Page 86 of Samson

“It’s not what you think,” Delilah said.

“It’s exactly what he thinks,” Demir said, taking a step closer. “Look at the look on his face. I have to get a photo of this.” He lifted his phone. “For posterity’s sake. That’s the look of a betrayed man. When I heard that Luca’s cousin had caught your eye, Samson, I couldn’t resist trying to get to you through her. She helped us with the knife thing too. But you proved too clever for that.”

“She helped you? Or someone overheard?” He turned to Delilah.

“I’m so sorry,” she mouthed. She couldn’t make any sound come out and had to drop her eyes to the floor under his devastating gaze.

“You told them about the knives and Riley?” Samson’s voice was empty.

“I had no?—”

“Save it.” He looked at the floor for a moment, but when his eyes rose to Demir, his demeanor had changed. His face was now all shadows and coldness. “I came like you asked. Let Riley go.”

“And Delilah?” Demir said.

Samson shook his head. “I don’t care.”

“Good.” He took a pair of cuffs from Marc and handed them to Delilah. “Would you restrain Samson for me?”

She looked at the cuffs but didn’t take them. “No. You do your own dirty work. I won’t have anything else to do with this.”

He sucked on his teeth, then looked at Marc and nodded. “Kill the girl.”

“Wait,” Delilah said in a breathless panic, swiping the cuffs from his hands. “Don’t hurt her.”

“Behind his back, please. We don’t need to give him any opportunities.”

She walked up to Samson, her body tight. “I didn’t mean for this to happen,” she whispered when she reached him.

He put his hands behind his back. “It doesn’t matter, does it?”

Her heart tore apart at the sound of defeat in his voice. Once the cuffs were secure, she stepped back.

“This was never supposed to happen.” She said it more to herself than to anyone else, but Samson turned his attention on her.

“What did you think would happen when you told a murderer about my daughter?”

“I had no choice.”

“There’s always a choice.” He shook his head, then looked at Demir. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Already? I was enjoying all the drama, but I do have other important work to attend to.” He nodded to a couple of large men who had entered behind Marc. They took hold of Samson and led him toward the back of the restaurant.

He fought against them until one punched him in the stomach, and he doubled over. When he got his breath back, he said, “I want to see Riley walk out that door unharmed.”

Demir hissed in a breath. “I’m afraid that’s not possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve caused me so much trouble, and I’m afraid your betrayal, although entertaining, is not enough for me. Your pain is just beginning.”

“No,” Samson breathed. “No,” he said again, stronger.

“It’s nothing personal. I won’t make you watch. But she’s a loose end we thought we’d tied up years ago.”

“I knew you were a part of it back then.”

“Good for you. I remember the wake you left. You killed a lot of men. Men who were my friends.”

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