Page 47 of Ice-Cold Obsession
I need to figure this out and find a way to keep Scarlett safe. But I don’t know how or if it’s even possible. Every option I can think of ends badly. If I refuse to bring her, they’ll hurt her. If I bring her, they’ll use her. If we try to run, they’ll find us. If I go to the cops, my parents will suffer.
I wipe my face with the back of my hand and force myself to my feet. Maybe there’s still a solution to my problem. Maybe I can protect Scarlett somehow. I just need to find a way.
Chapter 28
SCARLETT
I HAVE A KEY TO GABRIEL’Sdorm. He gave it to me once so I wouldn’t have to wait in front of the door where people could see me. I let myself in and leave the lights off, then settle onto his bed.
I’m wearing a black lace bodysuit under my jacket. It’s not really my style, but I need him relaxed, vulnerable, and talking.
The door opens, and Gabriel walks in. He flips the light switch, and when he sees me, he freezes on the spot.
“Surprise!” I say, standing up and letting my jacket slide off my shoulders.
His eyes travel down my body, and I see the desire in them.
“It was a long day,” I say, crossing the room toward him. “So I think you need something to relax and forget about it all.”
He doesn’t move, just watches me.
I grab his desk chair and drag it to the middle of the room. “Sit.”
“Okay, but I’m really tired.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll do all the work.”
He sits down, and I pull out the rope I brought with me. His eyebrows lift, but he doesn’t protest. I tie his wrists behind him, then fasten his ankles to the chair legs. When I’m done, I step back and look at him.
He can’t move.
Good.
“Tell me about the guys you were meeting with,” I say.
His eyes widen. “Let me go.”
“No. We’re going to talk. Who are they and what are you doing for them?”
He sighs and swears under his breath. “Come on, untie me. I have to tell you something about them. Unfortunately, they want to meet you.”
I blink. “What?”
“They want to meet you,” he repeats.
“Why?” That doesn’t make any sense.
He tips his head back. “My dad used to have a store. It was in a bad neighborhood, so these mafia guys showed up asking for protection money. My dad refused, so they wrecked the shop. After that, we had no choice. We ended up paying them, and we were in debt because the shop had to be repaired. The cops were of no help since the mafia has them in their pocket. When we tried to get help from other people, they showed up at our house one night. They shot at us.” His voice breaks slightly. “They killed my brother, probably to show us what they’re capable of if we disobey them.”
My chest tightens as I gape at him.
“Because of the debt, my parents were forced to sell drugs for them. Then they had to transport it and do whatever these people asked. But then they made a mistake and got caught in another town. They ended up in prison, so their debt transferred to me. The mafia has their people in prison too, so my parents are at constant risk. If I don’t do what they say, my parents get hurt.”
I furrow my brow. “So you deal drugs for them?”
“Well, not really. I do whatever they want. They got into hockey and gambling, so I’m mostly involved in those tasks. I have to fix games, get the scores they want, get the players they don’t want off the team...”
“Zyair?”