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Ah, yes. The reason we were here in the first place.
I met her gaze squarely, the weight of her question anchoring me to reality. The Callahans didn’t get trapped. But here I was, no plan, no clear path forward, just raw truth between us.
“Honestly, Ade,” I said as I stood up, my legs shaky. “I have no fucking idea.”
Chapter Twenty-Three: Tristan
The silence was a heavy blanket, smothering the room. I lay there on my back, staring at the ceiling of the house on stilts. Now that we’d finished having incredible sex and Adriana was putting her clothes on next to me, I realized there was something I should have done before any of this.
“You have other clothes?” I asked as I looked down at the wet silk gown, even though she clearly did.
“Yeah. I guess my Dad must have left some here.”
“Right. Nice of him.”
She raised her eyebrows, saying nothing.
My phone, on Do Not Disturb, mocked me from the pocket of my jeans tossed carelessly on the floor. I reached over, plucking it out, and the missed calls lit up the screen like a Christmas tree—too many from Kieran, a couple from Carmen. A twist of guilt gnawed at me, but my focus was on Adriana, sitting on the edge of the bed, her movements steady as she dressed.
“Damn,” I muttered to myself, thumbing off the DND setting. Adriana’s eyes met mine, sharp and questioning, but I only offered her a rueful half-smile before hitting Kieran’s number. There was no avoiding the conversation now.
“Tristan? Are you okay?” Kieran’s voice crackled through the speaker, laced with frustration and concern.
“Safe,” I said curtly. “Adriana’s here. She’s alive.”
“Alive?” He paused, his relief palpable even through the static. “And unharmed?”
“Seems so.” I glanced at Adriana, who was smoothing down her shirt over her baby bump—a simple motion that somehow spoke volumes about her resilience. “But we’ve got another problem. This storm’s done its worst, and now we’re stuck in this damn beach house. Can’t exactly scale down the stilts with her in tow. I don’t want to risk her safety or the twins’.”
“Then get her out the normal way, Tristan. What’s stopping you?”
I scowled as I remembered the wrought iron fence guarding the stairs, its presence an unwelcome reminder of our captivity. “Thinking about dragging her downstairs and kicking that fence in so we can leave. It’s either that or we sit here waiting for the ocean to take us.”
“Kick it in, then,” he said, his tone all business now. “And fast. You don’t know how long you’ve got before Silvio comes looking for her.”
“Right.” I almost ended the call, my mind already racing through the motions of escape. Adriana watched me, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and uncertainty. But there was no time for hesitation. We had to move—and move now.
“Wait,” Kieran said. “On second thought, don’t kick it down. You might not be able to and it’s daylight. I wouldn’t be surprised if Orsini has eyes everywhere. You might have gotten away with it because you did something insane by going up the cliffside, but there are probably cameras pointed right at those stairs.”
My hand tightened around the phone as a curse left my lips, softer than the sigh of the wind outside. Adriana was silent beside me, her gaze locked on the horizon where the storm had raged just hours before. The idea of Silvio Orsini’s men out there, waiting for us to make a move, set an edge of annoyance in my chest.
“Then what? We sit here like ducks waiting for the hunt?” I shot back, pacing across the worn floorboards.
“Tristan, think. If Silvio comes back—“
“Maybe we wait for him,” I interrupted, an idea forming like a spark ready to ignite. “Wait for Silvio to waltz back in here so I can put a bullet between his eyes. Then we walk out free.”
Adriana’s sharp intake of breath drew my attention. Her dark eyes met mine, a tumult of conflict swirling within them. “No,” she said, her voice carrying a weight that tugged at something inside of me. “You can’t kill him. He’s my father. Despite...everything...I love him. If he took me, it’s because he’s got no other choice.”
I could see the struggle in her, the clash of loyalty and fear battling in her expression. A part of me wanted to lash out against her naivety. It was so odd because of how she’d been raised, and yet it was one of my favorite things about her, this drive to give people the benefit of the doubt no matter what; another part of me, strangely protective, wanted to shield her from the harsh realities of our world. But neither side would help us escape this precarious perch above the churning sea.
“Your dad or not, Adriana, we can’t stay here.” My voice softened without permission. “We need a way out. You understand?”
She nodded, her resolve hardening once more, and I turned away to hide the conflict raging within me. Kieran remained silent on the other end of the line, and I knew we were running out of time. With every tick of the clock, Silvio’s return loomed closer.
“Alright, Kieran,” I said, gripping the phone tighter. “We need a plan—and fast. Ade, finish getting ready.”
The room felt like a cage made of old wood and salt air. She was putting on her slippers, it was better than going out in the cold barefoot. Her words about Silvio echoed in my head, gnawing at me. Love for family—it was something deep, twisted up with duty and blood. I couldn’t fault her for it, but damn if it didn’t make this mess thicker.
