Page 1 of Little Bird (Advantage Play 3)

Chapter One

Little Bird

Two weeks earlier

I don’t know how I got here. Not really. I remember walking down the street before a strange set of arms wrapped around my waist, and the burning prick of a needle pressed into my neck. After that? Darkness.

That is until I woke up in an office surrounded by naked women who were just as beaten—just as bloodied—as me. When I saw Burlone behind the desk, my pulse spiked, and my breathing grew shallow before I remembered the importance of not letting them see. I can’t let them see the real me or my real emotions. No. I need to be numb.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dragged into an empty room with a twin-sized bed in the center of it. Then I was left alone in nothing but a black bra and matching bikini cut underwear, which is where I find myself now. Looking around the space, I notice a pair of handcuffs attached to the metal bed frame and struggle to pull my eyes away from the promise they hold.

I never thought I’d find myself here. Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure anyone really does. Still, my entire life has been spent in a different kind of prison to keep me from a fate like this. My eyes fill with tears when I realize they were right. My father. My brother. Everyone. A girl like me will never be safe. She’ll never be normal. She’ll never be anything at all.

Inhaling a shaky breath, I hold it for ten seconds then release it through my mouth. But on the next inhale, the lingering scent of pee that clings to the stained mattress burns my nostrils, making me cough.

I’m in so much freaking trouble.

Panicking, I force my eyes closed and squeeze them shut as tight as I possibly can.

I’m screwed. I’m so screwed. I’m so freaking screwed.

The mantra continues over and over again before I drive my fingernails into the palm of my hand in hopes that the bite of pain will ground me. With another deep breath, I dig deep and search for the courage to look around the rest of the room. Opening my eyes, I do another quick scan of my prison. Other than the bed and a medium-sized Home Depot bucket tucked in the corner, it’s empty. The walls are made of cinder blocks, the floors are nothing but a slab of cement, and there aren’t any windows. As soon as I come to that realization, I feel the walls pressing in from all sides.

I think I’m going to be sick.

Chapter Two

Dex

“Hey, man. Burlone wants to see you in his office,” Sei greets me with a shit-eating grin as I step inside the lobby of Sin.

“Why? I’ve already clocked out. I need some sleep.”

“Don’t be a pussy, Dex. It’s not like your job last night was that rough.” He’s talking about my orders to kick the shit out of an innocent girl for beating my boss in a game of poker. My hands close into tight fists, and the bruised knuckles burn at the memory. I’ve never hit a girl before earlier tonight. And I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt lower than when I landed that first punch, either. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I release a sigh then drop my head back to look toward the blood-colored ceiling of the Allegretti-owned casino, Sin.

I took my time coming back here after I left the girl passed out on her apartment floor with a swollen face and a cold reminder that no one messes with the Allegretti family. No one. And especially not a girl who publicly humiliated the boss on national television before skipping off into the distance with a cashier’s check in her back pocket that Burlone Allegretti had never planned on losing.

My gaze shoots down to my front pocket, where the flimsy piece of paper is neatly folded for safekeeping. I shouldn’t have come back here. I should’ve kept walking around the empty streets, wondering how different my life could’ve been if my father had accepted me as his own. But as the sun began to creep up over the horizon, I found myself in front of Sin with the expectation of collapsing onto my bed and sleeping for a solid ten hours. Unfortunately for me, Sei got to me first.

“I said I’m done for the night,” I grit out in hopes of escaping to my room.

Reaching out, an amused Sei grabs my bicep, stopping me in my tracks. “Do whatever the hell you want, but don’t say I didn’t relay the message.” A cigarette in hand, Sei places it between his lips before letting go of me as his other hand searches for a lighter in his pocket.

“Later, Sei,” I mumble, turning toward the elevators.

He doesn’t bother to answer.

Hustling through the lobby of the casino, I adjust my suit and press the ‘up’ button. When it arrives, I hover my finger over the floor that will lead me to my suite on the top floor.

“Shit,” I curse under my breath before hitting the one that leads to Burlone, instead.

I’m not in the mood for this.

With a knock on the office door, I wait for Burlone’s invitation.

“Get the fuck in here.”

Twisting the handle, I step inside.

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