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“Nothing happens in my city without my knowledge. Close the door. We need to have a little chat before my son gets here.”
I want to run and hide. I haven’t seen him since the night he assaulted me and I’m scared he’s going to do worse this time.
“Just a chat?” I ask.
“I don’t have time for anything else unless…” He moves over to me and leans close, sniffling me like the predator he is. It takes everything in me not to shiver. “…you want to leave my son waiting and give me some more of yourattention. You’ve been such a good whore for me.” He reaches out and grabs me between the legs and I cringe. How is it that I took a shower an hour ago and his touch is enough to make me feel like I just rolled in mud?
“Xander will be here soon.” The words are a struggle, but as soon as he stops touching me, I can breathe again.
I can’t wait for the day I can wipe that smug look straight off his face. He’s the most vile sort of human being.
“Then, let’s talk,” he says as he strolls across the room and takes a seat in the armchair in the corner. It’s like a cheap knockoff of the chairs in Donatello’s living room. “I heard you were kidnapped. How are you feeling?” he asks the question like he doesn’t care about the answer, but it’s a necessary pleasantry he must endure.
“I’m fine, just a small bump on the head that’s healed. Thanks for the concern.”
He crosses his legs and smirks at me. “How did you end up in the custody of the Scarfoni family?”
This isn’t a friendly chat. It’s an interrogation.
“It was a classic case of mistaken identity. I’m pretty sure the only reason I’m alive is because they looked scared as hell when I said Xander’s name.”
The surprise in his eyes is something I’ll hold onto for the rest of my life. “Really? The Scarfoni family fears my son?”
“Yup. They hardly even blinked at yours, but when I said Xander’s name a couple guys looked like they might puke.” He doesn’t seem pissed about his name not being an object of fear, but he does seem thoughtful.
“And the meeting of your return. How did that go? How did they respond to my son?”
“They did whatever he said.” What is with this line of questioning?
“I also heard you put three of their men in the hospital. Once I heard that rumor, I checked up on it. One had a punctured lung from a broken rib. One had a broken nose so bad the bones were pushed into his brain. The last one had to have what they referred to as atesticle retrieval operation. All of that was your doing?” he asks, his eyes full of surprise.
“Fight or flight response. I have strong legs,” I deflect. I can’t tell him they were after my sister and I wanted to protect her, but I can say this. “I’m more than just a pretty face and Xander is more than a person living in your shadow. He has earned his place a hundred times over. People respect, love, and fear him. It’s only the wrong people who don’t and he’ll deal with them in his own way. Why the hell are you still in this club? You got what you wanted. Xander has his own woman who he’ll marry and have kids with when the time comes. Why haven’t you just passed the torch to him?” Really, I’m curious what his answer will be, but he just nods before standing.
“Sometimes I wonder that myself. Tell him to come to the clubhouse for a meeting as soon as he gets here.” Dennis walks over to the door, pulls it open, and leaves without another word.
* * *
As soon asXander walks through the door, I throw my arms around him, squeezing him with relief. My anxiety has been through the roof since Dennis stopped by and the only thing I have to relieve the tension in my mind is Xander.
“What’s wrong? You’re shaking.”
“Dennis was here.”
Xander pulls back with wide eyes, anger clear in them. “When?”
“Three minutes ago, maybe. I don’t know. He was interrogating me about the Scarfoni family and what happened.”
Xander curses under his breath, wiping his hand through his hair, before nodding like it’s an automatic response. “Did he touch you?” he asks.
It’s the one question I don’t want to answer because neither of us will like the answer.
“Laura, tell me the truth. Did he fucking touch you?” he presses again, but I can’t say it.
“I’m fine,” I answer a different question his eyes are asking and this seems to satisfy him. He pulls me into his arms as I bury my face in his chest.
I am okay, as surprising as that is. Being around Dennis reminded me exactly how strong I am. I can handle anything, especially with Xander here.
“We have to go to the clubhouse though. He’s summoning you.” I whisper into his chest as he squeezes me.
