Page 80 of Murder & Mayhem

“Are we done here then?” Dante grits at his father.

Giovanni waves his hand dismissively toward Dante. “Yeah, yeah.” He snaps his fingers to get the attention of someone hiding in the shadows of the room, and in the next second naked girls step out and approach us. The men quickly snatch them up, dragging them into their laps or forcing them to their knees, and I hear the sound of people fucking while Dante stomps toward the stage. He undoes Sawyer’s restraints before shrugging out of his jacket. Draping it over her shoulders, he lifts her into his arms, and not looking at anyone, including myself, he goes straight to the exit. Ignoring Giovanni’s lingering gaze, I grab my own jacket from where I left it and follow after him.

Chapter 28

Dante bundles me into the back seat, and surprisingly he climbs in beside me. As soon as the door slams closed behind him, the dark tint of the windows blocking anyone's view from outside, he pulls me in against him, keeping his arms wrapped around me like bands of steel. My whole body trembles and I still can’t wrap my head around what the fuck just happened. I’d blame the lingering effects of whatever drug they used to subdue me, but I’m sure it’s the three orgasms Enzo gave me.

I lift my head as the driver’s door opens, and Enzo slides in behind the wheel. He instantly lifts his eyes to meet mine in the rearview mirror. Now we’re no longer in the presence of those sick old bastards, he’s dropped the cold, apathetic look, and his deep green eyes swim with concern. I give him a weak smile, trying to reassure him I’m okay. He doesn’t seem to buy it as he huffs out a breath before starting the car and pulling away from the curb, not that I blame him. I have no idea if I’m okay.

“I can’t believe you fucking did that,” Dante snarls at him.

“What else was I supposed to do?” Enzo barks back just as angrily. “If it wasn’t me, it would have been one of those other bastards.”

I push against Dante’s chest, needing to find my inner strength. He somewhat loosens his hold on me, enabling me to sit up straighter. “I’m fine.” My voice doesn’t sound like mine, though. It’s hoarse and exhausted sounding, and I know I’m running on fumes. I need to shower and crash—badly.

Enzo scoffs, and I glare at him through the mirror. “Then you’re tougher than I am, because I am definitelynotokay after that.” His honest admission surprises me, and instead of scraping the bottom of the well for some defensive emotions, I sag against Dante, letting myself not be strong for a minute. His arms tighten around me again, and the three of us lapse into silence for the rest of the journey.

When we get back to the house, Dante carries me inside, setting me down in the hall. I can feel Enzo’s dried cum on my inner thighs, and I feel disgusting, not knowing if anyone else touched me while I was unconscious. The thought alone has my stomach churning dangerously, and I hug Dante’s jacket closer around me.

“Sawyer,” Enzo calls out as I step toward the stairs. I spin and cut him with a glacial stare.

“No,” I snap, before he can say another word. I can hardly stand upright, my legs are shaking so badly. “I need a bath and to sleep. Leave me alone. Please.” My voice cracks over that final word, and I immediately look away as I turn and climb up the stairs, aware of the two of them watching me.

I make it back to my room and all but collapse into the tub, letting it fill up around me while I pour every single bath product I can get my hands on into the water. I rest my head against the side of the bath, my eyes drifting shut as I listen to the running water. My mind drifts back over today’s events as I struggle to put the pieces together. Enzo dropped me off at my apartment, and then everything went fuzzy until I woke up tied to that bed and surrounded by sick bastards leering at me. Anger makes my blood boil as I remember the way they looked at me. I tried not to look at them while Enzo was fucking me, but when one of them laughed at my supposed pain, I couldn’t help it. Watching them getting off on Enzo hurting me had me seeing red, and it was only Enzo’s voice, his low grunts intended only for me, that brought me back from the brink.

I must fall asleep, as the next thing I know, I’m lying in lukewarm water, and the bathroom is silent. No taps running. I hear a faint shuffling sound and pry my eyes open, finding Enzo crouching beside the tub, watching me.

“Thought I told you I wanted to be alone.” There’s no conviction in my tone. I’m too exhausted to actually care that he’s in here.

“Yeah, but you were flooding the bathroom. Figured I should come to make sure you weren’t trying to drown yourself.”

I poke my head over the side of the tub, noticing towels scattered all over the floor. “Oh.” I sag back against the lip of the bath and fix my gaze on the ceiling above me.

“Talk to me.”

I sigh, leaning my head to the side to meet Enzo’s worried gaze. “Why? You were there.” He frowns at me, and I return my focus to the ceiling. “Why?” I repeat after a long moment’s silence.

“It was Giovanni's way of ensuring he still had control over his son.” I think that over, but it doesn’t make sense to me.

“How?”

“He was proving to Dante that he has the ultimate say overeverythingin his life. Including both you and me. And I think he’s hoping this will isolate him. Giovanni wants to be the only one pulling his son’s puppet strings. He knows Dante listens to me, and he’s probably concerned he might start listening to you too.”

I scoff. “He’d have to talk to me first.” I don’t know why it even annoys me that Dante’s been avoiding me. Shouldn’t that be what I want? In three days, the Rejects are going to storm into the church and Dante’s supposed to die. I should be throwing up as many walls between Dante and me as I can. So why the hell does a painful twinge constrict my chest at the thought of never seeing him again?

“Just give him some time,” Enzo says softly. “This is all new to him too.”

Except we’re basically out of time, and instead of wishing Dante and Enzo dead, I just want the damn asshole to talk to me.

“Tonight’s events show that Giovanni is threatened by his son. He’s trying to pit Dante and me against each other. He knows Dante better than anyone, so he knows how much it will bother him that I’ve fucked you.”

I tilt my head, so I can look at him again. “Because I wasn’t him, or because you weren’t?”

“Either. Both. Does it matter?”

No, not really. “Better than anyone…” I begin, repeating his words. “But not you, right?Youknow Dante better thananyone.”

“My father used to be Giovanni’s Consigliere. They grew up together. He was his closest confidant. Dante and I grew up the same way, always around one another, destined to be best friends before we even understood the significance.” He trails off, losing himself to his memories and not really confirming my statement.

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