Chapter 15
Getting to Thursday was long, and I felt like I was going crazy.
Emilio and my brother weren’t in the office this week, which I knew, but I didn’t expect to be pining over when Emilio would reach out to me.
If he did come to the office, his main focus was Aria, which made me jealous.
Flings weren’t my thing; I only ever had relationships. Was this how it works?
“Hey, Bethany!” Molly was a bit too happy-go-lucky for me, but I tried to be nice. “It’s ladies' night. Want to go out?”
“No Alfie tonight?”
She shook her head, “He’s been distant lately.”
“Okay. Let’s go to Timmy’s. A friend of mine bartends there.”
“I’ll ask Aria if she wants to join. She’s been working nonstop since we got here.”
I highly doubt Aria would agree to ladies' night with two younger ladies, but I wasn’t going to crush Molly’s heart. “I’ll come pick you up at the hotel.”
It was around 11 pm when Tiffany and I got to the Lagos hotel.
Knowing that Luca was here, I took a shot that Emilio would be around as well, so I suggested we have a drink at the lounge before we headed out.
Making sure I wore something that would catch his eye, I strut my stuff into the building wearing a skin-tight peach halter tulle draped dress almost see-through that was low cut paired with cream-red bottoms. While in the lobby, we see Alfie with his arm wrapped around another girl, pulling her into him.
She giggled as he was whispering in her ear.
I shouldn’t care what he does or with whom, but Molly was sweet, and any girl whose heart has been broken knows how it changes your perspective of men forever.
Tiffany also saw Alfie and her body tensed. “This is awkward.”
I laugh, “You didn’t think of that before you guys did the deed.”
Rolling her eyes, “Please don’t hang that over my head.”
“Go grab us a round; I’ll be there in a second.”
As Tiffany headed towards the lounge, I walked toward Alfie. He saw me coming but didn’t seem to care as he continued to whisper into the girl’s ear, making her giggle.
“Alfie.” I stood in front of them with my arms crossed against my chest.
“Bethany,” Alfie replied.
Trying not to appear bothered, I asked, “Can I have a word?”
“You can speak right here.”
This got on my nerves. He must still respect me if he wants to become a certain kind of man. I’m the DeCarlo here, not him. Glaring at him, Alfie finally gave in.
“Why don’t you grab us a drink,” he told the girl.
“Okay,” she smiled.
As she walked away, Alfie slapped her ass. Who the hell was this? The girl giggled even more as she walked away with a big smile.
“Seriously?” I asked Alfie.
“What’s the problem?” Alfie shot back.
“I thought you and Molly were a thing.”
“We are. When I want. Tonight, I don’t want to be a thing.”
“All week, you haven’t wanted to be a thing. What’s wrong with you?”
“What the hell do you care anyhow?”
I huff. “You know what kind of man you want to be, but you don’t need to be a prick.”
“It works well for Emilio.” Alfie had a sly smile on his face.
“That’s the kind of man you want to be?”
“A womanizer,” he replied, “Seems to be working well for him so far.”
I was just about ready to slap him when Tiffany joined us. “Hey, your brother is in there with Aria. Not sure if you wanted to go in still. No one else is in there except them and Emilio with some woman.”
“Why don’t we just wait for Molly outside?” I suggest.
“Okay,” Tiffany nodded.
“Hey Tiff,” Alfie voiced.
“Hey Alfie,” Tiffany blushed.
“I’ll meet you out there,” I tell her.
Once gone, I turn my focus back to Alfie. “Be whatever you want, but don’t be that guy. Molly is a good girl. Don’t be the asshole that turns her into a bitch.”
As I walk away, passing the entrance to the lounge, I look in to see if I can spot Emilio with the woman.
I wondered if it was the blonde that Natasha saw.
Luca and Aria looked cozy at the bar, but no Emilio in sight.
As I walk outside, I see Tiffany waiting there.
I walk past the pillar outside the door into a puff of smoke.
Coughing, I look to see who would be rude enough to do such a thing. “What the hell!”
“Bethany.” The sound of my name on his lips made me melt.
I made eye contact with Emilio, who was leaning against the pillar. His eyes look at me up and down as he pushes himself off the pillar and walks to me.
“What are you doing here?,” he asked.
“Picking up Molly for ladies' night.”
“Where to?”
“Timmy’s.”
“Have fun then.”
Disappointed, I smile and nod my head. Was that it? No, see you later. Before I could walk away, a woman wrapped herself around him. She kissed his neck and whispered something into his ear. Despite this, Emilio remained looking at me.
“Have a good night,” I fake a smile and walk away.
Furious that he didn’t even care how I felt, I was livid. Molly came out just as I got to Tiffany. I didn’t say anything during the entire car ride as Tiffany and Molly chatted. Natasha was at the bar, and I immediately started taking shot after shot.
“Whoa, slow down,” Natasha urged, “What’s gotten into you?”
“I need to get laid,” I blurt out.
“Well, there are tons of good-looking men here. Take your pick.”
I scoured the room, but no one caught my eye. Not the same way Emilio has been. I needed something more—that thrill. And nothing here was thrilling. What was going on with me? Did he have me this dickmatized? Molly and Tiffany were dancing the night away, but I sat myself by the bar.
“Bethany Ann DeCarlo.”
I turned to see an unpleasant, familiar face that calling me by my full name.
Rolling my eyes, “Declan Connor. To what do I owe the pleasure?” the sarcasm spilled out of my mouth.
“You are looking fine as ever,” he traced his finger along my shoulder.
I grab his finger and remove it from my skin. “You know better than to do that.”
A sly smirk crossed his face. “I don’t see anyone here to save you. Surprised you are left alone. A pretty thing like you.”
A chill ran up my spine; I cursed internally at myself. All the whining I do about being followed and not having any independence went right out the window during moments like this.
“Get off me!” I pushed and kicked.
“Oh, come on. You know you want it.”
“Cian! Stop.”
“Please,” I begged politely as I closed my eyes.
The more I seemed to push him away, the harder it was to get him off of me.
Putting all his body weight on me, it wasn’t easy to move.
He managed to rip my stockings—I have begged my mother to get me.
They had rhinestones scattered throughout and paired nicely with a black and white plaid skirt and booties.
Managing to rip through my underwear, I was on the verge of tears as I felt I had no other choice but to give in.
He is my boyfriend, so why say no? Granted, I’m a virgin, and this wasn’t how I wanted it to happen, but fighting this was useless.
I wasn’t going to win, and it was better to have said I wanted this than to lose the battle.
I’d end up a victim, and the DeCarlo’s are not victims.
Right as I talked myself into going through with this, the weight of Cian’s body lightened. My eyes open to see Emilio tossing him onto the ground, then proceeding to beat him to a bloody pulp. Too stunned to speak, I remained frozen.
“Take him to the box,” Emilio shouted to one of the other men.
That was the last day anyone took advantage of me again.
It was the first of many times Emilio came to my rescue. I’ve heard rumors as to what happened to Cian. He was put in the box. The box was code for the torture chamber. Rumor has it that Cian was put in the box, tied up, and eaten alive by rats.
“I didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to approach me.” I wasn’t the same scared 16-year-old. Cian was Declan’s brother. He didn’t even deserve me facing him, so I sat looking at the liquor wall behind the bar.
Declan laughed it off. “I heard Casper took a job in Wyoming.”
“Good for him.” I was uninterested, but he wasn’t getting the hint.
“I also heard you’ll be Mrs. Appollo soon. Is it true?”
This caught my attention, causing me to turn my head toward him. “I didn’t know you were such a gossip queen.”
Leaning in close, he seemed happy to relay, “I hear one of them beat his wife to death because she didn’t make the bed, and the other is even more sadistic.”
My body tensed. He was trying to get under my skin—the problem was that it was working.
Declan walked away with a smile, knowing his words got me shook.
There’s no way Luca would allow this union if the man was that awful.
The walls were closing in on me and I took a deep breath.
Waving to the bartender, I order another shot.
“B, you should calm down.” Natasha approached me as I down the tequila.
“I’m going to head home after this one,” I assured her.
“What did Declan say? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
After taking another shot, I stumbled out of the bar, but I wasn’t looking to go home. Instead, I pull out the business card from the sex party that I kept stashed in my purse at all times. Holding it already sent electric waves through my body.
There was a party tonight, and I wasn’t going to miss it.