Vegas Pete - A Mafia Romance (Completed)

Chapter 12: Part 3

My breath caught. She sat on another man's lap so she wasn't here for Vegas but the look in her eyes said it all. She wasn't over him. Vegas followed my gaze and cursed. "She's not here because of me." "Yes, she is." "I can't throw her out. She comes here all the time to party. I haven't seen her since that night. I usually stay in the back." I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. Vegas took my chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing me to meet his eyes. "There's only you, Pete." He glanced at his watch, then pulled back. "I really need to go now. I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned and strode through the crowd that parted for him. Macau followed after him and Tay stepped up beside me. "That asshole." "Who?" I said distractedly. Tay had disappeared from the VIP area. "Macau. The guy has the nerve to tell me not to dance with other men. What is he? My owner. Fuck him." He paused. "Are you okay?" "Yeah," I whispered. "Let's go to the bar." Nop and Ken fell into step behind us but I turned around to them, feeling on edge. "Can you watch us from afar? You're driving me crazy." Without a word they separated and took positions in corners of the club. I released a breath and settled on a barstool. I ordered two new Gin & Tonics and took a deep gulp from the cool liquid, trying to relax. 

Tay jiggled his leg. "You can go dancing," I told him, but he shook his head and bobbed his head to the music. "In a few minutes. You look pale." "I'm okay," I said, my eyes searching the club for a sign of Grace, but she seemed to have vanished into thin air. There were too many people on the dancefloor to find her anyway. "I really need to go to the restroom," Tay said after a while. His Gin &Tonic was almost gone. "I need to sit for a few more minutes." Tay gave me a worried look but then he slipped away and Ken followed at a safe distance. I put my head in my palm, taking a deep breath. An arm bumped against mine, startling me. I drew back as a man with long blond hair leaned against the counter beside me. He reached past me for a straw. His jacket brushed me and I leaned even further back, and glanced away, uncomfortable with the look he was giving me. "What's your name?" he shouted. I tried to ignore him. Something about him was seriously giving me the creeps. I took a sip from my drink and tried to pretend I was busy searching for someone. The man kept leering at me with an ugly smile on his unshaven face. "Are you waiting for someone?" I turned away, really trying to ignore him and not make a big deal out of this. If I started freaking out, Nop would come over and make a scene. Maybe he was already on his way. 

My vision started to blur and my stomach gave a lurch. I took another sip from my drink but it didn't help. I slid off the stool but my legs were shaky and I felt dizzy. I grabbed the counter behind me. Suddenly, the man's mouth was at my ear, his stale-cigarette breath on my face. "I'm going to fuck your tight ass. I'll make you scream, bitch." His grip on my arm was crushing as he tried to drag me away from the bar. My eyes found Nop who was steering toward me, hand under his jacket where his gun and knife were. Impatient by our slow progress, my attacker wrapped an arm around me like a loving boyfriend ready to help his drunk girlfriend out of the club. "I'll fuck you like an animal. I'll fuck you bloody, cunt," he rasped into my ear. I stared at him, my limbs feeling heavy, my mouth like it was filled with cotton. I'd heard those exact words not too long ago. I forced my lips into a smile. "You are a dead man." Confusion flickered across the man's face a second before it contorted in agony. He released me and my legs gave away, but Ken caught me, his arm replacing that of the man. My eyes darted around for Tay. He hovered beside Ken, face drawn in worry. Nop was close behind my attacker, his knife buried in the man's upper thigh. "You will follow us. If you try to run, you'll die."

"Take his drink," Ken said to Tay. "But don't drink." Ken half carried me toward the back of the club and down a flight of stairs. He shouldered open a door and we walked into a sort of office. Macau rose from his chair. "What's going on?" "Probably roofies," Nop said, giving the man he was holding a good shake. "I'll get Vegas," Macau said with a twisted smile. He walked through another door and a moment later Vegas stalked into the room, as tall and impressive as ever. I hung in Ken's grasp, my face half pressed against his chest. Vegas's eyes narrowed, then flitted between me and my attacker. "What happened?" he snarled. Suddenly he was in front of me, lifting me into his arm. My head lolled against his chest as I gazed up at him. He put me down on the couch. Tay knelt beside me, gripping my hand. "What's happening to him?" he cried. "Roofies," Nop said again. "This sick fuck was trying to drag him outside." Vegas drew himself up before my attacker. "You put Roofies in my husband's drink, Rick?" Vegas knew that man? Confusion flickered in my hazy mind. "Husband! I didn't know he was yours. I didn't. I swear!" The man's lower lip was trembling.