His Secret Kiss

Chapter Seven – The Truth He Tried to Hide

The night air was thick with smoke and rain as we ran the sound of gunfire fading behind us the city stretching out like a maze of shadows Austin’s hand gripped mine tight and unyielding leading me through back alleys I didn’t recognize I could barely breathe but I didn’t dare slow down

When we finally stopped he pushed open a metal door that led into an underground garage the air was cold damp smelling of oil and fear he slammed it shut behind us locking it with a rusted chain then leaned against it his chest heaving

“Are you okay” he asked his voice rough from running

I nodded breathless “You’re bleeding again”

He glanced at his arm but didn’t seem to care “It’s nothing we can’t stay long they’ll find this place soon”

I swallowed hard “Austin please just tell me who they are what they want”

He looked at me for a long moment the shadows hiding half his face then he said quietly “They’re not after money or power they’re after information something I stole years ago before I disappeared something that could destroy them all if it gets out”

My heart pounded “And you kept it”

He nodded “It’s hidden the key I gave you it leads to it that’s why they’re watching you now”

I clutched the key around my neck the small piece of metal suddenly feeling heavier than before “What’s on it”

His jaw tightened “Names files proof of what they did they built an operation that wasn’t supposed to exist and when it fell apart they buried every trace of it including the people who knew too much”

I took a step closer my voice trembling “And you were one of them”

He gave a small bitter smile “The last one left alive”

For a moment neither of us spoke the truth settling between us like another secret we couldn’t escape his eyes met mine and in them I saw exhaustion and something deeper something that felt like goodbye

“You were never supposed to be part of this Vera” he said softly “You should hate me for what I’ve done”

I shook my head “I can’t”

“Even now”

“Especially now”

He let out a shaky breath stepped closer and pressed his forehead to mine his voice low “Then I have to make sure you live even if I don’t”

My chest tightened “Don’t say that”

“Vera listen to me” he said his tone sharper now “If they find me they’ll stop at nothing to get the files but you can’t give them the key no matter what happens promise me”

“I promise”

He smiled faintly the kind of smile that broke instead of healed “Good because I need you to trust me one last time”

Before I could ask why he reached into his pocket pulled out another flash drive smaller than the first and slipped it into my hand If I don’t come back play this it’ll tell you everything

The way he said if made my heart drop Austin what are you planning

He didn’t answer just brushed his thumb across my lips his voice barely a whisper Whatever happens remember I chose you not the lie not the mission you

Then he turned and walked toward the car his silhouette fading into the dim light the sound of the rain outside the only thing left between us

I wanted to call out to him to make him stay but something in his eyes told me it was already too late

So I stood there clutching the flash drive and the key my heart breaking and the storm outside finally matching the one inside me

The storm didn’t stop all night The sky cracked open again and again as if the world itself was falling apart I sat there on the cold floor of the garage clutching the flash drive between my fingers replaying his last words until they became a whisper in my head

I chose you

It should have made me feel safe but instead it felt like goodbye

By morning the rain had eased the light breaking through gray and uncertain I forced myself to stand my body heavy from exhaustion but my heart restless I had to know what was on that drive the truth he’d been running from the truth he’d died protecting

I found an old laptop buried under the dust-covered workbench the screen cracked but still working I hesitated one last time then slid the flash drive in

For a few seconds nothing happened just the faint hum of the machine then the screen flickered and his face appeared

Austin

My breath caught he was sitting somewhere dark his hair messy his eyes tired but steady he looked straight at the camera his voice low calm heartbreakingly calm

If you’re watching this, it means I didn’t make it out, he began my hand flew to my mouth the sound of his voice almost too much to bear I told myself I could end this before it reached you, but I was wrong They were always watching always listening I never had a chance to disappear completely

He paused the sound of his breathing heavy through the static My real name is Adrian Vale I worked for a covert division that controlled global data leaks before it was shut down We discovered something something our government wanted erased a list of names companies money trails people who profited from chaos If the files are released the world changes forever If they’re destroyed it all repeats

He swallowed hard his jaw tense That’s why they came after me I ran with the only copy left and when I met you Vera I swore I’d never involve you but I failed because somewhere along the line you stopped being collateral and became the only thing that mattered

Tears blurred my vision his voice breaking now The key leads to a safe house near the coast you’ll find the original files there if I’m gone you have to decide what to do release them or destroy them just promise me one thing don’t let them win

He leaned closer to the camera the smallest smile ghosting across his lips “If I had another life I’d spend it all finding you again goodbye Vera”

The screen went black

I sat frozen my heart shattering the silence around me thick enough to drown in My fingers trembled as I touched the cold edge of the laptop I wanted to scream I wanted to run but all I could do was whisper his real name over and over Adrian… Adrian…

Somewhere above me thunder rolled again slow and heavy and then I heard it — footsteps

Someone was here

I closed the laptop fast grabbed the flash drive and slipped it into my pocket My pulse thundered in my ears I ducked behind a stack of crates watching the shadow move closer tall deliberate purposeful not Austin not Adrian someone else

The chain on the door rattled a low male voice echoed through the space Vera Lane you’re making this harder than it has to be give us what we came for and you can walk away

My breath caught I didn’t move

He waited a beat then said softly You know we’ll find you either way

The voice was smooth too calm and too familiar — it was the man I’d seen in Austin’s photo months ago the one he said was dead

He wasn’t

I covered my mouth to stop a gasp as the truth crashed through me like lightning if he was alive then maybe…

Maybe Austin was too

My heart leapt painfully against my ribs I didn’t know if I should run or call out all I knew was that the story wasn’t over

I waited until his footsteps faded before slipping out through the back door the rain cold against my skin the flash drive pressed tight in my hand My breath came in sharp bursts every corner feeling like a trap every sound like a warning The streets were nearly empty the city half-asleep but I couldn’t stop moving not now not after everything he’d said

Adrian’s words kept replaying The safe house near the coast That was all I had left of him a promise wrapped in danger and love I didn’t fully understand I had no plan no map only faith that somehow following his voice would lead me to the truth The night swallowed me whole but I didn’t look back I couldn’t

Because somewhere out there maybe just maybe he was still alive

And I wasn’t ready to give up on him yet