Chapter Fifteen

Sarah's heart thudded in her chest, the sound of it drowning out everything else in the room. The cold gleam of Nico's gun caught the dim light, reflecting a deadly promise that sent chills down her spine. Antonio lay motionless at Nico's feet, his breaths shallow, his body battered but alive. Barely.

Her mind raced. This wasn't part of the plan—whatever fragile plan she thought she had. She had come to save Antonio, but now Nico had cornered her in a game she wasn't sure she could win. Her throat was dry, her palms slick with sweat, but she couldn't show weakness. Not in front of Nico.

"I didn't come here to make any decisions," Sarah said, her voice steady but low. "I came to finish what Adrian started."

Nico's eyebrow raised, his lips curving into a humorless smile. "And what exactly do you think Adrian started, Sarah? You think this is about your father? Or about saving Antonio?" He chuckled, the sound dark and sharp like broken glass. "You're in way over your head."

She flinched at the laughter, but she held her ground. "I know exactly where I stand," she said, her gaze flicking to Antonio before snapping back to Nico. "And I know Adrian won't be happy if you take things too far."

Nico's smile vanished, replaced by a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You think you can bluff your way out of this? Adrian won't protect you forever. He likes to see how far people will go for him before he discards them. And you—" he pointed the gun at Antonio, "—you've already proven you're willing to cross lines. But how far are you willing to go, Sarah?"

The gun hovered in the air between them, heavy with its implied threat. Sarah's breath caught in her throat. She had no way of knowing if Nico was bluffing or if he was truly about to end Antonio's life. But she couldn't afford to doubt herself now.

Her voice was ice-cold when she responded, her words laced with quiet resolve. "If you pull that trigger, Adrian will know. And we both know how that will end."

Nico's eyes narrowed, the silence between them stretching like a taut wire. "You've learned to play the game, haven't you?" he said softly, almost admiringly. "But don't forget, Sarah—there are consequences to every move. You think Adrian cares about you, about anyone in this room? We're all expendable to him. Even you."

She swallowed the knot in her throat, her mind spinning as Nico's words echoed in the room. A flicker of doubt crept into her chest. Was Nico right? Was she just another pawn in Adrian's larger game? She had always thought there was something more, some reason Adrian had kept her alive this long, but maybe she had been fooling herself all along.

"Maybe I am expendable," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But if that's true, then what does that make you?"

For a moment, something shifted in Nico's expression—just a flicker of uncertainty. And in that split second, Sarah saw her chance.

Without thinking, she moved. Her hand shot forward, knocking the gun out of Nico's grip. It clattered to the ground, spinning across the floor with a metallic scrape. Nico's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could react, Sarah shoved him back with all the strength she could muster.

He stumbled, momentarily off balance, and Sarah seized the moment. She lunged toward Antonio, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the door. But Nico recovered quickly, his hand shooting out to grab her wrist. His grip was iron, unyielding.

"You really think you can escape this?" he hissed, his voice low and venomous.

"I don't need to escape," she shot back, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I just need to survive."

For a moment, they were locked in a deadly stalemate, neither willing to give an inch. But then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway, and Nico's grip loosened just enough for Sarah to wrench her wrist free.

She grabbed Antonio again, dragging him toward the door. Just as they reached the threshold, Nico's voice stopped her cold.

"You're walking a thin line, Sarah," he called after her, his voice low and dangerous. "And sooner or later, it's going to snap."

She didn't look back, didn't dare acknowledge the warning. Instead, she pulled Antonio through the door and into the hallway beyond, her heart pounding in her chest like a war drum.

As they fled down the corridor, Sarah's mind raced. She had bought them time, but for how long? Nico wasn't finished with her, and neither was Adrian. And now, with Antonio barely conscious beside her, she knew the true cost of the choices she had made.

The world outside was waiting. And somewhere, in the shadows, Adrian was waiting too.