I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen plenty sexy men. But this guy was an Irish god in human form. Then he looked up at me. He had the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen. A brilliant blue, almost transparent pools of aqua. The kind of eyes that promised to do bad things your body craved. He sported short-cropped, curly hair that was slightly mussed, just enough to run my fingers through and grab some to hold on to. The tattoo on his arm ran from the edge of his wrist and at least up his arm. I didn’t know where it stopped, his shirt kept the rest hidden, but I was dying to find out. The swell of his arms captivated my attention as I imagined running my fingers up and down his skin just to feel the hardness. He was heart-wrenchingly gorgeous.
Gia whispered in my ear. “His name is Dom. I wonder how he got it.” She gave me a wink. “He’s a Lawless. Sexy, isn’t he?”
All I could do was swallow and nod. Steamy images were bombarding my brain.
“Well, get over it. Panty melting or not, he’s an associate of the family, so he’s off limits. Plus, your dad will have a shit fit if he finds out.”
I looked at her and then at Dom. He stared at me with a slow, sexy smile. His partially hidden dimples pushed me over the edge. “Well, sucks to be my dad, doesn’t it?” A seductive smile spread across my face. I sauntered over to where he was standing and lightly touched his hand before I asked him his name.
Happy birthday to me.
3
Jules
Present
A doorknob turning yanked me out of my memory. I wasn’t sure what was happening. I sat up as best I could and braced myself for the unknown. A sliver of light filtered in. The creak of the stairs alerted us that someone was coming. A slight whimper escaped and for a moment I didn’t realize it came from me. I couldn’t warn the others when I didn’t know what was happening.
A man walked up to me and knelt down. In the anemic light I could see a shadow of a face. An evil smile.
“I didn’t realize what a treasure we had until John told me.” Unsure of what he meant, I looked at him quizzically. “Yeah, you heard me. One of your big, bad daddy’s boys. You thought John was so harmless. All I had to do was promise him one thing and he caved.” He leaned closer. “Do you know what that one thing is, princess? Though, I might not be able to let him have you after all. What a pity to lose such a wonderful gift.”
The smell of booze on his breath was overpowering as he ran a finger down my jaw line. I cringed at his touch. That made him mad and he reared back and slapped me across the face. The heat and pain were brutal. My lip burned accompanied by the taste of blood. I attempted to cup my face, but the chains wouldn’t let me. I swallowed back tears.
“Don’t you for one second think I can’t ruin you, you little bitch. I don’t care who your dad is or how special John thinks you are. Don’t forget that I run this place. I’m the one who makes the decisions. I take what I want, when I want it. I mean, it’s not like you can stop me, chained like a dog to the ground.” He spit in disgust. I peered up at him as he stood. “That goes for the rest of you. Nobody cares that you’re gone. I made that happen. I can do it again.”
The unknown stranger turned, and I could barely make out his figure as he unlocked another girl’s chains. She sobbed and chains rattled hauntingly.
“Let’s go, bitch.” He dragged her up the stairs. The sound of her cries mixed with his stomping was terrifying. The door slammed with a bang, leaving behind echoes of her cries.
I could hear him click the locks, and when I say locks, I meant there must have been at least three or four on the door. Each one made a deafening click, chipping away at our freedom. I bit the inside of my cheek as the pain from the slap made my face feel like it was exploding. I knew there’d be a bruise. That thought strengthened me. I would get out and I would have my revenge on him.
The silence was deafening, a horrifying promise of what could happen to any of us. Words to make this better or how to help the girls eluded me. How could someone be so cruel to a person?
I was shaken out of my thoughts by Leah. “What did he mean when he said he didn’t care who your father is?”
I cleared my throat and steeled myself for their reactions. “My father is Salvatore Galenti. That’s what he meant by that.”
Gasps echoed in the darkness. “The Salvatore Galenti? As in the Outlaws MC? You’re telling me you’re Jules Galenti?”
After a long pause, I sighed and replied hesitantly, “Yes, I am.” I had no idea what they’d heard about me and my family in the media. The gossip was constant. My family always had a scandal going on.
A slightly hysterical giggle escaped one of the girls. Chains clinked together as she attempted to slap her hands over her mouth to stop herself. “There might actually be a chance for us,” she whispered.
I prayed she was right. That we might really have a chance to be free.
“Jules?” somebody called just above a whisper. Maybe Storm?
“Yes?” My voice didn’t sound like my own. This voice was gun shy and even slightly timid.
“What happened to you? I mean, you
