“Yeah, but make it stronger.”
Dante rests his hand on my waist, pulling me to his side. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d mind, you know I like it when you get so feisty.” He tries to kiss my cheek, but I turn my head the other way, too enraged to be appeased.
“When should I send another one, dolly?” The bartender hands me a drink.
Dante lunges over the bar, grabbing the bartender by his tie. “Dolly?” he snaps, yanking him even closer. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” He shoves him back, looking at me just in time to catch me roll my eyes.
Knowing full well how childish it is, I smile at the bartender. “Next one in five. Thank you.”
“C’mon, I’ll sort them out,” Dante says.
“Forget it. They’ll think I’m afraid of them. I have to earn their respect now. I sure hope they work for you and not the other way around because if they take it too far, I’ll fucking destroy them.”
Two wrinkles crease his forehead, and he grips my hand, yanking me closer. “Don’teverswear again. It doesn’t fucking suit you.”
I’m just as surprised as him thatfuckcame out of my mouth, but rage chews at my brain, and my filter went to hell. Everyone at the table looks up when I approach.
“Finally! I’ve been waiting for three hours, girl!” A blond guy in the middle yells, shaking a hooker off his lap.
“That’s Vinn, the one next to him is Vince, and that’s their right hand, Caro,” Dante says, then snaps his fingers, ordering two hookers to get out of our space.
I keep my mouth shut, scooting closer to Spades to give Dante a little room. There’s no way I’ll start the show, but I threw my inhibitions out the window, so God help them.
Vinn rests his elbows on the table like a CEO of a fancy organization. “So, you’re Layla.” He sizes me up. “You got me on my knees.”
Not only is he brusque, but so unoriginal. Half of the people who meet me for the first-time quote Clapton’s song.
“Don’t get up.”
Vince chuckles under his breath, looking me over before turning to Dante. “She’s young.”
“Perfect for me,” Vinn clips. “You even look like my future girl.”
“And you look like rejection.”
“If I didn’t respect your man like I do, I’d take you out the back so you could put that filthy mouth to good use.”
Dante tenses beside me, but I open my mouth before he can cut in. “Doesn’t it say ‘warning: small parts; potential choking hazard’ down there?”
Spades bursts out laughing. I feel as if tickets should be available for my performance.
“You were fucking right to keep her away, man,” Vinn tells Dante. “I’ll fall in love, and you’ll have an opponent.”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. It’s incredible how little it takes to hate someone. “Sorry to clip your wings, but I don’t date men who attack women to inflate their egos.”
Nate looks at me from behind Spades’ back. “He’s just messing around. He wanted to check if you’re really that feisty.”
I get up, squeezing in-between Dante and the table, then bow as low as Adam often does in front of my father. “Next time, get a magician to entertain your guests,baby. Goodnight.” I turn on my heel, storming off, not daring to look behind me or wait for more insults.
“Layla, wait.” Dante catches up to me in the elevator and shoves his hand in-between the closing doors.
“Leave me alone. I’m not going back there. I lived through enough humiliation for one day. I’m going home! You can call me in the morning.”
“You’re not going to Frank’s.”
“You won’t tell me what I can or can’t do!”
“You don’t get it!” He grabs my waist and pins me to the wall, his face inches from mine, anger in his green eyes, but his voice steady. “I’ll lose my fucking mind if something happens to you.”