Chapter 12: Learning the Rules
I woke feeling something close to rested, which surprised me more than it should have. Lying there in the quiet morning light, I realized I had actually smiled last night, more than once, and none of it had anything to do with Ethan or the reporters or the careful performance we'd staged for the board.
It had been Adrian. The steady warmth of his hand at my waist, the small private smile he'd offered only me. He had made me feel safe.
"Don't be ridiculous, Amelia," I muttered to the empty room, and got out of bed before the thought could settle any deeper than it already had.
Breakfast was already laid out by the time I made it downstairs, sunlight pooling across the table while Mrs. Brooks moved between the kitchen and dining room with practiced efficien
