“Girls, I need you to leave for a minute,” he says, but his eyes stay on me.
Is he going to fuck me in front of the guys? Please no. Please no. Please, please, please no.
I hear the sound of heels clicking as the girls walk away without protest, leaving me to fend for myself, but all the men stay at the table.
“They couldn’t keep their eyes off her. They’re going to ask questions, and then they’re going to try using her to get to us,” one of the men says, and I swallow hard.
“How could they use me?” I whisper, feeling so small under Drex’s glower. I thought the show went well.
“They swear to you that I can’t touch you if you help them catch Pop or me,” Drex answers coldly, a menacing undercurrent to his tone.
What did I do wrong?
“I couldn’t do that even if I wanted to. I’d never put my family at risk,” I say in a near whisper again.
Drex’s lips twitch, acting as though he’s amused. “Good. You’re scared.”
Of course I’m freaking scared, you psycho.
He leans back and drops down to his chair, seeming satisfied, and leaves me on the table, feeling very on display again.
“You’d better tell me the second they approach you,” he says, letting his eyes rake over my short shorts, lingering and pausing on my center as he strums his lips with his index finger in a lazy, pensive motion.
“I will. But I don’t plan on leaving here. You said I’d be staying up there.” I point above us, even though his apartment thingy isn’t actually over this room.
His lips twitch again, and everyone at the table chuckles. I’m not sure why they find that so funny.
“Baby, you can’t stay in here all the time. You’ll go crazy. Besides, they’ll be expecting to see you and me together some now.”
I get to leave?
“Can I see my family?”
The laughter around us stops abruptly, and I feel the eyes of everyone else burning against my back while Drex’s burrow into mine.
“We’ll discuss that later. If you do, it’ll be under supervision. You can’t go anywhere without one of us with you at all times. Preferably me. But you’ll go everywhere I tell you. When we’re alone, we’ll iron out the details. Also, I trashed your cell. I’ll give you a new one, and all calls will be monitored.”
Sheesh. I feel like I’m the criminal.
“Okay.”
“Axle,” Drex says, looking behind me. “Go through all her bags once more. Take her old clothes down below, and put that shit in a closet or something. It’d be too risky to toss them in the trash right now.”
The guy with snake tattoos all over his arms and neck walks toward the room to do as Drex has asked. Drex is still studying me, and I’m growing increasingly uncomfortable under his unbreakable gaze.
“It’s probably best if we just cut the girl loose,” Sledge says, and my eyes widen in fear. There’s no way I can let Benny touch me the way Drex has. I’d never be able to wash away the disgusting feel he’d leave behind.
Drex… I don’t know him. It’s easy to be a toy when you don’t know the person. He’s so much closer to my age, which again makes this easier. On some sick, twisted level, I’m even attracted to him. But I can’t be Benny’s.
“Can’t,” Drex says, his eyes still watching my every move. “Benny might think something’s up. The girl stays. The feds will be going after all the women in our businesses. They’ll consider them an easier in. Prepare the girls, warn them of the consequences, and call Esmerelda. Make sure she deals with anyone who needs to be fired right away.”
He stands, and my breath catches in my throat as he comes to be between my legs again. Roughly, he tugs at my hair and dips my head back so that I’m forced to stare into his piercing blue eyes.
“You only get one chance. Fuck up, and you’ll pay. Understand?”
My words grip the sides of my throat, refusing to leave my mouth. I’m forced to nod instead, and he leans back.
“Good. Now that you know the rules, go through the double doors and head to the den. The girls will be in there, and I’ll come get you soon enough.”
The first normal breath finds my lungs as he slides me off the table. He thumbs my lip while staring directly into my eyes for a minute longer. After what seems like an eternity, he finally lets me go, and I reluctantly go to join the girls who will treat me like shit. I could see it in their eyes earlier. I’m already hated; I’m sure as hell not trusted; and now I feel like the smallest infraction will get me killed. I really hope those agents don’t speak to me.