Honey Trapped

Chapter Twelve

Sal and Vic exchanged glances. Vic nodded. Sal unlocked the door. The sounds of a woman sobbing reached Drew's ears. The room was brightly lit. Sal, Vic, Tino, Paolo, Mario, Remo, and the ever-silent Gino took their seats, forming a circle around the woman. Her smooth black skin was tear stained, arms and legs trussed together behind her back.

Drew looked at the woman and stifled his surprise even as the relief that everything had fallen into place with ease played inside him. This was his moment. Now he could build on the foundation he'd laid to propel himself deeper into Sal's world.

Drew eyed the men, then the woman. He cocked a questioning brow.

"What do you see, Drew?" Sal asked.

Drew looked at the woman again, who raised wide, almond-shaped eyes to his. The tears were genuine, as was the fear she radiated, but the lift to her chin told Drew she wasn't completely cowed. Relief filled him even as adrenaline began to dance along his spine and saturate his tongue. His eyes dipped to her partially ripped blouse. "Cleavage."

Mario snickered.

"What do you see?" Sal bit out impatiently.

Drew frowned but quickly caught on. "Nothing. I don't see anything."

Sal settled his cold eyes on Drew. "She witnessed one of our transactions." Sal looked at the woman. "Too bad. I could make a pretty penny off her with a body like that, but she saw my face an' I have a personal rule about leaving witnesses." Sal let a heartbeat pass. "Handle it."

"You want me to scare her, or ..."

"No witnesses, Drew," Sal asserted.

The woman whimpered and tried to roll away, but Drew grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt to keep her in place.

"You want me to kill her?"

No one answered.

Drew looked down at the petite African American woman with the beauty mark on her left cheek. He placed a hand under her chin. She tried biting him, which made Mario snicker again. Drew took in her trembling chin and red-rimmed eyes. He saw her acceptance.

Crouching down in front of her, Drew asked Sal. "Can I play first?"

Vic leaned forward in his seat, features stern. "We don't touch."

Drew turned to Vic, disgruntled. "Then what the fuck am I here for?"

"You would cheat on Pria?" Sal bristled.

"No," Drew said quietly, looking at the woman again. "Cheating is personal. This is ... a business perk. I won't mind a few minutes alone with her."

Sal looked at his watch and sighed. "Pria and Niki will be here in a couple of hours. We made breakfast plans. We ain't got much time. I'll meet you in the restaurant when you're done."

Drew's anger turned molten lava as he released the woman and stalked over to Sal. "Pria is coming to breakfast? Here?" He gripped Sal by the shirt. "Are you out of your mind or just deaf, Sal? I told you, you get to see her when I say. That hasn't changed."

Sal tried pushing Drew away, but couldn't. He smiled a Cheshire smile instead. "What's the problem? You'll be here. Pria and Niki always ate with us before you came around." Sal's grin widened. "You're officially one of us now, paisan ... or will be as soon as this job is done."

Acceptance—the one thing guaranteed to calm Drew. Drew released Sal. "I don't want her around this shit. What am I supposed to tell her?"

"I guess you're going to have to get used to lying to your girl," Sal needled.