130

ALEXANDER

I fell back against the iron spine of the chair with a rush of an exhale, feeling like a freight train had just run straight through my chest.

The chauffeur paused with his arms still on the small coffee table, before leaning back and heaving a small sigh. If I didn’t know any better, I could have sworn the man had aged in the minutes it had taken him to reveal his secret.

I glanced around the cafe mechanically, realizing we were the only two people left in the shadowed enclave at the rear booth. The high glass panes to our side were cracked slightly open, allowing the fingers of the cool, evening draft to whip through my hair, stinging my nose with its cold bite.

“Are you sure about this Mr. Lorenzo? If what you’re saying is true, it…it’s disastrous for the McKenzies,” I rasped, feeling my voice crack as the dry itch in my throat spiked and I had to pause to gather the moisture back into my mouth.

I watched the chauffeur nod, looking around uncomfortably, a thin sheen of s