Chapter Nineteen

Sarah's breath was shallow, her heart hammering in her chest as the weight of Adrian's words settled like a lead blanket over the room. Antonio's wound hadn't stopped bleeding, his face pale from the loss. She could hear the sound of her own pulse thudding in her ears, her body screaming at her to move, to run—yet Adrian's presence kept her frozen in place, every muscle locked in tension.

Adrian hadn't lowered the gun. His dark eyes, trained on Sarah, flickered with something cold, something far more dangerous than the metal in his hand. Marco stood beside him, arms crossed, his smirk unwavering. It was as though they both knew the ending of a story Sarah hadn't even started to read.

"Still think you can outrun this?" Adrian's voice was soft, almost gentle, but the threat beneath it was undeniable. His words stung, like the truth wrapped in barbed wire.

For a fleeting moment, Sarah thought about her father. Richard Parker had always told her that control was an illusion. You only think you're in control until someone else seizes it from you. She had never truly understood those words until now. Here, trapped between Adrian's cold gaze and Antonio's weakening grip, she realized how tightly this world had woven its threads around her. And no matter how fast she ran, the web tightened.

Antonio groaned beside her, breaking the silence. "Sarah... leave me," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "You can still get out of this. Go."

She shook her head vehemently, fighting the lump in her throat. "No, Antonio, I'm not leaving you."

Marco chuckled, the sound sharp and mocking. "Touching, really. But you're both in over your heads, Sarah. You should've known better."

Adrian took a step forward, closing the distance between them. The air between them thickened, as if the room itself held its breath. The cold barrel of the gun gleamed faintly under the dim light, a chilling reminder of how easily this could end.

But then, something in Adrian's expression shifted, a crack in his stony demeanor. He lowered the gun just slightly, his brow furrowing. "You're not thinking, Sarah," he said quietly, almost as if he was reasoning with her. "This isn't just about me. You've crossed a line you can't uncross."

A flicker of confusion crossed her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

Adrian didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze shifted to Marco, who gave him a curt nod. The tension between the two men was palpable, as if something unsaid had passed between them. Something bigger than whatever conflict Sarah had thought she understood.

The room seemed to tilt slightly as Adrian pocketed the gun, his movements slow, deliberate. "You thought it was just about power, didn't you?" he asked, his voice filled with a strange, bitter humor. "But there are things at play here you have no idea about."

Before Sarah could respond, a sudden crash echoed from somewhere beyond the door. The sound was jarring, shattering the fragile balance of the room. Marco straightened, his expression hardening instantly, his smirk vanishing.

"Adrian?" Marco's voice was sharp, laced with alarm.

Adrian's eyes flicked toward the door, his hand instinctively moving toward his jacket again, but before he could draw the gun, the door burst open. A figure staggered in—one of Adrian's men, covered in blood, barely able to stand. He collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath, as a shadow loomed behind him.

Adrian's face tightened. "What the—"

Another man stepped into the room, his silhouette cold and imposing. The light caught his face, and Sarah felt a jolt of recognition. It was Damian Rossi—one of the most feared enforcers in the underworld, a name whispered with both reverence and terror. He was a man who operated in the shadows, striking deals that sealed fates before anyone even knew they were in danger.

Adrian's composure cracked ever so slightly. "Damian. You weren't supposed to be here."

Rossi smiled, but it was the kind of smile that made Sarah's skin crawl. "Plans change, DeLuca," he said, his voice smooth, as if he had all the time in the world. His eyes scanned the room, lingering on Sarah and Antonio, before settling back on Adrian. "You always did underestimate how quickly things can shift."

The weight of the situation crashed down on Sarah. This wasn't just a feud between Adrian and her father anymore. It was something larger, more dangerous—something that had now spiraled completely out of her control.

"I see you've been busy," Rossi remarked, his gaze sliding to Marco. "And here I thought you were one of the smart ones."

Marco bristled but remained silent, his eyes flicking between Adrian and Rossi, assessing the danger.

"Whatever you're planning, it won't work," Adrian said, his voice steely, though Sarah could sense the underlying tension. "You've always been too eager, Rossi. It's going to get you killed one day."

Rossi chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Maybe. But not today." He took another step forward, his men filling the doorway behind him like shadows.

Adrian's jaw clenched, his hand tightening on the gun beneath his jacket. Sarah could feel the storm gathering, the moment of calm before it would all erupt into chaos.

"You should have left when you had the chance," Adrian murmured, his voice low, almost regretful, as his eyes flicked back to Sarah.

Before she could respond, Rossi's voice cut through the tension once more. "It's simple, DeLuca. You've been outplayed. So now, you're going to have to make a choice."

A cold silence followed, thick and oppressive, as Adrian's eyes met Rossi's with a dangerous gleam. But before either man could speak again, the faint sound of sirens pierced the air—growing louder, closer.

Rossi's smile faltered ever so slightly. "Looks like time's running out," he said, his voice edged with impatience. "What's it going to be?"

Adrian's face hardened as he took a step back, his gaze lingering on Sarah for one final moment. Then, without a word, he nodded toward Marco.

"Get them out of here," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but laced with an urgency that sent a chill down Sarah's spine.

Marco moved toward her, grabbing Antonio's arm roughly as he hauled him to his feet.

And just like that, the moment shattered.