Page 146 of Dancing with the Devil

He pinned my hands above my head with one hand and slipped the other between my thighs. “No, don’t touch me,” I shook my head but he didn’t stop.

“I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered against my neck. “And this sweet, sweet pussy,” he groaned into my ear and my body went numb as his hand cupped me between my thighs.

“No,” I choked out.

“You won’t tell Antonio, you got that?” he said as tears ran down my face. “It’s not like he’ll believe you anyway. No one will. You’re nothing more than a worthlessslutthat dances naked for a fucking dollar,” he wickedly laughed.

“No, stop,” I begged, continuously tugging my wrists from him. “Just go away,” I squeezed my eyes shut.He’s right. They probably won’t believe me. Would Antonio see me the same after hearing what his brother and other men did to me? Would he be disgusted that I’d been taken advantage of? Would he view me as pathetic? As weak. Damaged.

A gunshot rang through the air and my body tensed in fear. Keeping my eyes closed—with tears streaming down my face—I heard Alexander groan.

“Antonio, what the fu—”

Another gunshot.

A loud thud, followed by a groan broke the silence afterwards. I flinched as he pulled me into their arms.

My body trembled and I recognized his scent. Antonio.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized.

“Antonio, come on,” Alexander groaned and I heard Antonio cocking his gun.

“Where did he touch you?” Antonio asked and I swallowed hard, not answering. His voice lowered to a threatening growl. “Nirah, answer me,” he demanded.

With a trembling chin, I answered. “My legs.” My body jerked as a gunshot went off.

“Where else,” he asked and I took a deep breath in.

“My wrists.”Another gunshot. “My thighs.”Gunshot. I choked out the last one. “Between my legs.”Gunshot.

Alexander moaned in pain, heavily breathing. “You’re going to kill your own brother over somebitch?” he seethed, barely able to speak.

Antonio spat out some Italian and I turned to look at Alexander. There was bloodeverywhere.

The color washed from his face as Antonio cocked his gun. Fear grew in his eyes as he shook his head.

“Ci vediamo all’inferno,” Antonio said before aiming the gun at his head and pulling the trigger. My head snapped into Antonio’s chest as I clutched his body, squeezing my eyes shut.

He slipped his gun into the waistband of his pants and lifted me up bridal style. “Keep your eyes closed,” he reminded me before carrying me out. He kissed the top of my head and I clung to him, unable to process any of this.

I didn’t know what was happening, but I heard distraught voices. They were all speaking in Italian.

Before I knew it, I was sitting on the island in the middle of his closet. He grabbed his sweatshirt and threw it over my head. He lifted my hair out the back and gently held onto my waist.

My eyes barely blinked as I sat—frozen in fear.

I could tell he wanted to speak but with the state I was in, he decided against it. He threw on a jacket and picked me up, carrying me out.

He carefully put me into the passenger seat and buckled me up. He rounded the car but stopped to speak to Cesar.

My vision blurred with tears and he got into the car. I watched as the rain hit the front window and a shiver ran down my spine as Antonio placed his hand on my thigh.

“Hey, look at me,” he softly said as I continued staring out the front window with goosebumps coating my skin. He took my chin in his hand and my eyes grew heavy as I looked at him. “He can’t hurt you again.”

I looked into his eyes as bile rose in my throat. “He already did,” I whispered before turning my head away from him.He already did…

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