Chapter 16 – The Calm Before the Storm
The cabin was silent except for the low crackle of the fire. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, a distant reminder that the world hadn't stopped moving—no matter how much it felt like it should have.
Adrian sat at the wooden table, his fingers absently tapping the edge of his pistol. His storm-gray eyes were locked on the floor, but his mind was elsewhere. The Hollow. The message. The truth they had yet to uncover.
Evelyn sat across from him, her gaze fixed on the flames. She hadn't said much since they cracked Reddington's phone and found the coordinates. But Adrian could feel the weight pressing down on her shoulders, the unspoken fear neither of them wanted to voice.
She turned to him, her voice quiet but firm. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"
Adrian exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "No." He met her eyes. "But I'm doing it anyway."
Evelyn nodded, accepting his answer. They had no choice. The people behind this—the ones who had stolen seven years of Adrian's life—weren't done. And if they didn't act now, it would never end.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, his fingers tracing a faint scar on his wrist. A mark from Blackgate. A reminder of what had been taken from him. His voice was quieter when he spoke again. "You don't have to come."
Evelyn scoffed. "You really think I'm going to let you do this alone?"
Adrian looked up at her, something unreadable flickering in his expression. "I don't know how to be the man you need, Evelyn." The words felt like a confession, slipping out before he could stop them. "I've been broken for too long."
Evelyn's hand reached for his, fingers brushing over his knuckles. "Then let me help you put the pieces back together."
Silence settled between them—not uncomfortable, but heavy with meaning.
Adrian closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath. For so long, his life had been about surviving. Fighting. Killing. Revenge. He had forgotten what it meant to have something to hold onto. Something to protect.
And Evelyn—she had always been the one thing he couldn't lose.
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
Evelyn squeezed his hand. "You don't have to be."
For the first time in years, the weight on his chest felt lighter.
Adrian stood, pulling her up with him. He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers linger for just a moment before leaning in.
His lips pressed against hers, slow and deliberate, a promise without words.
When they pulled apart, Evelyn's eyes were steady. "No more running."
Adrian nodded. "No more hiding."
Tomorrow, they would go after the real enemy. They would end this.
But tonight, for just a moment, they allowed themselves to breathe.
Because tomorrow, the storm was coming.