Page 48 of Trapped

Dimitri sat down next to me at the bar, leering. “So this is how you taunt me? Dressing up like ashlyukhaand asking me to meet you in public?”

The bartender glanced at us, wiping a glass.

I smiled at him and turned to Dimitri. “I dress for myself now.”

He sneered. “You look desperate.”

“Funny you mention that because I’ve seen the men you’ve been sending after me. Seems like you’re the one who can’t let go.”

He slung his arm over my chair, baring his teeth. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re a loose end that needstying up.”

“I feel the same way about you.”

Dimitri’s gaze stabbed into me. His fingers traced my neck, an icy touch that made my skin crawl. “You’re still mine. No one will want you once they know the real you. That’s why you ran, isn’t it? Because there’s no escape.”

“I left you to be with someone else.” Pausing, I let the suspense build, relishing in the tightening of Dimitri’s jaw. “His name is Santino Costa. You might have heard of him?”

His grip on his glass tightened, the knuckles turning white. “You whored yourself out to the Italians?”

“He bought this dress I’m in, the earrings, the necklace. Pretty much everything I’m wearing.”

“You’re baiting me,” said Dimitri in a ragged voice.

“Nope. Just being honest.”

He rubbed his flushing face, clenching and unclenching his hands.

“I did what I had to do to survive.” I drank the rest of my cocktail, savoring his rage. “No regrets.”

“You think you’re smart, running to Costa? He’s just another cage. You’ll see. Once he’s bored, he’ll hand you over, broken and used. And I’ll be waiting.”

I tensed. “If I were you, I’d forget I existed, turn around, and walk out that door. Before he sees you talking to me and rips out your throat.”

He laughed. “I’ve had enough of your bullshit.”

Dimitri gripped my arm and hauled me off the stool.

I grabbed the empty glass, smashing it on his head.

The crowd gasped as Dimitri staggered, clutching his bleeding forehead. He looked up at me, fury and humiliation screwing up his features.

A dark figure stepped in, blocking his path. Relief washed over me as Santino’s hand shot out and gripped Dimitri by the neck. Dimitri lunged at Santino. Santino dodged, Dimitri’s knuckles grazing his cheek, then buried his fist into Dimitri’s gut, driving air from his lungs with a satisfying grunt.

My heart pounded as Dimitri came at Santino with a wild right hook. Santino caught his wrist midair, twisting it, but not before Dimitri’s other hand clutched Santino’s shirt. They crashed into a table, sending glasses flying, before Santino slammed Dimitri against the counter. Bottles rattled as Dimitri struggled to regain his footing. Santino punched Dimitri’s jaw.

Dimitri roared in pain, head-butting Santino. Shaking it off, Santino seized Dimitri’s collar. Dimitri tripped over a chair, and they both went down. Straddling Dimitri, Santino hammered his face, cheek, and nose. Crimson spurted from Dimitri’s lip.

Santino got to his feet, towering over him. “Get up. We’re not done.”

Dimitri spat blood, pushing himself up with a grimace. “She’s mine. I’ll bury you both before I let her go.”

Santino laughed. “You think you can keep her, you pathetic piece of shit? You couldn’t even keep a grip on your balls.”

The crowd around us buzzed with a mix of shock and morbid curiosity. People whispered to each other, their eyes glued to the scene. Some seemed uncomfortable, while others smirked.

Santino’s taunt had struck a nerve. Dimitri flushed a deep, angry red. It was a public dismantling of his ego, and everyone in the room could see it. The way Santino treated him like a joke only added fuel to the fire.

Dimitri’s fists clenched, his breathing ragged. “You stole her from me.”

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