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“Come on, Callahans,” Nick taunted, his voice laced with venom. “Let’s dance.”
There was no chance to take him up on that offer. Gio was on me first, and somehow, I managed to wrestle his gun out of his hands. Kieran joined in, while Liam and Sean covered our backs, firing shots that sent echos ricocheting through the empty streets.
Kieran managed to pry Gio off my back, but only just barely–Gio landed a punch on his face hard enough to make Kieran dizzy, and then I was the one looking for where my gun was.
The sound of our breaths was harsh in my ears, a stark contrast to the silence that followed the ringing of gunshots. My heart pounded against my ribs like it was trying to escape the mayhem I had thrown us into. Every fiber of my being screamed to end this quickly, to rush back to Adriana, her and our unborn children becoming the drumbeat to which I fought.
Gio, now unconcerned with Kieran, had disappeared somewhere.
“Tristan, watch out!” Kieran’s warning cut through the fog of violence as Nick swung at me with a crowbar. Instinct took over, and I ducked, feeling the rush of air as the metal whistled above my head. My fist connected with his gut, a desperate reminder that I was not just fighting for my life but for the future of my family.
I could feel the weight of responsibility crushing down on me with every punch I threw. I was the shield for my brothers, for Adriana, for the tiny hearts that hadn’t even taken their first breaths. The thought fueled me, turned my blood into fire, and my moves into lethal strokes of defiance.
“Stay together,” I called out, pushing through the pain that threatened to overshadow my resolve. We moved back to back, a unit forged by blood and loyalty. Liam’s eyes met mine, young but fierce, and in that moment, I knew he understood the gravity of our legacy, the price of the crown we bore.
Our enemies were relentless, but so were we. Each step was calculated, each blow delivered with the precision of men who knew too well the stakes of this game. The Callahans didn’t falter; we couldn’t afford to. Not when every second could mean the difference between life and death, between victory and defeat.
Someone fired a shot.
Sean, I think.
Toward the warehouse, toward the car.
“I have another bomb, assholes!” Sean screamed. It was a lie, but we were all out of breath, and I didn’t love that Liam was here, so I appreciate it all the same.
The Rossis were scared, and in the midst of chaos, slipped away like shadows fleeing from the light. I cursed under my breath, anger boiling in my veins as I watched them disappear. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. I kicked at the gravel, my movements brimming with fury, the bitter taste of unfinished business lingering on my tongue.
“Damn it!” I spat out as I made my way back to the car. The tires were flat, useless—much like how I felt in that instant. My hands trembled with a cocktail of adrenaline and rage as I grabbed the few crates the Rossis had been taking out of the warehouse, sure that they would lead us to something useful. I stacked them with more force than necessary as I looked at my brothers. “You two okay?”
“Just a scratch,” Kieran said, rubbing his face where Gio had punched him.
“My ears are ringing,” Liam replied, then gave me a toothy smile. “Great, other than that.”
Fuck. He was so young. I felt a pang of guilt as I looked at him.
Around me, my brothers nursed their wounds, weariness etched into their faces. We were all marked by battle, but it was the unseen scars that would haunt us—the knowledge of what could have been lost tonight.
My phone vibrated, jarring me from my thoughts. Killian’s voice was tense on the other end. “Tristan, something’s off. The Rossis are clearing out the pub.”
My heart dropped.
If this meant what I thought it meant…we’d found our rat.
And it just happened to be a man I loved.
I told myself to get a grip.
“Keep an eye on it,” I instructed, my voice steady, my mind already racing with possibilities. If Nick thought he could outsmart us, he had another thing coming. If he had one of my closest friends in his pocket, then they would both find out the hard way that you never double crossed the head of the Callahan family.
We were down, but far from out. And as long as there was breath in my lungs, I would fight for those I loved.
And whoever stood in my way would pay the price.
Chapter Eleven: Adriana
The early morning light hadn’t yet chased away the shadows of the night when I heard the door to the bedroom creak open. My eyes snapped to the clock—it was far too early for Tristan to be home. Or late.
Fuck, I didn’t know. Whatever it was, it was terrible. Something twisted in my stomach, a mix of worry and relief, as I sat up in bed.
