Leon visibly recoils. “What?”
“He doesn’t want the casinos, Leon,” I cry. “He just wants her. He just wants peace for his sister. She was innocent.”
He looks back at the flaming inferno that is now the brownstone as the truth settles hard and heavy on his shoulders. It pulls him right down to the ground. And there, crouched against the burning backdrop, he screams, “FUCK.”
I take a tentative step forward to put a hand on his shoulder, but he recoils again at the touch. His eyes are ablaze as he stares right past me, slack-jawed.
Then he stands up suddenly, abruptly, and reaches for my arm again.
“Issy. She’s the one who told me.”
“What?”
“She’s the one who said the wife would be occupied,” he closes his eyes. “Cassandra. Mother said she had her covered.”
I think I’m about to be sick. “Loose ends.”
But before either of us can dwell on that terrible thought, there’s a cry from the building.
We both turn around and see, through a break in the smoke, two bodies stumbling blindly from the building.
My heart begins to race, but Leon springs into action faster, launching himself toward the building without a second thought. He’s there in an instant, propping up the person in the middle as they begin to move toward me at pace.
It takes a moment for the smoke to clear enough for me to make them out.
But there my brother is, with Cassandra’s arm thrown over his shoulder. The woman looks worse for wear, covered in soot with her swollen belly close to bursting, and sobbing uncontrollably.
My heart restarts at the sight of Teo at her other side, filthy and limping but alive. His dark eyes instantly search for me, and the relief on his face when he does must mirror mine.
I run to them immediately, helping them lower Cassandra softly to the ground. But the second we let go, she tries to crawl back to the house. “NO!”
Teo holds her firm. “Cas.”
“NO! Teo, he’s STILL IN THERE.”
“I know,” Teo chokes. “I’m going back for him.”
My hand snatches at his shirt before he can take a step. “You will do no such thing.”
“Belle.”
“You will not leave me here!” I plead, desperately clinging on to him.
His endless eyes bore into mine for a second. The sound of Cas sobbing on the ground, the fire crackling behind us, it’s all too much.
He kisses me. It's so soft I can barely feel it. Just a whisper, a promise that this will be okay. He won’t be going anywhere.
And foolishly, I let go.
“No!”
He immediately steps back from my grasp and begins to turn toward the burning building.
But he barely makes it ten paces before someone steps out through the smoke.
Somehow, still immaculately dressed, Ida Natali’s cold eyes fall directly on me.
“Well, isn’tthisan interesting development?”
