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“So another person broke in,” Adriana said, her voice practically breaking.
“Right,” I said. “And I think we might be in serious danger.”
Chapter Thirty: Adriana
The air felt different, charged with an ominous electricity as Tristan and I moved through the dark corridors of the Callahan estate. He still had his hand in mine as he pulled me away from the study.
The silence was a thick blanket, smothering any sense of safety. I knew better than to let my guard down; this place was a fortress, yet somehow, impossibly, there had been a breach.
“Stay close,” Tristan murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes darted around the shadowed hallways, the blue in them almost swallowed by the encroaching darkness. I could feel tension radiating from him, a rigid line of worry that connected us as he held my hand with a firm grip.
I didn’t need telling twice. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat screaming a reminder that we were trapped, and not even the walls of the Callahan stronghold could guarantee our safety.
“Tristan, are you sure?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite my racing thoughts.
“No, but I think someone’s here,” he said, his words clipped and short. “We’re not alone.”
Before I could press for details, about how he knew this from just a smashed window, he tugged me back toward the study, where the rest of the family should have been hashing out the mundane details of estate planning—anything but dealing with intruders.
We burst into the room, my breath catching as we interrupted the heated exchange amongst Kieran, Liam, Carmen, and the lawyer, whose name I didn’t know. They stood scattered, their argument halting abruptly at the sight of us, the tension of their words now paling in comparison to the urgency in Tristan’s face.
“Everyone, listen up,” Tristan commanded, his voice low but carrying an edge that sliced through the confusion. “We’ve got a serious problem. There’s been a security breach.”
Kieran’s expression darkened, his natural aloofness giving way to a sharp alertness. Liam’s youthful features tightened, the gravity of the situation etching lines of concern across his forehead. Carmen’s fiery hair seemed to bristle with her rising alarm, and even the lawyer clenched his jaw in silent understanding.
“Are we sure it’s not just a false alarm?” Carmen asked, her voice betraying no hint of the fear I knew she felt.
“Positive,” Tristan replied, his gaze never leaving mine. “We need to be ready to defend ourselves.”
Panic fluttered in my stomach, a stark reminder of the danger we faced. But there was no time for fear. Not now. Not when every decision could mean the difference between life and death. With Tristan leading, we prepared to face whatever—or whoever—threatened the fragile peace of the Callahan empire.
Liam paced back and forth, a restless energy about him that was as wild as his reputation suggested. He stopped abruptly and turned toward the sleek panel on the wall, his fingers flying over the touchscreen.
“Come on, come on...” he muttered under his breath, frustration mounting when the screen remained unresponsive.
“Anything?” I asked, watching as he jabbed at the display with increasing irritation.
“Nothing. It’s like we’re completely cut off,” Liam said, shaking his head. “I’ll call Alan; he’s patrolling the perimeter tonight.”
He whipped out his phone and dialed. The call rang through the tense room, each tone echoing like a countdown. But there was no answer, only the hollow sound of a call going to voicemail.
“Damn it!” Liam cursed, throwing his phone onto the couch. His young face was etched with worry, the carefree attitude gone as if it had never been.
“Alan’s not picking up,” he reported, looking from one anxious face to another. “Something’s very wrong.”
“Okay, no time to waste.” Tristan stepped forward, his blue eyes hardening with resolve. “Kieran, we’re up.”
“Adriana, Carmen, stay in the study with Liam and Mr. Diamond,” Tristan instructed, his voice carrying the weight of a leader accustomed to giving orders. “Kieran and I will handle this.”
I felt my heart clench at the thought of him walking into danger. “Tristan, let me come with you,” I pleaded, my eyes searching his for any sign of him giving in.
He almost laughed. “No,” he said. “It’s safer for you here. We can’t risk anything happening to you or the twins.”
The protectiveness in his voice would’ve warmed me if the circumstances were different. Instead, I suppressed the urge to argue further, knowing that challenging him now would only waste precious time.
Carmen’s hand found mine, and I glanced at her, seeing my own fear mirrored in her eyes. Yet, she gave me a reassuring squeeze, silently conveying her trust in the Callahan men to handle the situation, despite how she clearly felt about them.
Tristan’s broad back, a symbol of unwavering strength, vanished from sight, leaving behind a heavy silence that echoed the gravity of our situation. The door closed with a definitive click, sending a shiver down my spine. I felt a knot tighten in my chest as I glanced at Carmen.
