Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Why would he have such an image of his wife?”
And it was so easy. Just a whisper here, a whisper there.
He grins.
And it clicks.
“It was you, wasn’t it?” I ask.
“Me? Your father killed her. You know that as well as I.” His eyes are flat, empty.
“You planted the seed, didn’t you?” I hiss, all the blanks filling in now.
“You know it was your father that ordered her butchering. Yours. Say it. Admit it for me. Just once.”
And it was so easy. Just a whisper here, a whisper there.
It’s just like it was with my mother. Just like my father wanted my mother to admit to being in love with the Maestro. To having an affair with him. Except that wasn’t true.
This is though.
“Yes,” I say, because does it matter anymore? “He was a butcher. But what poison did you speak into my father’s ear to make him hate her?”
“I simply whispered a few words, set the stage. Never outright lied.”
“Say it. Just like I’ll say it. My father ordered what happened to my mother. To me. Now admit what you did!” I swipe at the angry tears that burn my cheeks. Now is not the time for them.
He grins, enjoying my pain. It was him who killed her even if it wasn’t with his hands.
He killed Michael. He killed my father. But it’s not those things that make me burn with fury, that make tears stream from my eyes.
It's my mother.
It was him. He’s the reason she died like she did.
He was the puppet master, and my father was his puppet. His butcher puppet.
“Rami,” he says casually and Rami enters. He must have been just outside. Malek rises to stand, shifting the chair out of the way. I rise too, my eyes locked on him.
“You’re the reason she’s dead. You fucking bastard. You’re the reason she’s dead! You say you loved her!” My voice is high and furious. “Do you know how she suffered?”
I move around the table because I want to get to him, but Rami is inside now and he steps between us, hands closing over my arms. Another man enters. He looks terrified. He’s followed by the second soldier.
Malek holds his hand out, a smile on his face, his eyes on me.
The soldier who walked in last places the handle of the butcher knife in Malek’s hand.
My throat goes dry. Blood roars in my ears.
Rami walks me backward, back to the other side of the table.
“Do you know that for ten nights, they tortured her? They cut off one finger at a time. Can you say you loved if that’s what you wanted for her?” I scream at him.
He doesn’t respond.
Rami pushes me to my knees, moving to stand behind me, crouching with me as I struggle to get free of him.
“Answer me you fucking bastard!” I scream. “Answer me, coward!”
“You want an answer, dear, sweet, Allegra?” he asks, gesturing to Rami who holds me down while raising my right hand to the block, forcing it there. “Of course I knew. I watched. I watched it happen night after night, finger after finger. I stood over her while they did it. Open your hand, Allegra. Spread your fingers out.”
I shake my head violently, make a tight fist. Rami twists my other arm painfully. It won’t take much more to break it.
“It was hideous by the end, but you saw that, didn’t you? That last night when she had one finger left. The one with your father’s ring still on it.” He makes a face like he’s disgusted. “I hope you and I won’t get that far, but we’ll need to start somewhere. I need you to know I’m serious.”
I’m struggling against Rami, half twisted toward him to keep him from snapping my arm.
“Please, I’m not—” the stranger says, and I look at him. I’d forgotten he was here. I see now that he’s wearing a collar. He’s a priest.
“Shut the fuck up,” Malek demands, not looking at him. “Open your hand, Allegra.”
I look at that butcher’s knife, then back at him.
“You can make it easy on yourself. Say yes and we’ll stop at one.” He produces my mother’s ring out of his pocket. “What have you got to lose?” he laughs. “I mean, really.”
“Cassian’s going to kill you when he finds you. He’s going to fucking murder you!”
“Bring him over here so he gets a good look,” Malek commands of the soldier who shoves the priest forward. He then gestures to Rami who, while keeping pressure on my arm, raises my fisted hand, turns it then slams it on the block so hard, I think I hear the bones of my knuckles crack. My hand opens, palm up.
“Why would Cassian kill me? Why would he be looking for me at all?” Malek asks, feigning confusion.
My eyes go from Malek to the knife and back.