Chapter 17 Untitled Chapter
The silence turned sharp. Even Bash stopped chewing.
Roberto stood. “You know why they call me Lucifer?”
The man didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
“My father thought fear made men loyal,” Roberto said. “I learned certainty works better.”
The man started crying. “Pl…please. I have kids…”
Roberto pulled the gun out, the silencer was already on.
“When you betray me,” he said quietly, “you teach everyone else what happens next.”
He shot once. Muted and clean. The body dropped with a thud, and silence fell again. No speeches. Just death sitting heavy in the air.
Roberto lowered the gun. “Clear it.”
“Yes, boss.”
The guards moved efficiently. They were used to it.
Bash crunched another chip. “That guy had a worse night than me.”
Skyler looked disgusted. “How are you still eating?”
“I bought these before it started.”
“That sentence is deeply concerning.”
Bash shrugged.
Roberto handed the gun back, not bating an eye. That’s what scare people. Not rage, just him being in control.
Skyler glanced at him. “You think there’s more?”
“There always is,” Roberto said. His voice didn’t change, but it got sharper.
“Find out who else he spoke to.”
Skyler nodded. “Done.”
Roberto walked toward the exit. Bash pushed off the wall.
“So we’re done murdering people for today?”
Roberto didn’t answer.
Bash sighed. “I’ll take that as a no.”
. .
The drive took almost an hour. Kendrix stopped counting after the second gate.
The house Nora took her to didn’t look like a safe house. It looked normal. Too normal. Small yard, quiet street, no walls.
Kendrix got out slowly. Her chest tightened. She hadn’t realized how badly she needed to see them until now.
Nora caught her arm before she reached the door. “One thing.”
Kendrix looked back.
“They’re scared,” Nora said quietly.
“Of Roberto?”
Nora hesitated. “Sort of.”
Kendrix pushed the door open before she could think about it.
Food. Tea. The smell of home greeted her.
Something twisted in her chest.
“Mom?”
Maya appeared in the hallway and froze. Her hand flew to her mouth.
“Kendrix.”
Then she was on her, holding her face like she needed proof it was real.
“You’re okay,” Maya whispered. “You’re okay.”
“Mom…”
Maya hugged her too tight, like letting go would make her vanish.
Antonio came in a second later. He didn’t look relieved. He looked guilty.
Kendrix noticed immediately. “Dad?”
Antonio forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “There she is.”
Kendrix pulled back and looked between them. “You both look weird.”
Maya pulled away too fast. “No we don’t.”
“Yes, you do.”
“It’s been stressful,” Antonio said.
“Then tell me what’s happening.”
Silence fell between them. She hated that silence now.
“Can someone explain why everyone acts like I’m about to explode?”
Maya and Antonio exchanged a fast look.
Kendrix caught it. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” Antonio said too quickly.
“That was absolutely not nothing.”
Maya moved toward the kitchen. “You should eat something.”
Kendrix stared after her. “Wow. Okay. So we’re avoiding questions professionally now.”
Antonio sighed. “Kendrix…”
“No. Roberto does this. Everyone does it. Now you two?”
Antonio’s face tightened at Roberto’s name.
Kendrix saw it. “There. Why do people do that when I say his name?”
Antonio looked away.
Her stomach dropped. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Nobody answered.
Kendrix laughed once, short and frustrated. “This is insane.”
Maya came back with tea neither of them touched. Her hands shook when she set the cups down.
Kendrix noticed. Then asked quietly. “You're not my real parents, right?”
Maya looked up. “what?”
Kendrix frowned. “No. Don't act surprised. Was that why you used me as collateral?”
Antonio's face fell in guilt. “It's not what you think.”
Kendrix looked between them. “What do you think Roberto is?”
Maya said it first, quietly.“Dangerous.”
Kendrix thought about the way everyone watched Roberto. About the party. About him saying,
You were never going to leave properly.
Her chest tightened. “What’s really going on?”
Maya’s eyes lifted. For a second, something slipped. “Kendrix, if Luca ever…”
Antonio cut her off. “Maya.”
Kendrix froze.
Luca.
Not Roberto. Not Lucifer.
Maya went pale. Antonio stood too fast.
“You should head back before it gets dark.”
Kendrix stared at them both, slowly and suspicious.
“Who’s Luca?”
. .
Rain streaked the car windows. The city passed in blurred lights and wet pavement.
Roberto sat silent in the back. The driver kept his eyes on the road. Nobody spoke unless he did.
A file sat on his lap which contained numbers, names, shipments. None of it mattered right now.
His phone vibrated. Unknown number.
Roberto stared at the phone screen for a moment before answering. Silence met him first. Then a smooth male voice said,
“Long time no see, Luca.”
Roberto’s face didn’t change. But something cold settled behind his eyes.
Nobody used that name anymore.
The voice laughed. “I was wondering if you’d pretend you didn’t recognize it.”
“Who is this?”
“That’s disappointing. You used to know me better than anyone.”
Roberto stayed quiet. Calculating.
“You’ve been hard to reach since killing your father,” the voice went on. “You’re almost invisible.”
“What do you want?”
“Your engagement announcement got attention.”
Roberto went still. The driver missed a turn because Roberto’s silence was distracting.
“She has Elena’s eyes,” the man said quietly.
Something shifted in Roberto’s expression.
“You’re involving yourself in things that don’t concern you.”
“Wrong,” the voice said. “That girl concerns a lot of people. Especially if the old man finds out she exists.”
The words landed hard.
Roberto’s jaw ticked once. “You should’ve stayed hidden.”
The man laughed. “And you should’ve buried the past deeper, Luca.”
The line went dead, and silence filled the car again. Roberto lowered the phone. His reflection stared back through the rain-streaked glass. Cold and unreadable.
One thought settled in place.
Someone else knew about Kendrix.
And if one person knew, more would follow.
Roberto stared at the dark screen another second, then locked the phone.
The rain outside suddenly sounded louder. His mind was already moving. Names. Leaks. Possibilities. Mistakes.
There weren’t supposed to be mistakes anymore. Not after Adrian. Not after all these years. Yet someone still knew.
Roberto looked at the driver. “Change route.”
The driver adjusted the wheel. “Back to the estate?”
“No. Call the airfield.”
The driver glanced in the mirror. “We’re flying?”
“Yes. Have the jet ready in ten minutes.”
“Understood.”
Roberto dialed again. Skyler picked up fast.
“Are you done already?”
“We’re leaving.”
There was a pause. Skyler’s voice sharpened. “What happened?”
“Get Bash. Meet me at the airfield.”
No questions, no jokes. Skyler heard it in his tone.
“How bad?”
Roberto watched the rain blur past. “Bad enough.”
“We’ll be there.”
He hung up and called Bash.
“If this is about the warehouse thing, I already said I was emotionally affected…”
“Airport,” Roberto cut in.
“That serious?”
“Yes.”
Bash stopped joking. “Alright. On my way.”
The car picked up speed through the wet streets. Roberto leaned back, eyes forward, face unreadable.
One thought ran colder each second.
Kendrix was exposed. If her father found out she was alive before he locked it down, everything would fall apart.