Page 22 of Velvet Cruelty

Ell smiles down at the girl. “You remember what I told you before your bodyguard was killed?”

She bows her head.

“Then you know better than to refuse me. Take off your dress.”

She looks up, all trembling lips and watering eyes. “Mr. Morelli… I can’t.”

“Have it your way. Doc?”

Grinning, Doc pulls his revolver from the back of his jeans. “Get in front of the camera, and strip.”

Her pleading eyes dart around the entrance hall.

“January Joy Whitehall, I will blow your brains out and Bobby will be the only one to mourn you.”

She looks to Basher, his face skull-like in the flickering firelight. Her gaze falls on me. Those eyes like big green worlds asking if it’s true if she could die tonight. At least she’s asking the right person.

Doc presses the barrel to her head and I feel the sensation against my own skull, a cold ring of steel. “Last warning, Tesorina. I’ll waste you, then I’ll fuck your corpse. Stand up.”

She blanches but doesn’t get to her feet. There’s a backbone in this girl. We didn’t see that coming. Maybe I should have. I watched her dance a thousand times, repetition and strength and control.

Ell walks back to his chair by the fire. “Hit her.”

Doc lowers the gun and backhands her. The girl’s head snaps sideways.

She touches her cheek. “You’re a beast.”

Doc laughs. “Take off your dress and I’ll show you how much.”

“Never.”

He slaps her again but this time and this time, she glares at him. “You’re insane.”

Doc shakes out his hand. “Get your tits out and stop wasting my time.”

“No!”

I cross the room to Eli. “We should kill her.”

“We brought her here for a reason.”

Doc drags the girl toward the chair in front of the camera. Her hands slapping at his arms. “Let me go!”

Give her a little longer and she’ll be spitting and scratching. I grit my teeth. “If you’re determined to do this, I can control her.”

“How?”

I pull the platinum bracelet from my pocket. “Read the name.”

Ell squints at the little heart charm. “Where did you get this?”

“Stopped her while she was running out of the church.”

Ell smiles. “Beautiful work. Go take over.”

The girl is slumped on the chair. Doc scowls when he sees me coming. “Give me five more minutes.”

“No. Move.”

---