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Giulio’s smile drops from his face as he looks at me. Discomfort pools in my stomach, imagining what else he can do to make my night even more miserable.
But Giulio sighs and slaps my thigh. “Yeah, fine. I’ve got business to take care of, anyway. Come on, let’s get you locked up again. I wouldn’t want Damien to cry if you hurt yourself trying to escape.”
Right. Escape.
If only.
10
SLAYER
It’s early when I duck into Ntimacy. It’s too early for Giulio to be around, but what I have to talk to him about isn’t urgent. I can spend some time winding down after a long day before I track him down.
The girls are dancing to a limited audience, the early crowd that rarely tips big and is usually a waste of their time anyway. Still, they’d rather that meager offering than me, which is what puts a big old grin on my lips as I saunter into the room.
None of them want me, and that only makes it more enjoyable for me.
I glance at Stef, considering her for a moment, and she pales when her eyes lock with mine. She’s always a fun time. She hasn’t been here long, so her experience is minimal, and she cries at the drop of a hat. She’s naive enough to think begging me might somehow get me to change my mind and find someone else, and it’s entertaining to see her get down on her hands and knees.
I consider Cat, too. She shoots me an annoyed glare when she notices me, and she doubles down on the attention she’s paying the man in front of her. I grin. We’re all pretty sure she’s a lesbian, and I love tormenting her by making her pretend she wants me.
But there’s a better option, one that isn’t on the main dance floor.
A much newer option, a juicier option, one that hasn’t been corrupted just yet.
And damn, will it piss Damien off if I go for his girl.
“Yo,” I tell Paul. “Let me into Vanessa’s room.”
Paul’s lips thin in displeasure. “Giulio said she was off limits. He was very clear on that.”
I roll my eyes. “Off-limits to the customers. But not to me. I’ve got access to all the girls.”
“No. He kicked out a customer yesterday who wanted a piece of her. I’m not risking him getting pissed off at me.”
Paul’s the assistant manager, and unlike Donny, he’s a seedy little rat who can’t think for himself. I’m only surprised that he’s standing up to me at all, since I’ve got at least thirty pounds on him and I’m friends with his boss.
I could grab any girl off the dance floor, and all he could do is whine at me. If it wasn’t for the fact that I know Vanessa’s locked up, I’d just go take her myself and be done with it. I have no intention ofbeggingto use the freshest meat in the place.
“You’re risking him getting pissed off at you by not just opening her fucking door and letting me in her room.” I take a step closer to him, invading his personal space and reminding him just how much bigger than him I am. “So take your little key card, bring it upstairs, and open the goddamn door before I just break it down and you have to explain why you have to personally keep the bitch in her room now.”
But Paul shakes his head, backing away until he bumps up against the bar counter. “Take Stef! She needs more practice anyway.”
“Yeah, see… I don’t want Stef. I want Vanessa.” I stare at him, continuing to crowd him until I’m pressing flush against him, my muscle-hardened chest to his scrawny chest. I’m starting to get annoyed, and I flip out the knife I use to amuse myself with when someone’s taking too long to talk. The karambit is a wickedly curved blade, sharpened with love and care each time I use it, and it leaves an impression. “You know you’re not supposed to say no to me,Paul. So go ahead and just take me to the bitch before I slice you open right here on the dance floor and Giulio has to get someone to clean up the fucking mess.”
Paul pales and swallows hard, but he also fumbles with his pockets. It takes only a few seconds for him to draw out his keycard with a shaking hand. I take it from him before he has a chance to change his mind.
“Don’t hurt her,” Paul mumbles without any authority. “She’s important.”
Oh, I know how important she is, better than Paul does. I snort at him, though. “Which room is she in?”
He tells me, and I flash him a smirk before putting the knife away. I stalk off toward the employees-only door, heading back to the girls’ rooms.
I swipe the key card at Vanessa’s door and let myself into the room, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim lights. I flip the light switch, illuminating my surroundings, and tuck the key card back into my pocket.
Vanessa sits up quickly, clinging to the thin blankets on her bed like they’re really going to offer her any protection from me.
“Miss me?” I ask cheerily. “No need to pretend either way, I’m not Giulio.”
