Page 44 of Vicious Reign

Tommaso makes a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. “Juliet's girls are always good dancers.”

The guy leaning forward grins. It's more teeth than anything else. “That's not all they're good at.”

I tip my head back, and not for the first time since I woke up, pray for patience to a god I don't even believe. I don't even know what the fuck I'm actually praying for anymore. I think it's just a reflexive thing that people do. You're in an unfortunate situation, so you pray.

Before I get lost down an existential crisis rabbit hole, the spotlights flick on and a sultry beat kicks out of the speakers directly in front of us. I keep my gaze on the ceiling until Tommaso swats me in the chest with the back of his hand.

“Watch this.”

“Nah, I’m good.” Red patterns of light scatter across the dark ceiling, only broken up by the rows of spotlights. I ignore the low chatter from the men around me and instead count in Spanish. I don't make it very far, considering I never learned Spanish.

Someone behind me whistles, a low noise under his breath. “Goddamn, look at that.”

“What is this, the fucking ballet? I want to see some skin,” some guy to my right grumbles.

Tommaso whips his head up from his phone in his lap so fast, I'm surprised he doesn't pull a muscle in his neck. “Hey, Brad.”

“Yeah?”

Tommaso cracks his knuckles. “Listen, you're new here, So you get one free pass. One. You don't talk to these girls like that. They don’t have to be here, and they don’t have to do anything they don’t consent to. You feel me? If my brother hears you disrespect the girls like that, you won't be leaving here with your tongue.”

The guy, Brad, sputters. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You're gonna say that to me about these bitches up here?”

Tommaso jerks his head to the side in a quick flick of his neck. Some big dude in a black polo stands behind Brad's chair without a word. Brad’s escorted out of the club, mumbling under his breath the entire time. I watch until the security guard walks him to the far door.

Thanks a lot, Brad. You just showed me the way out, I think with a smirk.

“You seeing this, Tommy?”

Tommaso’s still looking at his phone, his attention wholly focused on whatever’s happening on his screen. He scowls and stands up. “I’ll be right back. Stay here.”

I clench my jaw and stare straight ahead. That was my mistake. A flash of red hair streaks across my unfocused vision, and like a rubber band snapping, my vision clears in an instant. The girl in front of me has her back to the audience, but that’s not what snagged my attention. It's the long dark red hair that cascades in soft waves to the middle of her back.

It's the shade of maple leaves in the fall—the same exact shade as Madison's.

---