Page 50 of Pump Fake

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak and give anything away. I knew why. My little vacation was courtesy of my dad.

He grunted. “You’ll figure it out.”

“Why?” I forced the words to come out slowly and not in the blind panic I fought to contain. “I don’t know who you are or what you’re after. I’m a college student, and I teach. What could you possibly want from me?”

A knock sounded on the door, and the big guy moved aside.

The man who’d ordered the thugs to grab me stood in the doorway, a small smile curving his thin lips. “Good, I’m glad you’re awake.”

He pulled out a cigar and lit it. After a few puffs, his gaze crawled over me, and I repressed a shiver of revulsion. Nothing about the situation felt good.

“Do you know who I am?”

I shook my head no. I knew who he was—especially with that scar over his right eye—but why let him know that?

“I’m Anthony Canino. I run the gambling facility you’re in tonight.” He stepped closer and lifted my gaze with a finger beneath my chin. “You’re quite beautiful.”

I didn’t like the direction our conversation was headed. “What do you want?”

“Now that I’ve had a good look, I think we can use you. Your father owes me a lot of money, and you’re going to pay off his debt. Jimmy here will introduce you to your new role.”

“As what?” I shouldn’t have asked, but not knowing was worse than ignorance.

“You’re a good fit for many things in my organization.”

“Yourorganization?” I wasn’t a fool. He wasn’t the head. His father was.

“Ahh, you do know then.”

“No. I have no idea why I’m here, but everyone knows who owns the casino.”

A flash of something dark swam through his eyes, and I instantly regretted pushing his buttons. He must have daddy issues at play, possibly a power struggle. I just didn’t want to be caught in it with my big mouth.

“Here’s a little tidbit for you to consider as Jimmy gets to work.” His wolfish grin spread my terror. “What we’re after is breaking you. As I said, you’re beautiful, and we can use that. If not in the strip club as a mafia whore, then I can auction you off to a wealthy businessman with unusual tastes who would pay off the debt your father owes us. The interest he’s accrued could cost you your life.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ARES

Aconstant adrenaline flow worked through my body, screaming to take action. Kylian, Liam, and I climbed into my car in the underground lot to our condo.

Liam’s hand gripped my shoulder briefly from the back seat, his phone’s screen casting light on his features as he scrolled through something. “It’ll be okay. Fiona’s awesome at her job. We’ll get Brielle back.”

I only nodded. I didn’t trust myself to speak as a wave of fear rolled through me.What if we’re too late?I should have insisted she have someone with her at all times. I should have been with her, shielding her from any threats. Family was the most important thing to me, even over football. It hit me hard that I counted Brielle among those I held close to my heart.

I drove out of the parking garage and turned on the next street toward the casino. “I’m not going to the police station.” If the chief was in on things, alerting him to what we knew wouldn’t help. “I’m going to the casino. You guys can take my car and leave, but I can’t sit by and do nothing.”

“We’re with you,” Kylian said from the passenger seat.

“I found something.” Liam’s focus was on his phone in theback seat. “You guys remember that scandal about a year ago when a reporter was murdered and there were rumors that it was mob related due to an article he published?”

“Yeah, vaguely.” I hit the turn signal and pulled into the casino’s busy parking lot. After shutting off the car, I shifted to face them.

“I found his last article.” Liam put away his phone. “He hinted at a room below the casino where illegal betting occurred.”

I glanced at Kylian, and guilt hit me like a sledgehammer. “I can’t let you guys go in with me. You already had your season hijacked last year, Kyl. I can’t risk anything happening to either of you, especially when we’re close to the draft.”

“Shut up. We’re in, right, Kyl?” Liam swung his gaze to Kylian.

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