Page 77 of Velvet Cruelty

Eli rubs his brow. “I need to call Peirce. He hasn’t mentioned Parker has access to a drug that works on women, but he didn’t know that’s information we’re interested in. Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we go to work.”

He leaves, taking the key to January’s door with him.

Adriano grunts and disappears after him. I feel a stab of panic and remember that if I’m locked out of January’s room, so is Rossi.

Doc pulls another cigarette from his pack. “Big night.”

“Yeah,” I say. Should I follow Adriano? Make sure he doesn’t go after January?

“Another girl doped because of me.”

There’s a beat and I realize Doc’s being serious. Misery lines every inch of his face. I grab his arm, his skin is cold as a corpse. “You’re not responsible for what Parker did.”

He doesn’t look at me. “She could have died.”

Again, that twist in his voice, fear and softness together. I tighten my grip on Doc’s arm. “You weren’t trying to hurt her. You couldn’t have known.”

“That’s what you said about Alessia.”

It’s been years since I heard him say her name. I squeeze harder. “You’re not a bad man.”

He snorts. “Then how did we end up here?”

We’re skating dangerously close to the thing none of us wants to talk about.

“Things happened the way they did. You’re still not responsible for Parker.”

A smile quirks Doc’s mouth and he lifts a frozen hand to mine. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.” I clear my throat. “You need to put some fucking shoes on.”

Doc laughs. “This is why all the ladies love you, Bobby. You’re so sincere.”

I shake my head but I’m grinning. “Let’s go get some sleep.”

“Wait a moment.” He fumbles with his lighter, igniting his fresh cigarette. “You want a hand? I can use my powers for good and evil, you know?”

“The fuck are you talking about?”

“January. I saw the way she was looking at you before Morelli made you leave.”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t butter me up just because you feel bad.”

“I’ve never buttered anyone up for anything. The girl’s been alone for days, she’s probably dying to be touched. And as much as I hate to admit it, you got the closest with her tonight. She still trusts you.”

“She hates me for killing her bodyguard.”

“She’s confused and horny. She wants you to comfort her.”

“But she won’t marry me.”

Doc chokes on his cigarette. “Fuck, Basher. You don’t want much, do you?”

I fail to suppress a smile. “Whatever you’re thinking, it won’t work anyway. Eli locked her in.”

“Did he?” Doc pulls Eli’s keychain from his pocket. “Should we go pay her a visit?”

I hesitate. The four of us are close but there’s always been divisions. Doc and Adriano on one side, me and Elliot on the other. I owe Eli my loyalty. But he was going to send her away and he wasn’t going to ask my opinion about it.

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