Chapter 36

“Steven,” I whisper, my hand immediately going to my mouth. Because even though his head is covered in some kind of potato sack, I know that’s him being hauled in with his hands tied behind his back, stumbling over the shoes I bought him for Christmas.

Christian is instantly in action, stepping in front of me, throwing out an arm to block me – as if Steven, held up as he his by two men with hands beneath his armpits, is going to grab me.

“What the fuck is this!?” Christian booms out, turning his head to glare daggers at his father.

Don Romano just grins, shrugging as he slips his hands casually into his pockets. “Like I said,” he murmurs. “Seeing where her loyalties really lie.”

“Frank!” Christian snaps, and Frankie is behind me in a flash, firmly taking my arms in his hands and pulling me backwards until his back hits a wall. Then, gentler than I’d imagine he could be in a frantic moment like this, he slips an arm around my waist and pulls me tight against him, raising the other to wrap around my chest, his right hand taking hold of my left shoulder and holding me still. Nico, ever faithful, stays by Christian’s side.

“Don’t fuck up here, Bambi,” Frankie whispers in my ear. Shaky, I nod, my eyes fastened on the scene in front of me.

Don Romano steps around his desk, nodding to the two men, one of whom kicks Steven hard in the back of the knee so that he falls to the ground with a shout and then a moan. Steven slumps, his back arched, his shoulders heaving as he clearly cries beneath his hood.

“End this,” Christian snaps, grabbing his dad’s arm as Don Romano walks towards Steven. “This is not necessary.”

Don Romano just shrugs Christian off. “I have questions for the boy,” Romano says, stepping forward and whipping Steven’s hood off of his head.

As Steven’s bruised and bloody face comes into sight I can’t help but gasp. Romano turns to look at me, a little smile on his lips as I groan to see my ex-boyfriend looking like he’s had the crap beat out of him for days. Steven doesn’t notice me – at least not yet. Instead he gasps at the airs and mutters disconnected words, begging for mercy.

But Romano carefully watches me and I do my best – failing, I think – to compose myself. I stand up straight, my lower lip trembling, and shake my head with pity as I stare at Steven. But I don’t cry out – don’t say anything in his favor.

He betrayed me, after all. Steven put himself here, and he dragged me with him.

“So!” Romano says, his word booming out into the room and making Steven flinch. Slowly, the mafia don crouches before my ex. “Sounds like you’ve had your dirty little fingers all over some family financial data, haven’t you?”

Steven shakes his head vehemently, and I can’t tell if he’s trying to apologize or deny it. I guess it doesn’t matter, though – everyone knows he’s guilty. It’s written plain on his battered face.

“Must be a clever one,” Romano murmurs, studying Steven. “Good with computers, and all that, to get your hands on such…what’s the term these days, encrypted information?”

Christian scowls, his arms crossed, but he does nothing to stop his father’s interrogation as Romano gets to his feet.

“I, for one, never invested in the stuff.” Don Romano says easily, almost conversationally. “Computers – all that sitting around, seemed like a waste of time. No, I prefer action. Brute force.” As he says the final word, his hand whips out, delivering an incredible blow to the side of Steven’s face, sending him sprawling across the floor.

I cry out, whipping my head to the side and pressing my eyes shut against the sight of the blood spitting from my ex’s mouth. I hang against Frankie’s arms as the room goes quiet except for the sound of Steven’s moans and pants.

“What is it, little girl,” I hear Romano say, and I force myself to open my eyes, turning my head to look at him. I don’t bother to hide my shock – it’s already plain for everyone to see. “Don’t want me to hurt your boyfriend?” Romano says, his voice low and teasing. “Or should I say, your partner in crime?”

I sigh deeply, realizing that this is a trap for me. I press my eyes shut for a long moment and then raise my head. “I’m…I’m not used to violence,” I say, my voice shaking.

And it’s a bit of a lie – my father, after all…

But no. There’s no time to think on that now.

Steven stirs on the floor and then lifts his head, croaking “Iris?”

I ignore him, taking a deep breath and set my shoulders. “He’s nothing to me,” I say, my voice softer than I want it to be. “He betrayed me.”

“Then why,” Don Romano says, stepping away from Steven and towards me. “Are you crying?”

Am I?

I take new note of myself and realize that there are tears on my cheeks. I start to tremble as Romano comes close, lifting his broad and dangerous hand to slowly wipe the tears from my cheeks. I shake my head.

“Answer me, little girl,” the Don growls, low and dangerous, and my trembling increases.

Behind me, Frankie tenses his hands, just slightly – either telling me I need to act or giving me strength, I don’t know which. Either way, it bolsters me.

I raise my eyes to the Don, shaking my head. “I loved him,” I say, speaking my honest truth up into his face. “He was…my boyfriend. But he sold me.” I shake my head, letting him see the hurt of the betrayal plain on my face. “I don’t know anything. I have nothing to do with it. I’m…he’s at your mercy, Don Romano…” I whisper the words, allowing my head to drop, not feeling strong enough to hold it up anymore. “As am I. But we are separate. He is nothing to me anymore, not after what he did to me.”

Don Romano takes a moment to consider me, I think, and I jump when I feel his broad finger beneath my chin. Slowly, my face is dragged up to look into his again. “I’ll spare him,” the Don says softly, though I’m sure in the quiet of the room we all hear him. “If you beg me.”

I stare at this ruthless man for a long moment, but then shake my head. “He’s nothing to me,” I whisper again.

“Iris!” Steven calls my name again, mournful again as he realizes that I’m doing nothing to save him – nothing at all. I grit my teeth, my eyes darting towards him in a glare when I hear the plaintive tone of his voice.

Because where the hell was this pity when he was selling me to be a whore to pay off his debts?

Romano laughs, suddenly, and my face falls as I again look up into his, realizing that he saw every inch of my reaction. But I blink when I realize that he’s…he’s pleased.

“Do it,” the Don calls, dropping my face and turning away, crossing back to Christian’s side. I gasp and then cry out again as the two men who brought Steven in begin to beat him, one kicking him in the ribs while the other kneels down to punch him again across the face.

“Dad!” Christian shouts as I press my eyes again shut, doing my best to block out the noise –

But it’s so, so awful, the sound of fists on flesh, the sound of Steven’s agony.

Beyond it, I hear Christian protest again and then Romano’s voice calling out, telling the men to stop.

They do, instantly, and I sag against Frankie’s arms, unable to move or to think, just…horrified.

“Get him out of here,” the Don snaps, sounding frustrated and over it all. I hear the noise, then, of Steven’s being hoisted back up. His pained protests let me know that he’s alive but…I don’t open my eyes to see any more.

I’m done with it all, suddenly realizing with perfect clarity why Don Romano’s wife spends her life in a drugged-out haze.

This is…it’s all too much for me.

“You’re okay,” Frankie whispers, holding me tight to him, more of an embrace now than a restraint. His voice is so low, like he’s scared to be heard. “You did good, Bambi. We can go now.”

“What the fuck was all of that!?” Christian shouts, and my eyes open and turn towards him, wanting to hear the answer.

The Don just shrugs. “I got the answers I need. Either your little stripper is one hell of an actress or…” he turns to look at me, a cruel smile on his lips. “Or she’s just as innocent as you said she is.”

“Whatever,” Christian snaps, and then he turns towards me. “Frankie! Nico! Let’s go.”

Frankie gently releases me, stepping out from behind while slipping a supportive hand under my arm. “See, Bambs?” he murmurs, gentle, “told you. Let’s go home…”

“What’s the rush, Cris?” Don Romano says, laughing a little. “Stay for a while – after all,” my head turns to look at him as Frankie and I move across the room, Nico coming to our side.

Christian likewise goes rigid at the change in his father’s tone as Don Romano reaches a hand for me, his fingertips brushing against my cheek, making me flinch. “I’m starting to see the appeal of this one. Why don’t you leave her here with me for a few days so we can…get to know each other?”