Chapter 36 Death Sentence
DEATH SENTENCE
brIAR
Now
Koen.
I stare at him, still not fully convinced I’m not hallucinating, and it’s really him.
Koen O’Rourke.
He reaches up to twist his hat rim back behind him; a few dirty blond locks escape out onto his forehead.
He lifts his head and eyes me expectantly.
That’s when I remember, he’d asked me a question.
“I—I work here.” My voice sounds stronger than I feel.
His expression darkens, and I swallow.
He takes a step forward and I take one back, pressing myself further into the back wall, wondering why the hell he looks so angry.
The private room is up-lit in red lighting, and the eerie red glow making him look every inch the devil he is.
I think he’s going to stop, but he keeps advancing until he’s got me trapped against the wall, his hands closing around my hips.
He leans in, and I squirm in his hold until his mouth finds my neck.
I still.
Confusion, and something else, hits me as I let him trail light kisses up my neck, and he releases one of my hips to tuck my hair behind my ear.
“What are you—?”
“Cameras?” His deep voice, soft against my skin, sends a shiver though my body that I can feel in my core.
It takes another second to register that he’s talking about the room.
“Just nod once if yes,” he breathes again, his voice so low that I can only hear him because his mouth is right up against my ear.
I dip my chin in confirmation that there are, indeed, cameras.
His mouth slides further down my jaw as his hands tighten on my hips. “Microphone?”
Slowly, I shake my head. No.
He pauses, seemingly thinking something over, before he pulls away. I have to fight the urge to pull him back, my body instantly missing the warmth of his. His touch feels familiar in a way it shouldn’t. His eyes scan the room.
It’s one of the smaller rooms, dark, with only a red leather sofa against one wall, and a small stage with a pole on the other. I see him locate the camera, mounted just over the door.
Koen shifts, taking me with him until his back is fully to the camera, blocking me entirely from its view. For a moment, he says nothing, studying my face. Scanning over my eyes and dropping down to my mouth.
His own face is cold and unreadable. His eyes are more shadowed than I remember.
“Knees, now.”
He moves off me just enough to give me space, but I blink up at him stunned. “I don’t—” I start to tell him that I don’t do extras, but his hand whips out, grabbing hold of my jaw and cutting me off.
His eyes narrow into thin, cold slits. “I wasn’t asking.”
I swallow hard, and watch his eyes drop to my throat.
The cameras are supposedly for the dancer’s safety, but I know for a fact club security has a habit of overlooking certain things—and I’m sure he does too.
Especially for a client like Koen O’Rourke.
No bouncer is about to rush in here and tell the Irish King what he can and cannot do.
I’m on my own.
My glare is smoldering when I finally lower myself on shaky knees. Resolving to bite his dick off if, and when, he takes it out.
“That’s a good girl.” Koen’s smile is dark, and my eyes are murderous, when he unzips his jeans with one hand while fisting my hair in the other. He tugs me closer until I’m face level with his dick.
I stare at the bulge, hidden still by his black boxers, with my lips pressed tight. He’s already hard, but he doesn’t take it out. Instead, he tilts my chin up with his free hand, forcing me to look at him.
“Briar Rose,” he whispers.
I wonder if he can feel my body shaking through his fingertips.
“What are you doing here?” he asks me again. And it might be my imagination, but the edge in his voice softens slightly.
When I don’t answer, he sighs, “I drag you out of hell, only for you to run right back?” He shakes his head, disappointment showing on his face.
“My, my… how far my little ballerina has fallen. It’s no wonder you ended up in Giovanni’s warehouse.
You’re just another whore for hire, aren’t you?
” To prove his point, his grip tightens on my hair, pulling me closer toward him, but yet he still doesn’t take himself out.
I can’t speak, too busy fighting back the tears that form, his words landing like knives.
“You owe him money.” That brings my eyes snapping up. I’m not sure how, but he comes to the conclusion all by himself. How could he possibly know that?
He takes the look on my face as confirmation. And if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was pissed. Especially since his fist tightens in my hair.
“You should’ve run, left town…” His judgmental gaze trails over me, looking down at me like I’m just a stupid girl.
“I’m handling it,” I growl, my fists tightening at my sides, fingernails digging deep into my palms.
“Not well,” he scoffs. “Seeing as how you walked right back into the lion’s den.”
Anger flares and his last comment sends me over the edge. I shove him away from me, and he allows it, letting go of my hair. “You’re judging me?” Is he fucking serious? “Well, good thing it’s none of your business.”
“None of my business?” he growls, but I’m done.
I stand, cheeks burning with repressed rage.
“I’m doing what I need to do, which, by the way, what I do is none of your concern.
I’m not yours. I’m not anyone’s. Now get out.
” I shove my finger to the door at his back, staring down the growing storm raging behind green eyes. Yeah, let’s see how he likes rejection.
“I said, get out.”
He doesn’t move. Instead, his hand whips out, wrapping around my throat. Both of my hands fly up, trying to pry his fingers from my skin, but his grip is unyielding. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Bella,” he hisses.
“Here’s what’s going to happen, and listen closely because I don’t repeat myself. You owe me a favor.”
I open my mouth to disagree—because I absolutely do not owe this man fucking shit—but his darkening eyes at the barest hint of my dissent has me snapping it shut.
“We’re going to leave this room together. You’re going to keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut and let me do the talking.”
Without warning, he starts toward the door, his hand wrapped around my upper arm, dragging me with him.
It’s work to keep up with Koen’s long strides as he half walks, half drags me down the hallway. He stops so abruptly, his hand on my arm is the only thing keeping me on my feet.
We’re in Gio’s office.
“I’m taking this one.”
Koen hauls me roughly forward—far rougher than is necessary—so I’m standing in between him and Giovanni. The amusement on Gio’s face fades away as he looks from the Irish boss and back to me.
“I believe the offer was for one—”
“You owe me girls, Moretti.” Koen cuts him off. His voice is dark and dangerous. “And I require a little collateral. So until you make good on what you promised, I’m keeping this one with me.” He tugs me back toward him while I plead silently with Gio.
To his credit, the man looks torn, looking between me and Koen.
Don’t you fucking dare. My eyes narrow.
Oh my god. He’s gonna cave. I can see it written plain as day on the bastard’s face.
Giovanni sighs deeply. “There’s an auction in three weeks. I’ll have your girls by then.” He takes a sip from his glass before his eyes slide back over to me, but not looking me in the eye. “She’s untrained,” he warns, his gaze going back to Koen.
“That’s fine,” Koen says casually.
Trained? Trained in what?
“And she’s not a virgin.”
My head whips back to Gio at the same time Koen tightens his hold on me.
“Even better,” he smirks, his eyes meeting mine.
Giovanni stares at Koen for a long time before speaking again, “I want her back in one piece, O’Rourke.” His eyes narrow on Koen, and the uncertainty in them feeds my growing anxiety.
“I’ll try my best,” Koen says, and I know he feels me trembling.
“Fine,” Gio huffs, throwing back the rest of his scotch. “But before you go, I require a private word with Bella here.” He points at me.
Koen’s grip on my arm tightens, and he looks like he’s about to argue right before he suddenly releases me.
“Five minutes,” he growls, and then he’s gone. Leaving me alone with Giovanni.
Giovanni leans back in his desk chair, a smug look on his face.
“Well, Bella,” he says, shaking his head in almost disbelief. “I don’t know how you did it but you caught the eye of the Irish Devil.” He looks pleased, as if I’ve accomplished something by attracting Koen’s attention.
“This is a fucking joke, right? You can’t just—you can’t just sell me to him!”
“Bella!” His mock surprise at my attitude makes me want to hit him.
My fingers curl into fists. “I did no such thing! It’s only temporary.
Three weeks max.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal.
Like he didn’t just gamble my life away to one of the city’s most notorious mafia lords.
“You go with him, and your debt… I’ll consider it paid. ”
I perk up slightly at that. But there’s a sly look on Gio’s face that tells me it’s too good to be true
“So if I do this…” I swallow. “Go with him? You and me, we’re square? My debt is paid. I won’t have to work here anymore, and you’ll leave me alone?”
The smile that spreads across his face has the hair on the back of my neck rising. “I said it would cover what you owe. As for what you saw a couple of weeks ago—”
“I didn’t see anything,” I’m quick to say—too quick.
“—that’s an extra cost.”
Extra? As in more than being sold to a mafia boss for just short of a month?
“What do you want?”
“Koen O’Rourke wants you as his for the next three weeks. You make him happy, you do everything he asks, and you tell me everything.”
I just blink at him.
“He wants in on my operation and I need to know I can trust him. You—” he laughs, smiling to himself. “You will be my little spy. If your information is sound—useful…” He gives me a look. “Then we can call it even.”
Spy on Koen. On the O’Rourkes?
“That’s a death sentence.”
“Only if you get caught.” He shrugs.
“Gio, he’s the head of the Irish mafia. He’ll kill me.”
“Then I suggest you don’t get caught, Bella.” He looks at me like that should be obvious.
My thoughts are racing.
“It’s simple. He’s only taking you for collateral. Once he has what he wants, he’ll give you back to me, your debt will be paid, and you’ll be free to go. And that business at the warehouse? Forgotten.”
My mouth opens and closes, unsure what to say. I feel like I’m making the decision of who I would rather have kill me. Get caught betraying Koen and he’ll kill me outright, or possibly get trafficked by Gio if I refuse…
“Listen Bella, I’m going to level with you here.
You saw something you shouldn’t have. It’s a problem, but logistics—they’re working out in your favor.
So, you either take the deal, or you face the auction block.
And Bella, trust me when I say that neither of us wants to see you up there.
” He eyes me. “See your daughter up there.”
Horror cuts through me like a knife.
There’s a gleam in Gio’s eyes. “Remi, right?”
My hands are trembling and I feel like I’m going to pass out.
He leans forward over the desk. “Don’t look at me like that, Bella.
You know I like you. You went and caught the Devil’s eye.
I don’t know that there is much I could do to save you.
But I am a capitalist, and can’t help but seize this opportunity that’s presented itself.
You go with the Irish, Bella. I’ll be in touch.
And if you even think of breathing a word of this to them…
” The look he gives me is threat enough.
Seemingly satisfied, he pushes a button on his office phone for the intercom. “Tell the Irish they can pick up their package at the back door. She’s ready for them.”