I grip the arm rest on my seat in order to stay in it.
He smiles at her, but her body language is tense, and she leans away from him, attempting to slide back off his lap, but he tugs her back and she stops trying to get away. That faraway look reentering her eye.
My grip on my glass tightens.
“This girl can move.” Gio grins and I want to punch him. “Are you going to dance for us later, Bella?” he asks, gesturing toward the small elevated stage that’s actually the table between us.
Briar’s eyes dart between Gio’s and mine before she answers, her voice tight. “I’m on drinks right now, but maybe later.”
“We can get someone else on that.” He snaps his fingers, and just like that another girl appears, taking in our waitress on Gio’s lap with mild disinterest. “We need a new waitress, this one is busy.” She nods, taking out a pad to take our orders. “And send a few more girls over, will ya?” He grins at the three of us but my expression never changes, my eyes never leave Briar’s. All while she’s doing everything she can to avoid looking at me.
A moment later, more girls appear and Giovanni perks up when he spies a busty brunette among them. “Cherise! I didn’t know you were working tonight.” He practically shoves Briar at Alex, who has to catch her to prevent her from falling to the floor. “That one looks like he could use a little pick-me-up. Show him a good time, Bella,” he instructs before directing his full attention to the brunette in the orange fishnets who is more than delighted to have it.
But my brother’s eyes are on me, and I know he reads murder in mine. “No offense, sweetheart, but I’m going to pass on this one.” Alex gently guides Briar off his lap and lightly deposits her intomine.
She’s as pale as a ghost. In an effort to steady her, my hand wraps lightly around her wrist and I can feel her pulse racing under her skin. She’s so tense, her spine rigid, trembling atop my knee.
Terrified.
She’s terrified of me.
I throw back the last of my scotch before leaning forward, pressing my mouth to the back of her ear. “Bella, was it?” My words are full of spite and she flinches.
Giovanni sees Briar in my lap, his eyes flashing with excitement.
“Ti ho visto guardare prima,” he says, switching to Italian, presumably so I can understand him butshecan’t. “Da vicino è ancora meglio, immagino.”
He raises his brows at me and lifts his chin. His laugh is low and vile.
Briar looks at him confused. I was right. She doesn’t understand him, butI do. Every goddamn word. My father saw to it I was trained in several languages.
I saw you watching her before. Up close, she’s even better, I imagine.
I can already see where this is going and I don’t fucking like it.
Briar quietly tries to slip off of my lap but my hand on her thigh stops her, the look in my eye is enough to keep her from trying it again.
My attention is on the girl trembling in my lap, her eyes darting everywhere but at me.
Giovanni continues on in Italian
“She’s a beautiful whore.”
My vision goes black at the edges.
He doesn’t notice. Keeps talking, keeps smirking, keeps looking at her like he has the right. “I can let you try her. Just one night. On the house.” He winks.
He fucking winks.
Briar shifts uncomfortably on my lap. She might not know what he’s saying but she knows something’s off. Her eyes dart between us.
It’s a test.This is the game, remember? You’re supposed to be one of them. A buyer. Another piece of shit who treats women like they’re currency.
“I need a refill on my whiskey.” Briar’s too busy taking stock of everyone around us that she doesn’t notice at first that I’m talking to her.
“Go,” I growl, nearly under my breath.
But she hears me, surprise on her face when she turns to stare at me.
