Chapter 5 - The Man in the Basement
The machine shop smelled like rust and oil.
Adrian was in the basement.
I found him sitting against a desk with a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his side.
He looked older.
Thinner.
But it was him.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Adrian smiled.
“You got gray hair.”
I almost hit him.
Instead, I crossed the room and pulled him into an embrace.
He groaned.
“Easy.”
“You’re lucky you’re injured.”
“I missed you too.”
I stepped back.
Six years of anger flooded through me at once.
“You let me bury you.”
“Yes.”
“You could have found a way.”
“I tried.”
“Not hard enough.”
“You had Victor sitting beside you every day.”
“You could’ve trusted me.”
“I trusted you too much.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It does when people watch every person you love.”
I stared at him.
“You should’ve told me about Ruby.”
His face changed.
“Is she okay?”
“She walked through a storm to find me.”
His eyes closed briefly.
“Damn.”
“She thought Elena was dead.”
“Is Elena alive?”
“Yes.”
Adrian sagged with relief.
“Thank God.”
I sat across from him.
“What happened three days ago?”
“Victor found us in Wisconsin.”
“How?”
“Someone used Ruby’s school records.”
“Then?”
“We ran. Elena took Ruby toward Chicago. I stayed behind to pull Victor’s people away.”
“They caught you.”
“Eventually.”
“Why didn’t they kill you?”
“They wanted the drive.”
“And you gave it to Victor?”
“A fake copy.”
I stared.
Adrian grinned.
“Still the smarter brother.”
“You’re bleeding on a concrete floor.”
“Temporary setback.”
Despite myself, I laughed.
Then the laughter disappeared.
“Salvatore.”
Adrian looked away.
“I’m sorry.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected him after the explosion.”
“He helped raise us.”
“I know.”
“He was at your funeral.”
“I know.”
I stood.
Adrian said quietly:
“Dante.”
“What?”
“Don’t let what they did turn you into them.”
I looked back.
“You disappear for six years and come back giving advice?”
“Somebody has to.”
I shook my head.
A medic entered.
Adrian tried to stand.
He nearly collapsed.
I caught him.
“Easy.”
He grimaced.
“I hate hospitals.”
“Ruby’s at one.”
He straightened despite the pain.
“What?”
“Elena was injured.”
“I’m going.”
“You’re barely standing.”
“I’m going.”
“You’re impossible.”
“So are you.”
Twenty minutes later, Adrian was in the back of an armored SUV with a medic beside him.
He looked out the window.
“Does Mom know?”
“No.”
His face fell.
“You never told her the truth?”
“I didn’t know the truth.”
“I mean about tonight.”
“No.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because she’ll kill me.”
“She might.”
“She always liked you more.”
“That’s because I didn’t fake my death.”
He laughed and immediately winced.
At the hospital, Ruby was asleep beside Elena.
Elena saw Adrian first.
She stopped breathing.
He stood in the doorway.
For one long moment, nobody moved.
Then Elena crossed the room and slapped him.
Adrian blinked.
“I probably deserved that.”
She hugged him.
“You idiot.”
“I know.”
“You absolute idiot.”
“I know.”
Ruby woke.
Her eyes widened.
“Daddy?”
Adrian turned.
Ruby launched herself off the bed.
He dropped to one knee despite the pain and caught her.
“Hey, bug.”
“You were dead!”
“Apparently I’m bad at that.”
She hit his shoulder.
“Ow.”
“You left us!”
“I know.”
“You promised!”
“I know.”
She started crying.
Adrian held her.
“I’m sorry.”
Noah stood beside me.
He whispered:
“Is that Uncle Adrian?”
“Yes.”
“He talks like you.”
“No, he doesn’t.”
Adrian looked over.
“I absolutely do.”
Noah grinned.
Then Ruby pulled away from her father and pointed at me.
“Uncle Dante found me.”
Adrian looked at me.
“I knew he would.”
That irritated me more than it should have.
“You had too much faith.”
“No.”
May you like
He smiled.
“Exactly enough.”
