Page 15 of Devilish Prince

Jen looks at me, her eyes narrowing in concern. "I know it's complicated, but you need to be careful. Lorenzo Gatti is a dangerous man. His family is entrenched in organized crime and he has a long history of shady business dealings. You don't want to get caught up in his world, trust me."

I sigh heavily and nod, knowing she's right. But I'm also aware that I'm already way too involved with him for my own safety or comfort. "I know Jen," I say quietly. "But it's too late now."

She shakes her head and holds the locker room door open for me and a few women behind us. I make my way to my locker and spin the combination lock until it clicks and opens. My mood sours as I get my things ready for a shower. I can't help but think about the mess I'm in and the consequences of continuing to associate with Lorenzo. Maybe I was wrong for making this agreement, but Jen would never understand the fear I have of what may happen to me, or worse, how Calvin would fare without me. I try to push aside my worries and take solace in the fact that at least I have a few moments of peace before heading back out into the world.

I take off my clothes and hang them up, storing away my shoes and jewelry before stepping into the warm water of the showers. The sound of water running drowns out the chatter of the locker room and it's calming. I close my eyes as it cascades down my body, washing away any negative energy that may still linger after the interaction with Jen. As I shampoo my hair, I take deep breaths, allowing myself to relax for just a moment.

I can't deny that Lorenzo's affected me deeply. The sex alone is enough to literally reset my hormones and help me calm down a bit. I never realized how stressed I get when I get so sexually frustrated and that man is a god when it comes to making me feel alive again. And although I'm not sure what else he may be able to offer me, I'm willing to explore our agreement further. Maybe if we can work out a more secure arrangement, it will give me the peace of mind I need to continue providing for Calvin without having to worry about my own safety or reputation. Me being his arm piece may be detrimental to me in the long run, but perhaps I can simply be his personal physician in exchange for the same benefits, or better ones.

There is a ruckus, voices shouting and women shrieking. I step out of the flow of water behind the thin sheer curtain where I hear someone screaming loudly. Then a man's voice booms out and reverberates around the ladies' locker room. I instinctively shudder and back against the wall, wishing I could faze through it. Why would a man come into a women's locker room? Fear spikes through my heart and I pray to god someone just calls security to chase the filthy pervert out, but the screaming intensifies and grows louder.

Rude, clamorous noises fill the locker room and reverberate through the plastic sheet that separates me from the rest of the shower stalls. I hear a man's harsh voice screaming my name and I tremble. The mask-clad figure tears the sheer plastic sheet back and reaches out to grab me by my long hair. I scream and protest loudly, trying to wrench myself free from his grip. My head hurts where he yanks me back so hard my head jerks backward as I continue to fight him off.

The other women in the locker room are now staring at me as though I am a ghost, their eyes wide with shock and fear. Afew of them have phones in hand and terror on their faces as they stare at me, a woman being dragged away by an unknown assailant. My body is damp from a shower, my hair still wet from the water that has dripped down my skin and over my naked breasts. Exhaustion claws at my limbs, like savage talons digging into my muscles. I can only hope that one of them will call the police or gym security before the man drags me out of the locker room naked and dripping wet. He says nothing, but he does pull me so hard I fall to the ground; then he's on me, straddling me before I can protest.

"Stop it! No!" I scream as a horde of angry women surround us, beating the man with their fists and shoes, anything they can grab hold of.

Then the door slams open again, another man towering over the crowd. Norm strides in, his eyes blazing with rage. He dives into the heart of the chaos and fights off the attacker, pummeling him until he lets go of my body. The women help me to my feet as Norm continues to fight, beating the man up until he runs away screaming. There are a million voices asking me if I'm okay, but all I can do is sob and shake as I watch Norm. How did he get here so fast? Why was he here at all? I can't believe this is happening.

"Are you alright?" Norm asks, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Are you security?" one woman asks.

"Thank god you got here. Is someone going to stop him?" another asks.

"I'm okay..." I swallow hard and nod, but I'm not okay. Not even a little. My hands shake and I don't even know where my towel is until Jen wraps it around me and pulls me against herchest. I feel like everything is happening in slow motion, as if it’s spinning, moving around me so fast I'm not sure I can keep up. "I—I need to sit." Jen guides me to the bench near our lockers as Norm follows, shooing women away from me. He shouldn't be here, but there is no way in hell I'm letting him leave my side now, not after what just happened.

"Do you mind, Brutus?" Jen snaps, but I shake my head. There are half-naked women everywhere, but his eyes are only on me.

"Following orders, Ma'am." He folds his hands in front of himself and squares his shoulders, and I sigh in relief.

"It's okay, Jen..." I pull the towel tighter around myself and let my shoulders drop. Jen backs away, moving to her own locker. The towel around her body keeps her covered but she hovers as if she cant' change here. I don't blame her. I don't want to dress in front of Norm either, but it's better than being alone.

"I'll be right back," she hisses, taking her bag off to a changing room.

"Thanks, Norm," I say with a shaky sigh. I can't believe it. I can't believe any of it. I feel like I'm in some kind of a nightmare or something. It's so surreal, and as a doctor I know this is shock setting in. I take a deep breath and force myself to my feet. Norm stands over me as I dress and put my shoes on. He remains silent, but he is gentleman enough to look up at the ceiling until I clear my throat. "I'm ready... Take me home?" I ask him, because there is no way I’m getting on that subway now.

I don’t know how Lorenzo does it, or how Norm knew I would need him, but I’m thankful today that he was here. I shudder to think how differently that would have turned out for me. Maybe this deal with Mr. Gatti is one I need to entertain a while longerexactly as it is. If a man can target me inside a women’s locker room at the gym, they can find me anywhere. I need protection.

I just have to tolerate being used to bolster his reputation. I can live with that.

10

LORENZO

Things have been rocky with the business since I was shot. I spent more than two weeks in bed, and there have been more than a few missed payments, which Norm has been chasing up for me. I sit across from Tito, a man who owes me more than a few small favors and a large amount of cash apparently. His payments for the past few months have been short and now that I'm back in the saddle I'm cleaning house.

"It's twelve-hundred short, Tito." I click my tongue and lean back in my desk chair, watching him squirm in his seat opposite my desk. "Can you explain to me why you didn't give your full amount the past three times?" His payments, agreed upon in the interest of keeping his wife and kids out of this mess and just letting me run my business, are the only thing keeping him out of the hot seat.

He trembles, wringing his hands. He knows I'm not a man to be trifled with. His new leather coat and the wolf-stud earring he wears are both additions to his typical attire. My money isn't meant to lavish him with expensive accessories. He laundersit to keep me above the table and receives the benefit of my protection—similar to how Sofia and I make certain exchanges.

"Uh... Lorenzo, I just..." He shakes his head. "I can pay it back. I swear. I'll get it to you over the next few months."

I narrow my eyes, studying him for a long moment before leaning forward. "That's not good enough, Tito. You know the rules." My voice is low and deadly, causing him to bristle. "You owe me the full amount, and you owe it to me now. I gave you a chance to make things right, and you've failed to do so. You know what happens next."

I watch as he pales, his eyes wide with fear. He knows exactly what I mean. It's a simple enough rule, one everyone in our organization knows. If you don't pay your debts, you pay with your life. It's a harsh reality, but it's what keeps us in business.

"I-I can get it, Lorenzo. I swear, I can get it." His voice is shaking, and I can tell he's on the brink of tears.

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