Page 86 of The Villain

I take my wallet out and drop money in the tip jar. The bartender hands us our drinks and as we take them, I turn to watch Sybil who has since been joined by Jet. He glances at Allegra, then me, and nods.

“Is that your stepmother?” Allegra asks after clearing her throat.

I look down to find her fishing the maraschino cherry out of her drink and plopping it into her mouth. I raise my eyebrows.

“My mom used to let me have hers.”

“Lucky you.”

“Is it her?”

“Yep.” I swallow my drink and signal the bartender for another.

“But from the way you’re looking at them, I’m going to guess that man she’s flirting with is not your father?”

I shake my head, take the new drink. “I assume she’s lining him up for when my father passes away.”

Allegra doesn’t comment. What do you say to that?

“Is your father not coming then?”

“Nope.”

It’s then Severin steps into the ballroom. The instant I see him, my blood turns to red hot rage. I swallow my whiskey, set it down on the bar and stalk toward him.

“Cassian?” Allegra asks, following.

Severin must see me because he turns to face me. He’s wearing his usual sour expression.

“Cassian. You’re here. What a pleasure,” Severin says, his tone saying the opposite.

We’re joined almost immediately by Sybil and Jet, and I force a deep breath in even as I slide my hand into my pocket and wrap my fist around the bullet. I need to focus. One thing at a time.

“Isn’t this a nice surprise, mother?” Severin says.

Jet comes to stand beside me. “Cassian, Allegra, goodto see you both,” he says casually. Too fucking casually for my liking.

I glare at Severin who isn’t quite glaring back, but his eyes are locked with mine and one corner of his mouth is curved upward in a tiny, self-satisfied smirk.

“He’s a child,” I say. “Two years old.”

Sybil’s gaze moves from Severin to me and back. One glance at her tells me she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. Which is good. Sybil is hungry for money. She wouldn’t send a loaded gun to an adult much less a child. She wouldn’t want to get her hands dirty.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Cassian,” Severin says in that tone that makes me want to beat his face in until I break his nose. Until I turn bone to dust.

“Severin, mother, you haven’t met Allegra,” Jet says, and I feel his shoulder against mine.

“No, we haven’t,” Sybil says. Severin still doesn’t take his eyes off me.

I take a step toward Severin, but Jet slaps a hand over my arm. “Charity, remember?”

“Don’t fucking touch me.”

Jet removes his hand. “We’re trying to raise money for Children’s Hospital. Do this later.”

My jaw is clenched so tight I’m grinding my molars.

“Tell me what message you wanted to send. Tell me because call me stupid, but I don’t get it,” I tell Severin, ignoring Jet.