Chapter 29 Cassian
CASSIAN
Isleep heavily for what feels like an eternity, but when I wake, it’s still the middle of a black night.
Rain slashes the windows. Allegra is asleep beside me.
She’s turned toward me. I look at her sweet face, listen to her quiet breaths.
Her lips are slightly parted, and her hand is resting on my chest. I close my hand over it, feel where her missing finger is.
I think about how strong she is. Because it takes strength to survive what she’s survived.
More strength than men like Malek, like me even, could ever possess.
Does she realize how powerful she is, my queen? How much I need her?
My mind moves to darker matters. To the monsters who would hurt her. Who would take her from me.
Malek Lombardi in his grasping for power.
My uncle. My own blood. For what reason?
I see the sight of him on his knees before me.
My uncle begging me for his life. Begging me for time.
He was more a father to me than my own father who couldn’t stand the sight of me. He has been a constant in my life. The only constant. I never thought to question him.
Allegra must sense the shift in my mood because she mutters something, rolls onto her other side and settles into sleep again.
I push the covers off and get up. I get dressed in a pair of old jeans and a sweater and quietly step out of the bedroom.
The light in the kitchen is on and I’m surprised to find Enzo at the counter watching the coffee machine percolate.
“Late for coffee, isn’t it?” I ask, startling him.
“Or early,” he says, recovering himself. He gets a mug for himself and holds one up, raising his eyebrows.
I nod.
He pours us each a mug. I breathe it in before taking a sip. Enzo does the same.
“What are you doing, Enzo?” I ask.
He shifts his gaze away, then back. “I took him some water. Something to eat.”
My eyes narrow.
“He’s my father, Cassian.”
“Your father is a traitor, Enzo.” My chest tightens to say it.
He sighs. “What did he do exactly?”
“He’s working with Malek. He was at the house. The Maestro’s house.”
“You’re sure?”
“What? You’re worried about him now? I didn’t think there was any love lost between you two.”
“He’s still my father.”
I study Enzo. He’s right and even though he and his father are barely on speaking terms these days, this will impact our relationship.
“I don’t think you should go down there,” he says.
“What did he tell you?” I ask.
“Not much. Why do you think he betrayed you?”
“There’s someone on the inside,” I say. “You know that. Hell, it could have been him who tipped off Michael Moretti on that shipment. He knows more about covering his tracks than I do. That crypto payment to Michael? Could have easily come from him. He has the means.” I drink another sip.
“Well, you can’t believe anything he says now.”
“Why is that?”
“He’ll do anything to save his neck.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. What about you and me, cousin? Where do we stand?”
Enzo drinks the last of his coffee and studies me. “You and me, cousin, have nothing to do with him.”
I nod, but it won’t be as easy as that and we both know it. “I need to talk to him.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No. No need.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I want to do it alone.”
“Are you going to kill him?”
“I promised him two days of agony and so, I shall deliver. Goodnight, Enzo.”
“Okay, but just remember, he’ll lie to you to save himself. It’s the kind of man he is. Take care with him.”
“Thanks, cousin.”
“If you need me, you know where to find me.”
We part ways and I head down to the crypt. I’m surprised to find it pitch black. I’d expected Enzo would have left a light on. I pick up the battery-operated lantern hanging just inside the doorway and switch it on. I didn’t bring my phone down to guide my way.
I hear my uncle’s labored breathing as I descend. They put him in the cell where Rami died. His blood still stains the dirt floor.
I raise my lantern to look into the cell. The light shines on the still closed bottle of water left outside it. I walk closer.
Angelo sits up.
“Cassian.” He licks his lips, and I see the effort it’s taking him to move. His leg is wrapped up in a bandage which is stained dark red. His designer suit is ruined, torn in places and filthy. His usually meticulously gelled curly hair looks unruly and too wild.
“Uncle.”
I watch him eye the water. “Please.” He gestures, trying to reach through the bars, but falling short. I walk over, pick up the bottle. It’s just out of reach, although if he weren’t injured maybe he’d be able to stretch for it. I twist off the cap and hand it to him through the bars.
He takes it, drinks half the bottle and thanks me, setting it down carefully so it doesn’t fall over.
“Tell me why,” I say.
“Cassian.” He shakes his head. “You know me.”
“Why does Allegra think she heard you? Why did she react the way she did to you?”
“I don’t know,” he says too quickly, his eyes shifting away.
“Do you remember, Uncle, when I was about nine or so and we played a game. I had to guess every time you were lying. It was easy at first. Your name. The color of the sky or my shirt. Then you’d throw a lie in there.”
“It didn’t take you long to understand what to look for.”
“Yeah. And I’m looking at it now. Tell me, why did Allegra react to you the way she did.”
He studies me, eyes steady. Enzo looks nothing like him. He’s fully his mother’s son. My uncle and I have the same unruly hair, although his is fully curly and mine is more a wave that seems to go in every direction but the one I want.
“Tell me, Uncle. Help me to see that I’m wrong. That you did not betray me. That you would not betray me.”
“Why would I betray you? Tell me that? Tell me why I’d betray you to Malek Lombardi. And if I were going to do it, why wait until now?”
“Because my father is dying. Once he’s gone, you could take over.”
“Your father’s mind is gone. The family knows that. They understand it. To them, he’s already dead. You are undisputed and I’m no usurper, Cassian.”
I sigh.
“If I wanted to challenge you, I’d have done it by now. I’d have fed the rumors that you killed Seth to turn the family against you. To steal their support. I could have cleaned out your accounts. All of them. Left you penniless. Christ. There are so many things I could have done.”
“She heard you,” I tell him. “You were there. Look at me and deny it. Do it.”
He looks, but he doesn’t deny. He doesn’t speak at all.
I shake my head. “I don’t know if you realize how much you’re hurting your son with this.” I turn away, make my way back to the stairs.
“Do you know the true reason I wouldn’t betray you? Because I love you. You are like my own son.”
I stop. “I think it’s that that hurts the most,” I say without turning back.
I expect him to argue, to have some comeback, but he doesn’t. “Leave the light. Please. Leave the light.”
I don’t turn back, but I do set the lantern on a stone bench before making my way back upstairs.