Darling Villain (Forbidden Fruit #1)

Chapter 22

Daniel

I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

“Are you out of your mind?” I ask, walking back and forth across Adrien’s office. “Did she suck the last of your goddamn sense of preservation through your dick?”

“Remember who you’re speaking to,” he warns me. “One day, your loose tongue will get you into trouble and you’ll regret it.”

The problem with Adrien losing his head over Carter’s niece is that when he’s away from her, he seems perfectly composed and controlled. But he is a ticking time bomb, on the verge of an explosion. I’ll never forget the way he reacted when he heard a guard making lewd comments about Tiffany a few days ago. The man ended up with three broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and he was escorted off the premises all within ten minutes.

The first red flag was his irrational plan, followed by his lack of progress in executing it. But now, the most concerning sign is his inability to control himself. In my twenty years of knowing Adrien, I’ve only seen him lose control twice: once after his mother’s death and again when he uncovered Dean Carter’s schemes.

But this time, it’s Tiffany Carter who has him completely undone.

Sure, the brat proved useful by giving us a location where Dean keeps his contraband—drugs, guns, and girls waiting to be sold. But I don’t see why we can’t just eliminate her, or at least send her back, and move forward with our original plan.

I’ve tried talking to Adrien about this, but he’s stubborn as a mule and refuses to listen. He’s changed, and I’m it’s for the worse.

“Do you understand how dangerous that woman is? Even considering taking her with you to Italy for Sienna’s wedding is borderline insane.”

“I have everything under control, Daniel. Trust me.”

“How?” I ask, my voice rising. “I’ve heard from Arthur that you allowed Tiffany to call her sister. Do you know how big of a safety hazard—”

“Tiffany is coming with us,” Adrien says. The note of steel in his voice makes it clear that he’ll not budge on this. “There’s no room for discussions or debates. Remember your place, Daniel.”

“With all due respect, I have worked for you for ten years, but you’ve been my friend for far longer. I’m not a yes man who’ll follow your orders blindly. You know better than anyone how brutal and unpredictable the world of crime can be. Dean is ruthless, and one minor mistake could have grave consequences. You can’t let your guard down, not for anyone. Remember why we even started all of this. We can’t afford to fuck up.”

Adrien leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Are you finished?”

“Yes, sir.”

A tense silence falls between us, reminiscent of our teenage years. Back then, Adrien was even more intense, and we were like fire and ice. We hardly gave each other breathing room, and when we were in the same room, polite conversation was rare.

The only people who could sway Adrien were Diane and Sylvia. Adrien always sees my opinions as a challenge, and he hates to lose.

“I will take your advice into consideration.” Adrien’s gaze shifts from me to the computer screen in front of him. “Make sure everything is in order before we leave. And tighten up security. We cannot afford to be careless.”

Then you need to get rid of Tiffany Carter, I want to say, but I hold my tongue.

“Understood,” I say before exiting the room.

This madness has gone on for too long.

As soon as I leave the tightly guarded and monitored premises of Adrien’s office, I head to the blind spot of the surveillance cameras and call the only person left who can save Adrien from ruining everything we’ve worked so hard for.

He will thank me once he realizes I am doing this for his good.