19. Chapter Nineteen Tristan
The leather of the steering wheel groaned under my white-knuckled grip as I sped through the city streets. Kieran sat shotgun, his dark hair a stark contrast against the gray fabric of the car interior. The silence between us was heavy, laden with the tension of unanswered questions and unspoken fears.
“So…maybe it’s time I bring this up. You know that Killian has been playing us,” Kieran finally broke the silence, his voice low and grim. “He’s taking orders, but they ain’t from any of us.”
“How can you be thinking of that right now?” I asked, my heart in my stomach.
“Because I think this is related to Silvio Orsini,” he said, looking out the window. “Tristan, I…look, I know I should have told you earlier. I had my suspicions. I just wanted to make sure.”
“Damn it!” I slammed my fist against the dashboard. My heart hammered in my chest like a frantic drumbeat, each thud echoing my growing frustration. “The Rossis?”
“I mean, no,” Kieran said. “They’re related to this, but I’m pretty sure he’s taking orders from Silvio himself.”
“Great, just what we need.” Sarcasm dripped from my words like acid. I felt anger boiling inside me, a seething cauldron ready to spill over. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”
We pulled up to the Orsini owned strip club, the neon lights flickering like mocking laughter against the twilight sky. I didn’t bother with subtlety; subtlety wasn’t a luxury I could afford, not with Adriana’s safety hanging by a thread.
The club was a cacophony of sound and movement, a blur of bodies and beats that assaulted the senses. But my eyes cut through the chaos, locking onto Killian the moment he came into view.
Fucking lucky.
First Orsini location we’d searched to find Adriana and Killian was already here.
He was leaning against the bar, looking too damn comfortable for someone who should have been checking in with me.
“Tristan, wait—“ Kieran reached out, but I shrugged him off, propelled forward by a single-minded rage.
“Killian!” His name was a bullet shot from my lips as I stormed towards him, my hands already curling into fists at my sides.
“Aye, boss, what’s—“
I didn’t let him finish. Grabbing him by the collar, I slammed him back against the wall, the impact resonating through the thrumming bass of the music. His shock was evident, his eyes wide and questioning.
He didn’t fight back. He knew better than to fight back.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” My words were a snarl, my face inches from his. “You’re supposed to be reporting to me.”
“Tristan, I—“ Killian started, confusion etched onto his face, but I wasn’t interested in excuses.
“Save it.” I pushed away from him, the anger in my veins turning cold and calculating. I had no time for traitors or lies—not when every second counted.
“Boss,” Killian said, his voice surprisingly steady. “Let’s talk.”
Killian’s plea cut through the haze of my fury, snatching at my attention as I was about to deliver a punishing blow. His face was already bruising from where I had him pinned against the wall, a mixture of fear and determination in his eyes.
“Fine,” I spat out, grabbing his arm with a vice-like grip. “We’ll talk.”
I dragged him towards the men’s bathroom, away from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. The club was certainly busy but we had attracted some attention and that was the last thing I wanted. As far as everyone knew, things were great with the Orsinis and the Callahans.
That’s why I had to take him somewhere more private.
Slamming the door shut behind us, I shoved him in front of the grimy sink, his reflection a battered echo in the cracked mirror.
“Start talking,” I demanded, arms folded across my chest as I leaned back against the closed door. My heart was still pounding in my ears, the need for answers gnawing at me like a caged animal.
“I’m here on Liam’s orders,” Killian blurted out, steadying himself against the sink. “He said we needed to check every single known Orsini property, said it was urgent.”
That was what I had told my brother to do. Twenty minutes before we’d left the property. Killian lived on the other side of the city, so how had he gotten to this Orsini strip club so damn fast?
I watched him closely, searching his face for any hint of deceit. Something about his story just didn’t sit right with me. “You expect me to believe that? You got here too damn quickly.”
Killian’s eyes met mine in the mirror, desperation clear in their depths. “It’s the truth, boss. I swear it.”
I studied him for a moment longer, weighing my options. Letting him go could be a mistake, but if he was telling the truth, I couldn’t waste time on him when Adriana was still missing.
This…beating up one of my closest friends because he might be lying…I didn’t like that at all. It didn’t feel good.
But I couldn’t deal with it right then.
“Get out of here,” I finally said, stepping aside to let him pass. “But if I find out you’re lying, there won’t be anywhere safe for you. Understand?”
“Understood,” Killian muttered, not meeting my gaze as he hurried out of the bathroom.
I lingered for a moment, letting the coolness of the tiled wall seep into my skin, trying to calm the storm within me. I didn’t trust Killian, not by a long shot, but I had bigger fish to fry. Pushing off from the wall, I stepped out into the club once more, scanning the crowd with a predator’s gaze.
Kieran was waiting for me outside the bathroom. “Anything?”
I shook my head. “Let’s move,” I said to Kieran, who nodded silently, recognizing the tension in my jaw.
As we exited the club, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t adding up. I looked back at Killian as he disappeared into the throng of people in the strip club. Whatever game he was playing, I’d be ready for it. But first, I needed to find Adriana. Nothing else mattered.
Just getting to the car felt like it took forever. The car door slammed with a finality that echoed my resolve. I felt the leather of the steering wheel beneath my grip, the familiar sensation grounding me as I fired up the engine. Kieran slid into the passenger seat, oddly silent for how much he liked to talk.
“So how did that go?”
“Shut up, Kieran,” I said, punching Adriana’s number into my phone again as the bluetooth display on my dashboard came on. “Come on, Ade.”
The screen reflected back the desperate hope in my eyes. It rang and rang, each tone a hammer against my patience. And then, finally, a click.
“Hello?” A woman’s voice, not Adriana’s. My heart sank and then raced with a different kind of panic.
“Who is this?” I was pulling away from the strip club, already driving to the next Orsini location.
“Reception at the Grand Palazzo. We found this phone after last night’s event.”
“Damn it,” I spat out. The masquerade ball—a sea of masks and secrets. Of course, her phone would end up lost in that chaos. “This is Tristan Callahan. When did you find it?”
“This morning,” she said. “Along with Miss Orsini’s other belongings. Would you like to pick them up?”
“Yes, keep everything at the desk. I’ll pick it up,” I said.
“Of course, Mr. Callahan.”
I ended the call, tossed the phone onto the dash, and hit the gas. I needed to get there as soon as possible. We were moving quickly again, heading toward the next Orsini property. The butcher shop was likely another dead end, but I couldn’t afford to leave any stone unturned.
Kieran shifted beside me, his presence a silent comfort. Despite our differences, in moments like these, there was no one else I’d rather have at my back.
The city blurred past us, a landscape of uncertainty that mirrored my thoughts. I needed a lead, some sign of where they might be keeping her. I—The phone rang, cutting through the haze of my thoughts. I snatched it up, recognizing Carmen’s number immediately.
“Tristan,” her voice came through, tense but urgent. “I’ve found something you need to see. An address for a beach house…Dad didn’t have it on any records. I was just like, snooping on his computer. Hoping to find something.”
“You think this is it?” Kieran asked.
“He has other properties here, but this is the only one close to Boston,” Carmen replied. “I think it’s worth a shot.”
Her words punched through the fog of frustration clouding my mind. “Where?”
“Sending you the pin now. Be careful, Tristan. This place—I don’t think it’s just any house.” Her warning hung in the air between us, heavy with implications I didn’t have time to consider.
“Thanks, Carmen,” I said, though I wasn’t sure gratitude was what I felt. Another piece of the puzzle, perhaps, or another step into the lion’s den. The pin dropped onto my map, a beacon pulling us toward an unknown fate.
We didn’t speak as we left the city behind, the road taking us closer to the coast. Each mile put distance between us and the safety of known territory. I could feel the ocean’s pull, its vastness a mirror to the chasm of uncertainty that yawned open with every passing second.
“Are you sure about this?” Kieran finally broke the silence, his voice low.
“I’m not leaving her in Silvio Orsini’s hands any longer than I have to.”
“Okay,” Kieran said. “Alright. Let’s get her back.”
As we drove on, the sun began its ascent, casting shadows over the road. I didn’t know what we’d find at the beach house, but I knew one thing for certain—I wouldn’t stop until Adriana was safe.
It didn’t take long to find it.
The property loomed ahead, a silhouette against the cloudy sky. My stomach twisted as I took in the sight of the house perched like a vulture on the rocky cliff, its stilts sinking into the jagged earth as if claiming its territory. I’d never been here before, but it radiated an aura of impenetrability.
No.
Not an aura.
This place was a fortress.
Silvio knew exactly what he was doing.
I parked right in front of it, taking the car out of gear and killing the engine. “Stay here,” I told my brother.
“Tristan, think this through,” Kieran’s voice cut through my focus, a hint of caution in his tone. “Do you really want to charge in there?”
“I don’t give a fuck about what I want,” I spat out, my gaze locked on the barrier blocking the stairs. It was clear; no one was meant to pass. Jumping the railing wasn’t an option; it stood too tall, mocking my desperation with its cold iron grin. There was only one way left for me to get up there.
We watched the waves lap at the house. Fall had turned to winter and the tide was coming in. Somewhere in the distance, a warning buoy clanged mournfully against the rising wind. Winter in Boston meant frigid tides and treacherous undercurrents, a formidable adversary for all but the most seasoned of seafarers. But this was no ordinary storm; on the horizon, dark clouds billowed ominously, signaling an impending nor’easter.
As I looked at the frothing ocean and back at the fortress-like house, my mind raced to piece together a plan. The house seemed to jeer back at me with its oppressive aura and the waves crashing at its base—each one higher than before—were like a time clock ticking down relentlessly.
I opened my car door against the gusts of wind threatening to take it off its hinges. Salty sea spray hit my face, stinging my eyes. I squinted at the house again, challenging it silently. My eyes traced its walls and windows, landing on a balcony jutting out from what looked to be the second floor. It was a long shot, but it was the only chance I had.
“Gimme your jacket,” I demanded, holding out my hand to Kieran without breaking my gaze from the house. He complied, tossing me his thick leather coat. I shrugged it on, relishing the small comfort against the chilly wind.
“You’re going up there, aren’t you?” Kieran asked, his voice full of quiet resignation.
“There’s no other way,” I said, my words barely audible over the crash and roar of the waves.
“Do you want me to come with--”
“No,” I cut him off, turning to lock eyes with him. “I need you here.”
“Tristan, you could die.”
“I’m not planning on it,” I replied.
“Oh, good. Because your plans always go well,” he said.
“Adriana is up there,” I said, more to myself than to him. The conviction in my voice felt like a shield against the danger that awaited me.
“Or she’s not, and this is a wild-goose chase.” Kieran was out of the car suddenly. He grabbed my arm, trying to anchor me to reason. “Carmen could be wrong.”
I yanked my arm away, feeling the surge of adrenaline overpower any sense of self-preservation. “She wouldn’t send us here if she didn’t believe Adriana was in that house.” My words were a growl, the beast of urgency clawing at my insides.
“Fuck’s sake. We can’t lose you like we lost Dad.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ll be okay.”
And just as I said that, a wave crashed into shore and the sky darkened even more.