“You’re thinking too much,” Sofia says.
My teeth score my lower lip.
We take our places. Sofia in the corner, where the queen sits; Sebastian, the bishop, next to her; Ren, who faces the door as the knight; Rafe, the silent king to my right; and me, in the center as the rook.
It’s all a game of chess.
“For the vow,” I say.
They answer in unison, “No mercy. Our ruin for their fall.”
All of us have vendettas against The Association.
“What’s your next move?” Sebastian says, his stare glacial as usual, but there’s a flicker of something resembling concern.
“Grunt work. Trading favors. Port deals. Putting out fires at their clubs.”
“They’re testing you.”
I nod. The Berishas aren’t stupid. I’ve spent years with the Andersons, thwarting The Association’s attempts at luring them in. This sudden change of heart? They aren’t buying it yet.
“Too slow,” Aleksei complains. “Bots would take over the world before you get in.”
“And what do you suggest? Go boom?”Ren archeshis brow.
“You know it. If it explodes, it’s working.” Aleksei grins. “I know you love me.”
“Why did you rescue him again?”Ren glares at me and winces, rubbing his chest.
The smile slips off Aleksei’s lips. A shadow crosses his eyes.
I clench my hands into fists.
Aleksei was an innocent casualty in my quest for revenge. His family aided the Albanians in finding my parents.
I killed them ten years ago without hesitation, but I couldn’t bring myself to harm the broody teenager.
“A life for a life,” Aleksei answers Ren, his sad eyes aimed at me. “I bet he regrets it now.”
“I don’t enjoy having the pace of the game controlled by them.” Sebastian steers our conversation back to the main topic while fiddling with his silver pen.
It’s not really a pen. It’s a poisonous knife I gifted him last Christmas. And if I knew he were capable of emotion, I’d say he was eternally grateful.
What I got from him was a receipt. Lana’s receipt from her last trip to Paris with her little note:You have the best smile. Thank you for your wonderful service.I wanted to strangle him. He grinned, the rare sight completely disturbing.
“They moved up the Benefaction Ball,” Sofia cuts in. “September first.”
“How do you know?” Aleksei asks, apparently distressed he didn’t get the intel first. “It’s not in any of their comms.”
My sister takes out a deep-red lipstick and starts applying it. “I have my ways. I smile. Burn things. Men are easy to manipulate.” She doles out a dark smile.
For a moment, I remember the little girl who’d follow me around in a cramped apartment, asking me to be part of her tea party.
That girl is long gone. I click my lighter, staring at the flame that appears.
Something so small, capable of inflicting such devastating destruction.
The Association will burn in hell for this.
