Page 27

"I did." Cassian's smile doesn't waver. "I was so scared I was going to be too late, that I would find something awful had happened to you. When I woke up, it was all I could think about, so I worked with some people and tracked you to Italy."

I'm in Italy? How did they get me here without a passport?

I roll my eyes internally. These people likely don't give a shit about that kind of thing. "Italy," I repeat. "I didn't know that's where I am."

"Yes." Cassian shifts on the ground and rests back against the railing. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not here willingly," I snap slightly as a bead of frustration rises inside me. "After you got shot, they took me to a warehouse and I thought they were going to kill me, but they didn't. They kept me there for hours and then dragged me onto a plane and drugged me. I woke up here. Not exactly here…" I glance behind me at my new room. "I woke up in a different room that was so secluded. They kept me there for so many days, I lost count. Then a couple of days ago, they finally let me out and brought me down here because my—” I catch myself immediately.

Hang on.

"Cassian… why are you here?"

His brows lift slightly. "I told you. I was looking for you."

"No, I mean why are you here. In this place. They didn't bring you here?"

"No, I came to visit my grandfather. He's a powerful man and he knows a lot of what goes on in Italy. I landed only a few hours ago and came straight here because I thought he could help me track you down." Cassian pauses, and his frown deepens. "But why on earth are you here?"

Cassian's grandfather?

That old bastard downstairs is his grandfather?

I scramble to my feet as Cassian's confused look melts into alarm. "Sabina?"

"No… no, no, no. There's no way this is happening. He's your grandfather? You… you're his grandson. Oh, my God, how is this happening?"

"Sabina…" Cassian very slowly climbs to his feet with one arm outstretched as if he's trying to calm me like an unruly horse. "Sabina, tell me what happened?"

"Tell you? You think I would tell you anything? Is that why you're here, huh? He sent you here to persuade me, didn't he? And you thought I would fall for it as if the threats weren't enough to make my life a living hell!"

"Sabina…" He takes a step toward me, and I take several steps back into my room.

"Don't! Leave! Just leave! I can't believe I didn't see it, but you were in New York! I thought you visited so much because you liked me, because you cared for me, but it was all part of it, wasn't it? You were just keeping an eye on me! That's how he knew where I was! That's how they kept tabs on me, it was all you!"

Cassian doesn't come any closer but he keeps both arms outstretched with his palms up. "Sabina, please. I don't know what you're talking about. I came here to help you."

"Sure you did!" I spit at him. "Like I'd believe that! Get out of here, you hear me? Get out and just leave me alone! I don't need your guilt on top of everything else!" Panic grips my chest like a vise and restricts my breathing, forcing my heart into a rapid overdrive.

"Sabina—”

"Get out!" I surge toward him and slam my hands into his chest, although he barely moves an inch. "I bet you weren't even shot, were you? It was all part of the plan! Get out of here, get out! Leave me alone! Get out! Go! Leave!"

I punctuate every yell with another shove and this time, Cassian allows me to push him back toward the edge of the balcony. He doesn't resist and somehow, that makes everything worse. Tears flood my eyes on the last shove and then I head back into my room and slam the doors behind me. Wrapping my arms around my middle, my head falls forward and I give in to the sobs tearing out of me in short, sharp gasps.

How could I have been so fucking stupid? Cassian didn't like me. He was just watching me. All these years, he was keeping tabs on me so they knew where to find me when they needed to carve me up for parts. I can't believe I trusted him. Can't believe I was actually worried about him when his fucking grandfather was part of every day my life has been hell.

After a few minutes of sobbing, I glance over my shoulder. The balcony is empty. Cassian is gone.

Whatever plan he had has failed. Though what he hoped to gain remains a mystery. If I refuse to give my kidney to Illyana, they'll just cut it out of me anyway. There isn't a choice here, not really.

My anxiety remains inside me, bubbling under the surface with such heat that eventually, I give in to the restlessness and start tearing apart the room. This one might be nicer than my last one, with more furniture and clothes and a full en-suite, but it's just another cage to keep me in while they wait to decide how to use me.

And what kind of life is Illyana having anyway if she sees that Mario bastard as a bully? Maybe it would be kinder to let us both die.

Both of us.

Panting harshly, I stand in the carnage of my room. I tore drawers out of dressers, ripped the clothes from the bed, smashed the bedside lamp and the hanging lampshade, tore all the clothes out of the closet, and ripped up the books in my anxiety-fueled rage.