Page 98 of The Pawn
I recall something Cassian said a long time ago. Something I hadn’t understood then, but I do now.We’ve danced this dance before. Battles between the families have played out here. Inside this house, victory was declared and not by us.
“I’m going to re-write history tonight,” Malek says as if reading my mind.
“What does that mean?”
Just as I ask it, a man walks into the house. He looks at me, holding my gaze for an angry moment.
“Vincent?” I ask, it’s stupid I’m surprised. Why am I surprised? What did I expect when I walked into my father’s study with Cassian Trevino at my back? It wasn’t me they feared in that room. It wasn’t me they bent their heads to. It was Cassian. Vincent has clearly chosen his side. He saw what Cassian did to Joseph. How many others have switched sides? How many are loyal to Malek?Although can it be switching sides? Malek has been a part of the Moretti family all my life.
In their eyes, it’s Cassian who is the usurper. Me who is the traitor.
“Soldiers are on their way. Delayed, but coming,” he tells Malek.
Malek nods, looks at me and I want to lunge at him. I want to claw that smug grin off his face. “What does it mean that I’ll rewrite history?” he asks me. “Two families cannot rule our territories. There can only be one ruler. This piece of land is the perfect place. Tonight, we’re settling the dispute once and for all. When I’m finished, the Trevino family will bend a knee to a new leader,” Malek says, glancing at Enzo. “Or they will die. See, when Cassian kidnapped you,wife, he broke the peace treaty.”
“No. Michael had already broken the treaty.”
“Michael made a mistake. He paid Cassian what Cassian demanded, extortion though it was, and yet, your lover still took what was never his. Bringing him into your father’s home, thinking they’d bend a knee to him, or to you, that was a miscalculation on his part.”
“You planned it all along, didn’t you? You planned this whole thing.”
“Well, honestly, it did fall into place nicely, but I’ll admit I was happily surprised. Didn’t expect your Romeo to fall in love. I mean, who knew he had it in him? When Cassian almost killed your brother that day at the house, he gave away his hand. Not the best poker player if you ask me. I found his weakness, Allegra. His Achilles’ heel, if you will. It’s you. Can you believe it? Very cliché.” He shakes his head with a false smile of utter enjoyment on his face.
“You were the one behind all of it. My father believingmy mother was having an affair. Her murder. My father’s murder, and it was murder. Michael’s murder I saw with my own two eyes.”
He studies me, one corner of his mouth lifted into a grin. He’s pleased. “I heard how Rami was punished. He deserved worse, that brute. But I do owe a thanks to your lover.”
“You ordered him to kill Michael! What do you deserve?”
“I only took what was my due. And now, you’re my due.” He grips a handful of hair painfully forcing my head backward. “I’m going to enjoy making you scream, Allegra. I’m going to like watching you on your knees you arrogant little bitch.”
I jerk free and clamp my teeth down on his hand.
“Fuck!” Malek tries to break away, but he only manages it after I’ve broken skin. After I’ve tasted the copper of his blood. I pay for it, though. He backhands me so hard, I fall sideways off the chair, the side of my head hitting the ground because I can’t get my bound hands in front of myself fast enough to break my fall.
My cheekbone throbs, but I turn my head to look at him, push myself up and spit out a mouthful of blood. I push through the pain. “That the best you can do?”
He crouches down, hate animating his dead eyes. He closes his hand over my throat. “Oh, no, not the best, bitch-wife. You want to see my best?” He squeezes my throat, cutting off my oxygen. I clutch at his forearm and I think for a minute, as I look into his furious eyes, see the spittle around his mouth, I think he’s going to kill me right here. Right now.
“Stop. Fucking stop or you’ll kill her!” Enzo says andsuddenly I can breathe again and I’m gasping mouthfuls of air. My vision begins to clear, and I refocus on Malek, standing over me, Enzo holding him back.
Malek snarls in frustration. “I’m going to kill him in front of your eyes. I’m going to make sure you watch as his life bleeds out of him.” He turns to Enzo. “Get her upstairs,” Malek barks, shoving Enzo. “Now.”
Enzo stands to his full height. He is formidable, as big as Cassian, much bigger than Malek and Malek cannot move him.
“Last I checked I don’t work for you. Don’t give me fucking orders like I’m your foot soldier.”
Malek snorts. “Isn’t your cousin the one who treated you like a foot soldier all your life long? Isn’t that why you’re here?”
“Well, I’m not about to be yours,” Enzo says.
Malek faces Enzo. “Don’t forget why you’re doing this. Cassian Trevino’s blood is tainted. He can have no heir. He doesn’t deserve the throne. He should have stepped aside when his brother got sick. When he knew he’d only destroy the family. You said so yourself.”
Enzo’s eyes narrow, but he’s listening. I have to hand it to Malek. He figured out Cassian’s weakness and Enzo’s.
When Enzo’s jaw twitches, Malek grins. “Remember what I’m going to give you,” he says through gritted teeth. “But it does not come free. Get her upstairs.”
Enzo’s hands fist.
