Page 17 of The Devil

Amal rests her forehead against the glass wall. She traces a pattern in it.

“She’s with me. She’s safe,” I tell Cassian quietly thinking if I had to describe what she’s feeling right now in one word, that word would be despair.

“That doesn’t really answer my question.”

“Yeah well, maybe I’m not in the mood to answer to you.”

I can almost see his eyes narrowing. Hands clenching into fists. Allegra beside him trying to calm him. Although I’m pretty sure I’m not in the top ten of people she’d like Amal hanging around with.

My relationship with Cassian is a strange one. I became an advisor to him after the shitstorm of Enzo’s betrayal and Malek’s attack. Then, somehow, I took on the role of enforcer. That fit me better. I discovered a talent I didn’t realize I had, sick as it is. But I’ve never needed Cassian. The Blackstones have always been a powerful family, money or not, and now, money’s no longer an issue because we’re back at the top of our game.

So, I guess that’s another thing I bring with me, like the mirror. Money. And my name. The latter only when I need it because I hate it because it, too, belonged to my grandfather.

“Bring her home,” Cassian says.

“I don’t think she’d call your house home.” Amal turns to look at me, openly listening. And why not? We are talking about her.

“For fuck’s sake. Bring her here then, whatever you want to call it,” Cassian orders.

Amal’s eyes have narrowed rebellion masking vulnerability. This version of her is more like the girl I first met that day in my office. She was still in her school uniform, young and cockier than she should have been. It’s good to see that girl is still in there.

She shakes her head no. She’s not going back.

“In the morning,” I tell Cassian while looking at her.

She juts her chin out. If it was just her, if her little brother wasn’t in this, she’d walk away. I know it. She’d fucking disappear into the ether. But she can’t do that. She’s backed into a corner and she knows it.

“That’s not fucking possible,” he grits out.

“She’ll be there for breakfast.”

“Do I need to come get her myself?”

“Breakfast, Cassian. Leave it.”

“Jet—”

“I said fucking leave it. Allegra can watch Daniel. I’ll have her back tomorrow. I’m telling you to leave it alone.”

“She’s not for you. I told you that. Tell me you fucking know that.”

I bristle, a rage building inside me. She is exactly for me rumbles the Devil inside me.

I give a shake of my head. Look away.

No. Not for me. But not because Cassian says so. She just deserves better than me. Than the monster I’ve become. No, not become. The monster I already was underneath it all. The violence was there long before Cassian Trevino entered my life.

But she’s not going to get better because we’re all monsters in this life. She’s a part of the Trevino mafia family and ultimately, we all know her fate.

Fuck fate.

“Tomorrow.” Before he can answer, I disconnect the call and shut off my phone. I should have done that after the first text. Cassian can send a hundred men here if he wants it won’t do him any good. He can’t get in. No one can. Not even if they spelunk over the sheer rock face. This place is my fortress.

“You bought me a night,” she says and she’s going for casual but she’s flopping. “You’ll pay for it.”

I go to her, standing too close again. Studying every feature of her face, wide searching eyes, little upturned nose, upper lip fuller than her lower lip.

She takes that lower lip between her teeth now. Her breathing is short and I can see her nipples have pebbled beneath the fabric of her dress.