Shadow games, p.23
Shadow Games, page 23
— Adam Byrne — Tierney replied, his voice heavy with a slight Irish accent. — It's been a long time since we've seen each other, my dear countryman.
"Enough time for you to think you could destroy me from behind," I retorted, maintaining my firm stance but bracing myself for the worst.
Tierney stepped forward, his henchmen spreading out around, ready to attack at any moment.
— This was never personal, Adam, just business. You knew from the start what the consequences of betraying me would be.
"Business?" Sienna laughed, a dry, contemptuous sound.
“You’re destroying lives for the sake of ‘business.’ I’d say you’re the worst kind of human being,” Sandra murmured, watching her bodyguards. Tierney looked at Sandra, and for a moment, I saw a spark of recognition in her eyes.
— I thought I'd be here with the famous Sienna Miller, I've heard a lot about her and it would be a pleasure to meet her. Especially since that woman plotted to rob me, put her lover in my path, and cause me great harm.
"You're deeply mistaken with those assumptions based on guesswork and the jealousy of my crazy ex," I interrupted, realizing his guards were heavily armed for a simple negotiation meeting. "Tell us how much you want. We'll pay for the damage you suffered, especially since I couldn't deliver the flawless work I usually do. So, state the amount."
Lyla tried to mediate the situation, but an unexpected movement by them made me draw my weapon and, in the blink of an eye, everything spiraled out of control. One of the Irishmen also pulled a gun, and it was at that instant that chaos began; shots echoed through the warehouse, the sound reverberating off the metal walls. Sandra instinctively ducked, drawing her weapon and firing at one of the approaching men.
I lunged forward, aiming for Tierney, but he was quick, dodging and leaping for cover behind a pillar. The warehouse had transformed into an intense battlefield, each side fighting for its life. Lyla, despite all her hatred, seemed lost in the chaos, and I briefly wondered if she understood how deeply she was embroiled in it.
— Sandra! — I shouted, trying to locate her even with the smoke that was beginning to fill the space. Logan and Jax entered through the back.
— Sandra! — Logan shouted, desperately.
"Here!" she replied, her voice firm, but there was a tone of urgency that did not escape my attention. I found her behind a pile of boxes, her eyes focused, her breathing heavy, and a red stain appearing on her shirt.
"We have to get out of here!" I said, knowing that our position was untenable.
"We can't back down now, Adam!" she retorted, firing at another approaching soldier. "That cow tried to kill Saori, she has to die!"
I knew Sandra was right, and if we didn't confront Tierney and his gang now, they would hunt us to hell. But the battle was intensifying, and Sandra was starting to lose a lot of blood.
"I'll take care of him," he said decisively. "You go with Logan."
She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded.
"Don't die, Adam," Sienna pleaded tearfully in my ear.
"I promise," I murmured, before leaving the covered area and heading towards Tierney.
Logan managed to get close to his wife, and I managed to help them leave, staying with Jax. I saw Aidan run, I went after him, and I found him at the other end of the warehouse, where he was with his gun in his hand and a cold smile on his face. He had nowhere to go.
"I always knew it would be like this, Adam," I said calmly, as if we were having a casual conversation.
"Me too," I retorted, my tone icy.
He fired, but I was prepared and rolled to the side, taking the hit. It hurt like hell, but I fired back and hit him in the shoulder. He groaned in pain, but didn't flinch. I touched my arm, feeling the blood trickle down.
"You think you can give back what you stole from me?" he growled. "You're like me, Adam, you know this only ends with death. It took me a while to find you vulnerable, and now I have the chance."
I approached him, keeping my gun pointed at him.
— I know, that's why I'm going to kill you and hand over all your business to your greatest enemies.
With a swift movement, I fired again, hitting Tierney in the chest. He fell to his knees, the smile fading from his face as he struggled to breathe.
"No... it won't..." he began, but I interrupted him with one last shot, ending his life.
I stood there for a moment, looking at Aidan Tierney's body on the floor, feeling a strange mixture of relief and sadness. He may have been a powerful man, but in the end, he was just another man brought down by his own ambitions.
"The police are here, boss. We have to go!" Jax yelled, grabbing my shirt and dragging me outside. The cars quickly pulled up to our entrance, and I threw myself into the back seat of one, looked to the side, and saw my wife.
"Is it over?" he whispered.
I looked at her, feeling a wave of emotion wash over me.
He is dead.
"We caught Lyla trying to escape; she's in the trunk of one of the vehicles," she retorted and sighed, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly, feeling her body tremble against mine. She touched my wound carefully. "I was so scared," she admitted, trembling.
"Me too," I confessed, holding her even tighter. "Sandra?"
Logan took her with Taylor. She was fine, lucid, and cursing a lot.
This is Sandra.
Sienna smiled slightly, shaking her head, and a few tears fell from her eyes. I kissed her forehead, my heart still racing from all the adrenaline, but gradually, I was overcome by an enormous sense of relief at having my wife in my arms, safe and completely well.
CHAPTER 42
Sienna
THE SKY WAS COVERED with dark clouds, reflecting the weight of my mood as I entered the office that morning. The weather felt strange, or perhaps it was all in my head, because there was also a calmness in the air. Aidan Tierney was dead, and the threat he posed had been eliminated, but the scars were still fresh, as was Sandra, hospitalized after two surgeries, and I barely had time to breathe after the confrontation in the warehouse.
There was a lot at stake, and we had to face the consequences of what happened. Regarding the police, the crime scene they found was all right, at least as far as we were concerned. That's because our idea was always to create a problem that would incriminate Lyla. Theoretically, she had a meeting with Aidan, and it was her security guards against his. We were careful about the bullets and the security footage from the scene.
As I climbed the stairs to my office, the image of Lyla wouldn't leave my mind. As much as I hated her, I couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for her being so crazy.
I entered my office and found Adam already inside, reviewing some documents. He looked up when he saw me, and for a moment we stared at each other in silence, understanding everything we had been through together.
"How are you?" he asked, his voice low but full of concern.
"Exhausted," I confessed, letting out a long sigh. "We're all okay, and that's what matters."
He nodded, setting the papers aside and coming closer to me, wrapping me in his arms. I melted against his chest, relaxing.
"I missed you in bed," I whispered. "How was Sandra's visit?"
— She's just being herself... and doing well.
"Sour, whiny, and cursing everyone? Then she'll get better soon," I retorted with a chuckle. Adam began to stroke my hair. At this rate, I wouldn't want to leave that embrace.
"Luigi Biancchi contacted me earlier and said the cleaning is being done," I said softly and sighed.
He knew exactly what that meant. Luigi was attacking the points where the Irish mafia maintained its operations, ensuring that any remaining vestiges of their control over the city were destroyed. Aidan Tierney may have been the leader, but Luigi was making sure that all his allies were eliminated as well.
"He's efficient," I commented, feeling a mixture of relief and unease. There was something frighteningly effective about the way the mafia dealt with its enemies. "And there's no doubt that Lyla is out of the game?"
Adam looked at me seriously, his face hardened with worry.
Lyla was arrested. There's no going back from this, she's finished.
But even when he said that, a part of me couldn't shake the unease. Lyla was unpredictable, and although he was behind bars, his presence still hung over us like a shadow.
"She tried to redeem herself," Adam said, interrupting my thoughts.
I frowned in surprise.
"What do you mean?" I asked, stepping back.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture.
— Before she was taken away, she asked to speak with me. She wanted to... apologize, I think. She said she didn't know Tierney was just using her, that she thought she could involve me in another game of cat and mouse to win me back, but she realized she was wrong.
I swallowed hard, absorbing his words.
And you believe her?
Adam grimaced.
No. In the past, maybe a part of me believed there was something good in her, that deep down she would truly regret it. But I'm sure this is just another manipulation, a desperate attempt to save her own skin and ensnare me.
"It doesn't matter anymore what she feels," I murmured, shrugging. "She made her choices, and now she's paying the price."
— She left a few hours ago, so we don't need to worry about it anymore. Just keep an eye on her.
His cell phone vibrated on the table, interrupting the moment. Adam picked up the device, looking at the screen, and his expression hardened.
"What happened?" I asked, feeling my heart race.
"Lyla is dead," he said bluntly. "Jax has just been informed."
The shock coursed through my body like an icy wave.
"What?" I gasped, because I had nothing to do with it, and Adam wouldn't do anything without telling me. He nodded, his eyes fixed on me.
— On the way to jail. It was an “accident”.
I took a deep breath, trying to process the information. Although Lyla was a pest, her sudden death was something I wasn't prepared to face, nor how it could affect us.
"An accident?" I asked skeptically.
"That's what they said, but I don't think we believe it, do we?" Adam shrugged bitterly.
"Of course not," I murmured, thinking of Luigi Biancchi and his meticulous way of solving problems. "It remains to be seen who it was."
Adam took my hands in his.
I know this feels like the end, but it's just the beginning of something new for us. We have to move forward, Sienna, for the sake of our family's sanity.
I looked at him, seeing the determined passion in his eyes. He was more than right. Jamie needed peace and quiet, and what we had faced could destroy any relationship, but here we were, exhausted but victorious.
"Jamie is safe now, we'll be more careful about the enemies we make," I said, feeling a deep relief wash over me. "And it seems our clients bought the story we sold."
Adam smiled, pulling me closer.
Yes. Daniel Montgomery even scheduled a new meeting. We almost dropped out of the game and recovered. And now we can focus on what really matters: the two of us. And who knows, maybe a honeymoon?
For a moment, everything seemed perfect, but then the door opened and Verna walked in with an envelope in her hand.
"This just arrived for you, Sienna," he said, handing it to me. "There's no sender."
I opened it carefully, revealing a card inside. It was simple, with only one sentence written on it: "Knowing how to get revenge on those who hurt Jamie is a gift of the family."
My heart raced as I read the words, and I felt a chill run down my spine.
"What was it?" Adam asked, curious.
I handed him the card, watching as he read, his expression shifting from surprise to understanding.
— Dante Biancchi — he murmured, shaking his head. — Nicola's brother.
I nodded, feeling a whirlwind of emotions inside me.
He learned very well how to solve things and doesn't hesitate to act.
Adam placed the card on the table, looking at me seriously.
— This means she's more protected than we thought. But we also have to be more vigilant; life with the mafia is never easy.
"I know. I've been with them for years," I replied, shaking his hand. "But that's part of who we are. Jamie is a godson of the mafia, he'll always be involved in this, and I don't regret it. Nicola was my best friend, a mentor, he guided me in this life, both professionally and personally. I am Sienna Miller because he shaped me."
He smiled, tired but full of affection.
— We'll survive anything. Like you say, you're made of titanium.
I moved closer, wrapping my arms around him, feeling the warmth and comfort of his presence.
Yes, and now we can finally start living.
CHAPTER 43
Sienna
THE SUN WAS SETTING, painting the sky with golden and orange hues that seemed to warm the city after days of storms, greatly improving the atmosphere in our lives. Sitting on the porch of the house I shared with Adam, which I had accepted as my family home with my husband and son, I gazed at the horizon, reflecting on how much everything had changed.
I could still feel the tension in my shoulders; the weight of the last few weeks hadn't completely disappeared. But at the same time, the calm, as if we were finally in a place where we could breathe, where chaos had given way to peace, was very pleasant.
Adam came out the door carrying two cups of tea. He handed me one, sitting down beside me. For a moment, we were silent, just watching the colors of the sky as the world around us seemed to slow down.
"Jamie is sleeping, he fell asleep after playing in the yard," he said, breaking the silence with a soft voice.
I felt a wave of tenderness when I thought about our son.
— He has finally adapted to this new life, he's calmer, happier, and loves playing with so much space. The therapist has been saying good things about their sessions, and even though he still holds onto a lot of trauma, I'm going to insist on the treatment.
Adam nodded, a glint in his eyes that showed how relieved he was by this change.
He is strong, like his mother.
"And I have to admit, like his father too," I added, looking at him with a gentle smile.
Adam stared at me for a long moment, as if gathering the courage to say something. I could feel how nervous he was, and I was worried it might be important.
"We need to talk," he said, taking my hand. And imagining what it was about, I nodded, knowing that this conversation was inevitable.
Yes, we need to.
He took a deep breath, placing the cup on the table beside him before taking both my hands in his. The warmth of his touch was comforting, and I squeezed his fingers, encouraging him to continue.
“When we started this... this marriage, it was out of necessity. We wanted to protect Jamie, the office, and our lives. But in the midst of it all, something changed drastically.” She paused, as if carefully choosing her next words. “I realized I wasn’t just fighting Lyla, or Aidan, or any of the other enemies. I was fighting for you, for the family I dream of building with you.”
My heart raced at his words. The last few weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster, but hearing that made everything we've been through worthwhile.
— Adam... — I said, feeling the emotion welling up in my throat. — I know I wasn't easy. Controlling, distrustful... always ready to fight. But I saw myself changing too. Little by little, you broke down the barriers I put up around my heart.
He looked at me very fondly.
— I love you. I don't want our marriage to be just a convenience. I want it to be real, I want to build a life with you and Jamie, as a real family.
His words hit me hard. I knew he was being sincere, and a part of me had already begun to admit how I felt, but hearing him say it out loud... made it all seem so real.
"Adam, I love you too, very much," I confessed, my voice trembling with the raw sincerity of my words. "And I want this, I want to make it work. But you need to know that it won't be so simple for me, having spent so much time controlling everything and everyone, that learning to relax will be a challenge."
He smiled, that gentle smile that always managed to disarm my defenses.
I know it won't be as sweet as honey. And I love you exactly the way you are.
I swallowed hard, looking at him.
"I want Jamie, no matter what happens, to have a united family," I continued, my voice soft but firm. "I want him to grow up knowing that, despite everything, we made it work, that we chose love, trust, and family above all else."
Adam squeezed my hands tighter, his eyes shining with emotion.
He'll know why you're the woman I chose, and there's nothing I'm not willing to do to ensure we're happy.
A comfortable silence settled between us, with a lightness in the air. I leaned towards him, resting my head on his shoulder.
"And what about the honeymoon?" I asked quietly. He laughed.
"I planned the whole wedding. My wife could surprise me with a romantic trip," he said, and I sighed.
— You know that romantic streak that all women have? Well, I don't have it.
"I'll go easy on you this time," he whispered provocatively. "And we should rehearse exactly how it will be..."
As the sun disappeared below the horizon, the sky transforming into a tapestry of stars, Adam and I quietly made our way to our room, not wanting to wake Jamie from his afternoon nap on a Saturday off. With our hearts lighter and our trust restored, I began to undress, also taking off the clothes of the man of my life so we could make love once more.
Adam pressed me against the wall as soon as I was naked. I left him in his underwear. He turned me around, gathering my hair, dominating my neck with his mouth and sliding his hand between my legs, beginning to drive me wild with his expert fingers caressing my clitoris, moving up to my entrance, to start spreading the moisture that grew along with my intense desire for him.
