Her lip curls. “Can I get you a coloring book, sweetie?”
“Um, no?”
“Now don’t be mean, honey, it’s January’s first time.” Archie pulls out his wallet. “Tell you what, why don’t you dance for me? I don’t know what the going rate is, but I’ve got two hundred dollars—”
“—and you can shove every penny up your asshole.”
I press my hands to my mouth to suppress a nervous giggle. Archie looks like someone kicked him in the groin. Wonder Woman puts her hands on her hips. “I’m not going to shake my ass for you blondie. I’m the floor manager and I wanna know why you’re bringing underage tail into my club.”
Archie shoves his wallet back into his jacket. “You got me. We’re here to see Domenico Valente.”
Wonder Woman looks at him like he’s a spider laying eggs in her purse. “Get the fuck out. Now.”
My spine tenses, but Archie flashes her another bright smile. “Hang on just a second, Kitten. This underage tail happens to be January Whitehall.”
Wonder Woman draws herself up to her full height. “Is that supposed to mean anyt…” She cuts herself off and stares at me, dark eyes narrowing. “You…”
I shrink back into my stool. “Hi?”
“Shecansay more than that,” Archie drawls. “This is the bride. I’ve brought her back for safekeeping.”
Wonder Woman reaches for my throat. I flinch but she just touches Eli’s necklace. “Real?”
I guess she means the stones. “I… um, yes. They’re rubies. And diamonds.”
Her gaze snaps to Archie. “What the hell is going on?”
“It’s a real long story, darlin’, but I’ll need to tell it to Domenico Valente first.”
She stares at him for a moment then inclines her head. “I’ll call him. You stay still as a statue and don’t lay a finger on my girls.”
“You’re no fun,” Archie grumbles as Wonder Woman walks away. Then he winks at me. “How do you like that, Kitten? We’re finally getting somewhere.”
I suppose that’s true, but I don’t feel happier. My heart is still pounding. I grab for my Sprite and almost knock it over.
“Whoa,” Archie says, straightening the glass. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” It’s a lie. I’m shivering, goose bumps lifting all over my skin. I ran away. Zia is dead. Mr. Parker kidnapped me. I kissed a girl. I got kidnapped again and now I’m being returned to the men who stole me on my wedding day. The men I betrayed by escaping. Doc is on his way and maybe he won’t keep me as a sex slave. Maybe the snapping anger that exists just below his surface will burst out and he’ll slit my throat with his knife and I’ll deserve it. Adriano was shot because of me. Zia Teresa died because of me.
“January,” Archie says more urgently. “Are you okay?”
I shake my head, teeth chattering. “They killed my Zia.”
“What was that, Kitten?”
“Mr. Parker. He killed my Zia.”
I expect Archie to ignore me. Or to ask what ‘Zia’ means. He does neither. Instead he stares down at the gold bartop. “I’m real sorry ’bout that, January. I was hoping he wouldn’t hurt her.”
“Did you…knowMr. Parker wanted to kill her?”
Archie hesitates.
“Please be honest. I can’t handle any more lies.”
He raises his whiskey then puts it down without taking a sip. “I knew Parker put her in the hospital as bait. I knew he was talking about killing her, but it wasn’t a sure thing.”
I think back to the limo. Mr. Parker’s laughter. “He said he was always going to kill her because she was rude to him… and because I loved her.”
