Chapter Thirty-Four
Zahra
“It doesn’t make any sense.”
I refrained from looking at Devil, who watched me pick up the small black glitter purse I’d snagged from Milk’s collection. Something to go with the ankle-length black dress I wore with a slit that reached my mid-thigh.
“Are you totally sure about this?” Upper asked from his leaning position on my bedroom doorway. “What if he wants to take you somewhere it’ll be easy to—I don’t know—chop your bloody head off?”
I rolled my eyes, letting out a tired sigh. “You guys are like brothers I didn’t ask for.”
“There’s nothing brotherly about this,” Devil said, and the edge to his voice made me glance at him, spotting the scowl of disapproval on his face. “I don’t like this, Z.”
He had been in a shitty mood since I told them about the business dinner I was attending with Elio. While I had expected instant disapproval from all of them, Devil was beginning to get on my fucking nerves.
Also, maybe there was a small bite of guilt in my stomach every time he reminded me how terrible a person his brother was.
Fine, Elio was bad … he was terrible, but he was good company, most times; but if I presented my narrative about him to Devil, it would raise questions, so I did the next best thing; I agreed with him.
I pressed my lips together, checking my reflection one last time before I responded to him. “I don’t like it either. But to study your enemy, you’ve got to get close to them.”
“He already gave us a deal.” Devil uncrossed his arms while leaning away from the wardrobe door. “We signed a contract. We don’t need to cross their path any more than we already have. This whole dinner thing makes absolutely no sense. Why did you even agree to it? When did you two talk?”
Thankfully, Milk appeared in the doorway, brushing past Upper with a jewelry box in her hand. “This goes perfectly with the dress.”
“Zahra,” Devil’s voice called, sharper this time.
I breathed out sharply and pinned him with a frown.
“You know him more than anyone, Devil. You know what he’s capable of, and you also know he is a man without morals, a man who doesn’t honor loyalty.
Do you think a piece of paper will guarantee our freedom out of here or the promise of a hundred million dollars, which, mind you, they just agreed to give us on a whim?
No negotiation? I am going to make sure he sees us as business partners and not pawns on his chessboard. ”
“That’s why you’re leaving without any disguise? You want people in his political setting to see you both together? And then what? You accompany him to other business dinners?”
“I think Zahra’s right,” Milk said as she helped me put on the earrings and necklace.
“It’s not exactly safe to go anywhere with Marino, seeing as we don’t know his intentions, but don’t you think it’s stupid to believe that when all this is over, and we find the gold and his flash drives, we’ll be free to go? Just like that?”
“It never happens that way in movies,” Upper supported. “The bad guys always find a way to fuck the good guys over. It’s the bloody rule of heroes and villains. You ought to earn the villain’s respect if you ever want them to trust you enough to let you go when all is said and done.”
“Thank you, Upper,” I said with a sigh of appreciation before my gaze settled on Devil, who still looked very uncomfortable. “It’s going to be fine. I have my phone with me; Upper installed a tracking app earlier. If by chance the app stops working, I have Dog on speed dial.”
Almost as if I had summoned him, Dog popped his head behind Upper. “I’d probably leave you to die. You should really stop calling me first when there’s trouble. Also, Casmiro is out front waiting for you—and why the fuck is that purse shining?”
“Glitter, idiot,” Milk muttered in annoyance. “You’re good to go, Zahra.”
“Thanks.”
Because I knew Devil was still frowning and fuming with disapproval, I didn’t say anything as I exited my room and the house. And, of course, they all followed behind me like ants.
I took in the car parked outside the building; Casmiro was leaning against it, a stern frown on his face as he waited.
Adorned in a gray fitted suit, with hair combed to perfection, he screamed dangerous wealth and annoyance. An emotion I was certain came from the fact that I was going on this trip with his boss, who hadn’t come to fetch me himself.
Why did I think he would be the one standing here and not Casmiro?
I brushed the thought of Elio from my head and focused on the car. It was the same Lamborghini I had watched drown over a month ago.
Someone brushed past me, and I didn’t have to look to know it was Upper.
“Holy bloody fucking shit, I thought you said it drowned!” Upper threw an accusatory glance at me.
We reached Casmiro, and I eyed the car and then him. “Yeah, it did. Did you get a new one, Cassie?”
Casmiro straightened his suit. “I don’t see how that’s any of—”
“Oh my God, please, can I touch it? Just one graze,” Upper cut in with haste, staring with pleading wide eyes at Casmiro, who eyed him like this was the first time he was seeing him.
“This motherfucking princeling ’bout to get nuked,” Dog snickered, earning an elbow blow from Milk.
I wanted to cut in when Casmiro did the honors by asking, “You like cars?”
“Are you joking, mate? I’m obsessed.” He looked from Casmiro to the car. “This is—she’s bloody beautiful,” he gushed.
There were literal stars in Upper’s eyes, and I watched Casmiro’s gaze travel up and down the length of his body; it was subtle, but I caught it, and Upper probably did too because he was clearing his throat, taking a step back from the Lamborghini, cheeks turning bright red.
“Sorry,” he said nervously. “I lose myself when I’m—when there’s a beautiful car around me.”
“That’s no crime, Upper. Maybe you can take her for a spin when I get back from the airport.”
Upper’s jaw dropped. “What—seriously?”
It was slow, but I watched how amusement grew in Casmiro’s eyes. I’d only ever seen him frown, so it was pretty strange … to see him lose some of his guard just because Upper wanted to touch his car.
“I admire people who admire cars,” Casmiro said. “They are one of humanity’s most phenomenal creations.”
“Yes—it’s—God, thank you, Casmiro.”
“You can call me Cas,” Casmiro said, his lips lifting to the side in a small decent smile.
Upper blinked at him. “Ye— Thank you, Cas.”
And just like that, the rest of us standing here were background noise, and I took that short period to steal a glance at Devil, whose scowl had dropped as he watched the two of them, chest heaving slightly in what I could tell was withheld anger.
At the sight, I cleared my throat, and Upper flinched.
“We should get going.”
From my periphery, Devil had already turned, making his way back to the house without a second glance our way. I made a mental note to check on him with a text later in the day.
A few minutes later, I was heading to the airport beside Casmiro.
His usual frown was now back on his face. I didn’t like silence, and I didn’t know why the man disliked me. I am very likable; at least, I like to think so.
“So—”
“Don’t speak to me. We’re almost at the airport; just shut up until we get there, and you get the fuck out of my car.”
I wanted to leave him be. I did. But I was curious and had a thing for poking angry bears. And right now, Cassie right here was very fucking angry. “You seriously don’t have to be so rude.”
“How I decide to relate with you is my choice.”
I shifted with a frown, genuinely curious. “Why do you dislike me so much?”
“What?”
“You’re always rude to me. You look at me like I kicked your rabbit to death. You don’t even know me.”
He glanced my way briefly, ignoring me.
“I thought you were this way with everyone in Street, but you interacted kindly with Upper, so why are you unnecessarily rude to me.”
“It’s not unnecessary.”
“Really? Pray tell, Cassie, what did I do to you?”
His jaw clenched and unclenched. “I don’t trust you.”
“Awesome, I don’t exactly trust you either, but you don’t see me being a raging bitch about it.”
His grip tightened on the steering wheel like he wanted nothing more than to reach over, open my side door, and push me out.
“I’m usually not a raging bitch to people I don’t know, but I just don’t like you, Zahra. I think you’re full of shit.”
Or I could reach over, open his side door, and push him out.
He stopped at a red light, looking over at me. “I read people, and I’m pretty sure Marino is good at reading people too, but for some fucked-up reason, he’s blinded when it comes to you.”
“Or maybe he’s just a kind person who doesn’t judge.”
“I’m not judging you, Zahra. It’s something I see. You have so many layers, so many secrets; your eyes are so insincere, even with Street. I don’t trust you because I know you’re hiding something. And whatever it is, it has to do with Manuel Conti.”
I scoffed out a laugh, relaxing. “Seriously?”
“I’m not an idiot. Marino isn’t an idiot either. So, I’d advise you to stop whatever shit trap you’re trying to make him fall into; he’s not a saint. He will figure you out if he hasn’t already.”
“Oh, Cassie, why are you looking for answers where there’s no question? Manuel Conti used to be someone I worked for. What if I told you I was one of his housekeepers? I have scrubbed blood off wooden floors and stubborn rugs since I was sixteen—”
“I would ask you if I had stupid tattooed on my forehead,” he said with a glare and turned his attention back to the road when the light turned green again. “Like I said, you are full of shit, and I’m going to figure you out.”
I watched him for about a minute before looking ahead. “I wouldn’t advise that, Casmiro.”
The tension inside the car thickened as my thumb absentmindedly stroked my purse. “The person who said curiosity killed the cat wasn’t delusional when he said it,” I mused aloud.
He glanced at me, and I caught his stare without a smile or a frown as I said, “Stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”