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He always called me “girl,” never by my name. I knew I was small. But I was nearly thirty years old. Calling me “girl” was almost as bad as calling me “bitch.”
“You called?” I couldn’t quite contain the snark in my voice, the whole situation making me snappy. I had no interest in bearing witness to anything going on in this room and pointedly ignored the couple on my right and the white powder stuck to the desk and various other surfaces.
I tried not to breathe in too deeply since it reeked. The alcohol fumes alone would probably get me drunk. Someone should open a window.
“We need you to serve drinks. Our server passed out.”
I looked to where he nodded next to his desk and noticed another woman lying there. My mouth dropped open, and I rushed over, grateful that she was at least partly dressed. She still had a pulse and was hopefully sleeping off whatever she had put in her body. I turned her on her side in case she had to throw up, surprised she hadn’t done so already.
Maurizio made a scoffing sound. “She’s fine. This happens all the time. Now go and get me a drink.”
He turned his attention back to his woman, and I searched the room for the drinks. I’d decided self-preservation was key in this case, and I had to get through the next however many hours. Surely, they’d all pass out sooner or later.
I found a case of whiskey and grabbed a bottle. Once I’d refilled Maurizio’s glass, I hid in the corner. Shutting my brain off to the things going on wasn’t easy, but eventually I got lost in my own head. The root of 865 is 29. The root of 320 is 18. Rounded up, of course. The root of 975 is—
An angry voice ripped me out of my blissful state. “Are you deaf? I need a drink.”
It came from the guy sitting on a couch. I’d successfully ignored him up until then, but it seemed my reprieve had come to an end. I couldn’t suppress the cringe when I got closer, noticing his glass was still nearly full.
I studiously avoided looking at anything but the glass.
The woman in his lap landed on the floor with a yelp after he’d pushed her away and my head snapped up. He grabbed hold of my shirt, ripping it at the harsh treatment. “Get here,” he mumbled and pulled me closer than I’d ever wanted to get to him. I wondered if you could catch a disease by touching someone’s skin.
I stumbled forward, my eyes flitting around the room for something to distract him with. My breathing was speeding up, telling me if he didn’t stop soon, another panic attack would be imminent.
Scrambling for something to stop what was happening, I held up the bottle of whiskey. “I’m just here to pour the drinks.”
“You’re here for whatever I want you to be.” He pointed to the ground between his legs. “Now kneel.”
I swallowed the bile that rose at his words and got closer on shaking legs. He roughly dragged me down to my knees, the impact they made with the floor jarring.
My vision grew blurry—thank God for small favors—and I swayed on my knees. Maybe I’d pass out. I didn’t think I’d want to be conscious for this part.
I dimly heard a crash, and then someone grabbed me, ripping me out of my stupor. Once I was standing back on my own two feet, I was pushed behind a solid body.
Lucius.
“Stay behind me,” he commanded, and for once I welcomed his bossiness. “Don’t look.”
I immediately buried my face in his back, knowing if he didn’t want me to see the next part, I didn’t want to see the next part.
He lifted his arm, and a shot rang out, followed by a gurgling sound, and then a body hit the floor.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I peeked around Lucius and saw an enraged Maurizio storming over to us. “No pussy is worth this much.”
He didn’t stop once he got closer but instead charged at us. Lucius pushed me to the side and took the right hook Maurizio dished out.
“That was the last time you’ll hit me.” I didn’t recognize Lucius’s voice. It was cold and menacing.
Maurizio ignored him and swung again. But this time, Lucius blocked the hit and then delivered one of his own. Blood gushed out of Maurizio’s nose, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand, smiling. “I didn’t think you had it in you. Might make a man out of you yet.”
With a roar, Lucius threw himself at Maurizio. They crashed to the floor, holding nothing back. The girls screamed and ran out of the room, and the other two guys stood with their guns drawn, pointing it at the two men wrestling on the ground.
I was standing frozen in the room, making an easy target if they decided to start shooting. But my legs felt like lead, and no matter how much I wanted to run away, they wouldn’t move.
Maurizio threw Lucius off him, his gaze swinging wildly around the room. And then his eyes fell on me. He charged me with a feral gleam in his eyes and grabbed me by the throat, positioning himself behind me. I felt sharp, cold metal on my neck. “Stop right now or she’s dead.”
Lucius froze as soon as he saw us. “Let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”
