Chapter 22 Adrian
T he quiet crackle of the fire fills the cabin as I make call after call later that night, weaving the threads of our escape into a network that is both impenetrable and invisible. Mia sits across from me on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, watching intently. I can tell she’s following each exchange, noting every person I call, the tone I use, the words I choose. The trust she’s giving me fills me with a fierce protectiveness, reminding me of the stakes we’re up against.
One of my calls is to an associate in Denver—a man who’s provided me with untraceable documents in the past. His talent is invaluable, and more importantly, his loyalty is bought and paid for.
“Frank,” I say when he picks up, keeping my voice low. “I need two sets of documents. New names, IDs, passports—the works. Everything clean.”
There’s a slight hesitation on the line, but then he laughs, a low, knowing sound. “I had a feeling I’d be hearing from you for something like this eventually. Who’s it for?”
I glance at Mia, who’s watching me with those steady, green eyes flecked with hazel. “Me and one other,” I reply. “Nothing that links us to Nevada or Colorado. Set us up somewhere along the East Coast. Make them look real.”
“Understood,” he says, the sound of a pen scratching against paper audible through the line. “I’ll need some basic details to make them look legit. Gender, age range, any physical characteristics you want me to match?”
“Male, mid-thirties, six-foot-two, black hair, blue eyes. And female, mid-twenties, five-six, black hair, green eyes,” I say, giving him enough details to create something authentic but vague enough to avoid detection.
“Got it. IDs from New York or maybe Florida?” he asks.
“Florida, on the water,” I decide. “And make sure the social security numbers are new and clean.”
“Consider it done,” he replies. “Give me 24 hours. I’ll have birth certificates, social security cards, driver’s licenses, and passports ready. Anything else?”
I think for a moment, then add, “Send them to Edmund Rhodes, the coroner. He’ll be making a stop by the cabin.”
Frank pauses, catching the implication of the coroner’s involvement. “Alright. I’ll coordinate with him to make sure he gets them in time before he leaves to meet you.” He lets out a low whistle. “You’re not just skipping town, are you? You’re going to disappear.”
I don’t answer, just end the call and make a note in my mind that we’re one step closer.
Next, I dial a friend who owes me more than a few favors, and though he’s not part of the family, he’s helped me stay hidden before. He answers quickly, as if he’s been waiting for a call like this.
“Bobby,” I say. “I need a vehicle. Something nondescript that won’t draw attention and is fast enough to outrun the best of them.”
“On it,” he says without hesitation. “Where’s the drop?”
“Near the base of Woodbury Hill. I’ll text you the coordinates.”
He agrees, and I know he won’t ask questions. Bobby’s loyalty is worth more than gold; he’s helped me through rough patches before, and he knows better than to dig into the reasons. The less he knows, the safer we all are.
When I finally hang up, Mia leans forward, curiosity glinting in her eyes. “What’s all that for?”
“Cover,” I say, sliding my phone back into my pocket. “We’ll have the IDs, the getaway car, and the bodies from the coroner. We’ll drive out under cover of night, leave behind two corpses burned beyond recognition, and when it’s all over, the world will think Adrian Luciana and Mia Vitale are dead.”
Her gaze sharpens, and I can see her mind piecing it all together. “But… won’t the coroner’s report need to be untraceable too?”
I nod, admiring her quick mind. “Edmund knows what to do. He’ll fill out the reports, sign off with forged identities, and ensure no DNA testing gets done. He’s handled work like this before… for me.”
She raises an eyebrow. “For you?”
“Let’s just say Edmund’s helped a few men who needed to vanish,” I reply, keeping my voice neutral. “And I paid him enough that he’s never uttered a word to anyone about it. Not even Massimo knows about this connection.”
She shifts, wrapping her arms around herself as she processes this, her face drawn in quiet contemplation. She’s trusting me with everything, with the chance of a new life and freedom. The weight of it makes me all the more determined to see this through without a single flaw.
Once I’m finished with my calls, I look over at her. The adrenaline from the planning is starting to fade, leaving a stillness between us that feels heavier than anything we’ve faced so far. She seems deep in thought, her fingers tapping lightly against her arm, as if sorting through something tangled in her mind.
“You’re quiet,” I say, shifting closer to her.
She looks up at me, her eyes flickering with an emotion I can’t quite place. “It’s… a lot to take in, Adrian. I knew my brother was ruthless, but hearing those words—his orders to have me brutally murdered—it just feels so surreal. As if I’ve been living an imaginary life, as if everyone I thought I knew never existed. As if I’m alone with nothing to ground me to who I am anymore.”
My chest tightens, and I reach for her, pulling her close to. “You’re not alone, Mia. You’ll never be alone, not as long as I’m breathing. I love you and you’ll always have me. You’re real to me. I don’t want you to feel lost anymore.”
She searches my face, her own expression softening with love, and for the first time in hours, I see a flicker of something like hope in her eyes. She gives me a tremulous smile, blinking back tears that well up in her eyes.
“I just… I feel like I’m saying goodbye to the last piece of my family,” she whispers, her voice raw. “That little girl who believed her brother would protect her, that’s the part of me that’s hardest to let go.”
I wrap my arms around her as she presses her face into my chest. I can feel her trembling, the vulnerability in her touch as if she’s clinging to the only thing she hopes won’t disappear on her.
“I know it hurts,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to her hair. “But I’m here. I’m your family now. And I promise you, Mia, you’ll never feel abandoned again.”
She looks up, her gaze laced with both sadness and gratitude. “Thank you, Adrian. I… I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that.”
I stroke her hair, feeling a fierce protectiveness well up inside me. “We’ll get through this. Together.”
She nods, closing her eyes as she takes a steadying breath. “So… what happens now?”
“We wait,” I say, my voice soft. “Tomorrow, Edmund brings the bodies. After that, it’s just a matter of setting everything in motion.”
She falls silent, and we both sit there, wrapped in each other’s warmth as the weight of the past days settles around us. I hold her a little tighter, knowing this might be one of the last moments we have in this cabin, before the lives we’ve known are erased for good.