Page 85 of Dirty Behavior

There was no sweat on his fingertips, no beaded up nerves on his forehead. He was so cold that nothing he did ever turned up the heat. He didn't give a shit about what happened, so long as he got what he wanted.

As he waited for the door to open, Remo twisted his face down to mine. “This isn't going to be pretty, Love, lessons need to be learned. You let him fuck you, you let him take the sweet cherry that was mine. I won't forget that and neither will you.”

Was that Dante?

Does he have him in there?

My stomach curdled at the thought. To think he had Dante locked in some room, facing the same fate as Vince. . .

I couldn't take it.

Screaming at the top of my lungs, I swung my nails up at his face. “No! No! You won't do this!” I fought him with everything I had. The adrenaline was flowing, turning my veins red hot.

The door flew open, Gio's face was scrunched tight, ready to launch out that door to fight. Realizing it was Remo knocking, he glanced down at me, his muscles relaxing to form a thick grin. “Lucky catch, Boss?”

“You could say that.” Throwing me inside, I tumbled to my knees, my hands slamming down to bear all my weight.

I felt the rough pebbles first, each and every one entered my skin like barbwire. Then I felt the intense crush of a foot in my back. My body jerked forward, cheek scuffing raw over the same sandpaper surface.

Laying there for a second, I closed my eyes. I wanted to feel myself, not where I was.

I wanted to hear myself, not who was barking down on me.

I wanted to remember myself, not the man who had already shattered me into pieces.

I had to find me.

If I lost who I was, if I let Remo wiggle his way back, I'd be fucked.

Pulling my hand down to my stomach, I cupped the small pouch that held my baby. It was still there, it was still relying on me to live.

Living was more important than fighting.

I felt his hot breath first, the weight of his lips pressed against my ear as they whispered. “Open your eyes, take a good look around.”

Remo's long fingers twined deep into my hair, tearing my face off the floor. “Look.”

I didn't want to, I didn't want to give in to his demands. I wanted the control I had felt when I was hidden among his valued walls of possessions.

But it was slowly dripping out, seeping out from my toes and into the floor that cradled my body. I wanted to roll onto my knees and slurp it back inside, drink the courage I had felt so it could come back to life.

“Look.”Remo demanded, yanking my neck back.

Opening my eyes, I kept them on the wall in front of me. I didn't want to see what else was around us because I knew whatever it was—it wasn't good.

His nails pierced my scalp, twisting my neck so I had no choice but to see.

A gasp hiccuped in the back of my throat, my heart hammered inside my chest. Instantly, my sight was blocked and blurred by tears.

There was a rope hanging in the center of the room and attached to a noose around his neck was Sesto. His arms were duct taped behind his back, his face smeared in streaks of blood.

“Isn't that nice? His brother will be here soon too. I think you know him a little too well, but it doesn't matter anymore. Neither one will leave here breathing.”

Swallowing down the thick lump that had formed in my throat, I asked, “Where's Dante?”

“Oh don't worry about that, he'll be here to join his brother very shortly.”

“I hate you.” My lower lip bubbled up, curving over my teeth. “I fucking hate you. And when I get the chance, I'm going to kill you.”

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