Page 8 of The Devil

Her eyes search mine. “I just didn’t think you’d be that.” She swallows the contents of her glass in one go and turns to face the room.

I follow her gaze and see Severin at the far end, whiskey in hand. He’ll nurse that all day. He’s openly watching Amal and I and he’s definitely not giving off the warm fuzzies. Sev has made no secret of the fact that he does not want me involved in mafia business especially now that he’s running for state senator. But I’m an adult and he’ll just have to get over himself.

“If looks could kill,” Amal says. She noticed it too.

I move to block his view of her. “Ignore my brother.”

“I don’t mean just him. Look around.” She shrugs a shoulder. “Leave it to Malek Lombardi to fuck over every thug up and down the east coast and probably farther.” She goes to take another sip, notices her glass is empty and flags down a waiter for a second.

When he pulls up with his tray, I tell him we’re fine and he walks away.

“Really?” Amal asks. “I’m twenty-two, Jet. I’m allowed to drink. And even if I wasn’t, I’m not your responsibility.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea since you insist on driving yourself all over town.”

“Two glasses of champagne are not going to incapacitate me. And why do you care, anyway?”

“You don’t have to be afraid, you know. You’re under Cassian’s protection.”

“Yeah, I think we both know how that will end for me.”

“What does that mean?”

She draws a tight breath, shakes her head and turns away. “I need some air.”

She tries to walk past me, but I stop her. “Hey, he will protect you. He won’t let any of them get near you or Daniel.”

“Yeah? For how long, Jet? How long do⁠—”

I cut her off. “And if he did, they’d have to get through me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

That gives her pause. Her eyes search mine and I get the feeling she wants to believe me. But she shakes her head and continues. “How long do you think he’ll be able to stand looking at me? At Daniel? He’s growing up, you know. He won’t be a boy forever.”

“Cassian’s not like that.”

“No?” she snorts and when she tries to walk away again, I capture her arm. She’s surprised and tries to tug free, but I don’t let her. “My own father would have sold me to a man twice my age, Jet. What makes you think Cassian would do any better by us?”

“Your father was loyal to no one but himself.”

“Do you really think I’m naïve enough to think someone who has no obligation to us will protect us forever? That’s not how the world works.” She pulls at her arm. “Let me go.”

“Educate me then. What do you know about the workings of the world, Amal? At the tender age of twenty-two, what do you know?”

“What do I know? You said you like the violence.”

“I said sometimes.”

Her eyes search mine. “Well, what if he asked you to get rid of me?”

“Fuck, don’t be fucking stupid.”

“Or Daniel.”

“Amal. Seriously? What the fuck?” I ask, anger building. Because seriously. What in the actual fuck?

She snorts, shakes her head.

“Hey. What the fuck?”