Chapter 16 Untitled Chapter
The basement stayed cold in a way the rest of the house never was. No music. No voices. No pretending. Just silence that felt earned.
Adrian sat tied to the chair in the center of the room. He was bruised and slumped slightly forward. But he was still awake. Still aware. Still smiling a little, like pain wasn’t new information to him.
Skyler stood near the wall, arms folded. Bash leaned against a pillar, but he wasn’t relaxed anymore. Not really.
Roberto stood in front of Adrian. Watching him like a problem that had already been solved once and refused to stay solved.
Adrian lifted his head slowly. “You didn’t bring me down here for fun,” he muttered.
Bash snorted under his breath. “You’re not that entertaining.”
Adrian ignored him. His eyes stayed on Roberto.
“I already told you upstairs,” he said quietly. “I know who she is.”
The room tightened immediately. Skyler’s posture shifted slightly. Bash stopped moving completely. Roberto didn’t react right away.
Adrian continued anyway. “Elena’s daughter,” he said, voice rough but steady. “You think that secret stayed buried? People talk. Even your world leaks.You’ve been hiding her in plain sight for years without even knowing it.”
Skyler stepped forward a fraction.“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
Adrian gave a small laugh.“I know exactly what I said.” His gaze flicked briefly upward. “To Kendrix.”
That name hit differently in the basement.
Not soft. Not personal. Just dangerous.
Roberto finally spoke.“How many people have you told?”
Adrian smiled faintly.“That’s the problem,I didn’t tell anyone. But I was going to.”
Silence dropped instantly. Even Bash went still.
Adrian tilted his head slightly.“Not out of spite,” he added. “Out of insurance.”
Roberto’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Insurance for what?”
Adrian looked at him like the answer was obvious.“For staying alive.”
He paused for a second, then added.
“And for what she is worth to the wrong people.”
That changed the air. Skyler’s voice came sharper now.
“You should have kept your damn mouth shut.”
Adrian exhaled slowly. “Why?” He arched his brow. “Because I recognize her?”
His eyes stayed locked on Roberto.“And now you have a problem?You can kill me, but it doesn’t erase what I already know.”
For the first time, something shifted in Roberto's expression.
Not emotion. Decision.
Adrian noticed and still didn’t stop talking.
“People will ask where she came from,” he said. “And once they start asking…”
Roberto interrupted quietly. “They won’t.”
Adrian frowned slightly.
Roberto’s voice stayed even. “Because they won’t get the chance.”
That landed differently. Bash glanced away slightly. Skyler’s jaw hardened.
Adrian exhaled through his nose, almost impressed. “So that’s it,” he muttered. “Containment.”
Roberto didn’t answer.
Adrian leaned back slightly in the chair, as much as the restraints allowed.
“You always were efficient,” he said. “I’ll give you that.”
He paused for a beat. “Just like your father.”
That was the last thing he should have said. The room didn’t explode. Nothing dramatic happened. Roberto lifted the gun before Adrian finished breathing in.The shot sounded small.
The silenced gun shot softly and Adrian’s body jerked once, then stopped.
Silence fell immediately after, heavier than before. Skyler looked down. Bash exhaled slowly, turning his face away.
Roberto lowered the weapon calmly. No rush in his movements. No change in his breathing. He looked at Skyler.
“Erase everything he touched,” he said.
Skyler nodded once.
“Already done.” Bash said.
Roberto turned toward the exit, paused at the door and added without looking back:
“And make sure no version of that information survives outside this room.”
Skyler didn’t hesitate.“It won’t.”
Roberto left.
The door closed quietly behind him. And the basement stayed silent, but now it wasn’t just silence.
. .
The hallway was too quiet when Kendrix woke up. Even the house felt like it was holding its breath. No voices, no movement, no sign anyone had slept in it last night except her.
She found Nora in the kitchen, pouring coffee like nothing had happened. Two guards by the back door. That was it.
“Where is everyone?” Kendrix asked.
Nora didn’t look up. “Business.”
Kendrix stopped. “That’s it? Business?”
Nora set the cup down. “Roberto, Skyler, and Bash left before sunrise. If you want details, ask them when they get back.”
Kendrix crossed her arms. “And I’m supposed to sit here and pretend I don’t care that the whole house cleared out after my so-called engagement party?”
Nora’s jaw set. “You’re supposed to stay alive, Kendrix.”
Kendrix took a step forward. “Take me to Antonio and Maya.”
“No.” Nora said it flat. No room for argument. “Roberto didn’t want you near them right now.”
Kendrix’s mouth pulled to one side. “Funny. I remember you telling me something different.”
Nora froze. “What?”
“You told me to escape,” Kendrix said. “You said if I ever got the chance, I should take it. Well, Roberto’s gone. Skyler’s gone. The house is empty except for you and two guards. If that’s not a chance, what is?”
Nora stared at her. For a second Kendrix thought she had pushed too far.
Then Nora exhaled, sharp and irritated. “You’re impossible.”
She grabbed her keys.
“Don’t make me regret this,” she muttered.
The warehouse stank of blood and gasoline. Cold concrete. Rusted metal. One buzzing overhead light. Nobody spoke, not out of fear. Because Roberto was there.
A man knelt in the center, hands tied behind his back. Blood ran from his mouth to the floor. He was barely conscious. Barely breathing.
Armed men lined the walls. Nobody moved unless told. At the far end, Roberto sat like he had nowhere else to be. Black shirt, sleeves rolled once, no jacket. One hand on the armrest, the other turning a knife between his fingers.
Skyler stood with his arms crossed. Bash leaned against a beam, eating chips unbothered.
“Betraying Lucifer’s pretty ambitious, you know." Bash said.
The man on the floor lifted his head. “I..I already explained…”
Roberto didn’t look at him. “Did you?”
“It wasn’t supposed to go like that.”
Bash sighed. “Oh. That’s never good.”
Skyler rubbed his forehead. “Can you not do commentary during executions?”
“I cope through humor.”
“This isn’t humor anymore.”
The man glanced between them, then back to Roberto. “I...I didn’t tell them everything. I swear.”
That got Roberto’s attention. Just a look which was worse than yelling. The room went quiet.
Roberto stood slow and stopped in front of the man.
“You sold information.”
“Not...important information,” the man said quickly.
Roberto tilted his head. “Funny. Three of my men are dead.”
“I panicked. I owed money…”
The knife went into his shoulder before he finished. His scream hit the walls.
Bash winced. “Yep. There it is.”
Skyler didn’t react. He had seen worse.
Roberto crouched in front of him. “You thought betrayal and desperation were the same thing.”
He yanked the knife out. Blood hit the floor. The man screamed again.
“Please…”
“You already said that.”
Roberto wiped the blade clean with a cloth a guard handed him, like it wasn’t personal.
“You had ten years here,” Roberto said. “And you made one choice.”
The man went pale. “I made one mistake…”
“No.” Roberto met his eyes. “You made one choice.”