Adrian's POV
I watch her, standing there in the middle of the warehouse, her arms crossed like she's ready to fight me off. There's that fire in her eyes again, the one I never could resist. She's here, and that's enough. Even though she doesn't know it yet, she's already lost. I've won this game before it even began.
"Right on time," I said my voice smooth as I step out of the shadows. She turned to face me, trying to keep that resistance alive. But I could see the flicker of fear. She should be afraid. Not of me. No, Lyra was never afraid of me. But of the truth. The truth I'm about to lay on her.
"I'm not here to play games, Adrian," she snapped sharper than it needs to be. It's how she shields herself, with anger. "You said we needed to talk."
I smirk, stepping closer, watching her try to hold her ground. She's good at pretending she's in control. She hadn't figure out that she never really had any control. This is always how it always starts. I push, and she resists, but eventually, she bends.
I stop a few feet in front of her. " I think you know this is about more than just talking,it always was."
She raised her chin, that stubborn pride flaring up. God, she's gorgeous when she's like this. Angry, fierce. I can see why Leo's drawn to her. But unlike him, I know how to break her down, to find that sweet spot between her fire and fear.
" You wanted answers,so I'll give them to you." I took a slow breath,my eyes locking on hers. " You need to know why this won't end. Why Leo can't protect you."
She stiffned at his name, just as I had expected. That idiot has no idea, how deep this goes. He thinks it's about power, territory, money. But it's not."
"It's more than just you and me, Lyra.more than Leo," I said, my voice lower. " This isn't just about control and territory. It's about a Debt. One that was sealed long before you or I ever had a say in it."
She frowns, taking a half-step back, the first sign of hesitation breaking through her defenses. "What the hell are you talking about?"
I let out a low chuckle. "You don't know, do you? Of course, you don't. Your family made sure you stayed out of it, kept you in the dark. But this... this blood debt? It's the reason none of us are free."
Her confusion deepens, but she doesn't look away. That's what I always loved about her. she never runs from the truth, no matter how brutal it is.
"Your father. Mine. Leo's family. They're all tied to the same curse. The same bloodline. The rivalry? The killings? It's more than business, more than revenge. It's about a debt that was never settled. a promise made generations ago. One that binds us all together."
I took another step closer, and this time, she doesn't back away. She's too focused on my words, trying to piece it together. "Our families... they owe each other. In blood. It's why everything we do circles back to this. It's why you're caught between us."
"I... I don't understand," she whispered, and I could see cracks forming.
I smiled, reaching out to brush a strand of her hair from her face. She flinched but didn't move. "It's not just money, Lyra. It's blood. Your family owes mine. Mine owes Leo's. And we all something to the dead. We're all trapped in this cycle. There's no escaping it."
Her eyes widened, the realization creeping in. "But why me? Why now?"
I laughed. "Because you're the last piece of this fucked-up puzzle. You think it's about who owns the city? It's about who owns you, Lyra. Who owns your fate. Your father tried to protect you, keep you out of it, but all he did was delay the inevitable. The blood debt comes due, and you're the one who has to pay."
She stares at me, the weight of what I'm saying hitting her like a brick. "That's not possible. This is insane."
"Is it?" I say, my voice softening, almost gentle. "Look at where you are. Look at the men circling you like wolves. Me. Leo. We're not here by accident. You were always meant to be part of this."
She shakes her head, backing away. "You're lying."
I step forward, closing the distance between us. "You know I'm not. You've felt it your whole life—the pull. The way everything always seems to come back to us. The danger. The violence. It's not just a coincidence. It's a curse, one that's been binding our families together for centuries. And now, it's your turn to settle the score."
Tears glisten in her eyes, but she blinks them back, fighting them as fiercely as she's fought everything else. "What does that mean? What are you saying?"
I lean in closer, my lips brushing her ear as I whisper, "It means you belong to me, Lyra. You always did. And no matter how hard you fight it, no matter how far you run, this ends with us."
She shoves me back, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. "I'll never belong to you."
I laugh softly, straightening up. "You don't have a choice. The debt will be paid, one way or another. The only question is how much you'll suffer before it does."
She didn't say anything, but I can see the fear, the confusion, the anger,all swirling inside her, threatening to tear her apart.
"You can try to run, Lyra. Try to hide behind Leo. But in the end, you'll come back to me." I turn toward the door, throwing one last glance over my shoulder. "Because that's how this story was always going to end."
And then I'm gone, leaving her standing there, lost in a world she never understood until now.