Page 6 of Dancing with the Devil

“The name Nereus Juan Valentino ring a bell?” he called out from behind me, his voice laced with malicious amusement, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

My stomach dropped, and my heart rate increased at the mere mention of Nereus. I simply shook my head—without looking back—and he huffed. “I doubt after three years you’ve already forgotten about your twin brother. Although, I don’t think after a million years you could forget your other half.”Nereus…

I fought back every single emotion before turning around to face him with false courage.

“I’m an only child, so you’ve got me confused with someone else.” God, I wish it were that simple. I wished on anything and everything that it was the truth.

“Is that what you tell yourself?” he taunted, stepping closer. “Does it help to keep all the memories, the trauma, and the hurt suppressed?” he questioned, and I squeezed my fingers into a fist, holding my arms at my sides to keep them from trembling.Fuck him, and fuck this.

I turned but with a rough, forceful hand, he grabbed my arm. “Don’t turn your back on me, Nirah.”

I failed horribly to pull my arm from his grip—his hold on me was too strong. “I didn’t know feds were allowed to dish out threats,” I scoffed in annoyance and pure anger. Using my freehand, I dug my nails into his forearm but he only groaned in pain and grabbed onto that arm as well.

“Oh,princess… it’s not a threat. It’s a warning,” he smirked, tugging me toward him. A chill raced down my spine as his godawful cologne drifted into my nose. The scent settled in my core, igniting painful memories. I forced a steady breath, looking up into his eyes. “Now, tell me where your little Nereus is, and we can all go home.”

“I said…” I began, yanking my arm harder, and my wrist burned as I got loose from him. “I’m anonlychild.” I heavily exhaled, using my other hand to gently rub my bruised wrist.

“Oh, Nirah,” he bitterly chuckled, stepping closer, and I slowly backed up. “Don’t make this harder than it already is,” he shook his head, and I took one big step back, but he beat me to it and grabbed my neck. “I won’t ask you again. Where—is—Nereus?”

He forced me up against the concrete wall within seconds.

My hand flew up to his forearm, while the other slid down to the knife strapped to my thigh. “I don’tfuckingknow,” I seethed, making his jaw clench. He doesn’t believe me.

“Hey, Toronto.”

Our heads snapped to the man that had been smoking when I walked out. Clearly annoyed and pissed off, Sylvester let out a huff, squeezing my throat a little harder.

“Tell that little punk to turn himself in, or you’ll just have to pay the price for him.”

He let go and I coughed, catching my breath and lifted my hands to my neck.

“I didn’t know harassing women is part of your new Friday night ventures,” the stranger casually shrugged his shoulders, stopping in front of Sylvester with his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

Sylvester scoffed, shaking his head. “De Luca. It’s never a pleasure,” he sighed, standing tall in front of the stranger.

I took a second to take in his appearance. Lean, about 6’3, tattoos, dressed in a suit—which didn’t have a single wrinkle, might I add. His black hair was fairly short on the sides and back but wavy on top. I took a second to steal a glimpse of his ass and man oh man, it didnotdisappoint.

The stranger’s eyes darted to me, and I automatically straightened up my posture, clearing my throat. He totally caught me checking out his ass.Dammit Nirah.

“I’ll give you lovebirds some privacy,” I blurted out, but before I could walk Sylvester grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks. The stranger pulled Sylvester’s hand off of me and stepped between us.

“Wehave some business to attend to, don’t we?” the stranger rhetorically asked, and now, I was completely hidden behind him. His back looked so firm and muscular. I wanted to bite it.

“I’m sure those matters can wait till dawn, until then…” Sylvester grinned, stepping closer to the stranger. “I have a littlewhoreto take care of.”

I pulled out the knife strapped to my thigh, flipping it open. “Like I said,” I began, pushing past the stranger but he wrapped an arm around my waist, lifting me off the ground. “What the fuck—” I groaned, dangling a few inches from the ground.

“You can kill himafter,I’ve had a word with him,” the stranger said—his lipstooclose to my ear.

“Tsk, tsk, pulling a weapon out on an officer?” Sylvester rhetorically asked. “Maybe I should just take you in right now.”

Bile crawled up my throat as my stomach churned. He made me sick. “Try me,” I said, trying to wiggle out of the annoyingly strong stranger’s arms but I had no luck whatsoever. “You’re not really helping you know,” I said to the stranger who simplystared at me like I had two heads. “What?” I whispered to him, seeing his brows draw awfully close together.

He simply redirected his attention back to Sylvester. “I guess I’ll see you at dawn.”

“I’ll wait my turn,” Sylvester grinned at him. “Just make sure she’s not too hurt in the morning for me,” he blew me a kiss and I shuddered in disgust.

A nauseating feeling grew in my core while Sylvester got into his car before driving off at a high speed. I elbowed the stranger in his hard chest and he let me go. I dropped to the floor, landing on my feet, the sound echoing into the silent night.