Chapter 91 Untitled Chapter
Chapter 91 Untitled Chapter
Across the room Skyler straightened so fast his chair squeaked. “Uh...”
No one looked.
He pointed at the screen, voice going thin. “Guys.”
Everyone turned. The screen flickered once and a new message showed up. No ping. No alert. Just white text on black, like someone dropped it there and walked away.
Everyone stared. Kendrix’s stomach dropped straight to the floor, because she already knew who this was. The message had one line.
\`Tick-tock, daughter.\`
And under it, a countdown.
23:59:58
23:59:57
23:59:56
Nobody breathed. Victor just gave them a deadline, and he didn’t even have the decency to look them in the eye while he did it.
For a while nobody said anything. The countdown kept moving.
23:58:41
23:58:40
23:58:39
Each second felt like it was drilling into Kendrix's skull. They were all watching the screen, except Roberto who was watching Kendrix. Like she was the only thing that scared him and not the countdown.
The room got too small for Kendrix. She felt too many people, too much weight, too much expectation pressing down on her chest. She couldn’t get a full breath.
She cleared her throat and it came out awkward, cracked. “I… um… I need air,” she said, and she was already moving for the door before anyone could tell her to sit down and be strong.
Nobody stopped her. Not even Roberto.
Good. Because if he had, she wasn’t sure she would have stayed.
. .
The hallway was empty and cold and it felt like a relief. The second the surveillance room door shut behind her, Kendrix fell apart.
She pressed both hands over her eyes hard enough to leave marks. Like she could force the thoughts out of her head. It didn’t work.
Victor’s voice keep sounding I her head like a loop.
Hello, daughter.
Tick-tock, daughter.
Daughter. The word made her sick. Like he earned it. Like he hadn’t spent her whole life pretending she didn’t exist. Like he hadn’t ripped Maya and Antonio out of safety just to get her attention.
She laughed. It sounded wrong. Dry and sharp and close to crying. Then she laughed again. Half rage, half grief, and she couldn’t tell which one was louder.
She hated him. God, she hated him so much her hands were shaking.
But she didn’t get him. If this was about Roberto, why not take Roberto? Why her? Why now? Why drag up a past she’d buried years ago?
Her head was pounding.
“Knew I’d find you here.”
She didn’t turn. She knew that voice. Roberto. His footsteps stopped beside her, close enough that she could feel him there without looking.
They didn’t talk at first. Not because it was deep. Because they were both scraped raw and had nothing left.
Roberto exhaled like he’d been holding it for hours. “I shouldn’t have let you go alone.”
Kendrix laughed, but it was bitter and it hurt. “We’re in your mansion.”
“That doesn’t mean anything anymore.”
Because Victor had already gotten in. Locks and guards didn’t mean shit now.
She stared down the hall. Just anywhere but at him. “Twenty-four hours.”
“I know.”
“What happens after that?”
Roberto didn’t answer. That silence was enough answer.
She swallowed hard. “He’ll hurt them.”
“Maybe.”
Her brows pulled together. “Maybe?”
“He wants leverage.”
“He already has it.”
“I know.”
This was miserable and going in circles, but she couldn’t stop.
“What if he’s serious? What if he just wants to see me? What if that’s all this is?”
Roberto’s head snapped toward her. “No.”
“Roberto…”
“No, Kendrix.”
She groaned, frustrated and scared at the same time. “Oh, come on.”
“And you’re pretending that’s reasonable.”
“Why won’t you even consider it?”
“Because it’s insane.”
“Why?”
His jaw ticked. “Because it’s Victor.”
He said it, like that was supposed to end the conversation.
She crossed her arms to stop her hands from shaking. “That’s not enough.”
“It should be.”
“It’s not.”
“You want to walk straight to a man who took two people to get to you?”
“I want to save them.”
“No. You want to throw yourself at him.”
That hit and it stuck. Because part of her knew he was right.
“That’s not fair.”
“No?”
“No. You risk your life every day. You decide what’s worth it. You walk into things that could kill you and you don’t ask permission. But when it’s me, suddenly I’m supposed to sit here while you all decide what I’m allowed to do. You think that’s what I want right now?”
Roberto’s face went blank. “Kendrix…”
“No. I’m serious.” She stepped closer, angry now. “You get to be reckless. I don’t?”
He just stared at her with that kind of still that makes your stomach drop out.
“Kendrix. Is that what you think I’m doing?”
She looked away. “I think…”
“No.” He cut her off, sharp. “Tell me.”
“What?”
“How many people I’d let die to keep you safe. Tell me.”
She blinked.
“Tell me.” He said it through his teeth, furious and desperate.
For a second she couldn’t speak. Finally, she voiced out. “That’s not fair either.”
A dry laugh tore through him. “Exactly.”
They were both awful right now. Fear made people like that.
Roberto dragged both hands down his face and he looked wrecked. Tired in a way that had nothing to do with sleep. Like he had been carrying something too heavy for too long.
When he spoke again, the anger was gone. Just bare honesty. “I can’t lose you, Kendrix. I can’t.”
It knocked the air out of her.
A weird, awful chuckle tore out of him. “I know that’s not smart. I know it doesn’t fix anything.” His eyes found hers and didn’t let go. “I don’t care. You think I’m controlling?” He swallowed hard. “Maybe. You think this is emotional? Yeah. It is.”
He looked away for a second, then back. “But if I picture you with him, alone...” His voice cracked, just a little. Enough to break something in her chest. “I can’t do it.”
That got her. Because this wasn’t the strategist. This was just him being scared and not showing it.
Kendrix moved before she thought about it and took his hand, which made him looked at her in surprise.
“I don’t want to leave you either, Roberto,” she said quietly.
Roberto closed his eyes for a second like hearing that made it harder, not easier.
Then...
“Roberto!”
Skyler’s voice cracked through the hallway.
He was running, out of breath, face white as a sheet.
Kendrix’s blood went cold.
Skyler skidded to a stop, bracing his hands on his knees. “We found something.”
“What?”
He swallowed hard. “The countdown wasn’t for Kendrix.”
“What?” Kendrix gasped out.
“It’s not a meeting.” His voice shook. “It’s a live broadcast.”
Kendrix felt her stomach drop out.
Skyler looked between them, frantically. “Victor’s going to live stream Maya and Antonio’s execution. In twenty-four hours.”