Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
I snorted out a laugh. Leave it to him to think about sex right now. “Should you marry her then? Sleep with her, make her fall in love with you and confess all her sins?”
Cassian grinned, all teeth. “Nah. I’m not the marrying type.” He glanced sideways again, this time with purpose. “I like her, though. She’s different.” He shrugged. “You, on the other hand… you’ve always had something to prove in this great search, whether it’s to yourself or to others, who knows at this point. Maybe she could help both of us?”
My expression dropped along with my stomach. I left women alone. Completely alone. Besides, being involved in any of his psychological mind games always meant you ended up dead or wishing you were. I used to think it was his only source of entertainment and was sickened to find out it was both that and his only way of gaining intel without getting killed. “Don’t.”
“Come on,” Cassian said in a soft voice I’m sure he reserved for people it actually worked on. “I know how tempting our little games used to be for you.”
I turned away, stomach churning with all the images of what could possibly go wrong and all the ways it fucking did. “That was a long time ago.”
“A long time ago,” Cassian echoed, his voice darker now. “When we used to make fight clubs resulting in broken ribs and dislocated shoulders. So it didn’t hurt as much when our families did it.”
I didn’t answer. I had no words. I knew anything I said would be war torn with too much pain that I’d end up saying things I shouldn’t and whispering secrets that should stay buried. Sometimes, silence says enough.
We weren’t just survivors that crawled rock by rock out of the gutter. We were survivors who’d never been helped, never been saved, never even been looked at. Everything we had, we had because we fought for it, stole for it, bled for it. We earned every scar and promised to return them tenfold. Our damage bonded us in a way that blood never could.
Cassian continued, more thoughtful than I’d seen him in years. “I don’t even know who my parents were. All I know is I’ve been fighting to earn the Vescovi name since I was eight—since the day I met you and said we should be friends.” He chuckled. “Then you punched me in the face.”
I cracked a half-smile and flexed my fist. “Best day of my life punching you in the jaw.”
Cassian ignored me and took a step away from me. “I’m after knowledge,” Cassian said, tone suddenly sharp. “Enough to burn down what matters to them and nearly destroyed us. That’s all I want.”
“And me?” I finally asked, voice heavy with anger I couldn’t hide anymore. “I want revenge.”
Cassian turned toward me and nodded his head. “Then we’re on the same page.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And Tempest? What does she have to do with all of this?” And how much did Cassian really know? How deep did this go and how involved was he, really?
Cassian didn’t answer right away. He just stared out at the black water, then finally said, “She wants to be seen. Needed. And so much more than we can both comprehend. I’m giving her a small, tiny little purpose for me and giving her a toy to play with—you, you’re the toy in this scenario. Try to look cute, bitch.”
I almost laughed; instead, I turned. “I don’t like being played with.”
“You’ll like her games.” Cassian grinned. “They’re just like mine, plus it’s the perfect cover. You did say you wanted revenge. You don’t need to love and die for her. Use her the way she’s going to obviously use you. She jumped at the idea, by the way.” He paused a moment then smirked. “Granted, I may have extorted some information to push her in that direction.”
Of course he did. He wouldn’t be Cassian if he didn’t.
“But…” He shrugged. “I needed an excuse for her to feel noble and a way for you to get the answers you wanted while entertaining me at the same time.” He stared into the distance for a moment. “Too much heat’s been on me lately, so it’s better to let you take over the show for a while, got some wounds to lick.”
“Why don’t I believe you?”
“Just go with it.” He shrugged. “I always have only your best interest at heart. Besides, if you play along with her you might gain even better access into the Alfero family, have you thought about that? Right now, they’ll tolerate you if she confesses love, if you’re a threat they’ll have eyes on you, if you work with the Vescovi—they'll have no choice but to invite you into each and every circle by way of fear. Keep your enemies close and all that. Become the threat, and they’ll invite the wolf inside to watch.” He sighed. “Besides, she wants to feel alive, seen. You up for the task? Or is your heart still broken?”