Page 21 of Gabbriello Deluca

“Are you talking about the girl that was found this morning?” Layla asked as she pulled herself to her feet, preparing for a fight.

Her attention was on the bartender when one of the security guards threw a punch in her direction. Before she had time to react, her reflexes took over. Layla ducked out of the way and executed a roundhouse kick to the man’s stomach. The bald man ran towards her as Layla turned to him. She kicked him in the groin and thrust the palm of her wrist upward, breaking his nose. The man let out an agonizing yell as the bodybuilder-looking bouncer punched Layla square in the jaw. She stumbled backward and both guards advance toward her.

One man grabbed both her arms as the other prepared for another punch. Layla saw it coming and turned her head away, allowing for his knuckles to barely connect with her face. The bouncers started punching and kicking Layla, sending her to the ground. She crouched in a fetal position protecting her stomach and head as she held her breath while they deliver blow after blow.

“Don’t kill her,” the bartender with the bloody nose said from the door. “Gabbriello will be pissed.”

“Gabbriello is already pissed,” the unfamiliar voice roared, causing the men to freeze.

Layla looked to the end of the alley and saw the silhouette of a man that exited a black SUV. He was dressed in a black suit and his dark hair was slicked back, parted slightly to the left. He was tall and despite the tailored look of the suit; she saw his large biceps forming under his jacket. He quickly walked towards them as he unbuttoned his suit jacket.

“Thanks, but I’ll deal with this, Andrew,” she heard the man say as he continued in her direction. “I’ll call you when I’m ready. Apparently, I have to deal with a few things.” He said as he came closer to them.

Layla was unable to make out the driver’s response before the SUV pulled away. She tried to get her breath as she stared at the man approaching. His dark beard was a light layer of scruff, and his cheekbones were very pronounced. His dark brown eyes were full of mystery and danger as he stared at her with intrigue.

The man looked at the two bouncers. “What the fuck is going on here?”

“She was asking questions about the girl that was found here this morning,” the bartender replied nervously.

The man's jaw tightened as he glared at the man. “Three against one. That’s hardly fair. Although it looks like, she held her own.”

“We were only doing what we were told, boss,” the bald man responded.

The handsome man made a fist and punched the bouncer, nearly knocking him off his feet. “Leave. I’ll deal with all of you later.”

The men scattered like mice, and Layla was left alone with the man. He offered her his hand.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes,” she said as she put her hand in his and stood to her feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in her stomach and head. She took a deep breath and leaned on a dumpster beside her. After a few seconds of silence. Layla looked at her hand that was still gripping the cold surface and remembered what Dan told her.

“I got a call early this morning about a body found behind the Emerald Club in one of the dumpsters.”

Layla stared at the large garbage container and thought about Samantha. There was a chance that they threw her into this dumpster after they killed her. They threw her away like a piece of trash. Layla felt her stomach turn and ran away from the man but only got a few feet before she threw up.

CHAPTER 11

“Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”

Layla rested her sweaty palms on her knees and took a few deep breaths. She could feel the man’s presence behind her as he calmly placed a hand on the small of her back. Layla felt a bolt of energy run through her body, causing her to stand up straight. The man pulled his hand away. She turned to face him. He stood well over six feet tall. She focused on his face. Even though his beard was short, there was not a hair out of place.

Her gaze drifted upward towards the most intriguing part of him: his eyes. The almond-shaped ovals outline his long, jet-black eyelashes. Behind his long lashes were beautiful brown eyes that held a unique combination of curiosity, pain, and intensity. The man’s short hair was the same dark color as his eyes and slightly combed towards the left. His brown hair is so dark, it almost rests on the border of being black.

Layla took a deep breath, and the wonderful scent of his cologne invaded her nostrils. It smelled like clean linen and a fresh ocean mist. The sexy aroma that would make a woman want to strip off a man’s clothes and allow him to fuck her until she could barely walk.

Now that’s how a man is supposed to smell.

The handsome man standing in front of her momentarily captivated Layla.

After several long seconds, she realized he was waiting for an answer to a question she forgot. “What?” she asked as she diverted her eyes from him.

“Are you okay?” he asked again.

His deep, velvety voice hung off his beautiful lips, inviting her.

What the hell is wrong with you? You are here to find out who killed Samantha.

“I’m fine. I could’ve handled the situation myself,” Layla responded as she took another deep breath.

---