Page 2 of Avenging Azalea (California Made Men #2)

Chapter

Two

FAWN

“You’ll ride with me,” the man I’d been given to said as he pointed to a black SUV.

Stuffing my hands into my jeans, I walked over and climbed into the front passenger seat.

The vehicle was spacious and top-of-the-line.

I’d never ridden in something so nice. I studied his profile while he waited for the dogs to jump in the back, and I couldn’t help feeling like I’d just won the lottery by getting away from Cesare.

He was the sexiest man I’d ever seen in my life, and he had dogs.

“You really going to accept her as payment,” one of the suited men asked. The words were muffled through the glass, but listening in on conversations I wasn’t supposed to hear had become a necessity.

“I don’t have a fucking choice,” the sexy man said.

“Your father is going to eat her for lunch.”

My heart sank as he walked away.

I’d gotten good at reading people, and this man with the dogs didn’t make my skin crawl.

He wasn’t like the other men I’d encountered since I turned fourteen.

That thought only made me worry about my brother George.

What would my stepfather do now that I was gone to pay off his debts?

I’d always been his get-out-of-jail-free card.

I’d lost count of how many people had come over and used me for the night just so they wouldn’t burn our house down or kill my mother and little brother.

The first time, I’d been terrified, but now…

now, I was numb to all of it. It was how I protected the people I loved.

He got into the driver’s seat but sat there staring out the windshield before he looked over at me. His eyes were dark with the lack of light, and I swallowed at the intensity.

“Did they hurt you,” he asked.

That was a relative question. Which they did he mean? There had been so much pain over the last couple of years, but I figured he meant Cesare and the men in the warehouse. I shook my head. They’d oddly been the nicest out of anyone connected to my stepfather.

“You sure?”

I nodded, and he loosened his grip on the steering wheel.

The massive rings he wore were large enough for two of my fingers, if not more.

He had tattoos all over his hands and up his forearms to the rolled-up black dress shirt sleeves.

I really wanted to know if he was tattooed like that all over his body.

He sighed as he started the SUV.

“My name is Titus,” he said, putting it in drive and leaving.

Titus…I loved his name. It was different from anything I’d ever heard before and suited him.

I watched the shitty warehouse disappear and chewed on my bottom lip as the guilt settled on my chest. How could I protect my brother now when this mafia family owned me?

I really didn’t want to be handed over to Titus’s father.

The drive was quiet but comfortable. I wrapped my arms around myself and leaned against the door.

Watching the road disappear in the sideview mirror, my mind drifted to my happy place.

It was sunny and warm, smelled like the ocean and freedom, and no one could touch me there.

I pictured myself running along a beach, laughing, but now there were two black dogs with me.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, Titus was gently shaking my shoulder.

He immediately took his hand away when I flinched. I almost grabbed it and yanked it back again. I couldn’t displease him. The more I thought about what the other man with Titus had said, the more certain I was that I had to stay with him. Freaking out over him touching me was not a good start.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump,” I said.

“It’s fine. We’ll stay here for the night,” Titus said as I looked up at the fancy hotel.

I’d never seen anything this beautiful before other than in movies or on television. The dirty motels I was normally taken to could’ve fit in one corner of the parking lot.

“Where are we going,” I asked.

“California. Come on, I want to get the girls fed, and I’m starving. You hungry?” My stomach growled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He gave me a partial smile before pushing open his door, and my heart skipped in my chest. God, he smelled fantastic. I lingered an extra second before getting out, taking a deep breath of his cologne.

Men in black suits surrounded us, and the two dogs jumped out of the SUV. They padded over, and I kneeled, wanting to wrap my arms around their necks and never let go.

“I dreamed of you two,” I whispered.

I’d always loved animals, but I felt like I’d known these dogs my whole life. Something instinctual told me that if someone tried to hurt me, they’d tear them in two.

“They like you,” Titus said, and I looked up at him.

He was incredibly imposing and the largest man I’d ever seen. He felt otherworldly.

“I like them, too. I prefer animals, people kinda suck,” I said.

“On that, we agree,” Titus said. He pointed to the dog I was patting with my left hand. “That’s Daisy. She wears the black collar with the silver spikes and white diamonds.” My mouth dropped open. Those were real diamonds? “Bella wears the silver spikes with pink diamonds.”

The three-inch-wide leather collars were worth more than everything my parents had ever owned.

“Wow.”

“Nothing but the best for my girls. You should feel special. They don’t take so easily to just anyone, and even some of my guards can’t get this close.”

“Really?” I beamed down at the dogs staring up at me, their tongues lolling out as I scratched their heads.

“They’re the most beautiful dogs ever.” I’d never seen any breed so powerful or majestic.

“They really are. I have more dogs if you like them?”

“I do. I love dogs,” I said, smiling but also trying not to sound too enthusiastic.

Titus didn’t seem like the type to use it against me, but I had just met him, and information was power. Never seeing them again would be an effective punishment.

“When we get to my place, I’ll introduce you to all my girls.” He nodded toward the hotel. “Let’s head in and get settled. I assume you don’t have anything else to wear?” I shook my head. “That’s fine. I’ll get something sent up for you,” he said, walking away with the dogs following.

Cars passed by even at the late hour, and I wondered where they were going.

Were any of them ever sold? Probably not.

They went about their day doing mundane things like going to work or buying groceries, never the wiser.

I was as much of a prisoner in my life as those locked up behind bars and concrete.

“Get going,” one of the guards said, pointing at the hotel. I quickly caught up to Titus to avoid pissing off his guards.

“Will they let you in with the dogs,” I asked.

“They better. My family owns this hotel.”

“Oh.”

The amount of money it took to own a place that looked like a palace, let alone the dog’s collars, was beyond my comprehension.

We’d always lived wondering where our next meal was coming from and if the water and electricity would get turned off.

I’d come home twice from school in the last year to find an eviction notice on the door.

My stepfather had a decent job, and if he hadn’t gotten himself into debt all the time, we wouldn’t be destitute.

A few times, he seemed to get things turned around, but after weeks or even months of not gambling, he would fall off the wagon and binge.

That was always the worst. He maxed out every credit card and leveraged anything he could—like the house, car, or me—for cash.

My jaw hit the floor as we walked into the hotel. It was truly incredible. Everything was polished to a sparkling shine. Men in suits and women in glittery dresses stood around chatting while priceless art, taller than I was, lined the walls. The fragrant scent of flowers filled the air.

“Wait here,” Titus ordered.

Assuming he meant me, I stopped. But he must have been talking to everyone, including Bella and Daisy. Every single person in the lobby turned to stare as Titus passed. Even the girl working the counter blushed as she talked to him.

I’d never understood jealousy, at least when it came to guys.

Girls at school had lost their minds if someone so much as looked at their boyfriend.

I’d always thought it was stupid and was just as happy never to have one of them speak to me.

But as the woman at reception openly flirted with Titus, something inside of me stirred.

I looked away. What the hell was wrong with me?

This man owned me. Sexy or not, I was still just a captive.

What I really needed was a plan. I just didn’t know for what.

Did I want to go back home? No, but there was George to consider.

Who would keep my brother’s innocence intact if not me?

Freedom was what I craved more than anything.

Freedom to choose who to be, what classes to take in school, who to date or not.

All of my freedoms had been stripped away one by one until there was no such thing, even when I roamed the streets late at night.

“This way,” Titus said, his deep voice making me jump.

I followed behind him, and it was easy to feel like one of his dogs. The funny thing was, I bet they were treated better than I had been by my stepfather my entire life.

The elevator ride was a tight fit, and I ended up squished into Titus’s side. The heat coming off of him was ridiculously comforting, but he never made a move to touch me. It was confusing. In the past, the men that I’d been given to were like octopi and groped me constantly.

The small screen read P when the elevator stopped.

I’d never been in a penthouse before. The doors opened, and I was once more greeted with the most extravagant room I’d ever seen.

I followed Titus, but my eyes bounced around.

The massive television wouldn’t fit into any room in my old house.

The fireplaces burned brightly, and there were enough chairs and couches for what seemed like dozens of people.

Titus walked down the hallway and into a room. When I spotted the bed, I froze. All the old terror came roaring back, but just like every other time, I beat it back. I kept my face neutral and head down in the demure position they all seemed to enjoy.

He wandered around and pointed out a small fridge, then turned on the lights in the bathroom. He walked up to me, and before he could order it…I dropped to my knees and grabbed his belt.

“What the hell are you doing?”

It felt like a bear had a hold of my wrists when he grabbed them and yanked my arms away.

“I…I…I thought this was what you wanted. I overheard the men talking and….”

“Enough. Stand up.”

Once I was on my feet, he let go of my wrists. I stared up at his angry expression and wanted to crawl into a hole. My body shook uncontrollably.

“Am I not desirable enough?”

“What?” His eyes went wide. “No…I mean, yes, but no…fuck, this is not happening. Don’t do that again.”

He turned to leave, and I lunged at him, grabbing his arm as my heart raced. His forearm was so muscled it was like a rock. I swallowed hard as he glared at me.

“Please don’t be mad. I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t kill my family.”

I dropped my hands as he turned to face me. My body trembled preparing for the hit.

“What exactly did Cesare and his men tell you about me and my family?” I licked my lips. “Tell me, Fawn.”

His eyes narrowed, and I couldn’t hold back under the weight of his scrutiny.

“They told me that I should be happy because I was going to be the toy of a powerful mafia leader. But they also said that if I didn’t please him, I would be thrown into a trafficking ring, and I’d never see my brother again if I lived at all.”

“Fucking pricks.”

Titus shook his head and crossed his arms, and I once more pictured a bear. He was so physically large that he could easily snap my neck with one hand.

“First of all, you’re not going to my father.

You will remain in my care. Second, I don’t toss anyone into trafficking rings.

My family isn’t into any of that shit. Lastly, you’ll never offer your body like that again to anyone, especially not me.

Have a shower, and by the time you’re done, some clean clothes from the gift shop will be here for you. Then we’ll eat.”

Without another word, he turned and left, closing the door behind him and leaving me in shock. Like a statue, I didn’t breathe or move as I tried to comprehend what he just said. I was going to be in his care. There was no trafficking ring.

A tiny spark of hope glowed in my chest, but I stomped it out.

One thing I’d learned about men was that they could change their minds at any time.

I could clearly remember my stepfather telling my mother he loved her, and then he snuck into my room.

He’d told me the same lie, and then, when he needed money, I was dragged to smelly motel rooms to be used as payment.

I hadn’t met a man yet who didn’t lie, and one who offered the tantalizing world that Titus just had was more dangerous than the rest of them.

I looked at the shower. Until I figured a way out of this mess, I would follow his orders. Then I would get my brother and disappear. That was the plan.