Page 45 of Bound to Him

I shrugged, putting on a sad face. “The one passed out on the fucking pavement, the other threw up at the corner. I sent them home.”

“Ah yes, that’s best.” He nodded, then stood up. “You know what, my brother?” He put a hand on my shoulder and led me to the back. I noticed the curtains had been closed and another bouncer was positioned at the narrow opening. “Girls like that are… difficult, if you know what I mean. They’re stingy with the pussy and light weights when it comes to drinking. Now, I don’t think you’re the type of man who likes to fuck an unconscious girl, right?”

I couldn’t believe I had to actually answer that, I laughed, hoping it was a joke, and said, “No.”

“Right! So,” we walked past the bouncer and through the curtains, “here, we have some better options.”

Immediately, I expected the waitresses to be there, pulling off their aprons and skirts. Nothing, not even the way thisdiavolohad acted up until now, prepared me for what awaited us.

I saw Christian’s cartel men already seated around on the couches, a waitress in underwear serving them drinks. The lighting was low, and the music was loud. He pulled me over to a central seat and dropped down next to me.

“Thank you, darling,” he said as the waitress handed us tumblers of what I hoped was more whiskey. “Now, here you’ll find girls that are up for anything, papi! Anything!”

He lifted a hand and gestured to a man at a side door. Once opened, a string of girls shuffled through the door. My heart dropped nearly out of my fucking ass. My chest closed, and I had to take deep breaths to manage.

The girls were nearing on anorexic, they looked dirty, and they looked to fucking young. They had matching white dresses that left nothing to the imagination and showed that they weren’t wearing underwear. They stood on the platforms with dead looks on their faces. They must have been drugged for days, weeks, who knew? And they must have, without a doubt, been trafficked.

I’d seen a lot in my time on the streets. Hell, I’d beaten men mercilessly and killed when the situation asked for it. But when it came to women, we helped them. We gave prostitutes brothels not only for business, but to make sure they were safe and sober. We beat the shit out of men who abused their wives or daughters and kicked them out of the city. Yes, mafia men cheated on their wives, but they never, ever, hurt them or saw them suffer.

This scene broke my fucking heart. All I could see suddenly was Olivia standing up there, shivering, cowering, crying. That was never going to happen. Not even if I had to kill Christian right here, right now.

I knew that would only cause trouble, and I had to find a way to handle this more cleverly. I knew I had to play along until the cards were right. The men around me made sounds of approval, talking amongst themselves, and pointing out the slave they liked most.

Christian turned to me. “Okay so, my friend. I mentioned doing business with your family before. Now, I want you to taste the product, so to speak.” He smiled, as though he was giving me a present. “See anything you like?”

Anything? God, he really did see them as fucking objects.

I fixed my jacket and eased back into the couch. “You know what, Christian? No, thank you.” His eyebrows raised, and I leaned into him. “Let’s say I have a thing for, ah… older women.”

Luckily, he thought I was talking about some kind of fetish with grannies or something because he burst into laughter, shaking his head. “Oh Huxley! I can’t help you there!”

I laughed too. “Don’t worry, I have my contacts.”

“I bet you do!” He continued laughing, sparking some of his Colombian pals as well. I looked around the room of laughing predators, having the time of their lives. Christ, I could easily pull out my piece, clip them all in the head, and walk these girls right down to the police station. But that wouldn’t get me anywhere. I had to play the long game, at least for now, until I’d spoken to Antonio about this.

Christian recovered from his drunken laughter. “Okay, alright. But take this with you.” He handed me a sizable bag of cocaine. “Test it, taste it, do what you need to. But we’ll talk again about how I can bless your constituents with all my wonderful toys.” He waved a hand over the drugs on the tables and the girls on the platforms.

I smiled, tucking the bag into my jacket pocket. “Alright, Christian. I’ll talk to my brother. See you soon?”

“Yes!”

I got out of there feeling queasy. I didn’t know yet what I was going to do, but I would stop this fucker, no matter what it took, before he ever got a chance to lay a hand on Olivia again.

20

Olivia

“Ican’t believe it’s a week away!” Viola cried into her pillows. “I can’t marry him! I just—I can’t!”

I sat next to her and brushed her hair with my fingers. “I know… but you need to. You know the Rossis are threatening us, right?”

A look crossed over her face, and she nodded sadly.

“This marriage is literally the one thing that's going to save everyone. We’ll have the Moretti's backing us—your husband alone will kill an army to protect you.” My heart cracked a little every time I thought of Huxley with Viola. He would treat her right, I knew that. “And they need us to back them if the Rossis finally decide to rise up against them. Look,” I tapped her arm, telling her to sit up next to me, “once you’re married, your life will be yours to decide. Huxley isn’t like Papà, he won’t force you into anything you don’t want to do.”

She frowned slightly, looking at me skeptically.

“I just mean that the younger generation are different, and you’ll be able to ask Huxley for whatever you want.” I cursed inwardly for almost giving myself away.

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