Amo turned his head to the side again as Lake bent over the table to give someone their drink. “You know how I said you owed me for watching Adalyn? Don’t worry about it; I think I got rid of all my nightmares.”
Vincent began to laugh hysterically. Suddenly, he flipped a switch and went silent.
Amo finally turned his head away from Lake. “Are you ok—”
Reeling back his fist, his knuckles pounded into flesh. “I am now.”
Nero shrugged. “He kind of deserved it.”
Chapter Thirty
Russian Roulette
Lake came out of the dressing room, feeling normal once more. She had washed off her makeup, put on her jeans and hoodie, and then put her mass of curls in a bun. Throwing the curtain behind her, she saw Vincent, Amo, and Nero waiting.
“What are—” Lake covered her mouth when she saw Amo’s gruesome black eye. “Holy shit, what happened to your face?”
A big sneer appeared on Vincent’s face.
“Jesus, are you okay?” Lake went up to Amo to examine his eye.
I wonder what the other guy looks like. He had to either be ginormous or in a hospital.
“Not really.” Amo lowered his head so she could have a better look.
Vincent’s smile disappeared. “You’re gonna fucking get another one here in a minute.”
“You did it, didn’t you? Why the hell did you do that?” She didn’t think whatever Amo had done had made it necessary for him to be hit that hard.
“Because he wouldn’t quit staring at your ass.”
“Well, in that case”—she looked back at a guilty Amo and gave his black eye a love tap—“suck it up.”
Amo grabbed his face. “Ow!”
Vincent and Nero cracked up with laughter.
Lake quickly started walking to the elevator, hoping they wouldn’t follow her. When the doors finally opened and she got in, they all joined her.
Staring at them then at the buttons, she froze. Damn it.
The guys curiously watched her, wondering what she was doing.
Quickly, she hit the code to take her to the top.
Vincent reached out and grabbed her hands too late, and the elevator began moving.
“What the fuck are you doing, Lake?”
“I need to see Dante.” She tried to pull her hands back.
“That is the last person you need to see! How do you even know the code?” Vincent screamed at her.
“I memorized it.”
Nero coughed and motioned his head toward the camera before Vincent could do anything.
Vincent let go of her hands to grab the back of her hair as he pressed his body against hers, pinning her to the wall. He leaned his head down to whisper in her ear. “What is it with you? Do you want to fucking die? What you are doing is basically putting a gun to your head and playing Russian roulette. You only get to see the boss when he asks for your presence, not when you please. Do you understand me?”
Lake tried to shake her head. “But I need—”
He pulled her hair down so she would meet his angry eyes. “No, you will tell me what you need, and I will either take care of it myself or give you permission to see him. Now, do you understand me?”
She stared blindly up at him and nodded. She could see past his anger to the glint of worry in his eyes. “Yes.”
Vincent relaxed his body and rested his forehead on hers. “Goddammit, Lake. Do not ever do that again.” He still kept his voice harsh, wanting her to keep believing he was only angry.
Her body grew excited and anticipated him kissing her when he went to rest his head on hers.
When the doors opened, he quickly pulled away from her and got off the elevator, leaving her stunned. What’s fucking wrong with me?
Her body had betrayed her by wanting a kiss from that man-whore.
“Now, what was so fucking important to see Dante about?” Vincent asked her when she exited the elevator.
Lake bit her lip and pulled out a wad of cash from her bag. “I want to give him this.”
“What is this from?” he asked, holding it up.
“It’s my tips for the week.”
“Did he ask for them?” he questioned her.
She shook her head. “No, but I thought if I gave him all my tips, I could pay him off faster.”
“Are you even keeping any for yourself?”
What kind of question is that?
Lake rolled her eyes. “Yes, twenty dollars.”
Amo hit the button to get back on the elevator. “I can’t deal with this shit.”
“Is she fucking joking?” Nero asked.
Vincent squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Fuck. Amo, take her downstairs with you and wait in the lobby. I can’t deal with this right now, either.”
What? What’s wrong?
“I don’t understand.”