Chapter 9 - The Two Worlds
Claire stopped, her heart hammering against her ribs. She looked up into his eyes. "Adrian... we come from two completely different worlds. You live in a fortress with bodyguards and millions of dollars. I live in a tiny two-bedroom apartment in Queens."
"I don't care about the worlds," Adrian said fiercely, reaching out to gently take her hand, his warm, calloused fingers weaving through hers. "I care about the woman who stood up to me when she was soaked with ice water. I care about the woman who taught my broken sons how to laugh again. And I care about the woman who saved my life when I was drowning in my own dark."
He stepped even closer, his thumb gently wiping away a tear from her cheek.
"I don't want a nanny for my sons, Claire," Adrian admitted softly. "I want you. Bring Lily here. Let this house be a home again. For all five of us."
Claire stared at him, her breath hitching in her throat. She saw the truth in his eyes—the raw, vulnerable hope of a man who had spent two years living in a cold, silent tomb, and who was finally ready to step back into the light.
"I have to ask Lily," Claire whispered, a small, tearful smile breaking across her face. "She's the boss."
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Adrian let out a deep, breathtaking laugh—the first real laugh she had ever heard from him.
"Then let's go to Queens," Adrian said, tugging her gently down the stone steps toward his bulletproof SUV. "I'll meet the boss."
