Page 18 of Velvet Cruelty

January sobs harder, her little shoulders shaking.

Morelli kneels beside her, cupping her cheek with a gentle hand. She looks up and hope flares in her eyes. The handsome man is being nice to her. Morelli traces a thumb over her upper lip. “My scared little girl…”

January’s mouth quivers so sweetly, I wish I had a cigarette.

Morelli stares into her hypnotized face, and then he slaps her. The sound snaps around the room like a firework.

“You will not manipulate us,” he says quietly. “You will not control us with tears. You’ll do what you’re told, or you’ll suffer. Understood?”

January raises a trembling hand to her face. “Yes, Mr. Morelli.”

“Good girl,” he says, and a smile curls the corner of his mouth.

He likes her. Fucking hell. I want Weepy Big Tits to myself. I’ve already got Basher sniffing around, I don’t need Morelli throwing his hat in the ring too.

“People will be looking for me,” January whispers. “The police. Mr. Parker…”

Morelli turns his back on her and points to Adriano. “Wake up the bodyguard.”

Adri yanks him up by his shirt collar and smacks him in the face. Cooper yelps, his eyelids flicking open. A scream slices through the room as January struggles to her feet. “Let go of him, please?”

“Doc, take care of her,” Morelli says, walking away.

I stride forward, pulling her back against my body.

“Don’t kill Kurt,” she gasps. “Please.”

I clap a hand over her mouth and the feel of her lips against my palm sends another hum through me.

Adriano drops Cooper onto all fours. He kneels, sputtering like a busted engine.

“Good evening, Kurt,” Morelli says as though the two of them are old friends.

Cooper’s face contracts. “You…?”

“Me. Welcome to Velvet House. You won’t be staying long.”

Cooper tries to scramble to his feet, but Adri puts a boot in his back.

January screams again into my hand. The sound is muffled but Cooper still hears her. His bloody face goes rigid. “January?” He looks at Morelli. “You took her.”

“We did.”

“Look, you can have her. You can do whatever you like, just let me go.”

January sags in my arms. Poor little Tesorina. Betrayed by the man who’s protected her half her life. Even I didn’t see that coming. I haul her upright. “It’s okay, baby. He’ll pay for saying that.”

But the little brat shakes her head. “Nuuuh. Pleaghs?”

I press my hand harder to her lips.

Morelli smiles at Cooper. “We expected security to be weakened by the handover, but you and your partner were an embarrassment. Drunk in broad daylight. And why were you hanging around the back of the cathedral? I assume you were calling your dealer?”

Cooper’s expression is pleading. “Mr. Morelli, you can have her. You can—”

Adri kicks him in the side. He collapses onto the carpet, spitting blood.

Morelli raises a furious hand. “Christ, Adriano! Where’s the tarp?”

---