Page 65 of The Pawn

“Oh, you’d give me thechoicethen?”

“Jesus, Allegra.” My phone, which is in my jacket pocket, pings with a text. We both glance over to the desk where it’s hanging over the chair, but I ignore it. When I turn back to her, she’s shaking her head, furious.

“Sleep somewhere else tonight. In fact, sleep somewhere else until you understand what you did was wrong. Because whatever your reasons, you don’t just get to decide those things for me. You don’t!”

She storms toward the door, turns back around to grab the photograph of her mother and herself from my deskthen walks out the door nearly colliding with Jet on the way.

“What the?—"

“Let her go,” I tell him, pushing a hand into my hair.

Jet looks at me and I realize I’m still mostly naked apart from my briefs. I pull on my pants and shirt.

“Severin will meet you in half an hour. I texted you the location, but wanted to be sure you didn’t miss it.”

“Thanks.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. She’ll calm down. You sticking around for a while?”

Jet nods.

“Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her do anything stupid.”

Jet is trying to contain his amusement.

“What?” I ask as I pull my jacket on.

“Just never seen you like this, brother.” He mutters something that sounds an awful lot likepussy whipped.

I flip him off and walk out to meet Severin.

20

CASSIAN

Severin and I meet at a nightclub in the next town over. It’s a dive and the last place either of us would choose which is exactly why he chose it. I park the SUV two blocks away. I didn’t take the Ferrari because I don’t want anyone knowing my business.

The worst music ever made plays too loudly, the thud of the bass irritating as fuck as bodies gyrate on the dance floor. I look around the crowd, noting the exits before heading to booth at the far end where I can see Severin is already seated nursing a drink.

I weave through people trying to touch as few as possible. When I get to the booth, a waitress asks what I’ll have and I order a whiskey.

“Nice place. Come here often?” I ask Severin, knowing full well he never would.

He stretches his lips into a non-smile. The waitress returns with my drink and lingers a moment. I take out my wallet and hand her a fifty-dollar bill. Her eyebrows disappear into her hairline.

“If you could make sure we’re not interrupted.”

“Sure thing, hon.” She pops her gum and winks before walking away.

“What do you want, Cassian?”

“Wanted to thank you for your gift.”

“I didn’t do it for you. Good to clean house once in a while.”

“What did you get out of him?”