“I need to get laid,” I blurt out.
“Well, there are tons of good-looking men here. Take your pick.”
I scoured the room, but no one caught my eye. Not the same way Emilio has been. I needed something more—that thrill. And nothing here was thrilling. What was going on with me? Did he have me this dickmatized? Molly and Tiffany were dancing the night away, but I sat myself by the bar.
“Bethany Ann DeCarlo.”
I turned to see an unpleasant, familiar face that calling me by my full name.
Rolling my eyes, “Declan Connor. To what do I owe the pleasure?” the sarcasm spilled out of my mouth.
“You are looking fine as ever,” he traced his finger along my shoulder.
I grab his finger and remove it from my skin. “You know better than to do that.”
A sly smirk crossed his face. “I don’t see anyone here to save you. Surprised you are left alone. A pretty thing like you.”
A chill ran up my spine; I cursed internally at myself. All the whining I do about being followed and not having any independence went right out the window during moments like this.
“Get off me!” I pushed and kicked.
“Oh, come on. You know you want it.”
“Cian! Stop.”
“Please,” I begged politely as I closed my eyes.
The more I seemed to push him away, the harder it was to get him off of me. Putting all his body weight on me, it wasn’t easy to move. He managed to rip my stockings—I have begged my mother to get me. They had rhinestones scattered throughout and paired nicely with a black and white plaid skirt and booties. Managing to rip through my underwear, I was on the verge of tears as I felt I had no other choice but to give in. He is my boyfriend, so why say no? Granted, I’m a virgin, and this wasn’t how I wanted it to happen, but fighting this was useless. I wasn’t going to win, and it was better to have said I wanted this than to lose the battle. I’d end up a victim, and the DeCarlo’s are not victims.
Right as I talked myself into going through with this, the weight of Cian’s body lightened. My eyes open to see Emilio tossing him onto the ground, then proceeding to beat him to a bloody pulp. Too stunned to speak, I remained frozen.
“Take him to the box,” Emilio shouted to one of the other men.
That was the last day anyone tookadvantage of me again.
It was the first of many times Emilio came to my rescue. I’ve heard rumors as to what happened to Cian. He was put in the box. The box was code for the torture chamber. Rumor has it that Cian was put in the box, tied up, and eaten alive by rats.
“I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to approach me.” I wasn’t the same scared 16-year-old. Cian was Declan’s brother. He didn’t even deserve me facing him, so I sat looking at the liquor wall behind the bar.
Declan laughed it off. “I heard Casper took a job in Wyoming.”
“Good for him.” I was uninterested, but he wasn’t getting the hint.
“I also heard you’ll be Mrs. Appollo soon. Is it true?”
This caught my attention, causing me to turn my head toward him. “I didn’t know you were such a gossip queen.”
Leaning in close, he seemed happy to relay, “I hear one of them beat his wife to death because she didn’t make the bed, and the other is even more sadistic.”
My body tensed. He was trying to get under my skin—the problem was that it was working. Declan walked away with a smile, knowing his words got me shook. There’s no way Luca would allow this union if the man was that awful. The walls were closing in on me and I took a deep breath. Waving to the bartender, I order another shot.
“B, you should calm down.” Natasha approached me as I down the tequila.
“I’m going to head home after this one,” I assured her.
“What did Declan say? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
