Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
He steps aside and we enter, along with two soldiers. Two more stand outside.
“Where’s Michael?” I ask.
Malek shifts his gaze to me. “At the doctor for his wrist. But it’s good you came now. It’ll be easier to talk.”
“Get your things and visit. We won’t be staying long,” Cassian tells me then turns to the man who cleaned and glued his wound last night, Enzo, I think. He’s dressed in a suit like they all are, but I know he’s different from the other soldiers. From what I can see, Cassian trusts him more than the others. He tells Enzo to follow me up. Does he think I’ll climb out the window and run for it?
I look between Cassian and Malek. There’s tension, obviously, but I find it coincidental my brother isn’t here. I wonder if Malek timed this on purpose.
“Come on,” Amal says.
I take one step away before Cassian stops me. He looks down at me with those eyes I should hate. Eyes that seem to see right through me.
“Don’t be stupid,” he warns in a low voice.
“I won’t pack any letter openers,” I tell him with a sneer.
He exhales, one corner of his mouth curving upward, and heads off with Malek, one soldier with him, Enzo hovering close to me.
“What was that?” Amal whispers as the three of us go up the stairs, Daniel telling me about some cartoon he saw this morning, oblivious to tensions all around.
“I don’t know,” I tell her.
“Why don’t you get some toys and come into Allegra’s room,” Amal tells Daniel who nods happily. Amal gives me a pointed look before taking my hand and walking into my room with me. I’m grateful when Enzo waits outside, but when we try to close the door, he stops us. I leave it.
“What happened after I left?” I ask Amal once we’re out of earshot.
“What you’d expect. Malek cleared out the house and called in a doctor to see about Michael’s wrist.” She hasn’t called Malek dad in years and although he seems to try with her, she iced him out a long time ago. She glances at the door outside which Enzo is standing, hands clasped in front of him, face as if carved from stone. “Let’s get some of your things packed.”
I could care less about packing, but Amal takes my hand and pulls me into the walk-in closet.
“I heard Michael and Malek talking once the doctor left,” she whispers. “Malek was pissed. I guess Michael made a call and tipped someone off about a shipment.”
“Shit. Stupid. Malek didn’t know about it?”
“I couldn’t tell. I didn’t think so. This morning, Malek sent Michael away. I realize why now.”
“Malek sent Michael away? How did he do that?”
“He instructed soldiers to take him to the doctor rather than having the doctor make a house call. Michael argued, but, in the end, he gave in.”
“And the soldiers took instruction from Malek, not Michael?”
Amal nods.
“He’s in control, Allegra. I think he has been for a while. It’s just he’s not hiding it anymore and I think you need to be careful.”
10
CASSIAN
“Coffee?” Malek Lombardi asks after closing the door to the office.
“What are you playing at?” I ask as he pours himself a cup and turns to me. I notice the half-smoked cigar in an ashtray on the corner of the desk.
“Sit down,” he says, taking a seat on the sofa. “We’ll talk.”
I sit.
“Michael made a mistake, Cassian. He’s young—”
“He’s not young.”
“Inexperienced, then. Either way, I admit what he did wasn’t very smart.”
That I can agree with, but I don’t say it. “Did you know about it?”
“Of course not. Had I known what he was up to, I wouldn’t have allowed it to happen.”
“You sent the Feds after the Russians. Why?”
“A show of good faith. There’s no way we can pay back that amount of money. Just no way.”
“And you expect what exactly? My forgiveness? Gratitude, maybe?” I almost laugh.
His expression hardens and I get the feeling he was expecting something like that. “Well, I was hoping for something. I understand if you need to punish Michael. It won’t look good if you don’t. But I ask you to be lenient.”
“Why would I be lenient? You may have sent the Feds barking up the wrong tree for the time being, but I still lose my shipment.”
“We don’t have the money. The Moretti family simply does not have that kind of cash, and you know this.”
“I’m not forgiving the debt.”
“No, obviously. But we can perhaps negotiate.” I don’t speak. Instead, I wait for him to continue. “Allegra is contracted to marry Governor Moore.”
My jaw tenses, but I wait.
“Once that marriage takes place, we will have access to—”
“That marriage won’t be taking place. Next.”
“What do you mean—”
“Next,” I repeat, my tone louder.
He draws a deep breath in, studying me. He cocks his head. “Perhaps you’ve already considered a contract negotiation yourself then, Cassian,” he says. “An alliance between our families could be mutually beneficial.”