Page 29 of Rue

“Set it up, Mig,” Geo told him, then looked back to Gabe. “You gonna give that man's number to Mig and forget you ever saw it or him. You gonna take your ass back to my cousin and never show your face here again, you feel me? And I best not hear about you tryin’ some bullshit like this back home, either. You gettin’ out of the whole business, you hear me, boy? You’re too stupid to make it doin’ what I do. The kinda man who lies and don't deliver. It’s ‘cause you my bloods family, that I don't just send you to the lake with some cinder blocks for shoes. I hear you tryna fuck around? One word from me ‘n Cris’ll send me your balls in a paper sack. You know he will, you ain’t good enough for his girl ‘n you know it. I bet he sent you along when you asked, hopin’ I’d take care ‘a you for ‘m. Bet,” he sneered, then waved Gabe off.

The man at the door grabbed Gabe by the throat and shoved him out the door.

Sailor watched, wide-eyed and unsure.

Geo turned back to her, glaring murderously. “You keep your fucking mouth shut! You don't get to talk shit to my men! Only reason I let that slide was ‘cause he ain’t mine!”

“You’d rather I let him get you caught?” she countered, crossing her arms.

“Bitch…”

The knock on the door made Geo go quiet, but he sat glowering at her as Mig went to answer the door.

“Food,” Mig announced, returning and setting the bag down before handing out plates.

“You better eat every bite,” Geo growled, looking Sailor over again.

She said nothing, curling up with the plate and pullingthe lid off. She didn’t feel like eating at all, her heart was hurting, and she was miserable, but she ate as much as she could. Geo didn’t complain when she handed her half-full plate to Mig, and he finished it.

“Lock her in her room,” Geo told Mig as soon as he finished, standing up. “We got shit to do.”

Sailor said nothing as she was led back to the room and locked in. She wished she had a window or something besides the bed and table.

Chapter 16

The hours crawled as she paced, curled up, and paced again.

Finally, the door opened. Mig looked her over and set a bag inside the door before closing it again.

Sailor quickly changed into the skimpy dress, not caring that she was freezing. At least she wouldn’t be alone and trapped and going out of her mind with fear and anxiety and sadness. She would know what was happening.

The room out front was full, men and women. The women were all the kinds of girls who wore skimpy clothes without being forced, skirts that showed too much, shorts that showed half an ass cheek, tops that covered little.

Mig led her to where Geo was leaning on the arm of a chair, laughing with someone, a beer in his hand.

Geo looked her over, his eyes shining with a buzz as he smirked.

She stayed where she was a dozen feet back, feeling a bit sick as the other women were kissing on the men there, grinding on them, and dancing with them to the club-sounding music that wasn’t overwhelmingly loud.

A girl approached Geo and threw her arms around him. Laughing, he pulled her close and leaned in, whispering in herear. She giggled and kissed along the edges of the tattoo on his neck. After a moment, he pulled back, then motioned her to go, still looking amused. She turned and looked around the room, then went to the back wall to Davon, who Sailor only noticed when the girl put her hands on his chest. Her eyes locked with his for a moment, then he looked down at the girl rubbing on him and gave her a fake smile before lifting her and turning her to plant against the wall to make out with.

Sailor looked back to Geo, and he was watching her with a calculating expression.

Sliding down to sit in the chair, he patted his lap.

Sailor went still, feeling sick. What was about to happen?

He canted his head like he was re-evaluating her, then patted his lap once.

A final warning.

Sailor went to him slowly, looking around the room.

Her nerve left her three steps in, and she pivoted, heading to the front door while everyone was preoccupied.

A hand closed around her throat several feet from the door, stopping her, and she whimpered, grabbing hold of the wrist. Turning enough, she looked up at Davon as he sneered down at her, and then she was moving. He was driving her back to where Geo was sitting, his chin on his fist, watching in a psychotic sort of amusement.

“Takin’ a walk, Rue?” Geo asked as soon as Davon stopped her less than a foot from him. “Nah. Sit down,” he teased, then yanked her down to sit in his lap. His fingers dug into her hip as he turned her to face the room, putting an arm around her and pulling her head back to his shoulder. “Relax.”

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