Page 24 of Unfulfilled Promises
“I don’t know what I’d say to them. Hey, sorry I got your daughter kidnapped and murdered. And sorry they raped her even after she was dead. I’ll pass.”
Her gaze went out the window, and I could feel her slipping back behind her wall of safety, so I shifted our conversation again. “Do you want to watch a movie, or are you ready to go home?”
She looked and replied, “I want to watch a movie.” She fidgeted with her hands as she added, “If you still want to, that is.”
I pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine, casting us in silence. Turning in my seat, I looked at Regan, who seemedunsure of herself. “Regan, darlin’, I want to spend as much time with you as I can, but I don’t want you to think you’re expected to if you don’t want to. I just want you to be happy.”
“Then I’d like to stay and watch a movie,” she returned, and I gave her a nod followed by a quick kiss.
After getting out of my side and walking around to help her out of the vehicle, I grabbed the stuffed animal from the backseat and carried it to the front door. Placing it on the ground, I used the biometric keypad, waiting for it to recognize me, and once I got the clear, I used my key to unlock the door and ushered Regan inside.
Edgar was waiting on the couch and jumped down, meowing at Regan as we walked inside. She placed the dessert onto the island and leaned over to pick up the ornery cat from around her feet. I was going to warn her to be careful when the little traitor rested his head on her shoulder and purred louder than I’d ever heard.
Setting the unicorn onto one of the kitchen stools, I tried to pet Edgar, only to get hissed at for my troubles. Regan chuckled and placed a kiss onto the cat’s head before placing him back on the floor. He followed her as we walked into the living room, and when the little fucker jumped onto the couch and nestled against the side of her leg, I couldn’t help but grumble, which made her laugh again.
I knew I was going to have to step up my questioning in order to figure out who or what upset Regan tonight, but seeing how happy she was made me decide to wait until tomorrow to ask anything else of her.
We settled onto the couch as she picked some rom-com for us to watch. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder as we snuggled together, and before long, I felt her head grow heavy, and when I peeked, she was sleeping with her head against my chest.
Closing my eyes, I silently asked for her forgiveness for what I was going to do. I just hoped when the smoke cleared, she’d understand my madness and wouldn’t put a bullet in my head for her troubles.
Chapter 12
Regan
Ricardo showed up at the house this afternoon and dragged Kelly into the office, all while cutting his eyes at me as they disappeared behind closed doors. The man who ran the house wasn’t there, so a few of the others and I were eating breakfast when Ricardo arrived.
Passion, one of the willing ladies at the house, muttered to me, “He looks pissed. I told you fighting that man was going to cause you problems.”
“Shut up, Passion,” another woman said as I tried to choke down a bite of scrambled eggs.
I wouldn’t speak, no matter how much they taunted me, and I was already aware how pissed Ricardo was with me. The man who was here last week boasted that he was one of the original families of the Syndicate and how the Lenkovs owed him a tribute for the initiation. When he started saying he was choosing me and how I was to comply with him, he was tightening the belt he had around my neck, trying to get me to obey.
Fighting him as hard as I could, I managed to kick him in the knee, causing him to buckle to the floor. The look he gave me was murderous, and I instantly knew I’d fucked up. But I wasn’t going to willingly strap myself to that monstrous man and his deluded sense of entitlement.
So, seeing Ricardo here, giving me the evil eye, was enough to send a terrified wave of panic down my spine. Fighting theurge to throw up the little bit of food I’d managed to keep down, I placed my fork onto the plate and stood from the table.
They insisted we eat meals at the dining room table like some kind of family, but the next minute, they were pimping us out to whoever had enough money. And I was disgusted by it all. When I stood from my seat, a few of the other girls cut their eyes to me but immediately went back to their meals.
Walking past the office where Kelly and Ricardo were having a meeting, I moved down the hallway to the small library at the back of the large house. No one ever came in here, and it was one of the only places I could have any peace and quiet. But it never lasted long. I was reading a book of poetry when I heard someone walking down the hallway. Lifting my gaze to the door, I waited to see what fresh hell was about to rein down on me, and when I saw Kelly and Ricardo walk in together, both with smug looks on their faces, I knew today was going to suck.
“I told you she’d be in here,” Kelly remarked to Ricardo. “She always hides in the library.”
Both took a seat across from me at the small table, and the smiles on their faces were disturbing. It was Kelly who began the conversation. “As you know, for the last six months, we’ve been gracious enough to give you a place to stay since my dear Sergey insisted we look after you. But last night, Ricardo got an offer to take you off our hands, and we decided to take them up on the deal.”
My eyes grew wide as she looked at Ricardo. “Would you like to tell her who’s decided to take her and deal with her ridiculous silent treatment?”
“I’d be happy to. Since you refuse to tell us why you were so important to Sergey, and you refuse to utter a word to anyone, we’ve decided to let one of the Syndicate members take you over, so you can at least earn your keep.” I shook my head, andthey both smiled. “I believe you remember Giovanni Marcora. He’s been nice enough to pay your asking price, and he’s agreeing to let you take the place of a lost tribute for the next initiation. That gives him six months to get you up to acceptable standards.”
I tried to shake my head, but they both stood from their seats and smiled down at me. Kelly said, “He’ll be here this evening, so you might want to get ready for him. He’s ready for you to get what’s coming to you for his little knee injury.”
They walked out of the room laughing at what they managed to do to me without lifting a finger. Giovanni Marcora was a sadist, and if he had his way, he’d destroy any good parts of me before he publicly raped me, all for perceived clout within the criminal organization.
I jumped up from my chair, needing to get away before he arrived, but when I opened the door to make my getaway, I was face-to-face with the man who looked like he wanted to break me into pieces with his bare hands.
Giovanni stepped into the room as I stepped back, and the smirk he gave me was telling of my future with him. “I’m so glad to see you again,” he stated as my legs hit the back of the desk and he continued to approach. He grabbed a piece of my hair and rubbed it between his fingers as he taunted me. “We’re going to have so much fun together.” Leaning closer, he whispered, “But it can all be over if you just tell us what we want to know.”
I gave him a confused look as he stepped back, and then he added, “Sergey told you secrets, and I want to know what they are. So, make this easy on yourself and it will all be over.”
