Page 178 of The Wicked
“Upper, can you give us a moment?” Elio said, cutting me off.
Upper’s eyes narrowed as he looked between us, confusion and suspicion lacing his assessing stare. His gaze dropped to our chests like he was looking at our outfits before he blinked and shook his head, settling his attention on me, seeking my approval.
“It’s fine,” I said.
He nodded before walking over to Angelo, who was on the phone.
Some of the soldiers were already filing into the elevator.
I felt Elio’s hand on my arm as he gently turned my body to face him.
Our gazes locked. “I have to be out there, Elio.”
“You sound desperate.”
His remark caught me off guard. “What?”
He looked around the room, conflict in his eyes, before he looked back at me. “Why do you want to be out there so badly?”
“To help?”
“You don’t care about any of this or Casmiro.”
“I care about Upper, and he almost died.”
“Yes, but he’s alive, and he’s fine, so why do you want to get involved in a fight that isn’t yours?” His eyes searched mine with confident suspicion. My stomach clenched, and I bit the inside of my lips till I tasted blood. My brain was working so fast.
“I just—”
“Unless it’s your fight…”
“What?”
“Unless, one way or another, this is your fault.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Casmiro was attacked by Manuel Conti’s men,” he stated. “You knew him.”
“Yeah, years ago… I have no idea why—”
“Be honest with me, Zahra.”
I blinked at him. “You think I’m responsible for this?” My eyes searched his. “Are you fucking kidding me, Elio?”
He closed his eyes briefly, jaw clenching as he opened them back up. “I wouldn’t make an accusation if I had no reason to, Zahra.”
“How—when the—why would I want to hurt Casmiro?”
“Thatis what I am hoping you will answer for me.”
I shook my head slowly. “This is insane. I’m trying to help, and you think that I’m involved? That I would put Upper in danger just to—kill your underboss? How the fuck do you think I would have access to men like that? Or—or—kill someone I know nothing about; why would you even have a thought like this?”
He looked as uncomfortable as I felt.
“Zahra, you have given me no reason to trust you but more reasons to question everything you do. Casmiro informed me about the conversation you two had yesterday.”
The air was leaving my lungs. “I can’t believe this is happening right now.”
