The filing cabinet fell to the ground.
As I jumped behind Kieran's father's desk, papers were all over the place. It wasn't supposed to be anyone, but someone was climbing the stairs to the home office.
"Think, Isabella," I muttered to myself. "There must be an alternative."
In order to obtain more proof of my father's passing, I had broken into the Hawthorne residence. Someone close to both families was mentioned in the letter he had written. Someone who had been waiting and observing.
I had to find out if Richard Hawthorne was that person.
The sound of footsteps approached. Stairs made of wood and heavy boots. Not the maid, of course.
In the hopes of climbing out onto the roof, I crawled toward the window. However, the old wood became stuck when I attempted to open it.
"Come on," I whispered, exerting more force.
At last there was a loud squeak as the window gave way.
A voice called from downstairs, "Hello? Is someone up there?"
My heart stopped beating. Kieran's voice was that.
My jacket caught on the latch halfway through the window. I pulled on it, but it remained stuck.
Now the footsteps were on the stairs. Arriving quickly.
I yanked on my jacket and pleaded with the universe, "Please, please, please."
I fell forward onto the roof as the cloth tore. My phone clattered across the tiles after falling out of my pocket.
"Great," I muttered. Now, if I got stuck up here, I had no way to call for assistance.
I slithered over to the roof's edge in the hopes of descending somehow. However, the ground appeared to be miles away when I peered over the side.
"Going somewhere?"
I turned around. I had just climbed through the window when Kieran appeared.
I smiled weakly at him and said, "Um. Hi." "Enjoy a stroll on the roof this evening."
"What are you doing here, Isabella?"
"I got lost?"
"Try again," Kieran said as he climbed through the window and took a seat next to me on the roof tiles.
I let out a sigh. Lying now was useless. "I was going through the files of your father."
"Looking for what?"
"Prove he killed my dad."
"And did you find any?"
I took out a folder that I had managed to get my hands on before the filing cabinet toppled over and said, "I found this."
Kieran picked up the folder and opened it. As he read, his face turned pale.
"These are death certificates," he uttered softly.
"Look at the names. These aren't just any death certificates."
Kieran turned the pages. "All of these individuals lost their lives when buildings that contained Hawthorne materials collapsed."
"Your father's sale of poor concrete and flimsy steel destroyed twenty-three families, Kieran."
"My dad was unaware of this."
"The supply orders bear his signature."
"I've already told you that those signatures are fake."
I retrieved the folder. "So, who has been using his name?"
"I'm not sure, but I'll find out."
For a while, we sat in silence. I shivered as the night air grew colder.
Kieran removed his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders, saying, "Here."
"I don't require your assistance."
"You're trembling."
"I'm not cold; I'm angry."
"You can be both."
He smelled like himself in his jacket. Clean soap and something else I couldn't identify. It gave me a sense of security, which was foolish given that he might be my adversary.
"Why didn't you just ask me for these files, Isabella?" Kieran said quietly.
"Because I don't trust you."
"I understand, but perhaps you ought to."
"Why? Since you've been so forthright with me."
"I've never told you lies."
I gave a sour laugh. "You simply omit crucial information, such as the fact that my father was murdered by your family's security detail."
"When we first met, I was unaware of that."
"But now you know it."
"Yes, and I'm working on fixing it."
"How do you fix murder?"
Kieran remained silent for a while. His voice was hardly more than a whisper when he finally spoke.
"That evening, my dad received a call informing him that your dad was going to the police the following morning. Panicked, Dad sent his security team to stop him."
"Your father ordered his death, so it's true."
"Yes, but not in the manner you believe."
"What do you mean?"
"They weren't supposed to hurt anyone, so Dad told them to scare your father. Take the evidence and tell him to keep quiet."
"However, they did cause him harm."
"It was an accident when one of the guards grabbed your father as he attempted to flee, causing him to fall and strike his head."
"An accident that killed him."
"Yes."
I tightened my grip on Kieran's jacket. The truth was even more painful than I had anticipated.
I questioned, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I'm sick of secrets and because you deserve to know."
"Are there more secrets?"
Kieran paused. "A few."
"Like what?"
"Like the fact that I offered to work with you."
I gazed at him. "What?"
"I was the one who agreed when my mother proposed that we collaborate with your business."
"Why?"
"Because I had been following your projects and reading about your business for months."
My stomach flipped strangely. "You were following me around?"
"You piqued my interest."
"Interested how?"
"How a man develops feelings for a woman."
All of a sudden, the roof felt tiny. I didn't realize Kieran was seated so close. I was able to see the gold flecks in his blue eyes up close.
"That's ridiculous," I blurted out. "You're not even familiar with me."
"I know you eat chocolate ice cream when you're depressed, you sing off-key in your car when you think no one's looking, and you work sixteen-hour days because you're afraid of failing."
"How do you know all that?"
"I was interested, I told you."
"Kieran, that's creepy."
"Maybe. But it's also honest."
There wasn't much roof left when I attempted to move away from him. "Your family still killed my father, so this doesn't change anything."
"Your father was killed by my father, not by me."
"The same thing."
"Is it? Are you accountable for all of your father's actions?"
That really got to me. "My dad was a decent guy."
"So am I."
"Good men don't spy on women."
"Good men also don't break into other people's homes."
He was right. "That's different."
"How?"
"I was searching for proof."
"And I was trying to find you."
My cheeks burned from the way he said it. His voice had a quality I had never heard before. Something genuine, heartfelt, and slightly desperate.
"Kieran..."
"I realize that this is crazy and that our families are at odds, but Isabella, you are always on my mind."
"You're not allowed to say things like that."
"Why not?"
"Because it's complicated."
"Everything valuable is difficult to obtain."
"We collaborate."
"So?"
"So people will talk."
"Let them speak."
"So we're from different worlds."
"We're on the same roof."
I had run out of things to say. Additionally, Kieran's gaze on me was making it difficult for me to think clearly.
"Isabella," he said softly, "what do you truly fear?"
"I have no fears."
"You're scared you'll like me."
"I don't like you."
"My jacket is on you."
"I'm chilly."
"By now, you could have removed it."
He was correct. I had the option. I didn't want to, though.
I muttered, "This is a bad idea."
"Probably."
"We ought to enter."
"Probably."
However, neither of us made any movement.
"Kieran?"
"Yes?"
"What happens now?"
"I want to find out, but I'm not sure."
I leaned forward and gave him a kiss before I chickened out.
It was intended to be a brief kiss. A test to determine the authenticity of the feelings.
However, everything caught fire the instant our lips met.
My face was cupped by Kieran's hands. His hair entangled my fingers. The kiss was perfect, tender, and desperate.
We were both having trouble breathing when we eventually separated.
"Wow," Kieran muttered.
"Yeah," I replied in a whisper.
"I need to tell you something else, Isabella."
"What now?"
He appeared ashamed. "I've been dreaming about you every night for weeks."
My face became so hot that I was afraid it would burn. "Dreams about what?"
"About this. About us. About holding you, kissing you, and telling you how I feel."
My face was burning, so I covered it with my hands. "Oh my God."
"Is that weird?"
I looked at him through my fingers and said, "Yes, it's weird! But also..." "Also kind of sweet."
"Really?"
"Avoid getting ahead of yourself."
Kieran smiled. "Too late."
We heard voices coming from inside the house before I could continue.
His father's voice said, "Kieran? Are you up there?"
"He's home early," Kieran whispered.
"I have to go."
"Not yet."
"If your father discovers me here, Kieran..."
"He won't, but you need to know one more thing, Isabella."
"What?"
"I believe I know who has been signing those phony documents under my father's name."
My heart stopped beating. "Who?"
"Someone who has been on both sides from the start, who has access to our family files, and who is aware of your father's investigation schedule."
"Tell me."
Kieran had dark, worried eyes. "It's someone you totally trust. Someone who has been both protecting and destroying you."
"Who?"
"I believe it's your sister Sophie, Isabella."