Chapter 10 The Blood Debt

Adrian's POV

I watch her standing in the middle of the warehouse, arms crossed, chin lifted in defiance. She's trying to act like she isn't afraid.

But I know better.

That fire in her eyes? It's a shield. A desperate attempt to convince herself that she's still in control. But Lyra has never had control. Not with me.

She just doesn't realize it yet.

The warehouse is nearly empty, save for the dim light filtering through the cracks in the boarded-up windows, casting long, shifting shadows across the floor. It's quiet: so quiet I can hear her breathing, steady but just a little too forced. She's nervous, even if she refuses to show it.

Good.

"Right on time." My voice is smooth, laced with amusement as I step out of the shadows. I take my time, letting the weight of my presence settle in the space between us.

She turns to face me, those green eyes burning with anger. "I'm not here to play games, Adrian." Her voice is sharper than it needs to be, edged with something she doesn't want me to hear: uncertainty.

That's how she protects herself: with anger. It's easier for her that way. If she stays mad, she doesn't have to feel anything else.

I smirk. She's good at pretending, but I see right through it. "You said we needed to talk," she adds, her arms tightening around herself like she can physically hold herself together.

She always resists at first.

It's how this dance works.

I push.

She pushes back.

And then, eventually... she bends.

I stop a few feet in front of her, close enough to see the way her pulse flickers at the base of her throat. She's holding herself rigid, refusing to step back, refusing to give me the satisfaction of seeing her falter. But she will. She always does.

I tilt my head, studying her. "I think you know this is about more than just talking. It always was."

Her jaw tightens, her spine straightens, and I swear to God, she's breathtaking when she's like this: when she's fighting, when she's standing her ground, when she's daring me to come closer even as every instinct in her body tells her to run.

Angry. Fierce. Wild.

I can see why Leo is drawn to her. She has that kind of presence: effortless, untouchable, the kind that makes men forget themselves. But unlike him, I know what to do with a woman like Lyra. I know how to break her.

I know exactly where to press until she shatters.

And she will.

"You wanted answers," I continue, my voice dropping lower, deliberate. "So I'll give them to you. You need to understand why this won't end. Why Leo can't protect you."

She stiffens at his name, just as I expected.

She's predictable like that.

It's not just anger tightening her jaw or frustration flashing in her eyes. It's something deeper. Fear. Uncertainty.

She doesn't realize how deep this goes.

She thinks this is just about power. About Leo's empire, about my revenge.

She has no idea.

"It's more than just you and me, Lyra. More than Leo," I say, watching the confusion flicker across her face. "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."

Her brows pull together, her fingers tightening into fists at her sides. She looks like she's about to snap, her pride struggling against the weight of my words. "What the hell are you talking about?" she demands, her voice sharper now, like she thinks if she raises it enough, it'll shatter the tension in the air.

I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head slowly. "You don't know, do you? Of course, you don't. Your family kept you in the dark. But this... this blood debt? It's the reason none of us are free."

I watch the words sink in, her gaze narrowing as if she's trying to process what I just said, like she's searching for the hidden meaning behind them.

She stays silent, but I can see it in her: her heartbeat picking up pace, the way her eyes seem to search me, trying to make sense of the puzzle I've just laid out

She doesn't flinch, but I see the way her breath quickens. She's listening.

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." I take a slow step forward, watching her body react to every move I make. "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."

She takes a step back. Just a small one. But it's enough.

Enough for me to know she's breaking.

"I... I don't understand." Her voice is quieter now, unsure.

I smile, slow and deliberate. "It's not just money, Lyra. It's blood."

I reach out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She flinches, but she doesn't move away. "Your family owes mine. Mine owes Leo's. And we all owe something to the dead." My fingers trail lightly down her cheek, and I feel her shudder under my touch. "We're all trapped in this cycle. There's no escaping it."

Her eyes widen, the realization creeping in. "But why me? Why now?"

I laugh softly, shaking my head. "Because you're the last piece of this fucked-up puzzle. You think this is about who owns the city? It's about who owns you, Lyra. Who owns your fate."

Her breath hitches. I see it in her eyes,she feels it now. Fear.

"Your father tried to protect you," I continue, my voice like silk, laced with something deadly. "He kept 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."

Her lips part, her face paling. "That's not possible. This is insane."

"Is it?" I murmur. "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. "You're lying."

I smirk. "You know I'm not."

I take another step forward, and this time, she doesn't back away.

"You've felt it your whole life: the pull," I whisper. "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."

She's trembling now, barely holding herself together. "What does that mean?" Her voice is barely above a whisper. "What are you saying?"

I lean in, 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."

Her breath stutters. She's unraveling, but she won't admit it.

Not yet.

She shoves me back, her eyes burning with fury. "I'll never belong to you."

I laugh softly, adjusting my jacket. "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."

Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her fingers curling into fists, her whole body shaking with barely contained rage. "I hate you."

"I know." I grin. "It makes this so much more fun."

She doesn't move as I turn toward the door. Doesn't speak.

She's still processing it all. Still trying to find a way to deny the inevitable.

I throw one last glance over my shoulder. "You can try to run, Lyra. Try to hide behind Leo. But in the end, you'll come back to me."

I smirk. "Because that's how this story was always going to end."

And then I'm gone, leaving her standing there: shaken, furious, and exactly where I want her.