of his empire a given.”
Adam leveled a look of suspicion at her that would make a nun confess. “If it’s so good why didn’t you use it?”
This was the hard question that had plagued her for years and it wasn’t until last night that she’d gotten her answer. “Because this vendetta was all I had. My dad died and I was an eighteen-year-old suddenly tasked with raising a younger sister and my hatred and obsession kept the terror away. I think that I thought I had to completely step into my dad’s shoes to honor his memory—including his failures and his obsession.” Tess scrubbed her fingers through her hair, trying to put into words the early morning epiphany that had almost brought her to her knees. “I grew up with a man who loved his desire for revenge and self-loathing more than he loved me. And it hurt me, so much that I couldn’t see any other way to survive except to live his life and hope that it made everything worth it. I got so used to living that way that I was terrified to pull the trigger. If I took down Franklin, I would have had nothing. And I couldn’t face it.”
“So, if you give this to me—what do you have now?”
Oh, that answer was easy. “I have my business, and Mia and this baby.” She laid her hand on her stomach and thought of how his hand had been there only a few hours ago. “And I have a life that I want to build with the man I love. It will be more than enough.”
“Tess...”
“Adam, let me say this: I’m so sorry. I got close to you for all the wrong reasons and I didn’t care if I was going to hurt you in the process of getting the revenge I thought I needed to be happy. But I got to know you and I started to care about the man who was stuck in the middle of this mess and I fell in love. I fell for the guy who plays drums incognito, and the guy who gives Estelle a gift card to the spa and the afternoon off just because she’s had a rough week. I fell for the guy who moved heaven, earth and a crap ton of bureaucrats to find the brother and sister he’d lost. And I fell in love with the man who is trying so hard to make a family with them even though he never got a chance to see what one looks like. I fell in love with you, Adam Redhawk. I love you and I’m happy about the baby and I want a future together but more than anything, I want you to be happy and safe and free from Franklin ever having the power to hurt you again. And I want that for you even if you can never forgive me. That will always be more than enough for me.”
“Tess, I don’t...” Adam was shaking his head, the resolute sadness on his face worse than the anger she’d witnessed last night.
But she wasn’t ready to hear that he didn’t want her anymore so she moved quickly, pressing the USB into his hand and a kiss to his mouth. She turned on her heel and left his office before he could end it. The fight for them, for their future, would wait for another day.
Eighteen
“I didn’t have enough caffeine for this.”
Adam tried to ignore Justin pacing in front of his desk drinking both of their coffees. Answering Estelle’s SOS, Justin had arrived just as Tess was leaving. Adam had laid out the truth of his fucked-up life: the baby, Tess’s betrayal, the information about the mole, and the key to ending Franklin once and for all.
And she’d been right. It was all here, more than enough to take the man down. Tess had done her job and so much more.
“I was here all night. I think I need the caffeine more than you do,” Adam murmured, hitting the print command for several selected documents. The machine behind him whirred to life and shot out a treasure trove of career-ending data.
“You act like you’re the only one who didn’t get any sleep last night.” Justin shook his head and took another gulp of coffee.
“Spare me the details of the girl you screwed all night and look at this.” Adam grabbed the printouts and thrust them at Justin. “Tess has all the goods on Franklin. It goes