Page 45 of Reckless Pawn

"Fine. Do what you will with her and I'll stall the guests. In the meantime, make fucking sure she knows that it won't just be her who gets punished if she double crosses us or fails to provide the information we want when it is needed. She has a ripe younger sister… Pretty. Smart. Perky little tits with a good body. It would be a shame to see her budding high school aspirations get ruined because her big sister wouldn't cooperate.

Muffled screams tore through the room and I shoved behind the door before I could see if it was because of what my father had said or because of what Marco was doing to her.

The churning of my stomach at the rehearsal dinner was nothing compared to what I felt now. If I didn't get out of here immediately, I was going to throw up. I started to ease the door closed when the woman turned her head in my direction and I got a better look at her face albeit shrouded by a mass of blonde hair. Red swollen eyes from crying. Black mascara streaks down her face. I couldn't tell the color of her eyes, but it wasn't the color that punched into my stomach, it was the stark fear I knew my father and Marco had burned into her.

We were both learning a lesson today and neither of us was going to forget it.

The sound of my father standing up from his chair jerked me out of my head and forced me to make an escape before I became a victim too. I re-engaged the lock on the door and ran to the toilet, making it just in time as I lost it. My stomach clenched so tightly with each heave I thought I'd pass out.

After, when there was nothing left to expel, I slid to the floor, unable to hold myself up any longer. I pressed my heated cheek to the cold, white marble floor and waited for the free flowing tears to stop. I couldn't move. I couldn't think and I certainly couldn't run away. All I could do was lay there and see Marco hurting that girl as my father stood by and encouraged him.

What kind of sick, depraved man had my father given me too? And why? My mind was shutting down. Minutes passed, maybe longer as I tried to pull myself together enough to get to my room. I could escape there.

Then I remembered the drugs in my father's cabinet. There were enough narcotics in there to make me forget everything. With those I would never have to see my future husband again. I wouldn't have to face him and pretend I hadn't first listened and then watched him brutally defile that poor woman.

Was that a warm up? Was I next? I couldn't fathom the deep perversity of that possibility. All I knew was that I could never allow Marco to touch me after that.

I crawled over to the cabinet, ignoring my shaking stomach and weak limbs. I would not be his victim. I unlocked the chest and searched through the medication until I found one I was certain would work. As I closed the cabinet and began twisting at the child-proof lid a knock sounded at the bathroom door.

"Isabella, are you in there?"

I recognized Anton's voice right away. My father had sent someone from his security team to find me. Dammit.

I didn't answer but I knew that only gave me seconds until he entered. Not enough time to take the pills. I shoved the bottle in my pocket and tried to get to my feet, only making it to my hands and knees before the door crashed open.

"What the—?"

"Sick," I mumbled, afraid to look up.

"Yeah, I gathered." Anton crossed the room and grabbed my arm, helping me to my feet. He glanced at my father's office door and back at me. I couldn't read the look in his eyes, but I feared the worse. If he knew I saw what was going on in there he would report it to my father. My father's personal home security team were the most loyal handpicked soldiers in his entire workforce. They would never betray him.

When I started to crumble, he gathered me in his arms and I started to cry again. My head hurt, my stomach hurt and the last of my hopes for a future were decimated.

"I can't go back," I cried.

"I know. I'll take you to your room and then let your father know of your sickness."

I nodded, letting my head fall to his shoulder. Anton had always been kind to me. But that didn't change the facts. He would tell my father everything he knew and then my life would get much, much worse.

Unless I took control…

My hand closed over the bottle of pills still stuffed in my pocket. There was still one way out.

Chapter Sixteen

Izzy

Back then my whole world had changed in that elegant, white marble bathroom with an expensive crystal chandelier hanging over me that my mother had been so proud of. Now, I found myself in another impossible situation. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, I was trapped here with the club.

Except when I'd offered to help them I had no idea they'd throw Houston and I back together again instead of giving him the freedom I'd bargained for. I grabbed my head and took a deep breath. How many more mistakes was I going to make before I did something right? I looked up at the television and decided I was no longer in the mood to sit still and enjoy my show. I needed to do something useful instead.

I ran into my room and dug through my closet, pulling out a short, but not too short black skirt, a low-cut royal blue chiffon shirt (my favorite color), and knee-high black leather boots that complimented the outfit. Sexy, but not over the top I'm-looking-to-hook-up sexy. After a quick finger comb of my long curls and a swipe or two of make-up, I was ready to go.

Without bothering to check if my latest guard had arrived, I turned on the radio in my bedroom and slipped out the window over my bed. I was certain someone would realize I was gone eventually, but I no longer cared about permission or forgiveness. I had a feeling if anyone asked Houston what he wanted me to do right now it would not be good. He was pretty pissed when he left.

I followed the trail through the back of the property until I emerged outside the casino. The parking lot was full and the low roar of the din and excitement of the action going on inside could be heard as I approached the door.

The first thing that hit me was the roar of the crowd. The place was literally packed. People with no space between them as far as the eye could see and every chair at every table filled. Holy crap. This was nothing like the nights I’d worked before.

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