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)
“Thank you,” I say to her even though she doesn’t acknowledge me. She walks away and I slip into the booth across from Vivi. “You ever get something like that again, you don’t open it, understand?”
She’s surprised by my tone, clearly.
“It could have been something else,” I say, reaching over to touch her hand, trying to soften my tone.
She nods, bites her lip. “How did they know where he’d be? Why would they…” She looks over at her mom and Gage.
“Listen, I’m thinking a vacation might be a good idea.”
“What? Vacation? I can’t just—”
“Only until I figure out what’s going on. I need you to be safe, Vivi. You and Gage and your mom. Anywhere you want to go. Hawaii, right? You love Hawaii.” Seth had proposed to her in Hawaii. Recalling that, I notice she’s taken the engagement ring off. That’s new. I don’t comment. It’s been two years. She’s young. Of course she’s going to move on with her life. She should move on with her life.
She must notice me looking and sets her hands on her lap.
“If I agree, no soldiers when we’re back, okay?”
“Not okay. Hawaii then?” I take my phone out.
“You don’t get to decide. Seth wouldn’t—”
“Seth would want me to protect you,” I say, cutting her off. I lean across the table toward her. “Seth would want you safe. You know that. I will take care of this, Vivi. I promise. You’ll stay at the house. There’s a pool there, you’ll have everything you need. Gage will love it. Your mom will. Hell, it’s freezing here.”
“Cassian—”
“Vivi, I’m not asking,” I make clear.
She studies me for a long minute, then, finally, nods. “I need to pack.”
“Just essentials. I’ll arrange for anything you need to be there before your flight lands. Just give me a list.”
“My mom—”
“Your mom will want you safe.” I slip out of the booth and Vivi’s mom returns with Gage who is holding a popsicle in a bright, unnatural blue. “I hear you’re going on a plane,” I tell Gage who makes an O out of his mouth and looks at me with huge eyes.
“A plane?” Vivi’s mom asks, eyebrows high.
“Vivi will explain, Mrs. Chance. I need to go. I’m sorry for what happened. It shouldn’t have happened.”
She snorts.
“Vivi.” I give her a nod.
I ruffle Gage’s hair and walk out of the diner, all eyes on me as I climb into the SUV just as my phone buzzes with a text from Angelo.
Angelo: That was too easy and you won’t like it.
There’s an attachment and when I open it, my blood boils.
Because the gun is registered to Blackstone Holdings.
15
ALLEGRA
Idon’t know how long he leaves me down there in that freezing place, in that dark. I gave up calling for him a little while ago. My throat is too raw. Water drips somewhere and I feel a cold breeze coming from the deepest dark. I don’t know where the corridor leads. I don’t know what’s down there and I don’t think I want to know.
I’m shaking with cold and fear. Why did I attack him? I don’t even know why I did it. What was he saying? My brother would sell me. Malek would. Malek offered me to him to repay my brother’s debt.
But it wasn’t those things. It was his mention of my mother. Her betrayal. And his alluding that it was my father who ordered our kidnapping. Her torture. My father who allowed—no, who ordered—them to cut off my finger to get her to confess. Because that’s what they were looking for. Her confession. But they took it too far. They weren’t supposed to kill her. I know that. I overheard that.
A cold washes over me that has nothing to do with the temperature of this room.
I’m not sure how long I spend down here. It could be hours. It could be days. I’m freezing, trying to keep sane. My memories are tangible things down here. They swell like ocean waves, like I’m in the middle of the deepest, darkest sea and I’m barely treading water.
They took me from school. I knew something was wrong when I saw mom in the car. I knew it from her face. We drove for what felt like hours. It was pitch black by the time we got to the house. I remember my confusion when I saw where they’d brought us. Mom held me and knew she knew why. She held me and told me it would be all right. Told me to be quiet. I remember how scared she was though. I could feel her shaking.
When we got to the Maestro’s house, they were ready for us. They had a room for us with an iron door that had a window in it. An iron door as if a simple lock wouldn’t keep us in. The glass was broken out of the window so we could hear them. They were more careful with me than mom. They never hit her in front of me, but I heard them, and I saw the bruises whenever they brought her back. They wanted her to tell them something, but I never knew what. Not then. All I knew was that my father would come for us. I knew he’d never let anyone hurt us. We were his favorite girls. He always told us that.