Chapter 11 #2
“The exact same can be said for you.” I remind him. “I was there with friends. Dancing. Trying to forget about this insanity that is my life coming true today. You were there alone. Hunting for your next big score.”
“Kaz.” A man steps up onto the platform and bends to Kaz’s ear.
The one on the other side of me so I can’t hear him. Not that I would understand them, since they’ve switched to Russian.
I should have recognized the language last night. Or his tattoos. If I’d taken the time to look at the ink sprawling across his chest, arms and neck I would have picked up clues that he belongs to the Bratva.
I’d been so stubbornly reckless, thinking I could have one night just for myself. No strings. No consequences.
What an idiot I was.
“We’ll be leaving now.” Kaz scoots his chair back from the table and waits for me to follow his lead.
“Now?” I glance toward my uncle’s table.
He and other family members who are vying for his approval are too involved in their conversation to notice anything outside of themselves.
“Yes. Let’s go.” He grabs the back of my chair—pretending to be a gentleman, perhaps?
“No. Wait. Where are we going? You have a room here, why wouldn’t we just stay until the party is over?” I get to my feet but don’t leave the table.
“We’re not leaving the party, Sienna. We’re going home.”
“Uncle Vicente said I had until Wednesday. I’m not ready to leave yet. I still have things to do.”
He arches his brow. “Like what?”
“Like say goodbye to my friends, and pack, and…well, other things.” I’m already packed, but he doesn’t know that.
Or does he?
He leans into me, the roughness of his short beard caresses my cheek as he reaches my ear.
“Your things have already been taken to the airport, little liar.”
My face heats when he continues. “Such bad behavior on our first night as man and wife. I should teach you what happens to little liars.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you,” I blurt out.
He moves back enough to see me more clearly.
“That I believe. But it doesn’t matter. We’re leaving now. I have business back home that won’t wait.”
“I suppose it was kind of you to show up for this at all.”
“It was, yes. I could have just had you delivered to me. I was being generous coming all this way to collect you. Now, no more trouble. We’re leaving.”
When he grabs for my wrist, I stumble backward. My heel gets caught in the hem of my dress, and I grab for the chair. He snags my arm before I make a complete fool of myself by falling on my ass in front of the entire room.
Yanking me forward, he pulls me into his chest, wrapping his arm around me and holding me.
His grip crushes the breath from me.
“You really can’t stay on your feet around me, can you?” He laughs in my ear. It’s sinister and dark.
But still, a shiver spirals through me at the low gruffness of his voice against the shell of my ear.
“Let me go.” I press my hands against his chest.
“You’re going to walk like a good girl out of here, or when I get you alone on the plane, I’ll throw you over my knee and punish you.”
I freeze.
My brain shuts off.
But my clit is fully engaged and ready to see if he’ll follow through.
I grit my teeth, willing my brain to wake the fuck up and take back over.
“Let me go, and we’ll go. But I want to say goodbye to Kara and Rosa.”
He loosens his grip on me, sliding his hand down my arm and lacing our hands together. Gently, he squeezes.
“A quick goodbye.” He turns abruptly on his heel and pulls me with him.
If anyone thinks our actions are shocking, they’re keeping their reactions to themselves. No one is really paying us any attention other than my uncle.
Hatred fills the air. It’s thick and ugly and all I can do is take deep breathes of it.
“What’s going on?” Kara demands when we stop at her table.
“We’re leaving. Say your goodbyes.”
“Goodbyes? We’re still getting together tomorrow right?” Kara’s eyes narrow. “Right?”
“I guess we’re leaving tonight. For Chicago.” I jerk my hand from his grip and wrap her in a tight hug. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
“I hate this. I hate your uncle. And your fucking brothers.”
“Me too, kid. Me too.” I kiss her on the cheek, then move to Rosa, giving her a tight squeeze. “I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
“Time’s up.” Kaz grabs my hand again.
“What, shouldn’t we say goodbye to everyone?” I try to keep us here a little longer.
He drags me to the doors that are opened as soon as we get close to them, then into the hallway.
“You’re being rude!” I jerk my hand back, but this time he doesn’t let go.
Instead he spins me around to face him, then bends over. His shoulder hits my stomach, and I’m hoisted over it.
Dangling upside down, it takes me a moment to accept what’s happened. He’s carrying me out of the hotel like some child having a temper tantrum.
Fine. I can oblige. I’m nothing if not completely fucking flexible in how the men around me expect me to behave.
I throw my fists into his back and his ass—his firm, nicely shaped ass.
As the carpet of the hallway gives way to the cream marble flooring of the lobby, he tightens his grip on my legs. We’re walking through groups of people milling around the lobby.
Humiliation sets in.
“The car’s right out front,” someone says to Kaz.
“Good,” he responds.
I throw my fist into his back once more.
“Bad girl!” he announces and slaps my ass hard enough for the sound to vibrate through the lobby.
I’m going to die.