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“Is he correct, young pup? Do you know that man?”
If I say yes. Demetri will look foolish for causing undue harm. If I say no, poor Domenico may just die. Then I see it in his eyes. This is a test. He’s testing my loyalty. Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter. I know what allegiances mean in his world and I am being held by a man who lives and breathes life in it.
“No.” I stand by Demetri’s side, pleading with him through worried eyes to let him go.
Domenico pops up, gasping for air when Demetri releases him. He rips at his tie in haste, loosening it. Blood trickles from his nose from the impact against the glass of the jewelry case.
I feel the warmth of Demetri’s hand on the small of my back as I stare at Domenico. The slight directing pressure has me taking a step to the side while my eyes stay glued to Domenico’s bloody nose. Demetri guides me with just his touch as he walks me through the store to the back entrance.
“Shut down the security gates. I’ll have someone here tomorrow to replace the glass. And Domenico, don’t ever insult my woman again.” He slams his hand against the lever disengaging the door to the alley. He walks me to the passenger side and opens my door. He waits for me to get in before closing the door and striding away. I adjust myself in my seat and watch him glide around the front of the car as he taps something on his phone. I can’t help but admire his confidence while my insides rattle with uncertainty.
“Did you eat dinner before I picked you up?” He glances over at me as he drops into the driver’s seat. He starts the car and begins to drive down the alley.
“Yeah.”
“Haven, this will be your one and only warning.” He glances both ways before pulling out into traffic then looks over at me. “Don’t ever lie to me. You won’t like the repercussions. In my world, lies get you killed.” He stares me down. Then in a switch of a second, the levity in his voice startles me. “I don’t plan on being six feet under until I’m old and my dick doesn’t work anymore.”
I’m silent for a moment, a little taken aback by the switch, but then I fall right into his humor. “But aren’t you?” I question, portraying some sort of sassiness I don’t feel.
“What?”
“Old. You are way older than me.” I quirk a copper brow, my heart pounding at the split-second change in attitude.
“My dick still works.”
“That it does, Mr. Carbone.” I now genuinely joke, pursing my lips and blushing as I think back to me on my knees in front of him in the shower. I turn away and look out the window so he can’t see my red face.
“She has jokes,” I hear him mutter as he comes to a stop in front of a small non-descript building in yet another alley. “Look at me.” I know better than to defy him. His voice has changed back into one of dictating orders. The dark night outside and the fact that we are now sitting in another alley has my heart pounding. I twist in my seat and give him what he asked for. “Did you eat?” he questions once again.
“No. But I’m not—”
“Was Domenico correct? Do you know the man on the security footage?” he asks, immediately cutting me off.
It’s another test. He wanted to see if I would lie about eating. Somehow, he already knew I didn’t eat dinner. I was too worried that eating would cause me to become bloated. I was afraid I would pop out of all these cutouts in the dress he bought me.
He was watching my mannerisms between telling a lie and speaking the truth. He was getting to know my quirks. He already knows I know the man who was speaking on screen. At least, I think I do. This man seemed taller than the one I’d danced with. But what do I know, I was drunkandhigh. Demetri just doesn’t know how I know him. He asked it as a question to see if I would lie.
“Well done, Mr. Carbone.” I applaud him with the tone of my voice. I see the slight twist of his lip before it becomes a grim line once again while waiting for my answer. “Yes.”
He watches me for a moment, analyzing. “Explain.”
“The night of the rave. I can’t be sure it was him. It was his Russian accent that drew me to the screen.”
“What was he doing? What did the guy look like that he was speaking to? How many people was he with?”
“He was alone.”
“How do you know what he sounds like then?”
Do I really want to tell him I danced with the guy? I saw how he reacted to Finn’s shirt on my body.
“Haven.” The warning is there in the undertone of his voice, cautioning me to answer him.
“Because I danced with him,” I sputter before I can stop myself.
“Excuse me?” His head twists, peering over at me from the driver’s seat. “You what?”
“I was dancing. When I looked up, he was there, standing in front of me, watching me. We started dancing together.”
