Page 82 of The Pawn

Fucking run.

“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Moretti,” he says, extendinghis hand, looking down at me a smile that shows the sharp points of his incisors.

When I don’t move, don’t shake his hand, he drops his. “I’m sorry, it must be a very hard day for you.” I just blink, unable to speak or breathe or run. He clears his throat. “I didn’t know anyone still did this,” he says, pointing to the covered mirror, trying to fill the awkward silence.

I look away, finally, to that mirror. Then to Cassian’s eyes which are locked on me and I understand something.

He arranged this. Cassian arranged for this meeting to happen exactly as it is happening because he wanted to see my reaction.

“Let’s go get those things, Allegra,” Jet says.

I blink. Turn to him. My throat is so dry I can’t swallow or speak or utter a single sound.

His eyebrows furrow. He glances at Angelo, but barely. Instead, he takes my arm and turns me then walks me up the stairs to my old bedroom where, once we’re inside, he closes the door, and I can drop onto the edge of the bed.

“Did you know?” I ask him.

“Know what?” he asks.

I clasp my hands to stop them from trembling. I look up at Jet. “That was a test.”

Jet’s eyes narrow. “What are you talking about?”

He doesn’t know. I shake my head. Maybe I’m wrong. Because if I’m right, does that mean Cassian’s uncle is working with Malek? And does Cassian suspect it and that’s why he set up this meeting to happen the way he did?

“Allegra?” Jet asks. He comes to sit beside me. “You okay?”

“Do you know him?” I ask Jet, looking at him.

“Angelo?” He shrugs a shoulder. “A little.”

“Do you like him?”

“Not much, no. But I also don’t like his son.”

“His son?”

“Enzo.”

That’s right. Enzo is Cassian’s cousin.

“What is it?” Jet asks.

“I think he was there.” Jet’s eyebrows furrow. “I think he was at the Maestro’s house when Malek held me prisoner. I could hear from the broken window. I think… I think it was him…”

Jet’s eyes narrow and he mutters a curse. “Are you sure, Allegra? You need to be sure. You can’t make a mistake with this.”

I shake my head, press the heels of my hands into my eyes. “I don’t know. Shit. I don’t know.”

27

CASSIAN

My uncle watches Allegra go.

I watch my uncle.

“I heard she’s married to Lombardi,” he says as he turns to face me.