Page 32 of The Villain

“Speak for your own family, not mine.”

“I have no sister. No daughter. I never will.”

“What, you’ll only have male offspring? You do know how that works, right?” She snorts.

“I meant I won’t haveanyoffspring,” I say and immediately wonder why I said it. Why I’d tell her that.

She looks puzzled, but curious. I expect her to ask what I’m talking about and I’m not sure if I’m grateful or disappointed when she doesn’t.

“You said something to Malek,” she says instead. “You’ve danced this dance, and it didn’t end well for us. What did you mean?”

“You caught that?”

She nods.

“I mean Moretti and Trevino families have a truce inplace because things have gotten ugly before. Territories crossed, borders not respected. And every time that’s happened, our family has come out on top. Every single time. More than once an example has been made.”

“You mean soldiers were killed?”

“No, that’s expected when there’s a war between mafia families. I mean an example.”

“You’re being cryptic.”

“You sure you want to know?”

Her eyes search mine for a moment, but she nods.

“A woman.”

“What?”

“A woman is made an example of. A daughter, or, if there’s no daughter, a wife or a sister.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“He really did keep you in the dark. You should ask your brother. Or Malek.”

“I’m asking you.”

“Take care. Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.”

“I’d rather face what’s coming eyes wide open.”

“A Moretti with a backbone. Who knew?”

“I want to know, Cassian. I want to know when I can get back to my life.”

The way she says it makes me pause because she is just so far off the mark. Did she really think Michael would just pay what he owed, and I’d drive her home, no harm, no fowl?

“No, you don’t, Allegra. Drop it,” I tell her.

“What did my brother do anyway?”

My phone pings with a notification. I take it out of my pocket and unlock it. “Doesn’t matter, not whereyou’re concerned,” I say, reading the text from Angelo letting me know he’s sent a file on Allegra.

Me: That was fast.

Angelo: Not much to look into. She’s pretty much been kept behind closed doors since she was fifteen.