“See what?”
“My mother. Camano. They were smiling at each other. She was remembering how much she liked being the queen that my father had made her. The fancy resorts, the designer clothes, the respect and fear she could sense in all the people around her when she was with my father. It was her whole life, and I could see that I wasn’t important in comparison. It was only the power and the glamour she’d had as his wife. Now Camano has the power.” She closed her eyes. “And I knew that she’d reach out and take Camano if she could get him. It would be her way to survive. I prayed she wouldn’t.” She whispered, “How I prayed…”
“She’s his mistress now?”
“I guess so. Anyone would want her. She’s so beautiful. I always thought she was like a wonderful butterfly.”
“And evidently with a soul that was not at all beautiful. And certainly not wonderful to you.”
“She never hurt me. Not like my father. She’d smile whenever she saw me. She even brought me presents sometimes.” She opened her eyes. “She dazzled me. She dazzled everyone. So beautiful…”
“You’ll be more beautiful in a few years. All her glamour and with character, too.”
She shook her head. “You’re crazy.”
“And you have a softness toward your mother that could be fatal.” He had reached the car and was putting her down on the passenger side. “You can’t have any contact with her.”
“I know. I’m not stupid, Mandak. Camano might force her to tell him where I am.” She reached out to steady herself as he opened the car door. “I knew when Tantona and the others came for me that I couldn’t trust her to save me. I have to look out for myself.”
“Right. And you may see a beautiful butterfly, but I’m seeing a prime bitch.” He settled her in the seat and fastened her seat belt. “Good riddance to her, Allie.”
She frowned, puzzled. “Allie?”
He reached out and touched her hair. “Such pretty dark curls. It shines in the moonlight. It’s a shame we’ll have to tint it, but it’s too eye-catching.”
“Allie?” she repeated.
He nodded. “Get used to it. No more Teresa Casali. She’s gone forever. You’re Allie Girard.”
Before she could answer, he’d slammed the car door and was running around to the driver’s seat.
Gone forever. No more Teresa Casali.
The words repeated over and over in her mind as he started the car and drove onto the road.
Loneliness … and relief.
“I was wondering how you’d take it.” Mandak’s gaze was on her face. “First shock and then…?”
“I can start over. No one will know I’m … weird. Fresh start. I can make my life what I choose.” She grimaced. “If I can keep from getting killed.”
“Not quite a fresh start. I’ll still be in the picture.”
“For the time being.”
He smiled. “And I can see you’re already plotting on how to rid yourself of me.”
“It’s possible.” She lifted her chin and stared at him challengingly. “If I don’t find a reason to use you as you say you’re going to use me.”
He chuckled. “I look forward to watching you make the attempt, Allie.”
“Allie,” she repeated, trying to get used to the sound of it. “What was the last name?”
“Girard.”
She leaned back in the seat, her gaze on the darkness beyond the windshield. She could rid her life of that darkness. She could turn her back on all the ugliness. She could pretend to—no, she could teach herself to not let herself see what she should not see. If she was strong enough, determined enough, she’d be able to do it. She might even take Mandak up on his offer to help her conquer that helplessness that had made those years a nightmare. Why not? He’d made no secret that she was only a means to some complex, shadowy end to him. He had said use him, and she should have no compunction about doing it. Not if it meant that life could be different for her.
Teresa Casali was gone, never to return. Only this new, strange person was left to reach out and take hold and shape the world to suit herself.
A person named Allie Girard …
CHAPTER TWO
Stonebridge, New Jersey
3:40 A.M.
“SHE GOT AWAY.” CAMANO muttered a curse as he hung up the phone. “And Tantona and the others are dead.”
“What?” Gina raised herself on one elbow in bed. “That’s not possible. How did it happen?”
“How the hell do I know? Navarro was driving the car. The last he heard from Tantona was that Teresa was running through the woods, and they were going after her. He tried to contact Tantona later, and there was no answer, so he went looking. He found the three of them in the woods. Whoever did the job knew what he was doing.” He got out of bed and strode naked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. “Maybe you should tell me what happened, Gina? You told me your freak of a daughter has no friends. There was no way she could have taken down Tantona and the others herself. Not given the skill Navarro said the kills were done with.”
“Of course she couldn’t do it.” Gina got out of bed and slipped on her cream-colored satin robe. “You don’t understand. She’s just a kid. Teresa is only interested in her books and music.” She moved across the room to the bar. “And I don’t appreciate your talking to me like that, Rico. Why would you think I’d know anything about how she got away? Haven’t I done everything you asked me to do? I took her to the cabin, didn’t I?” Her smile was dazzling. “Naturally, I know that you only meant to take Teresa somewhere more private than the compound and question her about a few things that are worrying you. I realize you would never harm her.” She reached out and brushed her fingertips against his hand. “Now, may I have a drink, too?”
Camano felt a jolt of pure lust at her touch. Long, shining, dark hair, breasts and buttocks that made him get hard just looking at her. What a magnificent bitch. How many times had he had her tonight? He couldn’t get enough of screwing her. He’d had a king-size craving for Gina since Casali had acquired her when she was only in her teens. She’d only gotten more sexy and alluring as the years passed. But then he’d had a craving for everything that belonged to Casali. It had been difficult to wait until the time was ripe to reach out and gather it into his hands.
But he hadn’t realized that Casali’s brat, Teresa, was something he was going to have to deal with. Not until he saw her looking at him at her father’s funeral. Freak. All he’d heard might or might not be true, but he wasn’t going to give up all he’d snatched on the chance that big-eyed kid could be a threat to him.
“I didn’t say that you had anything to do with this.” He poured Gina a glass of wine. “But I have to find out what happened. As long as Teresa is running around out there without you to guide her, she could be a danger to me.”
“Then find her and bring her back to me.” She sipped her wine. “I have no problem making her do whatever I wish. Antonio always relied on me to handle her.”