Page 3 of Don't Lie To Me

“Find the girl, the daughter,” another voice shouts.

Goosebumps break out all over my skin. They’re looking for me as well.

Onyx shakes his head, telling me to keep quiet. I’m safe with him, and he won’t let them find me. But I don’t care about me, I’ll fucking fight them, I just want him to help her.

“See what happens when you don’t follow the rules, Syd. You took something from me, and now I’m going to take something from you. An eye for an eye if you will.

“Screw the slut, while he watches, then slit her throat,” I hear the same voice announce.

“No,” I cry. Onyx’s hand comes over my mouth to muffle the scream of pure terror that rips through me.

“I’ll give you anything you want,” Syd sniffles, trying to plead with them.

“Where’s the girl, the one you promised?”

“She was supposed to be in the dressing room,” I hear Syd stutter out. The piece of shit left me for whoever these men are to find.

Mom screams again as Onyx drags me to the other side of the stage, trying to get me away from them. I fight him, but he’s so much stronger than me. He drags me into the hallway, one hand over my mouth, the other wrapped so tightly around my waist I can’t escape and get back to help her. Tears stream down my cheeks, and I keep struggling. Once back in the house, he closes the door and flicks the lock, bracing it with a chair under the handle.

He finally releases me. “Onyx, we have to do something,” I cry, needing to get back to her.

“I made a promise to your mother. I’m getting you out of here,” is his only response. He takes my hand again and rushes with me to the window in my bedroom, shoving it open, but it’s too late. The front door swings open, banging into the drywall with a crash. The chair flies across the room in pieces.

I can’t make my feet move any faster as two men appear, their faces concealed in black ski masks. “Found the daughter,” one of them calls, his beady eyes gleaming in the low light.

Onyx shields me with his body and shoots toward them, but they are right on us. One of them gets his meaty hands on me. I try to shove him off, doing everything I can to kick him in the junk or anywhere that will connect.

I hear the thud of Onyx’s gun as it falls to the floor, and from the corner of my eye, I see him wrestling with the other guy. The dude in the mask pulls a knife and slashes at Onyx viciously.

I scream as the other guy lifts me, and my body crashes down on my bed. “This is going to be fun.” A cruel smirk stretches across his face, his eyes glinting with menace as he peers through his mask at me. A sharp, distinct angel tattoo is etched cleanly across his neck. From what I can tell he looks young, maybe Jagger’s age at the most, but his eyes hold a chilling malevolence that sends shivers rocking down my spine, urging me to escape his barbaric hold on me.

Onyx is doing all he can fighting off the other guy. There is blood already trickling from his face. An overwhelming sickness fills me. They have the advantage. As much as I want to believe I’m a badass, I have no strength compared to this guy’s bulging muscles.

His fingers dig into my forearms as he tries to pin me down. My heart races out of control, and my eyes blur with tears. But I don’t give up. I will keep fighting until he takes my life. I manage to bring my elbow up, connecting with his chin, and he loosens his grip for just a second. I scramble up the bed, but he’s far too quick for me. My face burns as his palm comes down across my face, then he pins me with his large hand holding both of mine above my head. His body comes over mine as his knees knock mine out wide.

“Get off me, you motherfucker,” I cry, doing everything I can to fight him off.

He chuckles darkly; this is some sort of fucked-up fun for him. His dark menacing eyes lock with mine.

I get one of my legs free and bring my knee up, getting him right where I want to, right in his fucking balls.

He winces in pain, but it only angers him more. “You’re going to regret that, little girl.” He gets his hand right up under my skirt and rips my panties from my body.

My terrified scream tears from my throat as I fight with all my might to push him away.

A loud bang rings in my ears, once then twice. His body crashes down over me, a heavy, suffocating weight, the warmth of his blood spreading across my clothes. Before I know it, Onyx is right there with me, his hands pulling me out from under the thug. He drags me with him as my eyes blur with tears and my heart races out of my chest.

He grabs my shoulders, his grip firm, and shakes me roughly. “Pull it together, trouble. I have to get you out of here, and I can’t when you’re falling apart.” His dark eyes meet mine, and I feel the power in them. He’s right. Like this I’m useless. He’s in as much trouble as me if whoever they are catch up with us. He just killed two of them. He also looks like he needs medical help, his face and arm bleeding quite heavily.

With a determined nod, I suck in a deep breath, my tears drying up. I’m not dying here tonight. The rough wood of the window frame scratches against my skin as Onyx helps me out onto the street. He takes my hand in his, and the two of us run into the dark of night, as far away from my dad’s club as we can. My life as I know it will never be the same again.

Chapter 2

Nine years later

Thebittertasteofthe two little white pills in my mouth is barely noticeable before the strong, smoky whiskey hits my tongue. I’ll stop taking them tomorrow, but tonight, I need the pick-me-up.

I toss my phone down on the jade-green velvet sofa in my office. I’m out of options. I called every girl I have on rotation, and no one is available to cover for my bar manager, Sally, who’s just called in sick. I’m going to be stuck behind the bar tonight. Not that I mind, I like the conversation with the regulars, but I have a million and one other tasks I should be doing. Like organizing our VIP event for next weekend or making sure the new strippers know their roster and have their dance classes booked in with our dance coach, Paige.