CHAPTER FOUR #2
Luciano? Why does that name sound a little familiar?
“I’ve waited long enough,” Luciano retorts, his voice sharp like a whip. “Cassandra’s coming with me.”
A surprised laugh escapes me at that, the words effectively jolting me out of my thoughts.
“Excuse you? I’m not going anywhere. And especially not with you.”
He’s not even the least bit thrown off by that. He simply watches me, patient as a wolf, waiting for the right moment to strike.
“You don’t have a choice, bella .”
“Like hell she doesn’t,” Maxine snaps, stepping closer to me and pushes me slightly behind her.
She’s always been protective, the mama bear of the group. I love her like a sister which is why I feel a slight prickle of fear when the man’s gaze lands on her, slow and probing.
“I don’t know who you are but you can’t just waltz into a funeral and demand that Cassie go with you to God knows where. She doesn’t know you so why the hell would she do that?”
He doesn’t reply her, simply makes eye contact with the huge mean looking guard behind him. The guard proceeds to roughly wrap a hand around Maxine’s arm, pulling her away.
“Hey, don’t touch her!” I grit out.
“Stay calm, Cassandra. I have no interest in hurting your friend.”
My heart beats erratically in my chest, “Who are you?! Why are you doing this to me?”
The next moment feels like it stretches on for an eternity before he speaks.
“You’re to be my bride, Cassandra. I’m here to take you home.”
I freeze, sure I misheard, “I’m sorry, what?”
“I’m here for you, Cassandra,” he says simply.
For a second I just stare at him. Then I laugh again, cold and sharp.
“Yeah, okay, creep. Try Tinder next time.”
He doesn’t smile at that, doesn’t flinch. He just continues to watch me in that weird way that makes me feel hot and cold at the same time.
“I’m not joking, bella . You’re mine,” he says, voice like steel wrapped in silk.
“No,” I say automatically. “No, I think you’re very much mistaken.”
“I never make mistakes.”
“Well, you made a mistake today, coming here. I’m not your anything,” I hiss, my pulse hammering in my throat. “You’re insane.”
A glimmer of possession flashes in his eyes. “You will be, one way or another.”
He reaches out like he’s going to touch me and I jerk back. He lets his hand fall to the side, the same maddening smirk curving his mouth.
“Come with me, Cassandra,” he says it like it’s a suggestion, like I have a choice.
My blood boils, “Over my dead body.”
Something in his expression darkens, just for a second, a shadow passing over that carved face.
“I’d rather we didn’t have to resort to such extremities. Careful what you wish for, bella .”
Oh my God, he’s crazy! I look at him, dumbfounded. A part of me knows he means it. That he wouldn’t hesitate to kill. Anyone.
Meanwhile Chloe’s sidled up even closer to me, her hand wrapping around my arm like a vise. She’s trembling. Or is that me?
“Don’t be scared, Cassandra. Frankly none of this would be happening if you’d only been informed prior to this meeting. I blame your father for that oversight,” he says, his tone mirroring sadness I know he doesn’t really feel.
“Her father never wanted this for her,” my uncle bursts out.
“He signed the deal. And in doing so promised Cassie to me. Mark my words, Miguel, there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me from having her. Her father tried his best to renege on our deal and now he is dead. I stayed away for so long to avoid bloodshed, don’t test me.”
My head swims. I don’t understand anything that’s happening here right now.
I’m about to ask for an explanation when there’s the sound of men rushing towards us.
Before I can blink, there’s about 10 men surrounding us, holding guns.
They outnumber our security detail and they look intent on using those guns in their hands.
The men behind Luciano raise their guns as well. The mean one points his at Maxine’s temple.
My heart rate increases.
“If it’s bloodshed you want, Luciano, then so be it,” my uncle says soberly.
My eyes widen. His eyes find me again, gaze still searing and all too terrifying.
“Is that really what you want, Cassandra? Your friends will die, your uncle will die. You’ve just finished burying one loved one, you don’t want to bury the rest, do you?”
Another endless minute of helplessness and the inevitable realization that there’s nothing I can do.
“Stop,” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
“What’s that, bella ?” he asks, sadism in his tone.
I glare at him, my eyes narrowed into slits. The urge to punch that smug look off his face fills me.
“I said stop! Let my friends go. Don’t hurt anyone. I’ll come with you.”
His gaze turns triumphant. He casts a short glance at the big man holding Maxine and he lets her go. My guards haven’t relented however. I look at my uncle, arching an eyebrow. He sighs before calling them off as well.
“Great, now that we’re all friends again,” Luciano says dryly. “Cassandra, they’re expecting us at home.”
Maxine shakes her head at me, “You aren’t seriously going to go with him, Cassie. This is insane!”
“It’ll be fine,” I assure her, sounding much braver than I feel.
“No, I hate it when you say that. It’ll most definitely not be fine. The man is a mobster.”
Those words have a jarring effect. And I finally remember how and where I know him from. Not that I’ve ever met him before but I’ve heard of him. The man standing across from me, with his three piece dark suit, dark hair and icy blue eyes. His name is Damien Luciano. The king of the Underworld.
And apparently a sort of deal has been made over my head. A deal signing me over to the devil.