AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There was an unsettling air of quiet that seemed to cling to the old stonework, a resounding silence that was only broken by the bursts of wind rustling the dead leaves.
“This place is even more creepy during the dead winter.”
Tristan nodded. “Yeah, you’re telling me,” he said before he stepped out of the car to walk around and help me out.
As we walked up the steps, our footfalls echoed off the cobblestones. The grandeur of the mansion never failed to impress me. It stood as a testament to Malachy’s machinations for wealth and power, but it was more than that. It was a physical symbol of the blood-soaked legacy we were stepping into — a legacy our children would one day inherit. Inside, it was warm and quiet. Eerily so. Our footsteps were muffled by plush carpeting as we moved through high-ceilinged rooms.
We arrived at a pair of double doors that led to the downstairs study, and Tristan paused, looking down at me with an unreadable expression in his eyes. He reached for one of the ornate brass handles, his hand shaking slightly. I could see the weight of our situation etching lines deeper into his face. It was a potent reminder that we were not just playing house—we were about to shape lives and futures.
With a deep breath and a squeeze of my hand, Tristan pushed open the doors. The warmth and light of the room spilled out into the hallway. The sight that greeted us stole my breath away.
Liam was sitting on the edge of the sofa, playing with his phone. Kieran and the lawyer, a man in his fifties, were talking quietly to each other. And right there, sitting next to him, was my fucking sister.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Tristan
When I saw Carmen Orsini sitting in my father’s old settee, a surge of anger coursed through me. She was the last person I expected, or wanted, to see. But despite the confusion and adrenaline pumping through my veins, I held my tongue, keeping my arms crossed tightly over my chest as I sized her up.
“You’ve got some nerve showing up here,” I finally said, words measured but laced with enough venom to make their meaning crystal clear. Carmen simply shrugged, unaffected by my hostility.
“Really? After I helped you rescue my sister?” Carmen asked.
I held back the urge to tell her to get out. “This is Callahan business. You would do well to stay out of it.”
“Can it, Tristan. I’m here for Adriana,” she replied coolly. Her fiery hair seemed unnaturally bright against the somber backdrop of the downstairs study. I shot a glance at Kieran, his dark eyes giving away his own discomfort about our unexpected guest. Liam, on the other hand, seemed more amused than anything else.
“You could’ve called me,” Adriana said.
Carmen shook her head. “Yeah, I have a feeling you would’ve tried to talk to me out of it. Are you okay?”
“I’ve had better weekends,” Adriana said. “Are you? Did you know?”
“I didn’t know he would go that far,” Carmen replied. “But there’s a lot I’ve been keeping from you and…I don’t know. I’m sorry, kid. I really am.”
My eyes flicked to Adriana, her face paling slightly as she tightened her grip on my hand. For a second, she looked like she was going to burst into tears.
“I didn’t need you busting in here like you own the place, Carmen,” I growled. I only vaguely knew her, and right now, her audacity was grating on my last nerve.
“Tristan...” Adriana began, but I held up a hand, silencing her.
“No, Adriana. She doesn’t get to just show up unannounced and expect us to roll out the red carpet for her,” I snapped. I knew my anger was misdirected - it wasn’t Carmen’s fault that our lives were suddenly spiraling out of control - but it felt good to have a tangible target for my frustrations.
Carmen raised an eyebrow at me, a slow smile seeping across her lips. “I don’t want your red carpet, Callahan,” she retorted sharply. “Like I said. I’m not here for you.”
In spite of my simmering anger, I forced myself to sit down after helping Adriana down. The last thing I needed was to make Ade more upset. I watched Carmen, her green eyes defiant and full of fire. A striking contrast against the dull blue of the family portrait hanging on the wall behind her - my father’s stern gaze seemed to bore into me.
“Then why are you here, Carmen?” I finally asked, keeping my voice steady. It was a simple question, but it hung heavy in the air between us.
“I’m here for my sister,” Carmen continued, shifting in her seat. She was wearing a fitted green dress that highlighted her red hair, making her stand out against the dark leather of the sofa. “For my niece or nephew,” she added with a pointed look at Adriana’s stomach. There was a beat of silence before she continued. “To make sure they get what they’re owed.”
Her words hung in the air like the unspoken threat they were. She might as well have slapped me; I felt my temper flare. Did she think I would abandon Adriana and our children? That I’d leave them with nothing?
“Is that what you think of me?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous.
“I don’t think about you at all, Tristan.”
My jaw tightened, grinding my teeth together. “Then you’re not paying enough attention,” I shot back, my temper flaring. Carmen simply offered me a cold smile, her green eyes flashing with defiance. Before I could say anything else, Adriana’s hand slipped into mine. Her touch was gentle, calming—but also a reminder that I probably shouldn’t lose my shit in front of her sister.
“Words are cheap, Callahan. My sister isn’t herself and she needs someone in her corner. We need to talk about wills, inheritances. Your children will be Callahans, and you keep delaying the wedding. You can understand how this looks from our perspective.”
