Chapter 20 Everett
You’re Going Down, Sick Puppies
I cross the makeshift dance floor, my eyes roaming every surface of the hotel ballroom trying to find Brielle.
One breath in, one breath out.
Bobby comes up to me, frantic. “I can’t find her, Everett, but someone said they saw a woman looking like her, same dress and hairpiece, dragged down the hall by Giorgio, the Giorgio, Sabini’s boy.”
Blood rushes to my ears as the anger bubbles inside.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?” I utter slowly.
Bobby looks concerned but ready to start a fight. He begins to take off his suit jacket as he states, “You heard what I said, and if he has her, you know what he is gonna do to her, and you know she ain’t going with him willingly—”
I cut him off. “I fucking know.” My lips curl into a sneer as I growl at him. My control is beginning to slip at the thought of Giorgio and Brielle.
My steps are purposeful as I stride toward the far end of the ballroom and the hallway leading to the hotel rooms.
I begin to loosen the black tie around my neck and wrap one side around my knuckles.
“Are you sure they are on the first floor?” I calmly ask as a storm rages inside the vessel of my body.
“Biscuit spoke to some broad that said they saw a woman like Brielle, held by the hair and dragged past the elevators.” Bobby’s hand shifts inside his suit pocket, searching for a hidden weapon.
Fuck a truce. Fuck peace. Fuck business.
Before I get close to the elevators and the hallway to the rooms, I am stopped by a slinky, slender woman, her hair greased and in finger waves, smoking a long cigarette.
Seraphina .
“Where d’you think you’re going, boys? Someone needs to dance with me,” she drunkenly states, trying to roam her free hand across my chest, but I grab it before it makes contact.
“We’re busy. Find someone else.” As I try to move away from her, she comes to stand in front of us again.
“Oohhh, is someone pissed their whore wanted an Italian stallion? No one would want you , you stin- hiccup -gy, piece of—” Before she can utter another word, Bobby shoves her to the side and starts stomping down the hallway.
We try to listen at each door, though the slow passage of time is speeding up my anxiety and there are nearly twenty rooms to review.
“Start here. I’ll start at the end of the hall and work our way down.” I run toward the end of the hallway, feeling the push of carpet under my feet.
I can hear sounds of pleasure coming from various rooms, but knowing how disturbed Giorgio is, he wouldn’t like sounds of pleasure; he’d love the sound of pain.
I come by the fifth room and listen closely against the door, until the slight scream of a woman creeps out from behind the door adjacent to me.
“ROBERT!” I yell.
“I heard!” I hear his footsteps running toward me.
Raising my knee to my chest, I stomp in the door with my heel and pause at the terrifying sight.