Page 3 of The Mafia's Vendetta

His men laughed, and he smiled.

“Or something,” he said.

Her grip on her pen tightened until her knuckles were white.

“It doesn’t matter.I have other customers, so I’ll move on if you don’t need anything.”

Drew couldn’t remember being talked to like this, especially from a woman.The fact that he could not detect any attraction made it even more interesting.

“I think we’re good for now, but check back in twenty minutes.”

“All right.”She turned and walked off.

Tory chuckled.“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen a woman not drool over you.”

Drew rolled his eyes.He didn’t tell them he was thinking the same thing.At first, he thought she knew who he was and was scared, but she had no idea who he was.So, why was she so skittish?And her disguise probably fooled most people, but it didn’t deceive him at all.

He wouldn’t leave the club until he found out.

Chapter Two

Nala, aka Scarlet, tried to stay away from the side of the room where the four men sat.The one who talked was the one who seriously terrified her.He exuded power and danger, and those were the things she was trying to get away from.

She could feel his eyes follow her around the room, and it took all her courage not to run.She’d finally found a place she could hide and a person who believed her and was trying to help.She didn’t want to have to move on.

Nala knew she would eventually have to do more.She couldn’t stay in town, work in a club, and live in a small, dank room over the restaurant that Newman’s cousin owned.It was only a block away, so it was convenient, but her life was not what she ever dreamed it would be.Then again, she hadn’t known Clayton would buy her from the halfway house she went to after she aged out.

The halfway house gave people like her—kids too old to stay in the foster system—a place to live and a job so they didn’t end up in the street like so many kids that aged out of the system.She certainly didn’t know she’d end up with a monster and he would keep her for years.

She promised herself that one day she’d find out who sold her and make them pay.She guessed she wasn’t the first one they’d sold, and it wouldn’t be the last until they were stopped.

She had tried her best to make the man happy.If she hadn’t, she knew she was in for a beating, or being tied to a post and whipped would be in her near future.She guessed sometimes he pushed her limits, so she’d mess up.Or he just did it for fun, not because she did something wrong.

She would carry the scars from his abuse for the rest of her life.She could usually ignore how her body looked in the mirror and pretend she was normal and not the evil, gross fiend he enjoyed making her feel like.

Nala sighed and glanced over at the men’s table.She would have to go and check on them even though it was the last thing she wanted to do.She straightened her spine and locked her jaw before making her way to their table.

“Can I get you anything right now?”she asked.A shiver ran down her spine at the intense look on the man’s face as he stared at her.It was like he was seeing past the disguise and into her soul.She felt her fingers start to shake, so she tightened her grip on the tray, almost hiding behind it.

“I’d like another scotch, sweetheart,” the man said.

Her eyes widened.Why did he sound so nice now?She, of course, didn’t believe or trust it, but why would he use that tactic on her?

It took effort to pull her gaze from his to look at the other men at the table.“How about you?”

“Another pitcher of beer would be good.”

“Okay.I’ll be right back.”

Nala walked away from them, and it took all her strength not to make a run for it.She told herself she was being an insecure idiot, but she didn’t want to take any chances either.At the bar, she put in their order and then concentrated on settling her breathing down.

“Here you go, girl,” Thomas, the bartender said.His brows snapped together as he studied her.“What’s wrong?”

“What?Nothing.I’m just a bit tired,” she said.

She could tell he didn’t believe her, but he kept his mouth shut.She grabbed the tray, and made her way back to the table.

She set the picture and the glass down and took a few steps back, holding the tray in front of her like a shield.

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