AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The lighting was dull and the carpet at the bottom was a darker grey than what I had up in my room. When a large round table where six men sat came into greater view, everyone went quiet.
I had just enough time to look around at the mini kitchen, the steel cases that I knew held weapons because he’d shown them to me, and each of the handsome men facing me before Romero was on his feet. His eyes blazed with a dark and brutal anger that made me grip the railing tight, the breath knocked from my lungs just by his expression. My whole body felt the urge to retreat up the stairs. His suit jacket hung on the back of the chair and his white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, the sleeves rolled up, revealing the tattoos that decorated his forearms.
“Julietta,” he said harshly. “I thought I told you to stay upstairs.”
My mouth had opened to reply when one of the men whistled low and long. “Romero, my friend, I had no idea you kept such a beautiful angel all to yourself.”
My stepfather bared his teeth at the white-blond man that faced me. “Kieran,” he said in warning. Kieran’s eyes were an icy blue that I swear could lower the temperature of the desert if he tried. His smile was crooked and wicked, his corded biceps on display, a spread of cards in one hand and a glass of amber liquid I assumed was whiskey in the other.
“She’s Vanessa’s daughter, you mongrel,” Romero snarled.
My mouth worked like a fish’s out of water and I involuntarily backed into the last step. “I just need to speak with you really quick, please.” My question was directed at Romero, but another man answered.
“No need to be afraid, doll. We won’t bite.” The man that spoke flashed his perfectly white teeth that looked a little too sharp. He had salt-and-pepper hair and was decidedly the oldest of the bunch, but his body appeared to be just as lethal as the others’. His goatee matched his hair and tattoos wound up his neck, looking like demon claws digging into the sides of his throat. Romero was opposite him, glaring at the man like he might rip his head off.
But no one at the table paid any mind to my stepfather. “This can wait until morning,” he said through gritted teeth.
Despite the rabid looks of hunger from the gathered men who resembled wolves, I shot back, “I’m not afraid, and I sure as fuck am not a doll.”
Whoops of excitement passed around the table, but I locked my gaze on Romero. Foolishly I’d wandered into the den where godlike men played and drank. But I couldn’t move. My chin lifted slightly. “Please,” I said firmly. “This can’t wait.”
Romero’s gaze swept over me slowly as though assessing me. Slowly, he gripped his own glass and lifted it to his lips, taking a long sip. Why was my heart bashing around like a caged animal?
When he lowered the glass onto the table, he looked around, then sunk back into his chair. “Leave,pájara bonita. You have no idea what you just walked into. We’ll discuss this in the morning.”
Desperation ratcheted up, clawing its way into my tightening throat, threatening to choke me. “I-I can’t.”
“Come now, Hermano,” a leaner man in a T-shirt and jeans said. He had dark brown hair that was long, reminding me of Keanu Reeves, and skin a shade or two darker than Romero’s. “Let the girl stay.”
A rumble of chuckles came from the others, but Romero studied the cards he’d picked up, not sparing me a single glance. “That is her choice, Aaron. She is legally an adult, and this is her home.” He did look up then, piercing me with eyes that held more darkness than I could ever fathom. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
My jaw dropped. “So you’re not going to talk to me? You’re just going to let me stand here with all your friends staring at me?” My words were biting, and I regretted them instantly. Especially when all the said friends whistled or outright laughed at my second show of boldness. I was fairly certain my cheeks were as red as the scarf one of the men wore like it was the dead of winter. But it wasn’t from embarrassment. All of me was exceptionally warm with the rage simmering through my veins. Why was he being so difficult?
“Come now, girlie, what seems to be the trouble?” the silver fox asked.
“Sit on Daddy’s lap and tell us what it is you need.” The fourth man—red scarf guy, and the one closest to me—patted his lap. He wore a white knitted cardigan. With golden brown hair tied into a man bun at the back of his head, he would have looked the least harmful of the group, but when he licked his lips in a show of crudeness, I caught a glimpse of the barbell piercing his tongue. What sort of devilish fiends had Romero invited over?
He watched me, gauging me for a reaction.
It was him that I spoke to. “I need you to loan me ten thousand dollars,” I stated plainly, even as my heart felt like it might thrash right out of my ribcage.
The last man spoke at last. “How predictable.” His accent was different. Russian, maybe? He had blond hair too though it was shorter than theirs. His suit was much like Romero’s, and he didn’t quite look like he wanted to devour me. If anything, he looked like violence and sex if both of those things walked upright like a man.
Romero took another sip from his glass. “We can discuss terms in the morning.” His tone was final. And though I had the answer I’d been looking for, something rooted me in place, urging me to push the matter.
“I need to buy another car that will last me all year without breaking down. Something reliable. And I need to pay down my medical bills and catch up on my phone bill before they disconnect it.”
“I’ve already moved your line to my plan, your medical bills will be paid, as will your insurance. I can arrange for someone to take you to your classes until we can find a suitable vehicle for you. Now get out.” Again, he wouldn’t look at me. He placed a card in the center of the table before rearranging the ones in his hands with ease and disinterest.
I put my hands on my hips and exhaled sharply. “Were you going to tell me any of that?”
“Yes,” he replied flatly. “Tomorrow.”
I bit my bottom lip, feeling stupid for even bothering to come down here and talk to him. “You could’ve just come up and told me that when I asked.” I hated the way I sounded both accusatory and whiny all at once.
Romero snorted.
“How ’bout Daddy buys you a nice car, eh?” Man Bun winked. “In exchange for a kiss of course.”
