Page 21 of Salvatore

Chapter Eight

Salvatore

Where the hell is Donnie? I catch her in the corner, leaning against the wall and laughing with her stupid friends. Shit, I leave her alone for fifteen seconds and she’s already high. As I near her, Aedry stiffens and tries to ease away.

“Your girlfriend will get mad if she sees you touching me,” she says.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” I hold tight. No way am I letting her go, not after she’s been doped, and especially not after what those pricks tried to do to her. God damn. It’s taking me all I have not to order Stefano to bring them out back so I can beat the unholy fuck out of them.

I spent years ripping my father off my mother. Nothing sets me off more than a man trying to hurt a defenseless woman. Ma never fought back unless she was protecting us. She’d shield us with her body, taking the blows for us. She even went after Pop with a pan the time he was wailing on me, just because he could. She was a good woman, sweet and kind like Aedry, which is why I saw red when those bastards tried to herd her into the men’s room.

Donnie laughs when she sees us. “Just your brothers’ teacher, huh, Sal?” She flicks her tongue over her teeth playfully. “Did you feel her up yet? Or are you waiting for the next parent-teacher conference to make your move?”

I don’t have to look at Aedry to know her face is red. She tries to be strong, but there’s an innocence to her I’ve never quite seen.

Donnie wraps her arms around my neck, giving me an excuse to focus on her. “What the hell did you take?” I ask her.

“Does it matter?” She doesn’t wait for me to answer, lust creeping into her glazed stare. “Vincent called. He wants me back at my place.”

“Fine. Let’s go,” I tell her. I snag her wrist, but keep Aedry against me.

I don’t have to tell the bouncers shit. By the time we hit the street, my ride is already hugging the curve. “Later, Sal,” Stefano says to me.

I nod, my way of letting him know I owe him. Another bouncer, one I don’t know, opens the rear door for Donnie and helps her inside. I cut in front of him when he tries to do the same for Aedry, the lingering anger in my expression forcing him back.

He edges away, hands up. “Didn’t mean any disrespect,” he tells me.

He thinks Aedry is my woman. I don’t bother telling him otherwise, mostly because that crazy instinct to protect her is searing a hole straight through my gut.

“Here, get in,” I say, helping her up.

The second I pull away from the curb, Donnie lights up a joint. “Christ, Donnie,” I mutter when the smoke drifts to the front.

Aedry’s eyes widen. First “E,” now some potent ganja by the smell of it. This little thing is going to take the first train back to Georgia, or wherever she’s from, and never look back.

Donnie takes another drag, blowing it out slowly before leaning forward. “What’s your name, sweetie?” she asks.

“Leave her alone, Donnie,” I growl.

Aedry frowns, angling her chin like she’s trying to figure me out. “It’s Aedry,” she answers. “Adrianna Daniels to be exact.”

“I’m Donnie. Donatella to be exact,” she adds, laughing. “Do you want a drag?”

Aedry shakes her head slowly. “No, I’m getting more than enough from you, thanks.”

And then she giggles.

I cover my mouth, trying to hide my smirk. This woman is seriously cute.

Donnie laughs. “Is this your first time getting high, Aedry?”

Aedry nods in that slow way of hers, like she’s worried her head will fall off her shoulders if she moves it too fast.

“Do you get drunk?” Donnie presses, having her fun interrogating Aedry.

“Not really,” Aedry answers her. Her words are simple, but it takes her a long time to say them. “But I did tonight. It didn’t take muck.”

“Muck?” Donnie asks.

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