Page 17 of Scar

I make my way to the den, expecting to see him with his brothers, but he’s sitting on his own in an armchair, looking out at the lit patio, a tumbler hanging from his right hand. I’ve never seen him sitting doing nothing but contemplating. I’m almost too afraid to step into the room.

“You wanted to see me?”

He swings his eyes toward the door, his eyes landing on mine, and beckons me in with his other hand. I expect he’ll want to mete out his punishment for my behavior earlier, but he surprises me when he tells me to sit.

I take the chair opposite him and sit silently, waiting.

“I want you to set aside everything that’s happened between us and I need you to listen to me very carefully.”

I nod, a shiver running down the length of my back at his tone.

“I have some business to attend to tonight. I could be gone a few days.”

My ears perk up. Gone? I’ll be alone? What are the chances of that? I bet there’ll be no-one left to babysit me.

As though he can hear my thoughts, Scar shoots me a bland look and shakes his head.

“The house will be locked down tighter than Fort Knox. No-one will be allowed in. Or out. No-one. It’s for your own safety.”

The look on my face must tell him how confused I am, because he goes on to explain in vivid detail an attack on one of his many warehouses. His time away from the house will bespent retaliating for that attack as well as making a point to anyone else that dares to do the same.

“If they attack one stronghold, they may attack another. I need you to stay put and not try to leave this house. I can’t afford to have my guards worrying about you when there’s so much at stake. I mean it, Allegra.”

“Can’t I just stay with my parents while you’re gone?”

“No. You’re no longer a Marone, Allegra. To the world as you know it, you’re now considered leverage.”

CHAPTER 16 – SCAR

Even though she tried to pout her way past me by insisting that she would be safe at her parents’ house, I finally got through to Allegra and she agreed to behave herself. Right before I spoke to her, I received news that her father is not doing so well. The minute I get back from this bullshit tit for tat, I’m going to take her to see him. Not for any reason except that I’d like nothing more than to see him and gloat at his diminished capacity.

My brothers try to talk me out of coming along tonight, but there is no way on this earth I’m going to miss out on this battle. If only to put some distance between Allegra and me. It’s been nothing but Allegra, Allegra, Allegra spinning through my mind ever since the moment I snapped and almost killed her. The thought of her with someone else, for some reason, does something crazy to my brain. I didn’t think I’d care, but the minute the words were out of her mouth, flames of fire started to lick up my spine. It’s not a feeling I feel often. Hell, it’s not a feeling I’ve felt, ever. And I don’t know that I’m comfortable in this new place we’ve now found ourselves in.

The night is unnaturally silent as we sit in the car staking out the warehouse that our source led us to. Although the air is heavy with a thick blanket of fog, there’s no denying the specter of human forms unloading the truck into the warehouse. Even from this distance, it’s not hard to recognize the specially manufactured crates that house our cache of weapons.

“I’m a little insulted,” I mumble, breaking the silence.

“Hmmm?”

“That they would make it so easy for us to find them. We’re dealing with amateurs here.”

“You don’t think it’s Luciani?” Brando asks.

“I know Luciani is peddling the drugs. I don’t think this is related.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Gut instinct. Make sure you keep at least one alive so we can confirm.”

I look over lazily at Brando, my words directed at him. He has a habit of annihilating a whole room within seconds of walking into it. Trigger happy, he is.

Brando taps his comms, checking that everyone is on the same frequency. Lucky and Rafi are in an SUV at the back exit, while we’re out here, hidden in plain sight and no-one is in the least bit curious. I scan the rooftops of neighboring buildings, checking for our shooters, all in place and waiting for my signal to make these streets run red with blood.

“Scar, you have eyes?” Rafi asks. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him to sit this one out.

“I do. In the back of my head,” I add, for humor’s sake. “You?”

“Some john’s out here getting his dick wet.”

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