I scowl. “She liked me fine when I was her priest.”
January wriggles back from Morelli. “Mr. Parkerisn’ta bad man.”
Morelli’s smile fades. He presses his shoe a little harder against her. “What are you basing that on?”
Her lip quivers. “He knew my father.”
“Ah, your beloved daddy. Not to be insensitive, but your father died when you were eight. Your stepmother engineered your engagement to Zachery Parker against his wishes.”
Adriano spits into the fire.
“My mom wouldn’t do that.”
I snort. Her stepmother is a stone-cold bitch. If she wanted a smoke, she’d have sold January’s pussy for half a pack of cigarettes. Girls like January can never see that, though. They believe in happy families and forever love no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary.
“Mr. Parker and mom arranged a marriage for the benefit of both our families, but that doesn’t make him a bad person.”
Morelli smirks, working his wingtip a little faster between her legs. “I appreciate your loyalty, Miss Whitehall, but do not speak to me about Zachery Parker. The four of us have known him much longer than you have.”
January’s eyes are glazed. She looks like she’s about to come right on his shoe.
“Doesn’t that feel good,bella?”
She shakes her head as though she can wish this all away. I picture her little cunt swollen, tingling. Excitement mixing with panic and fear. Across the room, I hear Bobby swallow.
“I asked you a question, Miss Whitehall. Doesn’t that feel good?”
Her gaze moves from Morelli, to Basher, to Adri, to me. I’d give a lot of money to know what she’s thinking and exactly how tingly those thoughts are making her.
“You little liar.” Morelli removes his shoe from between her legs. “Here are the facts. You’ve been taken as an act of war. You are now the property of Velvet House. Mine and my business partners.”
January stares unseeingly at Morelli. “Are… Are you going to kill me?”
Adri gives a low chuckle. Morelli smiles. “You have no rights here. You are not a guest, you are our prisoner. If you do what you’re told and act as a woman should, then no harm will come to you. If you don’t behave, Miss Whitehall, then yes, we will kill you.”
Tears burst from her eyes like a broken dam. We watch her cry. Basher looks like he wants to hug her. Adri is disgusted—he can’t stand women’s tears—but Morelli just seems bored. “Stop crying.”
January sobs harder, her little shoulders shaking.
Morelli kneels beside her, cupping her cheek with a gentle hand. She looks up and hope flares in her eyes. The handsome man is being nice to her. Morelli traces a thumb over her upper lip. “My scared little girl…”
January’s mouth quivers so sweetly, I wish I had a cigarette.
Morelli stares into her hypnotized face, and then he slaps her. The sound snaps around the room like a firework.
“You will not manipulate us,” he says quietly. “You will not control us with tears. You’ll do what you’re told, or you’ll suffer. Understood?”
January raises a trembling hand to her face. “Yes, Mr. Morelli.”
“Good girl,” he says, and a smile curls the corner of his mouth.
He likes her. Fucking hell. I want Weepy Big Tits to myself. I’ve already got Basher sniffing around, I don’t need Morelli throwing his hat in the ring too.
“People will be looking for me,” January whispers. “The police. Mr. Parker…”
Morelli turns his back on her and points to Adriano. “Wake up the bodyguard.”
Adri yanks him up by his shirt collar and smacks him in the face. Cooper yelps, his eyelids flicking open. A scream slices through the room as January struggles to her feet. “Let go of him, please?”
