Page 79 of The Fractured

Roxy’s smile grew uncomfortable, but remained on her face as she tried to gently remove his hand. But he wasn’t letting up.

I shifted in my seat.

“I know why you’re here.” Gabriele’s eyes tracked along Roxy’s body as he spoke. “Collecting information for him because hecan’t do it himself. He wants to know what more we have planned, yes?”

Roxy’s eyes darted to me, and her smile wavered. “No, that’s not—"

“Tell me, did he pay you to spy on me as another job for him?” His attention came to me. “Are you recording this conversation? Is he listening now?”

I wasn’t wired tonight because of the fight earlier. Detective Whitmore didn’t think it was necessary to have undercovers planted in the place tonight either, since he believed I would only be around for a fight. This meeting was unexpected, without warning.

Roxy and I were alone and exposed, surrounded by the enemy.

“Your father underpaid us,” Roxy continued, her voice more serious. “When you came to Brooklyn, offering so much more, I couldn’t refuse—”

Gabriele grabbed a fistful of her long black hair and tore her head back, exposing her throat as he flipped out a switchblade.

She whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Put it away,” I growled, but didn’t move. Not yet.

“I wanna check,” Gabriele shrugged, smiling like it was a joke. He dragged Roxy from the booth and, within seconds, tore the front of her dress open. The blade cut clean through the red fabric, nicking her skin before she was left to stand in her underwear. No wires.

My entire body was tense, ready to step in. I wasn’t sure how to play this without being shot or stabbed.

Gabriele took a step back and tapped the blade on his chin as he examined Roxy’s body from afar, and then said something that made my previous hesitation go out the window.

“Forse c'è qualcosa in quella biancheria intima.”

I barged from the booth and stood between them. “We’re leaving.”

Gabriele chuckled darkly but put the blade away. “I knew you could speak Italian.” He took a seat in the booth as he looked over Roxy and me, coming to some conclusion in his head. “I seem to have struck a chord… I’m aware of that sweet little girlfriend you have, but you two? Past lovers?”

I removed my hoodie and passed it to Roxy. She quickly pulled it on.

“You are very protective of the women in your life, I see. It’s an admirable trait,” Gabriele said. “But it makes me curious too.”

I was trying to keep things calm. Move calm, leave calm. Try not to bring any more attention to Lily.

He planted his elbows on the table and balanced his knife horizontally between his fingertips. “What makes them so important to you?”

I could lose it if I wanted to. Beat the shit out of him until his face was a mangled reflection of what it once was, but the consequences would be worse. I turned around instead, attempting to guide Roxy towards the exit before Gabriele could speak again.

As she snatched the torn remains of her dress from the ground, Gabriele laughed. “Tell my father, he shouldn’t send whores to do his work.”

Roxy whirled in anger, practically shooting lasers from her eyes. Before I could stop her, she grabbed Gabriele’s drink and aimed it, glass too, at his head. While he dodged the glass, the drink within it landed with a splat across his face and chest.

“I’m not a fucking whore!” she snapped, ready to confront Gabriele with another strike before I hooked my arm around her waist and pulled her back.

Gabriele simply stood and dabbed his face with a napkin, at the same time motioning for his men to stand down after they seemed to appear from nowhere to protect him.

I steered Roxy around in front of me and moved us through the club. My eyes were fixed on the exit.

“Don’t fucking manhandle me.” She smacked my hand away as she attempted to stop.

“Move. Now.” My words were clipped.

Despite the glare in her eyes, she listened, walking ahead of me with fury in every step.