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Those words chill me to the bone.
“What did you just say?” I speak out of turn and regret my decision. The group faces me with wide eyes and mean looks.
“Miss Dresden, you weren’t supposed to hear that.”
“What did you say?” I repeat myself, but I’m on the move.
Cain’s going to kill someone? It might be a misunderstanding, but I won’t let this pass until I’ve gotten an answer. My pace quickens as I reach the staircase leading to Cain’s mansion. The four call after me, while they chase me through the house.
I burst through the door and into Cain’s office. Emilio and Joe sit in front of him.
“Ah, shit,” one of my pursuers says as we get inside.
“Alyssa?” Cain’s eyes lift from whatever he’s scanning on the table. “What’s going on?”
He launches out of his chair, baring his teeth like a wild animal at the sight of the men behind me. “Did one of them hurt you? I’ll tear your head fucking off.”
Cain storms towards us but I halt him with a single raised palm.
“Is it true?”
“Boss, we didn’t mean it,” someone pleads from the doorway.
“Is what true?” Cain ignores the guy. His tone tells me he knows what I’m asking.
“Are you going to kill someone tonight?”
“You stupid son of a bitch,” Cain’s attention shifts over my head to the guy in the door.
“No, you’re focusing on me.” I snap my fingers. Cain’s eyes turn to meet mine.
“Alyssa, it’s more complicated than that,” he says.
“So, it is?”
He approaches me with an outstretched hand. Every fiber of my being is terrified of him and I recoil.
“Let’s go somewhere private to talk about this,” Cain suggests.
“They called you Don Hawthorne.” I bump into the man blocking the door. He steps aside. Cain says something but I can’t hear it through the thumping in my ears. There’s a panicked niggling in my chest telling me to run.
“I’ll explain everything in private, Alyssa.”
I shake my head. No words come to mind. Cain’s stern face sinks into sadness. I can’t look at him. I don’t want to see those puppy dog eyes staring back at me.
“I have to go,” I turn into the hall and start running.
Cain chases after me, calling my name. I break into his bedroom and start packing my things. Just the necessities.
“Alyssa, this isn’t as serious as you think it is,” Cain says. I’m midway between slamming a clean pair of clothes into my bag. “Let me explain myself.”
“Explain what? That you kill people? That you lied to me?” I shout.
“Yes, I’m not the man you think I am, but I didn’t tell you because I want to protect you,” Cain has never sounded humbler.
“From what?” I turn to him over my shoulder. I get the last of myget-out and gogear into the bag and approach Cain at the door. “It seems you’re the person I need protecting from.”
“I would never hurt you.” He tries to stop me but I duck away from his touch.
