Page 18 of Salvatore

Chapter Seven

Salvatore

I lead Donnie to her usual table in the VIP section. “Are you going to tell me who she is?” she

asks.

“No one,” I hiss.

The moment she slides in the booth, I edge to the side and make a call. “Did you give Aedry passes, telling her they were from me?” I bark when Apollo answers the phone.

There’s a pause followed by, “It was Gianno’s idea.”

“You wrote the note and forged his signature, asshole,” Gianno hollers from the background.

“And you got the passes from Lucca,” Apollo fires back.

“God damn it,” I grumble, swiping my face. Gianno and Apollo’s stupid idea didn’t simply embarrass Aedry, it humiliated her. Even in the dim lighting leading to the bathrooms, I didn’t miss the tears forming in her large blue eyes.

Could I have handled it better? Yeah?a thousand times better now that I think back. But I was shocked to hell and back to find her here?that little dress she’s in is hugging her curves and giving me an eyeful of the sweet body she tries to hide.

Do I like her wearing what she’s wearing? In truth, no. Not here and not for anyone else.

I pass my hand along my face again. Christ Almighty, what the fuck is wrong with me? All I can think about is all these assholes here, looking at her the same way I’m looking at her?thinking like me about pulling her close and wanting to make them bleed for it.

Aedry doesn’t belong among the scum that crawls in here. I’m pissed my brothers pulled this shit on her?when all she’s done is help them! If they were here, I’d knock their thick skulls together. “Why the fuck did you do that to her?and why would you send her to Silk?” I demand. “She doesn’t belong in a sleazy place like this.”

“Give me the phone,” Gianno tells Apollo. For all he seems to want to talk, he takes his time, letting out a breath before finally speaking. “It’s like this, Sal. Miss Aedry’s a nice lady.”

“No shit,” I say. “Tell me why you set her up.”

“I’m trying,” Gianno answers, sounding pissed. “I think . . . I think she likes you.”

“You think what?” I snap, mostly because I think he’s messing with me. “You have to be fucking kidding me. That’s your excuse?”

“Come on, Sal. I’m not stupid. I’ve seen the way you look at her every time you pick us up, rolling down the window, even in the rain, trying to play it cool.”

“You’re really pushing me,” I say, even though he has a point.

“Am I? Why you always dressed when you show?” He huffs when I don’t answer. “She’s not some whore you shoot a look at, then wait for her to come to you. You look at her to look at her. And when Mr. Tavers was talking to her yesterday, I thought you were going to fly out of our ride and knock the shit out of him?not that he didn’t deserve it.”

He must have me on speaker. I hear Apollo’s voice. “Her cheeks get all red when she sees you, and every time we say your name. She plays it off and keeps on talking, but it’s obvious she’s into you.”

He laughs then and it pisses me off. “What are you laughing at?” I snap.

“You,” Apollo tells me.

“You seriously better watch the next few words that come out of your mouth,” I warn.

“I’m not trying to piss you off.”

“Too late for that,” I say, causing his humor to immediately vanish.

“Sal . . . you didn’t see yourself when she came to our place, the way you acted around her. I thought you were going to kill me, but she calmed you down with just her voice. You didn’t argue, you didn’t fight her, and you let her touch you like you were already fucking her?”

“I’m going to stop you right there, because I’m seconds from driving home and pounding the unholy hell out of you. This bullshit match-up you pulled did nothing but embarrass Aedry and make me look bad.”

“Sal, we’re sorry,” Apollo begins.

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