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My parents, although junkies, were still ten times better humans than he is. And the more days I’m here, the more I can’t wait to prove that. My uncle hasn’t so much as checked in with me since he jetted off back home. Natasha has sent me a few text messages, asking how I’m doing, but that’s about it.
There is no one here to trust. And the more days I spend at the crew complex, the better I understand that I’d rather risk it all by trying to get out of here than spend my days the way Natasha does. What kind of life would that be? And how many times a day does she think about telling my uncle to go fuck himself? A lot, I imagine.
I’ve never wanted to be this girl. The one who only spoke when spoken to. The one who does as she’s told and doesn’t fight back. I grew up hungry and underprivileged. I learned from a young age that life is tough and I needed to be tougher. But right now, it’s like I’m slowly losing every ounce of that hardness to seem obedient. I don’t want to obey Enzo anymore. Soon, I won’t be this girl. I won’t be respected simply because of the man I’m about to marry, but because of who I am as a person. And when a man puts his hands on my body without my consent, he’ll know really fast that he messed up.
But for now … I need to play this part, even if it’s killing me.
“So, the wedding must be coming up?” Rossi asks nonchalantly. “Are you excited for that?”
He and Hudson don’t typically say too much to me. Rossi looks to be in his mid- to late-twenties, and just like Hudson, he’s very attractive. His almost-black hair falls effortlessly, and his eyes are soft and kind. I’ve wondered since I first met him if Rossi is his first name or if he goes by his last name—like Hudson, who everyone here calls Hercules.
“I’m not sure when the wedding is,” I say. “I’m on a need-to-know basis with that.”
He leans forward, giving me a slight grin. “Well, you still didn’t answer my question.” This time, he talks even lower. “Are you excited for the big day? I mean, you have your dress, right?”
No matter how kind this man’s eyes are, I can’t trust him. But he isn’t stupid, and I think everyone here knows that getting married wasn’t my idea, nor was it Enzo’s. But instead, this wedding is a product of the greed in our families. Both thinking they’ll get something out of it.
“It is what it is.” I shrug, keeping my face relaxed before giving him a fake but hopefully convincing smile. “It’ll be … fine.”
For a moment—a split second—I see a look of sorrow on his face. But it’s gone so quickly that I’m not sure it was ever there to begin with. Then, the door to the conference room opens, and Enzo struts out with Hudson right behind him.
Once again, Hudson doesn’t look my way. His body is hard, and his eyes, cold and calculated.
Enzo gives me one glance, and right away, I know he’s angry, though I have no idea why because I wasn’t in the room. But nervousness takes over my body when his anger seems to only grow, the closer he gets to me.
Standing quickly, I run my hand over my dress to smooth it out just before he makes his way to me.
“While I was in my meeting, trying to make a deal to help out my company, you sat out here the way you just did, with your dress hiked up, making you look like a fucking whore,” he growls, shocking me when he suddenly grips my chin and drags my face toward his. “What did you think, huh? That Rossi was going to want to fuck you?”
“Wh-what?” I gasp. “No! I wasn’t—”
The look on Rossi’s face is clear. He wants to defend me, but doesn’t dare to because I’m sure he knows it’ll only make this entire thing worse. So, instead, just like Hudson, he looks away. It’s becoming obvious that Enzo isn’t just a monster; he’s a paranoid monster.
“No man rightfully wants to fuck a poor, fucking pathetic girl like you, Briar James. You are trash. And the only reason why you have these fancy clothes now is because of Beckett.” His grip only tightens, and his dark eyes are nearly black as he grits his teeth.
“I could see you out the window, smiling at him. Leaning forward and trying to show him your fucking tits.” His hand moves down to my neck, and he cups it. “I won’t marry a fucking whore who wants to jump on every man’s dick that stands before her!” He drags in a breath, his nostrils flaring.
“Maybe I should tell your uncle the deal is off,” he hisses lowly. “And then he can send you back to the piece-of-shit house you were raised in since that’s undoubtedly where you belong.”
I don’t say anything for two reasons. One, every single thing that comes to mind to say to this asshole would likely get me killed. And, two, well, to be honest, my old, filthy, rat-infested, piece-of-trash house sounds freaking lovely. To go back to the United States and get the hell away from my uncle and all of these absolute psychopaths would be wonderful. But in my gut, I know it wouldn’t be that easy to just leave.
I know too much. The Romanos and Beckett—they aren’t going to just let me go.
“I see the wheels in your pretty little head turning, baby girl.” He grips my neck harder, making it a challenge for me to breathe. “If you think for one second that we’d let you just run off, you have another thing coming.”
Rage soars through me, and my back teeth clench with anger. “I … am sorry.” I force the words out. “I promise … it wasn’t … what it looked like.”
“Do you want my security guard to fuck you, Briar?” he growls. “Because if you ever look at him like that again, I’ll make sure it’s the last time you look at anyone.”
He doesn’t release his hold on me, but keeps his grip firm, forcing me to drag in a few breaths through my nose. Everything inside of me wants to fight. To kick him in the balls or punch him in the face. To grab the gun I know he’s carrying and make it so he can never bother me again. Unfortunately, none of those things would end well for me.
“Sir,” Hudson’s deep, unfazed voice says, “perhaps we should get out of here. Before we have company.”
Continuing to glare at me, Enzo finally releases his hold, causing me to stumble backward, but my back hits the wall, keeping me from falling at his feet.
Jerking his chin toward Hudson and Rossi, Enzo grabs my wrist. “The girl is riding with me.” The command sends a chill down my body. “Alone.”
My nostrils flare with fury.
