Series: The Rossi Crime Family Series by J.L. Beck
Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 66960 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66960 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Will he share me? With him… or with someone else? I gaze at my reflection in the mirror. Am I good enough to keep Xander’s attention? I don’t really know. I’m not nearly as attractive as some of the other women here, and god knows, I’m not even close to being as experienced.
My chest aches at the thought of being tossed aside like garbage by him. He’s all I have right now. He saved me and losing him would kill me. I know it. With one fleeting look at my disheveled reflection, I shake my head. I move toward the door, feeling more down about myself now than I did before I came in.
At least Xander didn’t get mad at me for spilling the wine, so that’s a win, I suppose. I toss the wet paper towel into the trash and head out the door. I know I should keep my gaze to the floor, but I can’t pass up the opportunity to check out my surroundings. I mean, I can’t find my sister if I’m not looking for her. My gaze moves across the room, taking in each and every person.
I almost lower my head and place my eyes on the floor to walk back to the table when I pass a hallway. I stop dead in my tracks and peer down it. I’m not sure what compelled me to stop, but I did. My heart skips a beat and my throat tightens when I catch a glimpse of a set of big blue eyes almost identical to my own. Violet. It’s only for a fraction of a second that I see her, but it’s enough to get my legs moving.
I run down the hallway as fast as my feet will go, pushing someone out of the way without looking or apologizing. I don’t care about anyone or anything. Just getting to my sister before it’s too late.
“Vi!” I call out to her, trying to get her attention. I’m not far behind her, but I’m not close enough to stop the guy with a neck tattoo from dragging her toward the door in front of them.
She is half naked, wearing some type of lingerie… and I cringe seeing the bruising on the side of her face. She turns when she hears my voice but the guy dragging her just picks her up and carries her through the door.
She doesn’t even struggle in his grasp, and I wonder if they’ve drugged her to make her comply. Her eyes are sad, and I’m angry, so damn angry. I’m almost to the door when someone grabs me from behind and slams me against the opposing wall face first. The air is knocked from my lungs, and my face slides against the brick wall. I let out a whimper from the stinging pain of my flesh sliding across brick.
“Not so fucking strong when you’re without that bastard, huh?” I struggle in the man’s grasp, realizing I know that voice from somewhere. I open my mouth to tell him to get off of me when I feel a prick in my arm. In an instant, warmth coats my insides. My skin heats, and I start to feel woozy.
No, no, no, I am so close to getting Violet; this can’t be happening. I struggle against his hold, but my strength is withering away by the second.
“If he wants you so badly, I guess he’ll have to pay for you again.”
I put the puzzle pieces together.
“Benny, what did you…?” The words come out slow, very slow. I’m turned around, coming face to face with my captor.
“Trust me, you don’t want to go with Ivan, he is a crazy Russian. He’ll just kill you without any of the fun.” Benny smirks and pushes me toward another door.
I want to resist but my body and my brain are not on speaking terms right now. I can barely stand on my own, let alone make an attempt to run away or stop the asshole who has ahold of me.
My eyes droop, and I feel like I’m watching everything happen right before my eyes, yet there is nothing I can do.
Benny opens another door and shoves me inside. The motion sends me falling to the floor on my knees. I know I land harshly against the tile, but I feel no pain, nothing at all actually. There are people moving about in the room, minding their own business.
“Put her in the lineup,” Benny orders, walking away from me like I’m a piece of trash. I open my mouth to scream at him, but my tongue feels impossibly heavy. I slap a hand against the floor to get his attention, but he doesn’t even turn around. Instead, another man grabs me. His touch is rough, almost bruising, as he rips my dress from my body, leaving me in nothing more than my red thong and matching bra.