CHAPTER 13
THE CITY BETWEEN US
Mara read Naomi's message three times.
Don't trust anyone who says they can keep you safe.
She hated the sentence.
Mostly because it made sense.
Adrian stood across from her, phone still in his hand.
"How many people have access to your schedule?"
"Not many."
"Names."
"Lena. My editor. The production team. Building management. A few regular guests."
"Anyone outside the podcast?"
"My mother."
"Anyone else?"
Mara thought.
"My landlord."
"Who knows your recording schedule?"
"The studio staff."
"Who knows where you're staying now?"
Mara looked at him.
"Marcus."
"Yes."
"Your employer."
"Yes."
She folded her arms.
"And you."
"Yes."
She stared at him.
He understood what she was thinking.
"You think I'm the person Naomi warned you about."
"I think she warned me not to trust anyone blindly."
"That's different."
"Is it?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
"No."
Mara appreciated that.
She walked toward the window.
Rain had reduced to a thin mist over the city.
"Do you think someone inside your security company is involved?"
"Possibly."
She looked back at him.
He sighed.
"I know."
"Sorry."
"You really need another word."
"I'll work on it."
A small smile appeared.
Then disappeared.
Mara returned to the table.
"What happens now?"
"We keep working."
"Together?"
"Yes."
"And you won't make decisions without telling me?"
"No."
"Even if you think I'm going to disagree?"
"No."
She nodded.
"Good."
Adrian's phone vibrated.
He checked it.
"Marcus wants to meet."
"Here?"
"No."
"Where?"
"Wicker Park."
Mara looked at him.
"Why?"
"Public location. Easier to identify surveillance."
She smiled.
"You've turned dinner into a security operation."
"That's what it is."
"Then I'm choosing the restaurant."
He looked at her.
"Fine."
She blinked.
"That easy?"
"Yes."
"You're becoming agreeable."
"Don't get used to it."
She laughed.
"There's hope for you."
They left forty minutes later.
The drive across Chicago was quiet at first.
Mara watched the skyline disappear behind them as they headed toward Wicker Park.
The neighborhood looked different from the Loop.
Less polished.
More lived in.
Brick buildings stood close to the sidewalks. Small restaurants glowed beneath awnings. Record stores and independent shops filled narrow storefronts. People moved beneath umbrellas, laughing, talking, carrying bags.
Mara relaxed slightly.
Adrian noticed.
"You like it here."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It feels real."
He glanced at her.
"What's wrong with the Gold Coast?"
"Nothing."
"That's convincing."
She smiled.
"It's beautiful. It's just too polished."
"You prefer this."
"I prefer places where people aren't pretending they don't have problems."
He nodded.
"Fair."
She looked at him.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Do you like Wicker Park?"
"It's fine."
"That's not an answer."
"It is."
She laughed.
"Do you like anything?"
"Coffee."
"You've established that."
"Old jazz."
"Also established."
"Quiet."
"Obviously."
She looked at him.
"Anything normal?"
He thought.
"I like bookstores."
Mara turned toward him.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"That is unexpectedly attractive."
His eyes moved toward her.
She realized what she'd said.
"That came out wrong."
"No."
"It did."
"I don't think so."
She looked out the window.
"Keep driving."
His mouth curved.
They arrived at the restaurant.
Adrian parked farther away than necessary.
Mara noticed.
"You don't trust the parking lot."
"I don't trust anything."
"Healthy."
"I try."
They walked toward the restaurant.
Adrian stayed close without touching her.
Mara noticed that too.
He wasn't pulling her along.
Wasn't positioning her where he wanted.
He simply walked beside her.
That small difference mattered.
Inside, warmth surrounded them.
The restaurant was crowded.
Low music played beneath the sound of conversations and dishes.
Mara looked around.
"This is better."
Adrian nodded.
They were seated near the back.
Marcus was already there.
He lifted his glass when they approached.
"About time."
Adrian sat.
Mara took the chair beside him.
Marcus looked between them.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes," Adrian said.
Marcus looked at Mara.
She smiled.
"Define okay."
Marcus laughed.
"Good answer."
Adrian gave him a look.
Marcus ignored it.
They discussed Naomi.
Marcus had found no confirmed location.
No new footage.
No reliable identification of the contractor.
But he had discovered something else.
"The security contractor that owns the SUV has a subcontracting agreement with two firms."
"Which firms?" Mara asked.
Marcus slid a folder across the table.
"One handles corporate investigations."
She opened it.
The second name stopped her.
"Voss."
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
Mara looked at the documents.
"So someone connected to Voss is using a security contractor."
"That's what it appears to be," Marcus said.
"And the person watching me works for them?"
"Possibly."
Mara looked at Adrian.
He gave Marcus a look.
Marcus raised both hands.
"Sorry."
Mara smiled.
"This is contagious."
They spent another twenty minutes going over the details.
Eventually Marcus's phone rang.
He checked it.
"I have to go."
Adrian nodded.
Marcus stood.
"Call me if anything changes."
"I will."
Marcus looked at Mara.
"Try to enjoy dinner."
She smiled.
"I'll try."
Marcus left.
Mara watched him disappear through the restaurant.
Then she turned toward Adrian.
"He's different from you."
"Yes."
"More relaxed."
"Yes."
"Do you ever relax?"
"I am relaxed."
She stared at him.
"You are sitting like you're expecting the chair to attack."
He glanced down.
His shoulders were rigid.
He actually loosened them.
Mara laughed.
"Better."
"Happy?"
"A little."
Their food arrived.
Mara took a bite.
Adrian watched her.
"What?"
"You like it."
"Very much."
"What is it?"
"Chicago doesn't need to put everything on a deep-dish pizza."
He stared.
"You hate deep dish?"
"Yes."
"That's practically sacrilege."
"I've survived worse."
He shook his head.
"What?"
"You said you liked Chicago."
"I do."
"Except its most famous food."
"Exactly."
He smiled.
Mara watched him.
"You really like it."
"Like what?"
"Food."
"Yes."
"You just don't talk about it."
"I don't talk about much."
"I've noticed."
They ate.
For the first time since the threats began, Mara didn't spend the entire meal watching the door.
She talked.
About music.
About the podcast.
About the worst guests she'd ever interviewed.
Adrian listened.
Sometimes he asked questions.
Sometimes he disagreed.
He didn't pretend to understand everything.
That made it easier.
She told him about a musician who had spent forty minutes explaining why a microphone cable was sabotaging his career.
Adrian laughed.
Actually laughed.
Mara stopped.
"That."
"What?"
"Do that again."
He looked confused.
"Do what?"
"Laugh."
"I laughed."
"Exactly."
He shook his head.
"You've been waiting for that."
"Maybe."
"Why?"
"Because you look different."
His smile faded slightly.
"Different how?"
"Less guarded."
He looked at her.
"You notice too much."
"You taught me to."
A quiet moment passed.
The restaurant seemed to fade around them.
Mara looked down at her plate.
She could feel his attention on her.
She didn't look up.
Not immediately.
When she did, he was still watching.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She smiled.
"That's my line."
"I know."
They finished dinner.
Outside, the rain had stopped.
The sidewalks were wet beneath the streetlights.
Mara pulled her coat tighter.
Adrian walked beside her.
Neither hurried.
For once, there was no immediate threat.
No urgent call.
No security briefing.
Just Chicago at night.
Music drifted from a bar.
A train rattled somewhere in the distance.
A couple argued playfully near a corner.
Mara looked around.
"I missed this."
"What?"
"Walking somewhere without thinking about the next thing."
Adrian glanced at her.
"I can give you that sometimes."
She stopped.
"Sometimes?"
"Yes."
"That's not much of a promise."
"I don't make promises."
She smiled.
"I remember."
They continued walking.
Their hands brushed.
Mara looked down.
Neither had meant to touch.
They walked another few steps.
Their hands brushed again.
This time, Adrian slowed.
Mara looked at him.
He didn't move away.
Neither did she.
Their fingers touched.
Then separated.
Mara smiled.
"You're nervous."
"No."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
He looked at her.
"Maybe."
She laughed softly.
They reached the car.
Adrian opened the passenger door.
Mara turned before getting inside.
"Thank you."
"For dinner?"
"For tonight."
He understood.
"You needed it."
"I did."
He stood close.
Too close for professionalism.
Not close enough for certainty.
Mara looked at him.
"Are you still thinking about what happened?"
"Yes."
"The kiss?"
His jaw tightened.
"Yes."
"Do you regret it?"
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Mara's eyes lifted.
"Good."
He looked at her.
"I should."
"But you don't."
"No."
She stepped closer.
"Neither do I."
Adrian's hand settled against the side of the car.
He didn't touch her.
Mara looked at his mouth.
Then back at his eyes.
"Tell me to get in."
He said nothing.
"Adrian."
His expression changed.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to."
Mara's pulse quickened.
The city continued around them.
Cars passed.
Music drifted from somewhere down the block.
Nobody paid attention.
Nobody knew that the man standing in front of her was trying to decide whether wanting her was a mistake or simply something he could no longer deny.
Mara reached up.
Her fingers touched his collar.
He went still.
"You don't have to protect me from this."
His gaze dropped to her lips.
"I should."
"Maybe."
She moved closer.
"Do you want to?"
His hand finally touched her waist.
Carefully.
As if asking permission.
Mara nodded.
He kissed her.
This time there was no hesitation.
No argument.
No explanation.
Just the warmth of his mouth against hers and the steady pressure of his hand at her waist.
Mara's fingers curled into his collar.
He pulled back first.
Their faces remained close.
"This is a mistake," he said quietly.
"Probably."
He looked at her.
She smiled.
"You're really committed to that word."
His laugh was quiet.
Then he kissed her again.
Shorter this time.
Almost tender.
When he stepped back, Mara didn't know whether to smile or panic.
Maybe both.
Adrian opened the car door.
"Get in."
She smiled.
"That sounded like an order."
"It was."
She climbed inside.
He closed the door.
As he walked around the car, Mara touched her lips.
The city lights reflected across the windshield.
For the first time since this nightmare began, she didn't feel like she was being carried through someone else's story.
She felt like she was choosing something.
Even if it was reckless.
Even if it was forbidden.
Even if Adrian was right and this would eventually cost them both.
She chose it anyway.
And when Adrian got behind the wheel, neither of them pretended the kiss hadn't happened.
The silence between them had changed.
It no longer felt like distance.
It felt like anticipation.