Page 59 of Dirty Behavior

Leaning over the dash, I tried to look around and see if Remo had any of his guys watching. I couldn't see them, but I knew they had to be there. I could feel the black glare of night watchmen staring down through the thick lens of their weapons.

Don't worry about them.

They weren't going to touch me, Remo would never let another man do what he desired to do with his own two hands. He had bought me, I was his, and my life would end when he decided.

Just go, Ivy.

It's time to go.

Tucking the knife into the back of my jeans, I tugged my shirt down and opened the door. I didn't have a plan, I had no clue what the hell was about to happen, or what I would do.

I wished I had the power to see the future, I wished my gut hadn't been in so much pain already that I could listen to it.

But I was completely blank, walking into the unknown blindly.My head was clouded, eyes seeing nothing but red.

He has Dante, that's all that matters right now.

Save him, Ivy.

It's your turn.

Everything was so quiet, the gravel crunched under my feet like shards of broken glass. Listening to the world around me, even the ocean had been turned down. There was no wind, no waves rolling in and crashing against the docks.

It was dead silent, so calm it felt unnatural.

Every step echoed off the building, announcing my arrival. My hands were clammy, my mouth was dry. I was too nervous to even lick my lips, fearing the extra sound would travel to Remo and he would know I was there.

He already knows.

I felt stupid for even thinking my noise would alert him. He was waiting for me, this wasn't a surprise, this was his plan.

My pace was slow, each toe hitting the heel of the other as I walked to the front door. I didn't want to be there. The knife tapping against my back was a deadly reminder of what I knew.

I was going to kill him.

The door was only feet away when it opened slowly, flooding the dark lot in white light. Blinking quickly, I saw a short balding man I didn't recognize.

His head poked out through the crack, glasses falling down the bridge of his nose. “Celia?”

“Ivy.” My voice came out with a lot more force than I expected. As shattered as I had been, as nervous as I was; I was still strong. Nothing would change that.

This was a game. . .

And I was going to play the fuck out of it.

“Ivy,” he repeated back, opening the door so I could walk in. “Remo is waiting for you in the back.”

“I want to see Dante. Where is he?” My eyes scanned the room behind the head of Remo's door keeper. The lobby was empty, the back wall opening to various darkened hallways.

I had never stepped foot into this building before. Had I behaved as Remo asked, maybe I would've had the chance. A part of me was pissed at myself for not following his orders longer.

Had I just listened to him instead of fighting him every step of the way, maybe I would know the inside of this building just the same as my studies of his home.

It doesn't matter.Shaking my head, I pushed my regrets away. There was no point second guessing what I had done. I couldn't go back in time and it didn't change what was happening right then.

I will never regret fighting that asshole.

He deserved every ounce of what I gave back. Every lash from my tongue, every deliberate act of defiance. When he pushed, I pulled, when he spoke, I went deaf. Remo was the lowest form of life, and he didn't deserve a fucking thing.