Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
But he didn’t take Mary along with him as she thought he would. If he had, she wouldn’t still be here, doling out her favors to Beefer and whomever else is willing to pay for her services. So, either out of spite or anger, Mary’s going to kill Cesaro the same way she killed his uncle—by poisoning his food.
My eyes meet Mary’s, who recognizes my new understanding immediately. We both move at once, but I’m younger, quicker, and closer to the basement door. I swing it open and launch myself down the stairs before the guards can stop me.
“It’s Mary!” I scream. “Mary killed Arturo. Mary poisoned Arturo. Don’t eat the cake. Don’t eat the cake!”
“You bitch.” She manages to grab a fistful of my hair and yanks me backward.
I fight through it, jerking out of her grip and racing forward.
Her breath is hot on my neck, but I reach the floor first and sprint toward the backroom door. I’ve never touched that door. Hell, I’ve never so much as walked down these stairs, but somehow I know precisely where to go.
“It’s Mary,” I shout as I whip open the door. “It’s Mary!”
Everyone inside turns toward me. Two guards on either side of the door reach inside their jackets. Cesaro, two feet away from a table in the middle of the concrete box of a room, holds up a hand. The guards fall away, and I spot Leka sitting next to that table, his arm lying across it at a funny angle. My stomach churns.
My gaze travels from his arm to his swollen face. Patches of skin near the sides of his mouth and high on his cheekbones are already turning a sickly purple and yellow.
Two feet away from the table, Beefer’s holding something metallic and menacing in his hand. The contents of my stomach threaten to spew out of my mouth and coat the floor. I press a hand against my churning stomach and order my body to get itself under control.
Like Leka who sits calmly, not an ounce of pain showing on his face.
“Do you have something to say, young Elizabeth?” Cesaro quirks an eyebrow up. “Or have you arrived to provide us a show?”
“I, um—” Get it together, Bit, I order myself, but it’s hard to keep calm at this moment. Everywhere I look something horrible appears, whether it’s the instruments on the table or the dull metallic glint of the black guns in everyone’s hands but Cesaro or Leka himself sitting in that metal chair with blood pooling on the table and bruises decorating his face.
“She’s just a dumb bitch.” Mary appears over my shoulder. She sticks something sharp in my back. “I’ll get rid of her.”
“No. Please. She should stay and watch.” Cesaro beckons me forward. “Your boy, Leka, didn’t want you to spend time with me, so we’re showing him what happens when people deny Cesaro of what’s rightfully his. How do you feel about that?”
How do I feel, you sick fuck? I’d like to take the big knife on the table and stick it through your right eye! I dig my fingers into my palms. I turn toward the one man Cesaro brought that I recognize—scarecrow man. He was there the night that Arturo died. He was there when Arturo promised me the boon that I never cashed in.
“Do you remember me?” I ask.
He nods.
“Arturo owed me a boon. I’m cashing it in. Mary poisoned Arturo and killed the chef to hide the truth. She was upstairs sprinkling Cesaro’s food with the same poison.”
Sterno looks over my shoulder at the two men who were guarding the door at the top of the stairs. “What happened?”
The young one, Mason—I think—answers. “Mary did put something on the cake, but I thought it was sugar.” He produces the plate. “I can’t tell by looking at it.”
Sterno takes the plate and pinches off a piece that is liberally dusted with something white. He holds it to Mary’s mouth. “You first.”
Mary’s eyes are wide. “I-I’m allergic to chocolate,” she stammers and backs away. She doesn’t get far. The two guards block her escape.
“You need to address this first,” Sterno informs his boss. “These two can wait.”
“I’m in the middle of something,” Cesaro complains. “I can’t just stop now. Besides, the minute we let these two out of our sight, they’ll run.”
Sterno shakes his head. “Your uncle was a man of honor, but he died a disgraceful death. He still watches, waiting for his revenge. So that he can rest, you must attend to this matter.”
“Wait. Hold on—” Cesaro says, but his man is out the door.
Mary tries to dart away. The older man captures her easily and drags her back into the room.
“Stop it. Let go of me. I didn’t do anything,” Mary cries. She tries to peel his fingers away, but it’s useless.