AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The smile on his face faded when he realized I wasn’t shaking or even afraid. Was that it? He wanted me to beg for my life. The guy couldn’t be much older than me. How was he into this stuff already?
“You’re a fucking cliché. What is it? Daddy didn’t love you enough. So now, you like to see women suffer.” I forced a laugh. “How long have you been doing this?”
“Shut up.” He slapped me across the face, then fumbled with his belt and the button of his trousers.
“Don’t touch me. Or you will regret it,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’m not some lost girl from the club. You wanted to know my name? I’m Donata Salvatore.”
I was pulling at straws here. Unless he was mafia, he wouldn’t know how powerful my family was. But I figured if I kept talking, he’d be too angry to get an erection. I could tell he wasn’t turned on anymore. Back in the doggy park, his eyes had shown lust and anticipation. Now he was just pissed. I had to keep talking and throw him off.
When he stepped toward me, I stood my ground. “I was at the club last night investigating a murder. Ava Conti. Have you heard that name? Pretty girl. Blonde hair.” Oh, my fucking God, was that recognition in his eyes? “You knew her.”
“I said shut up.” He closed the space between us. In an instant, he had his hands on my ass and his mouth on my neck.
“Get off me. Stop it.” I shoved him as hard as I could, but he was determined to get what he thought he was entitled to. “Help.” I finally uttered the word I was too afraid to say before because I didn’t want to recognize that I was in real danger.
“She said stop, you fucking asshole.” Luca’s voice echoed in the alley.
One second Nathan was on me and the next he was flying sideways toward the brick wall. As soon as he touched the ground, Luca picked him up by the collar and punched his face twice. Like at the club, the fight wasn’t a fair one. The guy couldn’t even get up. He was a spoiled rich asshole who’d never taken a real beating.
“Luca, stop. I think he’s had enough.”
“He touched you.” Luca glared at Nathan on the ground. “He touched what’s mine.”
The beating continued. As much as I appreciated Luca coming to my rescue, I didn’t want him wasting his time with this guy. I wanted to get out of this filthy place. And we needed to properly interrogate him.
“Luca, stop. He knows Ava.”
Luca froze with his fist in mid-air. “Did he say that?”
“No, but I’m pretty sure he recognized the name when I asked him.” I pointed at Nathan’s bloody face. “Tell him what you know. If you want the beating to stop, you need to tell us what you know. Were you hunting her too? Did you kill her?”
“Ava’s dead?” He wiped his face with the back of his hand. “I didn’t know that.”
“How do you know her then?” Luca loomed over him. “Don’t lie.”
“She’s a waitress. Was. Whatever. I met her at the club.” He panted a breath, wincing.
“When was the last time you saw her?” Luca asked, clenching his jaw.
“I don’t know. It’s been a minute.” He shrugged. When Luca gripped his collar again, Nathan winced. “Wait. I remember. She’s right.” He pointed at me. “The last time I saw Ava, she had the Stag stamp on her wrist. Some guy took her.”
“Who?” I stepped closer.
“I don’t know. I swear. I’m a fairly new member. I don’t know everyone.” He whimpered. “I swear. I told you everything I know.”
“The Stag? That’s what they call this?” I showed him my wrist.
“Yeah. That’s the Stag Club stamp. The gold one is for the whores.” He glared at me for a split second.
Luca growled and clocked him. Blood splattered everywhere before he covered his face with one hand and put up the other as a shield. “You broke my nose.”
“I’ll break all your bones, if you don’t stop talking.” Luca braced his hands on his hips, towering over him.
“Alright. Okay. I’m sorry. But that’s what it’s called.”
“Give me your phone.” Luca put out his hand.
“What?”
