by Haley Ladawn
“You’re not a fan of oral, puttana?” He raised his eyebrows, seeming amused by the redness in my cheeks. “I bet I could make you a fan.”
“What the hell does puttana mean?” I furrowed my eyebrows at the word. It rolled off his tongue almost elegantly, but I was sure that its meaning wasn’t nearly as formal.
“Google it, sweetheart.” He soft lips tugged into a pitiful smile. “I’m not a translator, and apparently, you weren’t smart enough to pick up a second language.”
“Excuse me?” I scowled at his beautiful face that was contorted with disgust. His eyes had mystified to a deep-sea blue that seemed drowned in hatred. “I didn’t think I was going to be abducted by an Italian American businessman who is secretly a criminal. This shit only happens in the movies.”
“This isn’t a movie. It’s real life. And criminal is too tame of a word to describe me.” He purred as he nibbled at my ear with his teeth. It sent a chill up my spine as he lips trailed to the nape of my neck. “You should have gone with super villain or dark overlord.”
I stifled an incredulous laugh, shaking my head at his words. “You’re Lord Voldemort now?”
“Who the hell is that?” He glared at me with confusion in his eyes. “I’m Elliot Lorenzo Valentino-Tieri Santoro.”
“I’m glad my mother stopped at Lily.” I let out a sigh of relief. “You have to take a breath just to say that.”
He snickered, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was getting late and my time was running out. I needed to get home where I was safe and sound. As soon as I made it home, I was going to curl up in a protective ball and pretend none of this ever happened.
“I need to go to the ladies room.”
This was the only escape method that I could come up with, and it couldn’t have been more cliché. It took me twenty minutes of deliberation to come up with this plan. I would run into the restroom, and sneak out the window. I just needed to figure out how to get Elisa on board without being too obvious.
“Elisa?” I cleared my throat, ignoring the trembling fingers that rested at my side. “Do you need to freshen up?”
She scowled at me with a questioning gaze. Between her and Elliot, I was really getting the death stare hard tonight. Something wasn’t right about these two brothers, and it wasn’t just because they were inhumanly gorgeous. They were up to something, and I wondered how she couldn’t see it. She was blind to what was right in front of her.
Elisa narrowed her eyes at me, confirming my suspicions. She was angry with me for trying to disrupt her perfect night. It was going to end as a night of horrors, if she didn’t come with me. “I’m fine.”
This was going to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. It would take a miracle to separate her from Everet. He had his toned, muscular arms draped over her shoulders.
He wasn’t just comforting her, he was making sure she couldn’t leave.
“Well, I need to.” I moved my gaze toward Elliot to see if he was going to let me out of the tight booth. His jaw was clenched in apprehension, but he stood up slowly and carefully. His guard was up. “I have to pee.”
“I’m only letting you go, so you don’t piss yourself.” He cringed at the thought, shaking his swarthy head in revulsion. “You have two minutes and not a second longer. I’ll drag you out by the roots of your hair if you’re not back here on time.”
“What’s up with your obsession with dragging people places?” I narrowed my eyes at him, straightening myself out. It felt good to be standing after being cramped up in a booth. I was beginning to feel claustrophobic.
I stretched my arms and legs, just in case I had to run in the opposite direction. My eyes were locked on the red exit sign that gleamed from across the room. It was like a beacon calling to me.
“At least I’m not dragging you to hell just yet.” Within a matter of seconds, he had me pulled against his rock-hard abs, restraining me. He smelled of cool rain and aftershave. “I’m not kidding, puttana. Don’t pull that dumb shit where the hopeless victim tries to escape and call the police. You’re not a victim yet, but I would be more than happy to make you one. Remember that.”
“I wasn’t planning on it. I’m not going to run, or call the cops on you.” I lied straight through my teeth, hoping it was believable.
“Great.” His hands trailed down my sides as he pushed me away violently. I stumbled to catch myself, nearly falling face first onto the floor. “Now, get a move on. Your time is ticking away. It’s almost up.”
I got the eerie feeling that he wasn’t just talking about the two minutes he’d given me to use the restroom.
“The quicker you stop talking,” I creased my eyebrows, turning away from him, “the quicker I’ll get back.”
The restroom was very dim, as if some of the lights had blown out. It wasn’t until I saw broken glass on the floor that I realized the lights had been busted by someone. Despite the evidence of vandalism, I was sure I was alone. Whoever did this, had fled the crime scene.
I walked toward the porcelain sink and turned the water on, splashing some on my face to wake me up. I was hoping the water would clear my mind and give me a bright idea, but all it did was soak my skin.
There wasn’t even a window for me to escape from. There went my plan straight down the drain.
I stared at my disheveled appearance through the decorative mirror. My auburn hair was frizzy due to the rain, causing me to look like Frankenstein’s bride. The makeup on my eyes was wearing down and my foundation was completely gone, showing the natural redness to my cheeks. The crimson red lipstick was still bright on my lips. I remembered the packaging said something like, “Long Wear! It will last you through your roughest nights.”
The irony of that made me cringe. This was definitely one of my roughest nights.
“Why do you look so flushed?” A girl with frail blonde hair appeared in the mirror behind me out of nowhere. Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were masked in dark circles. “Did you already fuck him?”
I turned around to face the woman head on. It took me less than three seconds to realize it was the girl I’d seen leaving Elliot’s office this morning. She was his one-night stand. The girl was almost unrecognizable now with the darkness underneath her eyes and the bruises on her cheeks. She looked so out of it and weak.
“How long did it take you to give in?” She stepped closer while I stepped back. There was a withdrawn look in her eyes, as if she wasn’t all there. “He had me bent over my knees as soon as I walked in.”
“I haven’t had sex with him.” I furrowed my eyebrows as I noticed the glint of a silver object in her left hand. It was a freaking butcher knife! Sharp and dangerous. She was twirling it in her fingers, as if it was a harmless toy. “And I’m not planning on it.”
“That’s what I said and then my panties hit the floor faster than my dignity.” Her dark eyes drifted to meet mine, closing in on me. “He’s going to fuck your brains out, and then you’re going to end up like me. Tossed aside, and left to die. Completely useless.”
She drew the knife into the air, as if she were about to stab me. I darted into one of the stalls, locking the door behind me before the blade could pierce my skin.
“What’s wrong with you?” I shrieked loudly, as she started beating on the stall door like a maniac. I was really starting to wish I hadn’t left the dinner table. “Are you on drugs? What did he do to you?”
“The same thing he’s going to do to you!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, kicking the door with the bottom of her shoes.
My skin was beginning to get clammy, and my breath became shallow. What was I going to do if she managed to break the door down?
“I get to decide when you die.” A husky voice engulfed the room. “Not this bitch.”
There was a clicking sound, and then a loud BOOM!
That sound was followed by a heavy thud that rocked against the marble floors. It was the sound of a body hitting the floor. That much I knew.
I scooted to the corner of the stall, too afraid to open the door to see who was still standing. Whoever was out there, I knew I wasn’t safe with them.
“Open the door, gattina.” Elliot growled, stepping toward me. I could see his dress shoes come into view. There was a dark substance on them, and I knew it wasn’t from the rain. It was blood. “Don’t make me be the big bad wolf. Open up or I’ll blow your house down.”
“Not happening!” I bit down on my lip, sliding further back until I was pressed against the wall. I shrunk into the corner of the stall, trembling as I struggled to breathe normally. I was hyperventilating. “I’m not c-c-coming out.”
“Then, I’ll come in.” He kicked the door open in one fluid motion, knocking it off its hinges. It fell to the floor, as if it were nothing. “Your two minutes was up thirty seconds ago. I’m not a patient man.”
His dark eyebrows were knitted in exasperation and his lips tightened into a frown. He ran his fingers through his unkempt hair, and that’s when I saw the gun tucked in his waistband.
The murder weapon.
My gaze centered in on the pool of blood surrounding the girl’s lifeless body. She had one gunshot wound straight through the stomach. I was going to throw up soon, if I wasn’t killed before I got the chance to.
“You killed her?” My eyes were wide with terror as my face whitened. I could feel a breath caught in my throat. I couldn’t breathe.
“I guess so.” He shrugged absentmindedly. “I think I just brought a new meaning to the term lady-killer.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I gave him an incredulous stare while my voice remained low and shrill. “You killed her and you’re making jokes! You really killed her!”
“Yes, but didn’t we just go over this?” He furrowed his eyebrows, seeming irritated. “I really don’t like repeating myself, fiorella.”
“I’m trapped in a restroom with a murderer!” I panicked, feeling all too hysterical. “Someone help—”
“Shut up or I’ll kill you, too.” He grabbed me by my hair, pulling me out of the stall with force. Once I was close enough to him, he grabbed me by my waist, sitting me on top of the sink. He ran the gun up legs, only stopping when it was in between my thighs. The iciness of the metal made me shiver around him, sending prickles all over my skin. “If you don’t be quiet, I’m going to fuck you with this gun so hard that you’ll wish I would’ve killed you instead. And honey, the safety isn’t on, so that’s always an option.”
I couldn’t say anything, as he slid the gun further up my legs, nearly pushing it into me.
“This is the part where you’re supposed to kiss me in gratitude for saving your life,” he growled into my ear, running his free hand along my jaw.
He pulled the gun up from my legs, and rested it on the side of my head. “Unfortunately, there’s a dead body lying right there and we have people waiting on us. We don’t have time to kiss and make up.”
He lowered the gun to the small of my back, shielding it in between the layers of our clothing. The coolness of the metal struck my skin.
He must have felt me tense up because he whispered, “At least it’s only a pistol, vigliacco. It could be a machine gun.”
Chapter 8: Sassy and Trashy
With the pistol pressed to my back, we made our way out of the restroom. The ambience of the restaurant seemed all the grimmer now. I blamed it on the crime that had just taken place moments ago.
He killed someone and it didn’t even seem to faze him, confirming my suspicious that he’d done this before, and would have no problem doing it again. I was in the hands of a killer, and I didn’t know how to get away. I didn’t even know if it was possible.
“Stop walking so fucking slow,” he groaned in my ear, pushing the gun in my back to emphasize who was in control. I gritted my teeth together, accepting the bitter but honest truth. To change my situation, I had to accept it. I couldn’t be in denial anymore. “You’re slower than a turtle. Scratch that. That’s an insult to turtles everywhere.”
“I’m so going to kill you,” I said angrily, picking up my leisurely pace. I absolutely hated being rushed.
“I’m the one with the gun.” He purred, resting his head on my neck. His fingers curled around my throat, applying enough pressure to get my attention. “You better choose your next words carefully, before I light your perky little ass up, gattina.”
“If you’re going to insult me,” I bit down on my bottom lip in frustration, “do it in English.”
“I’m just trying to expand your limited vocabulary,” he replied in a terse voice. There was a dangerous look in his eyes that ended our conversation.
As we walked toward our table, I noticed that it was now decorated with beautiful candles. They burned slowly, casting the room in a hazy orange light. It would’ve been a romantic setting had I not just witnessed someone die right before my eyes.
Elisa and Everet were sharing a chocolate desert, canoodling with each other as if they were lovers. Elisa’s sex drive was going to kill her, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I tried to get her attention, but she was blinded by passion and desire. I was wondering if she’d ever come back down to Earth.
“The bathroom here is disgusting,” Elliot announced, looking toward his brother with a fixed gaze. They had an unspoken communication that made me nervous. “Someone needs to clean it up now.”
“Excuse me for a moment.” Everet stood up quickly, walking to the other side of the room. He pulled his cellphone out of his breast pocket and dialed a number immediately after. As he waited for someone to answer, he ran his fingers through his hair, properly fucking it up.
“You two have gotten close.” Elisa squealed with a bright smile, looking between the two of us with a questioning gaze. “What changed?”
“With the proper motivation and a lot of thinking,” Elliot tightened his grip around my hips, clicking the gun back. It was so light that I’m sure no one else heard it, but it practically roared against my own ears, reminding me that with the slightest trigger, I could be dead. “Lily decided to take the internship. Didn’t you?”
Elisa’s intoxicated eyes searched mine for validation and truth. The wavering look on my own face did nothing to alert her of the danger we were in. She was eating this bullshit up.
Despite the curious look on her face, I knew that she didn’t doubt his words for a second. She just wanted to hear me admit it aloud. She wanted me to reassure her. I had a feeling that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be the only one getting shot.
“Looks like me and you are going to be working together from now on.” I mustered a pained smile, hoping she would take a hint, but she didn’t. “Elliot convinced me that he’s very… determined to get what he wants and he wants us.”
Me.
“Yes!” Elisa jumped up from the booth. Her eyes were wide with excitement as she started doing a ridiculous victory dance. “Thank God!”
Elliot knitted his shapely eyebrows in confusion, running his palm along his jaw carefully. I thought I could feel the gun aim at Elisa instead, but I may have just been imagining that.
His soft lips trailed to the side of my neck where he breathed heat onto my skin, burrowing his head there. His silky hair warmed me while the coldness of his lips left me shivering. He lifted the back of my sweater, sliding the gun against my bare skin while his fingers tugged at the fabric of my bra. The metal of the gun was cold, but not nearly as cold as his touch.
“These clothes look good on you, but they would look better coming off,” he said in a raspy whisper, taking the firearm away from me. He rested it under the table instead, giving me some sense of relief.
“I’m so happy!” Elisa shouted abruptly, jumping up and down frantically. She was completely hysterical. “This is going to be the best job ever and I get to do it all with my best friend.”
Everet tucked his phone back into the side of his immaculate suit, and then motioned for Elliot to join him in the corner. They obviously nee
ded to talk about something in private, away from listening ears.
“Listen here, fiorella. I’m going to go over there and you’re going to stay right here like a good little girl.” Elliot’s deep voice shattered my thoughts, causing me to shrink beneath his baritone voice. “My aim is great and my brother has his own gun on him. If you try anything, he’ll shoot your friend in between her eyes, and I’ll shoot you in the back. Understand?”
“Yes.” I acknowledged him, ignoring the lump that was rising in my throat. “I completely understand.”
“Who’s a good little girl?” He ruffled my messy hair, pretending that I was a damn dog. “Maybe you’ll get a treat later or maybe you’ll get a shock collar. I haven’t decided on which yet.”
With those final words, he moved to meet his brother across the room with grace in each and every one of his steps. For such an evil person, he didn’t seem weighed down by grief or regret. He had a jump to his step and a chipper smile that made me slightly uncomfortable.
The gun was hidden from view, but I knew it was there concealed behind his jacket. He was just waiting to kill someone else, and I was on his hit list. I’d just witnessed a murder… or was I an accessory to murder? I didn’t even try to help the woman, not that I could do much from the inside of locked stall door.
“Did you guys get frisky in the restroom? I saw him chase after you,” Elisa asked as soon as he was out of earshot. Her dark eyes were alive with anticipation, as if she’d been waiting forever to ask that idiotic question.
“I’m not that kind of girl.” I used a carefully controlled tone, willing myself to remain calm and composed. I was on the verge of screaming in her face at the top of my lungs, causing a scene that would get the whole restaurant’s attention. “What’s up with your obsession with public sex? I didn’t have sex in a dressing room, and I sure as hell didn’t have sex in a restaurant bathroom. Is sex all you ever think about?”
“Well, yes, most of the time.” She admitted quietly, pouting her lips into a tiny frown. Her face fell as a stab of disappointment ricocheted through her. “I only asked because he said it got dirty in there. I thought he meant that you two got down and dirty.”