That’s when you get hurt.
That’s when you get pulled into a situation which leaves scars, all while you can’t say no.
As my fingers reach for the velvet curtain that divides the floor from the behind-the-scenes area, I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. It’s time to leave my worries, my cares, and especially my dreams behind. At least for a few hours.
There’s no room out on the floor for any of those things. The last thing I want is for the dreams I have, small as they are, to be tainted or pulled into the shadows lurking throughout Second Circle.
If anyone wanted to look closely, they would notice how fake the smile on my face is the moment I step out from behind the curtain. It’s rare for any of us to be requested specifically. We have to use our…assets to garner business. And we are expected to entertain effectively.
Because the boss is always watching. And the house always wins.
An hour into my shift, my insides are roiling as I sit on a man’s lap. His hands are roaming freely over my body, but he’s not willing to commit to taking me to one of the rooms where the real work happens. I almost roll my eyes because he’s taking as many liberties as he can without paying.
It happens all the time.
He might be holding out for another girl, but if I can’t get him into a room soon, I’ll officially be wasting my time when I could have lured a different man into spending some time with me. Time alone. Time I get paid for.
“How about we pick out a room to play in?” I purr the question and watch as the man’s eyes darken with desire.
He wants me. And I’ve hooked him.
A man clearing his throat is the only warning I get before my boss is there and leaning over me. His lips brush against the shell of my ear as he murmurs, “Dove. A word.”
That’s it.
That’s all he says.
Then he’s straightening and striding out of the room without looking back. Clearly, he expects me to follow him without argument.
Romeo Amato is used to getting what he wants.
If the rumors about the man are true, which I know most of them are, he was born into the power he wields. Sure, it’s not nearly as much as what his brother, Angelo, has, but it’s not nothing.
Angelo is the one who sits at the top.
There can only be one man at the head of an organization which most people think only exists in nightmares and crime dramas. If you think mafia organizations aren’t still in operation, then you’re living the good life and should do whatever is necessary to keep it that way.
I don’t have that luxury.
I’m very much aware mobsters exist. I work for them.
The Amato name keeps the women here safe from raids and prosecution. But that’s where the safety begins and ends.
When it’s the boss who thinks he can do whatever he wants, is there any way to stay safe?
My steps are slow as I follow Romeo while my heart pounds in my chest. There isn’t a lot in this world that scares me, but being alone with Romeo does.
The man has a cruel streak which he is more than happy to show the women who work here.
When I step inside his office, Romeo strikes. His fingers tangle in my hair and he uses his hold on me to put me where he wants me. With only a few steps, he’s pressed my back against the wall while his free hand begins to roam over my body.
He squeezes my hip so hard I know it’ll leave a bruise behind. It’s not the first one.
“You’re looking very tempting tonight, Dove,” his words are meant to be seductive, but they have bile rising in my throat.
I force a smile onto my lips and keep my voice soft, “I’m hoping it means good tips tonight.”
“I’m sure you do,” he taunts.
