Chapter 11: The Room Where Nia Waited
I didn’t tell them about the message.
That was my first mistake.
I knew it.
Even before I left.
But something inside me had changed.
For fifteen years, everyone had made decisions for me.
Nia hid.
Cole protected.
Marcus watched.
Everyone believed they knew what was best.
Nobody asked me.
So this time, I decided.
I drove alone.
No brothers.
No backup.
No explanations.
Just me.
The address in the message led to an old industrial building on the edge of town.
Another forgotten place.
Another place where secrets lived.
I parked outside.
The building looked abandoned.
But the lights inside were on.
That meant someone wanted me there.
I walked in.
The first thing I noticed was the smell.
Coffee.
Not blood.
Not chemicals.
Coffee.
A strange detail.
A human detail.
Then I heard her voice.
“Bear.””
I stopped.
Everything inside me broke.
Because no matter how old I got…
No matter how much pain I carried…
I would always know my little sister’s voice.
I turned.
Nia stood in the doorway.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then she walked toward me.
Slowly.
Like she was afraid I would disappear.
“I’m sorry.””
That was the first thing she said.
Not hello.
Not I missed you.
Sorry.
I looked at her.
Fifteen years of questions.
Fifteen years of anger.
Fifteen years of imagining this moment.
And now she was standing in front of me.
I didn’t know what to say.
So I said the only thing I could.
“Why?””
Her eyes filled.
“I knew you would ask that.””
“Because I spent fifteen years asking.””
She looked down.
“I know.””
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
“You knew I was looking?””
She nodded.
“I knew.””
“Then why didn’t you come home?””
Nia wiped a tear away.
“Because home wasn’t safe.””
I shook my head.
“You had me.””
“No.””
Her voice became stronger.
“I had someone who would burn the world down for me.””
I froze.
“And that’s exactly why I stayed away.””
The words hit.
She stepped closer.
“Bear, if I came back, you would have fought everyone.””
“Yes.””
“That was the problem.””
She looked toward the ground.
“You never knew when to stop fighting.””
I almost argued.
But I couldn’t.
Because she knew me.
Better than anyone.
“What happened?””
Nia sat down.
I stayed standing.
“I found out someone inside the Iron Saints was feeding information to people outside.””
“Marcus?””
She looked surprised.
“You know?””
“Maybe.””
She sighed.
“Marcus wasn’t the only one.””
My eyes narrowed.
“Then who?””
She looked at me.
“Someone you never suspected.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Who?””
Nia hesitated.
Then:
“Me.””
I stared.
“What?””
“I was the reason they found you.””
The words made no sense.
“Nia.””
“I thought I was helping.””
She looked away.
“I trusted the wrong person.””
“Who?””
She swallowed.
“The person who convinced me they could protect us.””
My mind raced.
“Who?””
She whispered:
“Your father’s old partner.””
I froze.
“My father?””
Nia nodded.
“He wasn’t gone because he retired.””
The room felt colder.
“What are you saying?””
“I’m saying someone from before the Iron Saints was still controlling things.””
I stared at her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I had proof.””
She reached into her bag.
But before she could pull anything out—
The lights went off.
Darkness swallowed the room.
I moved instantly.
“Nia!””
Her hand grabbed mine.
“Bear.””
Her voice shook.
“He found us.””
A sound came from the doorway.
Slow footsteps.
Someone clapping.
Slowly.
Calmly.
A familiar voice spoke.
“You always were hard to control, Nia.””
My blood froze.
Because I knew that voice.
I had heard it thousands of times.
At meetings.
At celebrations.
In my own clubhouse.
The lights came back on.
May you like
And standing in the doorway was the last person I expected.
Marcus.
