Page 107 of Morally Corrupt

"Bianca!" Martin exclaims and hugs his daughter. Bianca's expression immediately turns sour, but she doesn't shove Martin away. Instead, she pats his back almost reluctantly while looking at me for help. I shrug. I've never seen Martin like this, and I don't know how to deal with him. He seems to whisper something in her ear before Bianca turns to me.

"We'll be right back. He has something urgent to talk about." She doesn't seem too glad to go with him, and I wonder what the urgent thing is.

It's only when they're out of sight that I realize I'm left with Allegra. She puckers her lips at me before scrunching her face.

"I think I'm going to be ill. Can you help me to the restroom?" she slurs, and my shoulders slump in resignation. I take her arm and let her guide me to one of the bathrooms. Since I know fully well where all the bathrooms are on this floor, I'm surprised when I see that she's taking me in a completely different direction. Is she that drunk that she doesn't remember where the bathroom is in her own house?

I'm about to ask where we're going when she points towards a door and gleefully says, "There," and then dashes for the door. I take a moment where I wonder if I should really go there, but somehow I feel bad leaving a clearly inebriated woman to her own devices, no matter how repulsive.

And so I follow through.

As soon as I close the door behind me, there's a quick movement in which Allegra reverses our positions and thrusts me into the room, which I now see is just a sizable closet storage, before she locks the door.

What?

"I've been watching you," she purrs in a much clearer voice than before.

"Mrs. Agosti." I try to put some distance between us.

"Come on, your wife isn't here. I know you've been watching me too."

What? When? I don't think I've ever spared her more than two glances, tonight included, and I try to tell her exactly that.

"I'm sorry. I think you got the wrong impression," I explain, using my hands to gesticulate and keep her at bay.

"Mr. Hastings. You are so, so naughty," she says in that weird voice of hers as she keeps advancing towards me, deeper into the storage closet until I'm backed against the wall. Shit. She puts her hands on my pectorals and gropes me. I grip her arms and attempt to stop her again by pushing her and trying to bypass her in my way to the door. Her arms suddenly come in contact with my shoulders, and she pushes me against the wall.

"You like to play hard, don't you?" she half-moans, fitting herself against my body, her hand going directly to my crotch this time. Good Lord, I don't hit women, but I truly want to smack her right now.

"No. And I would appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself," I say through gritted teeth, trying to control myself so I don't hurt her.

She doesn't seem to register my words as she squeezes me through my pants.

Okay, that's it. I'm not playing nice anymore. I'm about to push her away when the closet door forcefully opens, revealing Bianca.

She takes one look at us, and her eyes cloud with fury. She doesn't waste any time ripping Allegra off me and grabbing her throat, pushing her against the wall and almost lifting her off the floor.

"You think to touchmyhusband?" Bianca's fingers tighten around Allegra's neck, restricting her breathing.

"Agh." Allegra makes a choking sound, but Bianca doesn't stop.

"What? I didn't hear you?"

I can see the defined veins in Bianca's hand as she applies further pressure on Allegra's throat, and I realize shewillkill her if I don't stop her. I make a grab for her hand, saying, "Stop. You're choking her." At my words, she suddenly turns towards me, cocking her head in confusion.

"You're defending her?"

"No, but you're killing her right now." I tug her hand, and Allegra falls to the floor, gasping for air.

Bianca snatches her hand out of mine and crouches near Allegra, so they're now on eye level.

"I see you again making a pass at my husband, Iwillend you. Do we understand each other?" Bianca enunciates each word, and Allegra looks at her in disbelief.

"You're a crazy bitch. Fucking crazy bitch… What the fuck?" Allegra says between ragged breaths.

"Yes. I am a crazy bitch. And guess what? Crazy bitches have nothing against chopping your body one part at a time while you're still alive. You want to fuck my father? Go ahead. You as much as look in my husband's direction, and I will make it so that even wild animals will scoff at eating your remains. Are we clear?"

Allegra nods her head emphatically, Bianca's words clearly having an effect on her.

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