Page 83 of The Pawn

“What do you know about that?” I ask.

He pauses, a frown furrowing his brow. “What everyone knows, I suppose. It was the talk in here. Which was, by the way, awkward. The contract could have waited. Why did you need me to drop everything and come here?”

I shrug a shoulder robotically, my brain working. “This is as good a place as any. It’ll be mine soon. Once Allegra and I are married.”

He glances past me, peering out the window. “That man?” he asks.

I turn my head to look. Joseph is being escorted into the woods behind the property.

“Simple, Uncle.” I turn to face him. “You’re either with me or you’re against me. That man is against me. He is my enemy.”

He studies me. “Not all things are so clear cut.”

“This is.”

“Does she know what you’re going to do to him?”

“Why would she need to know?”

“Because he’s her family.”

“Blood betrayal is the worst kind,” I say, my blood cooling by degrees at the realization. “That the contract?” I ask, gesturing to the folder he’s holding.

He looks at it like he’d forgotten it was there. He nods. “I have no idea why you’d give that land back to the Blackstones. We took it legitimately. It is ours.”

“Let’s talk in the study.” I point out the way and follow my uncle who glances over his shoulder twice, eyeing me and the soldier at my back.

Once we’re inside, I dismiss the soldier and watch as my uncle takes in the bloodstained carpet, the blotter on the desk. He turns to me. “Another enemy?”

“Same one.” Angelo Trevino has been a fixture in my life for as long as I have memories. He is my father’s brother. He was the man who loved me when my father would not.

I trusted him. I have always trusted him.

“What’s going on, Cassian?”

“Whiskey?” I ask, breaking eye contact and crossing the room to pour two glasses. I need a drink.

“Sure. Heard Moretti had some decent cigars.”

“If he did, I haven’t looked for them.” I hand him one of the glasses and take the seat behind the desk. If he finds it odd, he doesn’t let on. Instead, he pulls one of the chairs from the semicircle to the front of the desk and has a seat. “I’m not here to loot the place. I’ll close it up once we’re done today.”

“You worried Malek will return?”

“I’m not worried. I hope he will. Hell, it’ll make it easier to kill him. Made a promise, after all.”

“What promise?” he asks, and I hear how strange I must sound.

“I have promised to deliver her enemies to her in pieces.”

He’s bringing his glass to his lips, but stops halfway. I sip mine, watching him. Taking everything in.

“There are men who are loyal to him,” my Uncle says.

“I realize that.”

“This is a hostile takeover, Cassian. As your consigliere, I think we should discuss and strategize. You’re emotional right now.”

“Yeah, I think it makes sense that I’m emotional considering my enemy kidnapped the woman I will make my wife, terrorized her, cut off her finger and forced her into a marriage with him. Yeah. I’m emotional.”