Page 13 of Mafia Beast

I leave the restroom, ready to make my excuses to the girls. They’ll be disappointed but they’ll understand. I’ll send flowers and a handwritten note to each of them in the morning, thanking them for the thoughtful evening and apologizing for leaving early.

I’m so deep in thought, I’m the one who bumps into someone this time, luckily with no drink in my hand.

“Oh, excuse me!” I steady myself, having run into the broad wall of a man’s muscular chest.

Strong hands grab my shoulders, steadying me. “Careful there.”

“Oh…” I freeze. Instantly I recognize the deep timbre, the slight lilt at the end of the word, the husky Greek accent. “Hello.”

I look up into the dark eyes of the Beast. Our gazes lock and for the second time tonight, time slows. What on earth ishedoing here? He offers no greeting back. Just stares.

“So, um, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since the…” Blowjob in the alleyway? “Winter Ball. That was what? Three months ago?” As ridiculous as it is to try to make small talk with him, I can’t not. It’s in my nature.

He just keeps staring. My bad mood returns. He could make an effort. At least say something. Why is he even here tonight? I didn’t take him for a club goer.

Finally, even I can’t play polite anymore. My hands go to my hips, and I demand, “What? Why are you staring at me?”

That voice, low and even but demanding at its edges, caresses me as he speaks. “Don’t you have something you need to tell me?”

He… knows…

Trickles of ice travel up my spine and along my hairline.

How?

Only two people in this world know my secret. And one of us is dead.

What do I do? Tell him the truth? Ask what he’s heard?

I stare back at him. My tongue goes to move but it grows thick in my mouth. The tears that seem to come so easily these days spring up in my eyes. I cannot, will not, cry in front of him. I have to leave.

Now.

I clear my tightening throat. “No,” I manage, my voice shaking. “I don’t.” I turn on my heel, my hair swinging over my shoulder as I go back to my group.

The heat of his stare burns the skin at the back of my neck.

6

Beast

I’m goingto make her tell me the truth. She owes me that much. How she’s kept her secret this long, I don’t understand.

As she passes by me, the scent of rum reaches my nose. Has she been drinking? In her condition? In two long strides I’m over to her. I grab her arm, stopping her. “Hold on. I’m not finished talking to you.”

She tugs her arm from my grasp. “Well, I’m done talking to you.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she stares daggers at me. Her eyes are steely, but they have a sheen of tears in them.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Nothing,” she says, her voice cracking. “Everything.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know.”

I stand in shock as Charlie Bachman crumbles in front of me. The woman who’s never made an appearance with a hair out of place and a smile always plastered on her face is now curling into herself, shakily dabbing at the tears that are threatening to fall down her cheeks.

And I have absolutely no idea what to do. My anger toward her melts. I want to get to the bottom of what I’ve been told, I want to find out the truth.

But right now…

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