Page 73 of The Pawn
“Yeah, right. As far as Malek, I doubt it, but I’m taking precautions.”
I touch her cheek, see how she’s covered up a fading bruise. “You’re beautiful. Do you know that?”
Her fingertips brush the collar of my shirt, and I pull back so we’re eye-to-eye.
“So are you.” I smile, but I see in her eyes she’s anxious.
“Okay?” I ask her.
“I’m nervous.”
“I’ve got you.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
She lifts up on tiptoe to kiss my mouth. I wind my fingers with hers and turn to Jet who’s been watching. In whose eyes I see something that I can only describe aslonely and that thing inside my chest that twists when I see Allegra in pain, it tightens.
A beat passes.
“I’m taking the lime,” he says with a grin. “See you there.” He walks out.
“The lime?” Allegra asks.
“His Porsche is painted a hideous shade.”
“Why?”
“He lost a bet.”
“Oh. Okay then.”
I take her coat and slip it over her shoulders. I do the same with mine then turn to her. “Ready?”
She takes a deep breath in, and her fingers squeeze mine. She nods and we walk to the front door where a soldier opens an umbrella and hands it to me as soon as I step outside. A row of SUV’s awaits us.
“Do you know it always rains when one of my family members is buried.”
“Does it?”
“Strange right?”
I wrap an arm around her waist and shield her from the rain as we walk to the waiting SUVs. Jet drives off as we climb into the second vehicle.
“Is all this necessary?” she asks of our procession.
I nod.
“Because they’re all going to be there even though they didn’t care for my brother,” she says flatly.
“They’ll still want to pay their final respects. And, of course, they’ll be watching. Everyone will be watching. It’s a pivotal time for the Moretti family. Rival families will be there too.”
My phone pings with a text. I reach into my pocket toretrieve it. It’s Angelo.
Angelo: Received papers from Severin’s lawyer regarding AC land. What is this?
Well, I knew this was coming. Timing is shit, but isn’t it always? I glance at Allegra. I should find a different way, but this is the most direct. This way, I’ll know.
