that’s going to help us think clearer afterward?”

“Absolutely,” I said with a smirk. “It’s all about prioritizing our needs, and right now, this is at the top of the list.”

The tension between us was different than the one we faced outside—it was ours, intimate and raw. In a life where trust was as rare as a peaceful night’s sleep, what Adriana and I shared in these stolen moments was the one thing I never questioned.

“I would love to, but…”

I took a step away from her. “What is it?”

“I just don’t know if I’m up for that,” Adriana sighed, resting a hand on her noticeable bump. “I’m just so tired, and honestly, I’m surprised you’re not too.”

I brushed a strand of hair away from her face, my eyes fixed on hers. “You kidding? I don’t think you’ve ever been sexier.” The words were out before I could filter them, but I meant every syllable.

She shook her head, a self-deprecating smile tugging at her lips. “Sexy isn’t the word I’d use. Huge is more like it, thanks to these little ones here.” She patted her stomach affectionately, her gaze dropping to where our children rested within her.

“Want me to show you how easily I can still toss you around?” I teased, trying to light the spark I knew was there, beneath her weariness. Not because I needed her to say yes.

I didn’t.

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