Chapter 23 Cassian
CASSIAN
When I step off the elevator on my floor, I find Elenora followed by two women talking loudly as they leave the penthouse. When Elenora sees me, she smiles, comes to greet me with her usual kiss on each cheek.
“She is ready for you!” she announces. “And she is bellissima!” She kisses the tips of her fingers and gestures in the air before turning to the women and snapping at them to hurry up.
I watch, entertained, as they pile into the elevator a cloud of perfume in their wake.
A soldier sneezes and I pat him on the shoulder. “Any trouble?” I ask.
“All good,” he says. I walk into the penthouse. The main room is empty. Allegra must still be in the bedroom. I make my way in, glancing at my watch. It’s already seven o’clock. No time for a shower.
Allegra walks out of the bathroom just as I step into the bedroom and we both stop, she with a gasp, her hand moving to cover her heart because I’ve startled her.
Me, well, me in awe.
Because Elenora’s bellissima did not prepare me for this.
Allegra is pretty. I know that already. Her makeup the few times she’s worn it is understated, a little eyeliner, mascara, a swipe of lip gloss, although all I’ve seen her apply is Burt’s Bees so I’m not sure that counts.
And I like her that way, without a doubt.
I like her natural. But this? How she looks right now with her heavy, smokey eyeliner, the deep red lips, her hair piled high on her head in a messy Helena Bonham-Carter style and that choker around her neck, well, she’s something else.
Something more than pretty that’s for sure.
“I was right,” I mumble.
She clears her throat and a blush I’m starting to like very much creeps up her chest over her neck to her face. She’s almost as red as the dress now.
“Right?” she asks, glancing at her backpack then back at me.
“Red is your color.” I make a twirling gesture with my finger.
“I asked for the black,” she says, humoring me with a spin. “But the zipper magically broke. Or so Elenora said.”
I chuckle. “That’s Elenora for you.” I walk toward her, notice her bare feet peeking out from beneath the floor length gown.
Her toenails are polished red and when I take her hands in mine, I notice her fingernails are painted a pretty nude shade with a streak of red at the tips.
I lift the hand with the missing finger to my mouth and kiss the back of it before kissing the place where her pinkie should be.
She looks surprised and pulls her hand free to cover it with the other.
“Don’t hide it from me,” I say, taking it back.
“It’s ugly.”
“Nothing about you could be ugly. Not a thing.”
She snorts.
“Think about it this way. Every time you look at it, remember that you survived. You’re here.
You’re still standing.” She looks up at me with wide eyes like she’s never heard this before, and I guess she hasn’t.
She’s looking at me like she needs to hear it and wants to believe it.
“Turn what was weakness, what was fear, into strength, Allegra. Transform it into your power. Choose to change the way you see it and what you see will change.”
She studies me, her forehead furrowing, before she turns away I tilt her chin up.
“You’re beautiful, Allegra. Thank you for humoring me with the gown.” She bows her head, and when she looks up at me again, I get the feeling something is off. “Everything okay?”
She considers my question, then shakes her head. “Just not looking forward to tonight. I’m not great in crowds.”
“Is that why you’d snuck into your father’s study that first night?”
She nods.
“What happens when you’re in a crowd?”
“Nothing. I mean, you just don’t know who’s out there, I guess.”
“Well, I’m not planning on letting you out of my sight if that’s any comfort.”
“It shouldn’t be,” she says and I’m not sure she meant to say it to me at all.
I smile. “I’ll get dressed.”
She sits on the bed to slip on her shoes while I find my tux in the closet and change, making sure to slip that bullet into the pocket of my slacks. I return to the bedroom to find Allegra snapping a small clutch closed.
How will she react when I tell her what’s next?
At this point, does she expect to go home?
Does she want to? Even if she didn’t, what I’m going to require of her tonight she won’t be expecting.
I decide to cross that bridge when we get to it.
Besides, it’s not as though she’ll have a choice, even if she hates me for it.
Ultimately, I stand by what I said. What was her home is not safe for her.
It hasn’t been safe for her for a very long time. Her missing finger is proof of that.
I pick up the holster with my gun still inside it and slip my arms through before putting my jacket on.
“Do you always have a gun on you?” she asks. “Or are you afraid of something going on tonight?”
“I usually wear one.”’
“But are you expecting something tonight?”
I study her. “Is something on your mind?”
She hesitates, then shakes her head. “No.”
“You ready? We should head down.” She nods, but I can see she’s anxious, so I take her hand, turn her to me. “You sure there’s nothing on your mind?”
“I already told you I just don’t like crowds.”
“I’ll be by your side.”
Once in the living room, Enzo glances at Allegra and holds up a package for me. “This came from one of the shops downstairs for you, Cassian.”
I take it, open the envelope to find the small pouch that contains two rings inside. They’re just placeholders, simple bands.
“What is it?” Allegra asks over my shoulder.
I slip the pouch into my pocket and toss the envelope. “It’s nothing. Take the night off, Enzo. Get some rest. I’ll need you tomorrow bright and early.”
Enzo furrows his brow. “I’m fine—”
“It’s all right.” I pat his back. “Go see your dad maybe.”
Enzo’s expression tightens and he steps backward. “I’ll see you in the morning then.”
“Goodnight,” I say and lead Allegra out to the waiting elevator. The two men who accompanied Allegra ride down with us.
“Why don’t we bring Enzo too?” she asks me.
I raise my eyebrows. “You want Enzo to come?”
She nods. “Just for extra protection.”
“We’ll be fine.” And I’m hoping he’ll talk to Angelo, work out whatever is going on between them.
She nods. “Do you own the casino?” she asks a few moments later.
“No. My father and I own the land and the building. The Blackstones rent from us.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“It’s complicated. Sybil Blackstone, Jet’s mother, my stepmother, inherited her fortune from her parents so everything used to belong to her.
That includes the club in Devil’s Peak. But Sybil is not the businesswoman she likes to think herself and a few years ago, when she was out of options, she came to my father to ask for a loan. ”
“And they fell in love?”
I snort. “That’s a laugh. No, not quite. They did not fall in love. My father may have been besotted, but there was no love on her part, I can tell you that. Unless you count love of money, I suppose.”
“You don’t like her.”
“I don’t trust her. I make no secret of it.”
The doors open and I gesture for Allegra to step out.
This is the Blackstones’ annual charity dinner and as usual, it’s sold out.
The crème of the crop attends this evening’s soiree, a bunch of rich assholes I don’t want to rub elbows with.
I’m not sure how my father could stand it as long as he did honestly.
“Come, Allegra,” I say, leading her down the softly lit, elegant corridor toward the ballroom where chandeliers burn overhead, and the carpet is thick beneath our feet.
Two long bars line two of the walls and it’s standing room only while waiters circulate with trays of champagne to serve my stepmother’s guests.
“My father infused cash into the Blackstone businesses when they were in trouble. We own a share of the club, but the casino is solely Blackstone owned. It’s better that way. ”
“Because of money laundering and other illicit activities, the mob and casinos are known for?”
“Did you recently watch Goodfellas or something?”
“I did, in fact.”
“Well, getting your facts from fiction will get you into trouble, sweetheart,” I tell her, tapping the tip of her nose in a gesture that has her looking at me like she’s confused.
Familiar laughter comes from across the room, and my mood darkens.
Allegra must sense it because her expression changes and her gaze follows mine to where I spot my stepfamily.
That laughter is Sybil flirting. She’s a manipulator.
Always has been. The older man standing across from her, the one whose tie she is straightening, must be her new mark.
How did my father not see right through her?
“Fucking ungrateful—”
“Cassian?” Allegra says, touching my arm, and I notice the couple who is approaching us. I don’t pretend to smile. I can’t.
“I need a drink,” I say and wrap my hand around the back of Allegra’s neck to lead her to the bar. “What would you like?” I ask Allegra.
“Um,” she starts, glancing at all the bottles behind the bar. “Aviation, please,” she says, and it surprises me.
“That’s strong, isn’t it?”
She shrugs a shoulder. “It was what my mom always ordered at parties.”
“Ah. An Aviation and a whiskey neat. Make it a double actually.”
“Yes, sir.”
I take my wallet out and drop money in the tip jar. The bartender hands us our drinks and as we take them, I turn to watch Sybil who has since been joined by Jet. He glances at Allegra, then me, and nods.
“Is that your stepmother?” Allegra asks after clearing her throat.
I look down to find her fishing the maraschino cherry out of her drink and plopping it into her mouth. I raise my eyebrows.
“My mom used to let me have hers.”
“Lucky you.”
“Is it her?”
“Yep.” I swallow my drink and signal the bartender for another.
“But from the way you’re looking at them, I’m going to guess that man she’s flirting with is not your father?”