Enzo enters, closing the door gently behind him. There’s a slight stutter to his step but otherwise, he looks fine. He stands beside Maximo.
I suddenly become aware of the fact that I'm wearing a purple nightgown. Someone changed me while I was out. The thin straps leave my shoulders out and the top of my cleavage show. The thought of Rocco's hand squeezing them enters my mind and I flinch before pulling the cover up and hugging it to my chest.
Silence permeates the room.
"I thought..." Maximo's brows pull together before he glances up at Vito. "You said that she was fine," he says accusingly and from the fire in his eyes, I start to think he's going to actually attack Vito.
"She is," Vito says but there's something hesitant about the way he says it. "Or at least from what I could tell, and she didn't say... " he shakes his head as his words fall off and after a moment he purses his lips. His eyes meet mine. "Winter, did anything happen to you before we got there?” A muscle twitches in his jaw.
"He means did anyone touch you," Maximo cuts in curtly and it leaves no room for interpretation.
The irony isn’t lost on me.
I shake my head, still clutching the covers. "No, just my..." my face heats up, "just my chest." I've been sexually assaulted before, including by the man beside me, but it still feels hard to say it as they all peer at me. Before this moment. I've never had to speak about anything that’s happened to me before, I realize. Not so openly at least.
"Who was it?" Maximo snaps, his hand already moving toward the gun attached to his hip.
"He was killed," I tell him, remembering the bullet hole I saw between his eyes. "I took.. I took his gun after he died." The memory of Javier bleeding out comes rushing back. "I killed someone."
"You did," Vito says, and again he's cautious, speaking slowly as he watches me closely.
"I... I've never killed anyone before."
"You'll get used to it."
"Maximo," Vito snaps and he aims a glare at him.
"What happened?" I cut in. “Who were the people that took us?”
"The Ramos Cartel," Giovani steps in, cutting through tension between Maximo and Vito. "They were behind the drugs at the club and Todd was working with them. Apparently they thought they could get some information out of you and thought they could use you as a bargaining chip."
"How did you find me... us?" I ask, glancing at Enzo briefly and remembering the way he'd tried to fight out of his chains to get to me. He'd only gotten taken because he'd stopped fighting to make sure I didn't get shot in the head.
"Your shoes," Giovanni says.
"What?" I ask.
"Your shoes, there's a chip in them, a tracker."
My mouth drops open and I don't know what to say to that. Because it's not even a surprise and can I complain about it when it's what saved my life?
"Their plan was shit to start with," Giovanni continues. "They don't have near enough firepower to try and move against me."
I bite down on my lip. "They asked if I was part of a deal you have with the seven quad gang."
He gives me a look that can only be described as shock before he nods his head, "Yes, Enzo told me." He sounds slightly disgusted. "It's of no concern now. The only thing that matters is that more people know about you and that's not good." His face is pinched.
"Why?"
His eyes narrow and his lips twist to the side. "Because there are already rumors flying that you're actually some sort of hitwoman that I've added to my detail. It's the only way people can explain off you killing someone so high in the cartel. And now that it's out, you're going to have the cartel coming after you for killing one of their own."
I suck in a breath, my eyes burning slightly and my heart beating quickly in my chest. "No." It sounds like a broken cry and I shake my head. "I don't want any of this," I tell him. "I found your rat, can you just let me go now? I can't take more people after me." I've already had enough of it between Diamond and the kidnapping.
“I’ve already told you how this is going to go, Winter.”
“Please?” My voice cracks.
This is all too much.
Giovanni's brows pull together slightly before his face smooths out into an even mask. "You signed a contract for one year," he reminds me.
"I know." I wipe at my eyes, the tears still continuing to run down hot and thick. "But haven't I done enough? I didn't sign up for all of this."
He moves in closer and the rest of the room fades as his hard gaze meets mine. "No, Winter. You signed up to be mine for a year and a year it will be. It doesn't matter what you think is enough,"
"Please," I plead, my gaze bouncing between the others in the room but I know none of them will help me. My gaze returns to Giovanni. "Please."
"No. A year is a year, and spring is only on the horizon, Winter Chastine. So you better toughen up and prepare yourself because I have so much more planned for you."
TO BE CONTINUED...