Vincent’s smile disappeared. “You’re gonna fucking get another one here in a minute.”
“You did it, didn’t you? Why the hell did you do that?” She didn’t think whatever Amo had done had made it necessary for him to be hit that hard.
“Because he wouldn’t quit staring at your ass.”
“Well, in that case”—she looked back at a guilty Amo and gave his black eye a love tap—“suck it up.”
Amo grabbed his face. “Ow!”
Vincent and Nero cracked up with laughter.
Lake quickly started walking to the elevator, hoping they wouldn’t follow her. When the doors finally opened and she got in, they all joined her.
Staring at them then at the buttons, she froze. Damn it.
The guys curiously watched her, wondering what she was doing.
Quickly, she hit the code to take her to the top.
Vincent reached out and grabbed her hands too late, and the elevator began moving.
“What the fuck are you doing, Lake?”
“I need to see Dante.” She tried to pull her hands back.
“That is the last person you need to see! How do you even know the code?” Vincent screamed at her.
“I memorized it.”
Nero coughed and motioned his head toward the camera before Vincent could do anything.
Vincent let go of her hands to grab the back of her hair as he pressed his body against hers, pinning her to the wall. He leaned his head down to whisper in her ear. “What is it with you? Do you want to fucking die? What you are doing is basically putting a gun to your head and playing Russian roulette. You only get to see the boss when he asks for your presence, not when you please. Do you understand me?”
Lake tried to shake her head. “But I need—”
He pulled her hair down so she would meet his angry eyes. “No, you will tell me what you need, and I will either take care of it myself or give you permission to see him. Now, do you understand me?”
She stared blindly up at him and nodded. She could see past his anger to the glint of worry in his eyes. “Yes.”
Vincent relaxed his body and rested his forehead on hers. “Goddammit, Lake. Do not ever do that again.” He still kept his voice harsh, wanting her to keep believing he was only angry.
Her body grew excited and anticipated him kissing her when he went to rest his head on hers.
When the doors opened, he quickly pulled away from her and got off the elevator, leaving her stunned. What’s fucking wrong with me?
Her body had betrayed her by wanting a kiss from that man-whore.
“Now, what was so fucking important to see Dante about?” Vincent asked her when she exited the elevator.
Lake bit her lip and pulled out a wad of cash from her bag. “I want to give him this.”
“What is this from?” he asked, holding it up.
“It’s my tips for the week.”
“Did he ask for them?” he questioned her.
She shook her head. “No, but I thought if I gave him all my tips, I could pay him off faster.”
“Are you even keeping any for yourself?”
What kind of question is that?
Lake rolled her eyes. “Yes, twenty dollars.”
Amo hit the button to get back on the elevator. “I can’t deal with this shit.”
“Is she fucking joking?” Nero asked.
Vincent squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Fuck. Amo, take her downstairs with you and wait in the lobby. I can’t deal with this right now, either.”
What? What’s wrong?
“I don’t understand.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. I’ll take care of it,” he said, holding up the money.
Amo got onto the elevator and held his hand over the door so it couldn’t close.
“Go with Amo, and I want you to stay with him. Don’t try anything, because it won’t work,” Vincent told her.
“Wait, there’s something else...” She looked down at her old sneakers. “M-my dad, he hasn’t come home all week, and when I call him, he doesn’t answer. I’m worried that…”
Vincent took a deep breath and grabbed her chin. “I’ll take care of it.”
Lake took her chin away after a moment, hating herself for liking it when he touched her. “Thanks.”
Getting on the elevator, she couldn’t look at Vincent as the doors closed. You’re supposed to hate him. Somehow, someway, he had managed to get right back under her skin. He’s going to be the death of me.
*
Vincent knocked on the office door for the second time today. That time, he heard “Come in” instead of “Wait.”
Opening the door, he went inside the smoky room and took a seat in front of the boss.
Dante took a hit of his cigar. “Does this have to do with the girl?”
“How’d you know?”
“I got a call telling me you dragged Lake away from a very important customer of mine,” Dante said, leaning back in his chair.
Well, this is starting off fucking great.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“How the fuck am I supposed to know it won’t?”