Blood Ties, Love Binds

by Alexa Whitewolf

She didn’t want to forget she was sitting across from a psychopathic monster. That alone should have sent her running for the hills, and the fact she wasn’t was worrisome.

  To distract herself, Cassandra took a sip of the wine and said, “So, what brings you to Canada, Alain?”

  He threw her an odd look, and she forced a smile. “Your French is much too flawless for you to have been born in Québec. And your style is easy enough to pinpoint as French.”

  Alain glanced down at what he was wearing, then around them, noticing the less than classy looks men sported. A surprised laugh escaped him. “I suppose so!”

  Damn, but he’s a good actor.

  “Don’t fall for it,” Damon whispered in her ear. With the gadget doubling as a microphone, he could hear the entire conversation. “His entire profession revolves around being a chameleon. Stay on your guard.”

  Cassandra took a larger gulp of her glass, and Alain was quick to refill it.

  “Business mostly, although I’m hoping to get pleasure out of it, too.” He smiled, his eyes connecting with hers. “What about you? I thought the DiCavalier family was Italian. That seems a long way from your home.”

  Cassandra made a face, remembering how much her family’s name had been in the news.

  “My parents wanted me to have a normal upbringing, and Canada was their choice.”

  “Ah, yes. They died when you were young, didn’t they?”

  “Yes.”

  “That must have been very hard,” he probed, but she couldn’t force herself to open up to him.

  Rather than allow the disgust to show in her face, Cassandra pretended to blink back tears. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.”

  “Of course. I apologize. Here I am, supposed to apologize for my rather rude disappearance from yesterday to you, and instead I’m making you sad. I’m very sorry, Cassandra.”

  Cassandra dabbed at her eyes with the napkin and sniffed delicately, for good measure. “It’s all right. And my friends call me Cass.”

  “Cass it is, then.”

  “Speaking of last night, what did happen? You left pretty abruptly from the club.”

  “Ah yes.” Alain broke eye contact and took a sip of his wine, then said, “My parents’ estate in France had problems, and I had to direct the workers on how to fix them. All boring work, but time-consuming. I envy your freedom.”

  “Freedom?” Cassandra laughed. “Hardly. I’m in constant fear of my identity being found out, and ending up a media magnet like my parents. That fear rules some – most – of my choices, from who I pick as friends to where I go for dinner. So freedom… No, I wouldn’t say so.”

  Alain nodded as if understanding her, then smiled and raised his wine glass. “Then how about a toast to almost-freedom, and the hopes of more!”

  Cassandra raised hers, and took another sip. The conversation continued on useless topics, and she was getting frustrated. Right when she was about to interrupt with a personal question – that Damon had specifically said to avoid – her ex-boyfriend whispered in her ear again.

  “We’re good. Got what we needed, Cass. Time to put an end to it.”

  “What?” She hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud until Alain stopped in the middle of what he was saying. “I’m so sorry,” Cassandra giggled, pointing to the wine. “This must have gone to my head, and I have to admit I lost track of the conversation.”

  Alain smiled, but this time it was thin, and there was a feral look in his eyes that caused her to shiver.

  “Not at all, chérie. Perhaps it’s time to call it a night.”

  Cassandra ignored the darling endearment and nodded, barely hiding her relief. It took Alain only moments to pay the bill, then they were exiting the restaurant. She was trying to figure out how to avoid getting in a car with him, when Renzo’s voice called out.

  “Cass!”

  Cassandra turned around in time to see Renzo get out of his pickup truck, and head over. He didn’t bother hiding his hostile look from Alain.

  “Renzo, what are you doing here?” she asked him, baffled.

  “I need to talk to you. In private.”

  His words were clear and his gaze demanding, so she turned to Alain and smiled. “Merci encore for a lovely dinner, Alain. See you soon?”

  The assassin smiled, just as surprised at Renzo's unexpected presence. “Of course.” With that, he walked around to his car, and drove off.

  Cassandra waited a beat until he disappeared around a corner, then headed to her friend. “What’s up? And what the hell did Damon mean you guys got what you needed?”

  “Not me,” Renzo scowled. “His team. One guy broke into Alain’s car and was able to pull data from the GPS tracker. The other guy used it to pinpoint his last locations and figure out where his lair was… They went there and found enough proof to put him away, including collectables.”

  “Collec…” Cassandra trailed off, eyes widening as she caught onto his meaning. “He kept parts of his victims?”

  Renzo’s grim expression was enough of an answer. “I’m glad they got what they needed, because no way in hell I’d let you do this again. It’s too damn dangerous to be playing with the likes of him.”

  Worry poured off him, and Cassandra’s frustration at being kept out of the loop eased off. She wrapped her arms around his strong torso and hugged him tight, whispering, “I’ll be okay. You guys have my back.”

  Renzo returned the hug, then pulled away after a few moments. “Damon said something about new information that came to light.”

  “Is he inside?” She was looking at the car, as if expecting him to step out.

  “No, I’m supposed to bring you to his hotel.”

  Cassandra followed Renzo to his car, and within moments they’d pulled in front of one of the more chic hotels of the Old Port. She whistled low, impressed at the luxurious place that looked like a remodelled castle. “He’s staying here?”

  “Just for the night. Apparently, it’s a good cover.”

  Cassandra nodded and stepped outside. Before heading in, she leaned through the open window and winked at Renzo. “Be safe.”

  ♥∞♥

  Damon could have burned a hole in the carpet with all his pacing. After Zak and Paco had confirmed getting the information from Wraith’s lair, he’d asked Paco to set up an encrypted transfer to Derek and his team back home.

  Soon as that’s completed, Wraith is done for. With the data they’d recuperated, they could track his movements, his aliases and usual hangouts. Paco had already developed an algorithm to sort through the information and start predicting where Wraith would be next based on previous patterns.

  Still, through it all, Damon’s thoughts were on Cassandra and the risk she was taking. If she slipped up, and Wraith realized she was there as a distraction…

  There was a knock at the door, and he yanked it open. His eyes fell on Cassandra, looking delectable in a black dress that reached mid-thigh, and her hair loose around her shoulders.

  He reached for her at the same time she reached for him. The minute she was in his arms, Damon pinned her to the wall and kissed her.

  Cassandra answered like she always did, melting in his arms, and it made the separation that much more painful. When he tried to pull away, however, she grabbed his belt and yanked him closer. “No stopping,” she urged, kissing him back.

  Damon groaned in her mouth, wanting to give in to what she was offering, but dreading the reasons that were pushing her to it. He knew the adrenaline of a successful mission could cloud the mind, and it was not what he wanted to justify their first time together.

  Despite his internal admonishing, he picked her up in his arms and she wrapped her legs around him in a vice grip. His mouth angled over hers, even as one hand dug into her hair, pulling her head back so he could kiss her neck.

  Her intoxicating scent engulfed him. It was a perfume he should have been able to name, because it’d been in his dreams for ages… And, ultimately, it
was his undoing. Also, his wakeup call.

  With a superhuman effort, Damon pulled back, and forced Cassandra’s legs back on the ground. Her eyes shone with passion, and he touched her cheek. “I will be everything you want me to be tonight, but no more secrets. There is still something I need to tell you.”

  Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, but he pressed his index finger to her lips. “Just hear me out.”

  When she nodded, he grabbed her hand and sat on the couch, pulling her in his lap. “Anton is not only the monster responsible for those pictures. He is also the man who orchestrated your parents’ murder.”

  There was no gentle way to announce it, so he chose bluntness. In his arms, Cassandra stiffened, and pain crossed her features. “What?”

  Damon inhaled and interlaced her fingers with his. He hoped, if nothing else, that he could be an anchor for her in this time.

  “Anton comes from France, that much is true. His father had a prominent winery in the south. It wasn’t as prosperous like the larger ones, but it made money. Anton had three siblings. His father and yours knew each other. When your father opened his resort, Anton’s father lost everything in bad investments. Lost to rage and insanity, he killed his wife, Anton’s siblings, and took his own life. Anton only survived because he was away at school.”

  Cassandra’s eyes widened in shock, but Damon rushed on before she could intervene.

  “Anton looked into what put his family in such deep debt and blamed it on your father. He resolved to take from the DiCavalier family what was taken from him. So he followed your parents, and clashed into their car, causing the accident.”

  “Why didn’t he come after me?”

  Damon thought back to the information they’d found, and gulped his rage down. “Because he wanted you to grow up, and really understand the torture he’d be putting you through. Over time, Anton lost track of where you were, because you were so well-hidden. Your adoption records were sealed, too. He made more enemies and staying hidden was more of a priority than finding you. But then your dad gave him you on a platter, and he couldn’t refuse.”

  Damon paused, waiting for it all to sink in. “Cass… No matter what happens next, Anton is done hurting you. We have enough to put him away for life, and I swear to you that I don’t plan to let him touch a hair on your head.”

  Cassandra let out the breath she’d been holding, then wrapped her arms around his neck. She buried her head in his neck and her soft sobs broke his heart. It was a testimony to her strength of character that she was still standing after the revelation.

  When she’d calmed down, long moments later, Damon caressed her back. “Let’s order food?”

  Cassandra nodded, and he reached for the landline to place a quick order for room service. When the knock sounded at the door after ten minutes, they shared a surprised look.

  “That was fast…” Cassandra laughed and got off him.

  Damon stood, tucking the gun in the waistband of his jeans. He was not taking any chances. The peephole was obstructed, which alone served to raise his hackles.

  He glanced behind at Cassandra and gestured for her to move to the side, out of sight. Once she did, Damon opened the door a smidge. “Yes?”

  The wooden frame was slammed into him, and four cops stormed into the room. One of them held up his badge and a paper that warned of nothing good to come.

  “What the fuck is all this?” Damon asked as the cops moved in on him.

  “Damon Voight, you’re under arrest for assault.”

  The bastard delivering the news was none other than Sean, the cop who’d been tailing him since the club incident. And he was smiling like a damn cat going in for the kill.

  ♥ Chapter 19 ♥

  Cassandra tapped her foot, aware of the hard dig of the chair in her back. Her eyes hadn’t strayed from the guy at the front desk in the last two hours while they interrogated Damon. No amount of her confirming his alibi this time stopped Sean from arresting him.

  When Sean had barged in, Cassandra had wanted nothing more than to rip him a new one. But Damon’s hard look had silenced her, and she’d listened to him. Following them to the station in a taxi was a no brainer, and she’d hoped to at least get more information on the so-called assault charges.

  All they would tell her was that there was an ongoing investigation.

  Near growling, Cassandra jumped to her feet and marched to the front desk. They’d changed shifts ten minutes earlier, and the new officer looked up with a bored expression on his face. “Yes?”

  “I want to see Damon Voight.”

  He typed something on his computer, then shook his head. “No can do. He’s in questioning.”

  “He’s been in there for two hours!”

  A shrug. “It can take a while.”

  Cassandra pursed her lips, trying to calm her fervour. “What are the charges?”

  His blank gaze narrowed in on her. “You family?”

  “I… no. I’m his girlfriend.” The words sounded right, even if they were said in the heat of the moment. But then again, aren’t I? Cassandra set that question aside for a better time.

  The officer sighed, as if he couldn’t be bothered, and said, “The man from the club Fire & Ice, stabbed a few days ago? They say your boyfriend did it, lady. That’s all I can tell you.”

  Cassandra slammed her palms on the edge of the counter. “That’s bullshit! Damon didn’t do anything, it’s Sean who’s trying to make him go down for something he’s innocent of!”

  The officer only arched an eyebrow, nowhere impressed by her outburst. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

  Cassandra took a deep breath, then chose to switch tactics. “Can I post his bail?”

  After a quick look at the computer screen, he said, “Your guy’s here on a tourist visa, isn’t he? Makes him a flight risk.”

  Cassandra narrowed her eyes. “My boyfriend is a Canadian citizen, dumbass.”

  He looked back from his paperwork to her. “All his documents are marked as from the United Kingdom.”

  Cassandra could have screamed her frustration at the world in that instant. But someone called out, and she turned to see Renzo rushing forward. She’d woken him half an hour earlier, unable to stand the wait by herself.

  She went into his arms, aching for his familiar hug. Renzo didn’t disappoint, but not even the warmth of his arms was enough to reassure her. Cassandra pulled away, pursing her lips. “We need to get Damon out of here. They won’t let me see him and they’ve been interrogating him this entire time without a lawyer!”

  Renzo glanced behind her at the officer, then met her eyes. “How long has it been?”

  “Two hours!” Cassandra lowered her voice, dreading to ask but willing to cross any lines at this point. “Can your dad pull any strings?”

  To his credit, Renzo didn’t even blink. His slow befuddled smile raked her hard. “Funny you should mention him… That’s why I’m here. He wants to see you.”

  “Now? Renzo, I can’t!”

  “Damon will be in there for another hour, at least. And with his military training, I’ve no doubt he’s able to handle himself. Plus, my dad’s outside waiting in the car, so it won’t take long.”

  Cassandra sighed and followed him out.

  “So did Damon get to tell you anything new, before being arrested?”

  “Yeah,” she muttered. “This Alain/Anton guy is the same who murdered my parents.” Cassandra went on to summarize the story, and through it all Renzo held her hand, an anchor to her grief.

  Soon, they were outside the dark stretched limo, and he opened the door. Cassandra stepped inside and took a seat on the leather interior. Renzo joined her within seconds and closed the door. Fabrizio Moretti was sitting opposite them, nursing a glass of vodka. It was odd seeing him so forlorn, considering he rarely drank anything stronger than wine.

  “You okay, Uncle Fabio?” she asked, throwing a confused glance to Renzo, who shrugged.

  “No…” Fabrizi
o glanced from his glass to her. “I haven’t been entirely honest with you, Cassandra. After my wife’s death, I swore to stay on a righteous path, and no longer see innocents hurt. While I’ve done my best in this, I failed to some extent. I should have warned you the moment it happened.”

  “The moment what happened, dad?” Renzo’s tone had a hard edge to it, and it seemed to get Fabrizio back on track.

  He downed the rest of the glass, then stood straighter and fixed his suit. “Your father came to me, first. He asked me to handle your kidnapping. You see, Viktor gambled his fortune away. The millions he got each year for taking care of you, all gone.”

  Cassandra’s jaw dropped at the revelation. Damon had alluded to as much, but to hear Viktor was completely broke…

  “He gambled it all to the wrong people, and then some,” Fabrizio said. “Unfortunately, this meant when they came collecting, Viktor didn’t have anything to pay them. But he knew about your trust fund.”

  “I can’t touch that until I’m twenty-five,” Cassandra frowned. “Why would he kidnap me?”

  “Because he was aware if he ransomed you, the people in charge of protecting your parents’ estate would pay up. The money would be enough to get the sharks off his back for the time being, after which he planned to force you to sign over the rest of the fund to him.”

  “As if I would have!”

  Uncle Fabio ran a hand over his face, sighing. “Which is why he came to me. But when he told me his plans, and what he wanted to do in order to break you…and get you to comply…” He grimaced, looking repulsed. “I wouldn’t have done it, either way. But once he mentioned all that, I wanted to kill him.”

  Cassandra’s frown deepened as she recalled the last time she’d been in the same room with her stepfather. At the time, he had dark circles under his eyes and he’d been sporting a nasty black eye and broken nose. “That was you, the broken nose?”

  Fabrizio’s eyes darkened. “I wish I’d done more, but it was a line I didn’t want to cross after my promise to my departed wife. Sadly, my refusal drove him into the hands of a worse man.”

  “Anton.”

  Fabrizio leaned forward, reaching for Cassandra’s hand. “I hope by now your friend Damon warned you, and you’re aware of everything.”