Page 23 of The Pawn

“Answer me you fucking bastard!” I scream. “Answer me, coward!”

“You want an answer, dear, sweet, Allegra?” he asks, gesturing to Rami who holds me down while raising my right hand to the block, forcing it there. “Of course I knew. I watched. I watched it happen night after night, finger after finger. I stood over her while they did it. Open your hand, Allegra. Spread your fingers out.”

I shake my head violently, make a tight fist. Rami twists my other arm painfully. It won’t take much more to break it.

“It was hideous by the end, but you saw that, didn’t you? That last night when she had one finger left. The one with your father’s ring still on it.” He makes a face like he’s disgusted. “I hope you and I won’t get that far, but we’ll need to start somewhere. I need you to know I’m serious.”

I’m struggling against Rami, half twisted toward him to keep him from snapping my arm.

“Please, I’m not—” the stranger says, and I look at him. I’d forgotten he was here. I see now that he’s wearing a collar. He’s a priest.

“Shut the fuck up,” Malek demands, not looking at him. “Open your hand, Allegra.”

I look at that butcher’s knife, then back at him.

“You can make it easy on yourself. Say yes and we’ll stop at one.” He produces my mother’s ring out of his pocket. “What have you got to lose?” he laughs. “I mean, really.”

“Cassian’s going to kill you when he finds you. He’s going to fucking murder you!”

“Bring him over here so he gets a good look,” Malek commands of the soldier who shoves the priest forward. He then gestures to Rami who, while keeping pressure on my arm, raises my fisted hand, turns it then slams it on the block so hard, I think I hear the bones of my knuckles crack. My hand opens, palm up.

“Why would Cassian kill me? Why would he be looking for me at all?” Malek asks, feigning confusion.

My eyes go from Malek to the knife and back.

“Do you think he cares about you?” he asks as I try to pull my hand away. It’s impossible, though. Impossible with Rami pinning it down.

“Michael paid him. But Michael’s dead,” Malek continues and I half-hear him. “So you belong to me now. You’re mine to do with as I please. And what I please is to hear you scream,” he says, and I do scream. My God do I scream.

I scream and scream and scream. I think I’ll never stop screaming.

8

CASSIAN

“You always keep a second gun strapped to your ankle?” I ask Jet as I speed through the gates of Moore’s property.

“Came in handy, didn’t it?” He holsters his Glock and hands me mine. “You know where he took her?”

“I think so. I hope so. Malcom Hall. They called him the Maestro. He was Sarah Moretti’s piano tutor, and it was his house she died in when a fire broke out during their lessons. Or so the official story went. It’s got to be it. If she’s not there…”then I don’t know. I don’t say that part out loud, though. “She has to be there.” My chest tightens, the road blurring momentarily.

She has to be there.

I feel Jet’s gaze on the side of my head, but I keep my eyes on the road.

“I was right about this being a distraction.”

I nod. It was. It was to waste my time and delayed my finding Allegra.

But how did Malek know we had eyes on Moore’shouse? Because I’m sure he did. I’m sure he arranged for the distraction.

I add up all the little things. The betrayals. Someone tipped off the feds to a shipment of arms with details only very few people have access to. Someone sent a loaded weapon to my nephew. A very clear message to me that they can get to what I hold dear. Someone gave Michael Moretti eight million dollars, so I’d have no right to Allegra.

To do what I’m going to do, to take her back, it could start a war.

That’s if Malek Lombardi has the support of the family. And he might, if I’m too late and he forces her to marry him.

I push the thoughts from my mind. I need to focus on one thing right now. Find Allegra. Get her back. Do it before he hurts her.