But not before hearing, “You need to bring your pitbull to heel, signore.”
“Yes, your grandson can’t attack us, period,” another agreed as the door shut on the men.
Dominico did that.
I slipped into a service entrance and sagged against the cool panel of the door. What in the actual hell had happened tonight? And was the grandson okay?
I gulped. “You don’t care. Just go to bed.”
Rubbing my aggressively beating heart, I took off down the passage. The image of that bloody face replayed in my mind. These men were ruthless. Unforgiving. I probably wasn’t safe here.
You weren’t much better in Cobbsville.
A shudder ran through me. Between the trailer park I’d called home, the meth heads who’d graduated with me, and the lack of gainful employment, there was no future in that one-horse town. I would have ended up in danger if I’d stayed. Sure, this place might be full of wolves, but at least there was a chance for a better life.
Hand on the door to the kitchen, I sighed. Bed never sounded so good. Wearily, I dragged myself through the door. The kitchen was too quiet. Under the hum of the appliances, there was a low menace that I felt before it registered that I wasn’t alone.
“Well, hello there,” a smarmy voice greeted me.
I pulled up short, cursing myself for looking at my shoes instead of paying attention to my surroundings. None of the lights were on in here. But from the glow in the window, I could just make out the criminal’s body. He was across the island.
For now.
I smiled, though he couldn’t see. “Can I help you, sir?”
“I came for some ice, but….” His voice trailed off as he set an object on the marble counter that I could only assume was a folded towel.
“Ice is in the freezer.” I tiptoed to the side.
He mirrored my movements. “Maybe you can show me?”
Icy bolts of panic rapid-fired through my veins. I knew better than to stick around. But he was closer to the door where he stood. My pulse roared in my ears, and I tried to focus through the gloom to catch any sudden shift from the scum.
“I’m actually required to bring something to Mr. Grimaldi,” I lied. Maybe if he thought I was expected elsewhere, he wouldn’t try anything.
“The boss can wait.”
I wanted to laugh. Clearly, he didn’t know the first thing about service work.
“You wouldn’t want to be unhelpful to a guest,” he pushed, creeping around the island.
I scrambled back, but that only made him come at me faster. I could tell he wasn’t particularly athletic. It didn’t stop him from being fast. He was on me in second. My feet slipped against the polished tile as I tried to escape.
With a pleased groan, he locked a meaty arm around my middle. One damp hand cupped my face, turning it to the light.
His breath hit me. It was stale. Booze and something sour.
“The don has the prettiest staff,” he murmured.
The stench fanned over my skin. He’d been drinking. Not enough to make him sloppy, just the right amount to make this worth the risk.
Panic flared through my chest. It threatened to suffocate me. I froze.
For the briefest of seconds, my body betrayed me.
Fight back!
I struggled to regain control of my body. I sucked in a ragged breath through my clenched teeth.
