“Hey, it’s pretty quiet. Do you want to take your break now before the rush?”
“Sure, thanks.” She nods with a grin, leaving her tray and stalking to the change rooms in the back.
Grabbing the tray, I place it behind the bar and start my nightly routine of wiping down the counters and setting the glasses in rows, which will make them easier to pick up as it gets busier.
Only one thing can make this evening shift better and that’s if a certain Italian stranger walks in, sweeps me off my feet, and rescues me from my hell. Kind of like Cinderella, slipping her foot in the glass slipper and leaving behind the evil stepmother and stepsisters. Only, I would never leave Adri behind.
Sighing, I continue my ritual to get ready, my mind still wandering to a certain dark-haired prince. I shouldn’t think about him. He’s dangerous, but I have a feeling he’s nothing like Andrea. I doubt anyone can be as evil as he is. I’ve seen the terrible things he’s done, and thankfully, I haven’t been privy to it all. Deep down, I wanted nothing more than my freedom, and I wonder if he’ll ever give it to me.
He enjoys the control. I cannot believe Dad gave him everything. Leaving my future in the hands of a bastard, he’s inadvertently locked me in a prison I don’t see myself escaping.
There has to be a way out.
I have to figure how to walk away from Andrea, from this life, and still have a future. Because if I stay, I doubt he’ll allow me anything more than working in the club and obeying his every command.
7
Franco
My hand tightens around the thick neck of the man who looks like he’s about to piss himself. My body shakes with rage as I regard him through narrowed eyes. A forty-five-year-old business owner who also deals in weapons. His front is a video store, which is laughable.
We provide services to anyone who needs it. Anyone who asks for it. But there’s a price. Everything in life, everyone in life has a price. I’m about to take my pound of flesh, and I’m going to enjoy every damn moment of it.
Lifting the silver blade, I run the tip along his face, from his hairline down to the trembling lips of his mouth. Fear. It’s an aphrodisiac to me. I’m a ruthless bastard. And mercy? It’s unheard of when I walk in. “Look, I-I can p-pay when—”
“This right here,” I murmur, venom dripping from my tone. Pressing the silver tip into his cheek until I see the tiny drop of crimson. Beautiful. Like a decadent Merlot. “This is why you should stick to your fucking agreements.” I hiss in the asshole’s face that’s just lost all protection privileges by the Nostra.
“P-please I-I—” Gently, I push harder, interrupting his pleading. I watch as blood trickles down his cheek in an exquisite path over pale skin. “M-mo-money,” he mumbles, pointing to the safe behind him.
“Gio, open the safe. What’s the code?” I bite out, grinding my teeth as my jaw ticks in frustration.
“T-two, f-f-five, t-t-three, ei-eight, t-t-ten.”
His whimpers are pissing me off. I want my fucking money and I want it now. “I don’t play games, Mr. Jefferies. I don’t like them at all,” I warn, listening to the lock click and my brother tug the door open.
“All here.” Gio smirks, taking the fifty grand and heading to the door. “Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. J.”
I’m alone with the asshole, and there’s no telling what I could do, but he did pay, so I’ll show him how I deal with honest people.
Lifting my knee, I make contact with his crotch and the man goes down like a sack of fucking potatoes. Once again, I lift my leg, allowing my foot to slam against his jaw. The crack is audible and I smirk down at him in pleasure.
“I don’t take lightly to games, Mr. Jefferies. Next time, I won’t be so nice. Make no mistake.” I lean in, my shoes pushing into his flattened hand. “I’m not a nice man at all.” Then I step onto the knuckles perfectly until I hear the beautiful sound of broken bones. “As Gio said, pleasure doing business with you.”
Slipping my blade into its sheath, I button up my jacket and head out the door with sex on my mind. Tonight, I’ll need to find a gorgeous woman to fuck.
Hard, rough, and violent.
Preferably Raina Lombardi.
* * *
My mind isn’ton work since it keeps wandering to what I’m about to offer Raina. I’ve never been this distracted over a woman before. There’s something about her that’s gripped me and I wonder if it’s the innocence she exudes. She’s a drug, a wicked sin that’s burrowed into my veins, and I want to slide inside her over and over again.
My phone buzzes on the desktop. When I glance at the name on the screen, I can’t help the anger bubbling up from my gut, racing through my veins.
“To what do I owe this pleasure, Cristiano?” My voice is ice, dripping with a poison I hope will kill the asshole wherever he is.
“Is that any way to greet me,amico?” We’re not friends. Not anymore. Once I trusted this man with my life, but now… Now I’d prefer to see him lying in a pool of blood, gasping for his last breath.