Page 16 of Forever My Saint
For the first time ever, Oscar appears at a loss for words, and the reason for that is because he believes me. My knowledge is too vast to be lying.
How do I know these things if I’m not telling the truth? Alek’s pride wouldn’t allow Oscar to be standing here as he would have sought revenge on him the moment he could. But Alek isn’t the man Oscar once knew him to be.
Oscar believes Alek is still the ruthless leader, and if he were, he wouldn’t send me here, putting me in danger. Oscar saw us together, and he knew that Alek had feelings for me.
The thought weighs heavily in my belly.
So my tale is believable because the Alek Oscar once knew would burn this house to the ground, not seek refuge in an orphanage. How the times have changed.
But it’s evident Oscar doesn’t completely trust me, leaving him caught at a crossroad. If he doesn’t believe me, then I could ruin him by alerting Astra to his disloyalty. Yet if what I’m sayingistrue, then handing over the information I know could put him back in her favor.
He pins me with those cruel eyes. “If what you say is true, we both need to trust one another. You may think you have the upper hand but…my house, my rules,” he states, indicating a world of pain is headed my way.
Standing tall, I refuse to buckle under his intense stare. “I didn’t think otherwise.”
“So, let me get this straight. You have no idea where Alek is?”
“That’s right.” And watch my nose grow…
“And you have somehow managed to acquire the allegiance of someone who clearly knows the goings-on of my business?”
“Yes.”
“If I play by your rules, you will hand over the name of Alek’s drug supplier to us?”
“Very good. You paid attention,” I belittle, but I’m internally crossing my fingers this works.
“And you’re doing this, all of this, because of…Saint?”
Just hearing his name has my façade almost slipping, but I nod firmly.
“How do you know he’s even here? He could have perished in that explosion?”
“We both know that didn’t happen,” I reply, my patience wearing thin. “Yes, he was shot, but his bomb never went off.”
Oscar’s chest rises and falls steadily, betraying his thoughts. “For someone so…insignificant,” he settles on, “you have caused so much trouble to us all. Fine, I accept your terms.”
He can insult me all he wants, but right now, I am one step closer to bringing Saint home.
“But as I said before, we form some kind of partnership, so I need to trust you. I can’t have you here if I don’t trust you.”
And there’s the catch. I don’t doubt Oscar will make me work to earn that trust.
“Or I could just tell my friends to contact Astra. It’s going to be a lot easier doing it this way. But if I have to get my hands dirty, then I will.” That’ll never happen because we both have a bargaining chip the other wants. But I need him to know that I’m not playing.
I have information, and he…he has Saint. We need the other to get what we want.
“There’s no need. I will give you what you want, but it’ll take time.”
“Time?” I question, caught off guard as this was not part of the plan.
Oscar nods, finally realizing his charade is up. “Poor Astra, she suffered dreadfully in the explosion. She is wounded, mending her face, and you see, she is intent on revenge for anyone involved. You included. She is very paranoid these days. Yourfriendswon’t get within three feet of her.Ifthey even know where she is.”
He’s calling my bluff.
Thinking on my toes, I reply, “I can be very persuasive when I want to be. Who do you think planted those bombs? If Saint’s bomb didn’t go off, then why did the house explode?”
“It was you?” He gasps, appearing to have solved a mystery.