he had casually ordered that boy’s fingers to be cut off. The boy had done something evil… But even so…
Victor terrified me.
The relaxing warmth of the alcohol I’d drunk had left me, and I felt totally, stone cold sober. When I was only a few feet away, Victor raised a hand, poked a finger in my direction, and beckoned me to him.
He had pushed back the sleeves of his leather jacket, revealing tanned, strong forearms, sprinkled with dark hair.
It must have been my imagination, but it seemed as though the whole room was holding its breath waiting to see what would happen to me. Would Victor let me go? Or would he decide that I needed some punishment, like the young man who’d lost his fingers tonight?
I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. All this time, I’d been waiting to speak to him, and now when I was standing in front of him, when I had the chance to finally persuade him to let me go, I was lost for words.
His eyes didn’t leave my face as I stared back at him, frozen in terror. Then, he did something I hadn’t anticipated, something completely unexpected: he smiled.
For a moment, I was so startled I just stood there dazzled. The smile completely transformed his face. He was no longer scary looking. He looked… almost handsome. Despite those thick, dark eyebrows, and the slash mark on his cheek, when he smiled his features softened and somehow made him seem more approachable.
“Ella, isn’t it?”
I nodded and finally found my voice. “Yes, that’s right. I came here with…” I turned around to see Chad and Tom standing by the bar, watching things unfold. They seemed tense and on edge.
For the first time, I noticed that Nick was now directly behind me, which gave me a small amount of comfort. I couldn’t read his expression as he kept his face blank, but his eyes remained fixed on me.
“They brought me,” I said, annoyed at myself because my voice sounded tremulous and weak. “And now I want to go home.”
When the words left my mouth, I held my breath, waiting for Victor’s response. I thought he might snarl a refusal or even laugh at me, but instead he surprised me again. This time by saying, “Come and sit with me. Let’s talk.”
He gestured to the seat on the right side of him, and for the first time I noticed the woman who’d been sitting there. I had been so nervous my attention had been fixed solely on Victor. The woman was short, with large breasts and a tiny waspish waist. She wore a black corset style top and skintight blue jeans. Her red lipstick was slightly smeared, and I guessed she had probably just been kissing Victor. She scowled at me as she stood up. I looked down at the ground. I didn’t want this woman to see me as a threat. All I wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible.
She pushed past me, barging me to the side as she went. I didn’t react, although my heart was pounding in my chest as I took the now vacant seat beside Victor.
Victor clapped his hands. “The rest of you, carry on. This is supposed to be a celebration. Where is the music?”
On cue, the music started up again, and people began to shuffle away.
Jackson made his way back to the bar to join Chad and Tom, and only Nick remained beside us, his body tense.
“You too, Nick,” Victor said and smiled to take the sting out of his words. “I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
I flushed as I realized Victor knew that something had gone on between Nick and me.
Nick hesitated for a second, and I could tell he didn’t want to leave me on my own with Victor, but eventually he nodded. When he left us, Victor turned to me and smiled again. His eyes were dark and held a dangerous glint. His smile lit up his face, and I could understand how he held all his power. As well as having a ruthless streak, he was hypnotic. I was feeling dizzy. I didn’t know whether it was the alcohol or fear making me feel that way.
“I hope my men have been treating you well.”
His words
Victor terrified me.
The relaxing warmth of the alcohol I’d drunk had left me, and I felt totally, stone cold sober. When I was only a few feet away, Victor raised a hand, poked a finger in my direction, and beckoned me to him.
He had pushed back the sleeves of his leather jacket, revealing tanned, strong forearms, sprinkled with dark hair.
It must have been my imagination, but it seemed as though the whole room was holding its breath waiting to see what would happen to me. Would Victor let me go? Or would he decide that I needed some punishment, like the young man who’d lost his fingers tonight?
I tried to swallow, but my mouth was too dry. All this time, I’d been waiting to speak to him, and now when I was standing in front of him, when I had the chance to finally persuade him to let me go, I was lost for words.
His eyes didn’t leave my face as I stared back at him, frozen in terror. Then, he did something I hadn’t anticipated, something completely unexpected: he smiled.
For a moment, I was so startled I just stood there dazzled. The smile completely transformed his face. He was no longer scary looking. He looked… almost handsome. Despite those thick, dark eyebrows, and the slash mark on his cheek, when he smiled his features softened and somehow made him seem more approachable.
“Ella, isn’t it?”
I nodded and finally found my voice. “Yes, that’s right. I came here with…” I turned around to see Chad and Tom standing by the bar, watching things unfold. They seemed tense and on edge.
For the first time, I noticed that Nick was now directly behind me, which gave me a small amount of comfort. I couldn’t read his expression as he kept his face blank, but his eyes remained fixed on me.
“They brought me,” I said, annoyed at myself because my voice sounded tremulous and weak. “And now I want to go home.”
When the words left my mouth, I held my breath, waiting for Victor’s response. I thought he might snarl a refusal or even laugh at me, but instead he surprised me again. This time by saying, “Come and sit with me. Let’s talk.”
He gestured to the seat on the right side of him, and for the first time I noticed the woman who’d been sitting there. I had been so nervous my attention had been fixed solely on Victor. The woman was short, with large breasts and a tiny waspish waist. She wore a black corset style top and skintight blue jeans. Her red lipstick was slightly smeared, and I guessed she had probably just been kissing Victor. She scowled at me as she stood up. I looked down at the ground. I didn’t want this woman to see me as a threat. All I wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible.
She pushed past me, barging me to the side as she went. I didn’t react, although my heart was pounding in my chest as I took the now vacant seat beside Victor.
Victor clapped his hands. “The rest of you, carry on. This is supposed to be a celebration. Where is the music?”
On cue, the music started up again, and people began to shuffle away.
Jackson made his way back to the bar to join Chad and Tom, and only Nick remained beside us, his body tense.
“You too, Nick,” Victor said and smiled to take the sting out of his words. “I promise I’ll take good care of her.”
I flushed as I realized Victor knew that something had gone on between Nick and me.
Nick hesitated for a second, and I could tell he didn’t want to leave me on my own with Victor, but eventually he nodded. When he left us, Victor turned to me and smiled again. His eyes were dark and held a dangerous glint. His smile lit up his face, and I could understand how he held all his power. As well as having a ruthless streak, he was hypnotic. I was feeling dizzy. I didn’t know whether it was the alcohol or fear making me feel that way.
“I hope my men have been treating you well.”
His words
Similar Books
