Revulsion slams into me as his fingers knead my flesh. I dive forward, lunging across the desk and making a grab for the gun. Mr. Dolce curses and snatches me back, but not before my fingers close around the Glock. I twist around and slam the butt into the side of his head.
I may not know how to fight with anything but my fists, but that means I sure as fuck know where to land a blow for a knockout.
He crumples like a ragdoll, smacking his head on the desk and bouncing off the chair before tumbling to the floor. I get some satisfaction out of the knowledge that he’ll have to explain the bruises to Royal.
“Fucker,” I mutter, tucking the gun back into the back of my skirt. I smooth my shirt and step over him, deliberately placing a foot on his crotch and making sure it takes all my weight before I take the next step. When I get to the door, I see Baron lurking in the hall like a creeper. I shove past him, not even surprised to see him there.
“You better hope he’s not hurt,” he says.
“Were you just going to watch while your father fucking raped me?” I snap at him.
He shrugs, his eyes cool. “I like watching.”
“What happened to you?” I ask. “Or were you born like that?”
“I’ve seen him do worse,” he says with a shrug. “You’re eighteen, and you owe him a hell of a lot more than a turn in your busted ass.”
“I don’t owe him shit,” I snap. “I don’t owe any of you shit.”
“He gave you a scholarship.”
“I paid for that,” I grit out, glaring at him.
He smirks, letting his dark gaze roam over my body. “Yeah, I guess letting the three of us raw-dog you all night might be worth a scholarship. What’s the going rate for fucking a whore without a condom? A thousand? Between the three of us, I bet we fucked you twenty-five times that night. That’s what your scholarship cost, so I guess you’re paid up for last year.”
“I didn’tletyou do anything.”
“What about this year?” he asks. “You took a scholarship from my family this year. Ready for a repeat, with a little extra punishment for trying to ruin us at the school after you took the money?”
“Touch me, and you’ll see how much I’ve improved at the shooting range this month.”
“Nah,” he says, jangling his keys in his pocket. “I’m just fucking with you. You’re used goods. I don’t do repeats with girls like you unless I’m bored, and I’ve got shit to do.”
“Sorry to hold you up,” I say sarcastically. “I guess now that your dad’s not trying to rape me, the show’s over.”
“Guess so,” he says coolly.
I edge past him and hurry down the hall, resisting the urge to pull out my gun and back down the hall, keeping him in my sights. When he doesn’t follow, I continue upstairs and throw my stuff back into the two suitcases I brought with me, filled with clothes from our trip to New York. I throw in one of Royal’s dirty t-shirts because I’m a dick-whipped bitch and I want to smell him while I fall asleep, and then I head out. At the bottom of the stairs I run into Duke, who’s emerging from the kitchen.
“Want one?” he asks, holding up a six-pack of some expensive beer in glass bottles and offering a sloppy smile along with it.
“Is Baron joining us?”
“He left,” Duke says with a shrug.
“You mean he’s doing something without you?” I ask, feigning horror.
“We do stuff without each other all the time.”
“But how will he know you’re worthy of the Dolce name if you aren’t there to do his psychotic bidding?”
“I don’t do his bidding,” Duke says, scowling. “Now, you want to go have a beer on the front steps with me or not?”
“Not,” I say. “But go wait at the front door like his loyal doggie.”
I turn and drag my suitcases down the hall to the back door. I’m not scared of Duke, so I don’t even worry that my hands are full, and I can’t reach for my gun. I climb into my car and head back the way I came. Guess my time of living the high life is over. I used to think Royal had everything, but now I know the truth.
He has everything, but it’s not worth it.