The Promise Made In Blood
939 Words
For a moment I thought I heard him wrong. “ The night your father died….he made me promise to protect you.”
The word hangs between the air. Heavy and impossible. I stared at Adrian. “You knew my father?” Adrian didn't answer immediately. My stomach twisted. “Answer me”, I said.
Marco shifted slightly beside us. “ Maybe we should…..”
“No,” I snapped. My eyes never left Adrian. “You don't get to do something like that and then walk away from it”.
Adrian looked down briefly at the dead man on the floor. “Marco.”
Marco nodded to the guards. “Take him out”
The guards dragged the body away. the door closed.
The room suddenly felt too quiet. I crossed my arms. “My father asked you to protect me”
“Yes”
“And why?”
Adrian looked at me carefully like he was deciding how much I could handle.
“Becasue he knew what was coming”
“What does that mean?”
“It means your father made enemies.”
“That's not an answer”
“He wasn't the man you think he was.”
Anger flashed through me immediately. “ Don't.”
His voice is calm. “You asked.”
“You don’t get to rewrite my father’s life just because he’s not here to defend himself.”
Adrian didn’t react to the accusation but something in his eyes hardened. “Your father and I met eleven years ago.”
I blinked. At least that made sense.
“Eleven years ago I was twelve.”
“Yes.”
“So how exactly was I supposed to be in danger then?”
Adrian didn’t respond. Instead, he walked toward the bar near the window.
He poured a drink slowly.The quiet clink of glass sounded unnaturally loud. I felt the frustration building.
“You’re doing it again.”
Adrian took a sip. “Doing what?”
“Talking like everything is a secret.”
“It usually is.”
“Well I’m tired of being the only person in the room who doesn’t know what’s going on.”
Marco leaned against the table. “She’s got a point, boss.” Adrian gave him a brief look. “Stay out of this.”
Marco raised his hands in surrender. “Just saying.”
I stepped forward. “If my father knew you… if he trusted you enough to ask you to protect me… then why didn’t I ever hear about you?”
Adrian looked at me again. “Because he didn’t trust the people around him.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning he believed someone close to him would eventually betray him.”
The words made my stomach turn. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“My father ran a business.”
Adrian’s voice dropped slightly. “He ran more than that.”
I shook my head. “You’re lying.”
Adrian didn’t argue. He simply walked over to the large desk at the center of the room. He opened one of the drawers and pulled something out. A thin folder. He placed it on the table in front of me.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Proof.”
I hesitated then opened the folder, Inside were several photographs. My fingers tightened around the pages.
The first picture showed of my father but he wasn’t wearing one of his usual business suits. He was standing in a dark warehouse with several men that stood behind him carrying weapons.
My heart started beating faster. “This… this isn’t real.”
Adrian said nothing.
I flipped to the next photo. My father again but this time he wasn’t alone. Someone else stood beside him. Tall, dark hair, cold expression.
My breath caught. It was Adrian. But younger.
The date printed at the bottom of the photo made my hands tremble. Eleven years ago. I slowly looked up. “You knew him.”
“Yes.”
My voice dropped to a whisper. “What was he involved in?”
Adrian’s eyes held mine. For the first time since I had met him, his voice sounded almost reluctant. “Something he tried very hard to keep you away from.”
Before I could ask another question, Marco’s phone rang.
He glanced at the screen then his expression changed.
“Boss.”
Adrian turned. “What?”
Marco hesitated. “You’re going to want to see this.”
He walked over and handed Adrian the phone.
Adrian looked at the screen and for the first time that night, his composure slipped. Just slightly.
“What is it?” I asked.
Adrian lowered the phone slowly and his eyes moved back to me. “They found Alejandro.”
My heart jumped. “My stepfather?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?” Adrian’s voice turned cold.
“He’s not alive.”
The room spun slightly around me. “What?”
Marco spoke quietly. “Someone dumped his body outside the harbor.”
I felt the air leave my lungs. “Who would do that?”
Adrian’s gaze hardened. “There’s only one person who would send that kind of message.”
“Petrov?”
Adrian nodded once. But his next words were even worse. “And he left something with the body.”
I swallowed. “What?”
Adrian’s eyes locked onto mine. “A message.”
My voice came out barely audible. “What did it say?”
Adrian answered without hesitation. “It said bring me the girl.”
- Writer
