Chapter 9 Allegra
ALLEGRA
“What?” I hear myself ask when he draws away, looking down at me. My heart is racing, my stomach in knots.
Cassian steps out of the SUV, eyes locked on me. He extends his hand, palm up, to help me out.
“Legra!” Daniel calls out, running up behind Cassian.
“Smile for the little one, Moth,” Cassian says, never shifting his gaze, his own eyes unsmiling.
I fix my expression. Steel myself.
“Daniel,” I say, forcing the smile on my face. I slide Cassian’s coat off my shoulders and ignore his offered hand as I climb out of the SUV. I scoop Daniel up before Cassian can think of picking me up to carry me to the front door. I’d be mortified.
At five, Daniel is still easy to lift. He’s skinny with long arms and legs.
“I missed you,” I tell him, burying my nose in his messy, curly blond hair.
He got that from his mom. That and her sky-blue eyes.
Amal has the same eyes and curls, but her hair is a deep blue black inherited from Malek. She’s striking.
“I’m so glad to see you,” Amal says as I engulf her, too.
“Me too. You okay?” I whisper in her ear.
She holds me tight, and I feel her nod. “You?” she asks, pulling back far enough I can see her looking over my shoulder at Cassian.
“I’m fine.”
I meet Malek’s gaze as I set Daniel down. He comes down the hall and doesn’t look surprised to see us. It makes me wonder what Cassian’s true motive is for bringing me here. I’m very sure it’s not so I can see Amal and Daniel.
“Allegra, good morning. You look well,” Malek says after looking me over.
“All things considered,” I say.
“Cassian.” Malek extends a hand that Cassian only looks at. “Well,” Malek says, awkwardly tucking his hand into pocket. “Come in.”
He steps aside and we enter, along with two soldiers. Two more stand outside.
“Where’s Michael?” I ask.
Malek shifts his gaze to me. “At the doctor for his wrist. But it’s good you came now. It’ll be easier to talk.”
“Get your things and visit. We won’t be staying long,” Cassian tells me then turns to the man who cleaned and glued his wound last night, Enzo, I think.
He’s dressed in a suit like they all are, but I know he’s different from the other soldiers.
From what I can see, Cassian trusts him more than the others.
He tells Enzo to follow me up. Does he think I’ll climb out the window and run for it?
I look between Cassian and Malek. There’s tension, obviously, but I find it coincidental my brother isn’t here. I wonder if Malek timed this on purpose.
“Come on,” Amal says.
I take one step away before Cassian stops me. He looks down at me with those eyes I should hate. Eyes that seem to see right through me.
“Don’t be stupid,” he warns in a low voice.
“I won’t pack any letter openers,” I tell him with a sneer.
He exhales, one corner of his mouth curving upward, and heads off with Malek, one soldier with him, Enzo hovering close to me.
“What was that?” Amal whispers as the three of us go up the stairs, Daniel telling me about some cartoon he saw this morning, oblivious to tensions all around.
“I don’t know,” I tell her.
“Why don’t you get some toys and come into Allegra’s room,” Amal tells Daniel who nods happily. Amal gives me a pointed look before taking my hand and walking into my room with me. I’m grateful when Enzo waits outside, but when we try to close the door, he stops us. I leave it.
“What happened after I left?” I ask Amal once we’re out of earshot.
“What you’d expect. Malek cleared out the house and called in a doctor to see about Michael’s wrist.” She hasn’t called Malek dad in years and although he seems to try with her, she iced him out a long time ago.
She glances at the door outside which Enzo is standing, hands clasped in front of him, face as if carved from stone. “Let’s get some of your things packed.”
I could care less about packing, but Amal takes my hand and pulls me into the walk-in closet.
“I heard Michael and Malek talking once the doctor left,” she whispers. “Malek was pissed. I guess Michael made a call and tipped someone off about a shipment.”
“Shit. Stupid. Malek didn’t know about it?”
“I couldn’t tell. I didn’t think so. This morning, Malek sent Michael away. I realize why now.”
“Malek sent Michael away? How did he do that?”
“He instructed soldiers to take him to the doctor rather than having the doctor make a house call. Michael argued, but, in the end, he gave in.”
“And the soldiers took instruction from Malek, not Michael?”
Amal nods.
“He’s in control, Allegra. I think he has been for a while. It’s just he’s not hiding it anymore and I think you need to be careful.”