Hard Core

  I shake my head again. "No, Nico, I really do—"

  "Shall I check? " he snarls, stepping towards the bed. "How about we open those pretty legs and I'll take a fuckin' peek for myself, huh?"

  I shiver, recoiling under the covers, and he laughs.

  "Yeah, that's what I fuckin' thought . You lying little slut ." He jabs an angry finger at me.

  "Tomorrow , you little bitch." Nico's jaw tightens as he lets his finger point right at me.

  "Tomorrow, this all ends ."

  15

  Dylan

  L ife can be a real fucking bitch, I'll say that.

  Ten hours ago, I had the girl I love in my arms, moaning my name, kissing me with everything she had, and giving all of herself to me. Ten hours ago, with Rose, I was the happiest I've ever been in my life. For one moment in time, we escaped all of it, just her and me and the little bubble we hid ourselves in.

  That's all gone now. That's all ashes and smoke now.

  We're back at Nico's little porn studio under the bright lights, with the garbage set and cameras. And this time, there'll no backing out. No tricks this time, or smooth talking our way out of it. This time, it's going to happen. There’s a part of me that burns fiercely inside with the knowledge that they're not going to take from her what they think they are. They aren't going to get her innocence being stripped from her on tape.

  Not after last night, when she gave it to me. Not after last night when I took it from her with every ounce of my heart and soul behind it, making her mine and all mine.

  Today, they'll get the motions. They'll get a bullshit knockoff of what happened last night. Fuck them. Let them sell it. Let them think what they have is what they think they have. I'll know, and she'll know, that they don't. Only we'll have that.

  She's sitting across the room from me, looking at her hands. There's a glow to her today, and I don't know if the rest of them see it, but I sure as hell do. It's the glow of last night. It's the flush of her sweet cherry having been plucked. It's the glow of a woman who now knows what it means to be well and truly fucked , and made to come like she's never come before.

  I don’t give a shit if the rest of them don't see that flush, because it belongs to me anyways.

  It's a packed house today. Gino's here, along with a bunch of his personal crew. Apparently, Nico wants to give him a tour of the new studio.

  …What a fucking snake. I could tell him what Vinny told me before he died — about what he and Nico were planning to do with the money they were making sure got stolen. But fuck it, and fuck him. I doubt they'd listen to me anyways, and if anything, I'm betting Nico would find an excuse to kill either me or worse, Rose, before I even got the chance.

  Nico strolls around the room chain-smoking, his face looking gleeful.

  "Hey, where the fuck is Joey?"

  One of his guys shrugs. "Dunno, boss. Problems at home I think."

  Nico snorts. "Problems at home? With who?"

  "Eh, his side chick I think," the guy shrugs. "She's missing or something."

  "The one he was smacking around?"

  The guy nods and Nico rolls his eyes, waving him off. "Whatever. Find him . I need him here today. And find that fucking lawyer too. Gray. I haven’t seen the guy in days, and he's been dodging my fucking calls."

  My ears prick up, and my brow furrows.

  "Get him here. I've got paperwork that needs filing."

  "Nico."

  The mob captain stiffens up and turns at the sound of his uncle's voice. Gino's an older guy, greying hair on the sides and perpetual scowl on his ugly mug. The joke behind his back is how the hell he got Quinn, but I'm guessing attraction or love doesn't really play a part in whatever that transaction was.

  …Maybe I should ask Roman's dumb ass.

  "Glad you made it today, Uncle."

  Gino shrugs, glaring around the room. "You know this isn't my thing, Nico. So let's get it going so I can get out of this place"

  "All in good time, Gino," Nico grins, before turning and clapping his hands. "Alright!" he bellows, silencing the room. He glances around at his own lieutenants, which gives me pause and has the hairs raising on the back of my neck.

  He's up to something.

  I've lived my life being able to read people's faces and trying and guess where things are coming from before they do, and something about Nico's whole body language and attitude has me on edge.

  "Everyone ready?"

  His lieutenants nod. Lieutenants , not his camera guys. I frown. Actually, where the fuck are his camera guys?

  "Alright sweetheart, you ready?"

  He grins at Rose, and my blood boils. She nods quietly. But suddenly, Nico starts laughing.

  "Just kidding."

  Rose's brow furrows along with mine, the both of us glancing warily at each other.

  "What?" I hiss.

  Nico turns and grins at me as the confusion swirls over my face.

  "I said just kidding." His grin widens evilly. "No need to shoot the scene today."

  He shrugs, and the next words out of his mouth floor me

  "We already got it."

  What ?

  Nico grins widely.

  "The penthouse? Your room?" He starts to laugh. "Yeah, hidden cameras, buddy."

  The floor drops out from under me.

  "What!? " I hiss through clenched teeth, feeling the room spin. "You're fucking lying."

  Nico laughs. "Nope, afraid not fuck-o." He rolls his eyes and gestures around. "C'mon, man, all this? This is for later, when the studio gets going. But for something like what I set up with you two love-birds, it's all wrong. No set, no director, and real amateur footage?" He grins widely. "That shit is gold , my friend. And you fucking delivered ."

  Oh fuck. Oh holy fuck .

  All my bold thoughts about how they'd never get that part of her, and how they'd never take that from her? Well, they did. Last night. If Nico's telling the truth, they got all of it last night. Every moment of her and I coming together, and every bit of me claiming her innocence. I turn, my face numb as I see the color drain from Rose's.

  "But ," Nico sighs dramatically. "But you also went against our deal, Dylan. I told you not to touch her off-camera, and you damn well did anyways. I mean, I was hoping you would, since that's what I was after, but you still went against our deal."

  He jerks his head at some of his guys.

  "Get him the fuck out of here."

  "No!"

  Rose screams and runs for me, but there are two other guys that grab her and haul her back. I roar, fighting the three guys holding me down and lashing out, but they pin me to the ground.

  "Oh, and you, sweetheart?" Nico grins wickedly, stepping towards Rose even as I scream at him that I'll tear his fucking hands off if he touches her.

  "I see a good career for you, baby."

  Rose’s head shakes side to side slowly, her eyes hard.

  "I did what you wanted."

  "Eh, kind of . But a cute thing like you?" He chuckles. "Oh I see a lot of movies in your future."

  I roar, but he ignores me.

  "Please no," she whispers, her face fierce and defiantly trying to hold back the fear.

  "How about, for our next little project together, I film you and a few of my buddies, all at the same time?"

  Rose starts to cry.

  I lash out, knocking away two of the men holding me as I lunge or Nico. But they pile on top of me, bringing me down and raining blows down on me as I scream her name.

  "Get him out of here," Nico mutters, spitting in my direction. "Say goodbye to yo
ur co-star, dipshit. Next time you see her, she's gonna be a big star ."

  16

  Rose

  "W here are you taking me ?"

  I'm doing everything I can not to scream as I watch them haul Dylan away.

  Stay calm. Stay in control.

  If I lose it, I'll lose it completely, and then I know I'll be lost.

  "Got a special place I'm gonna keep you," Nico grins. "My house."

  He moves close to me, his sour tobacco breath washing over me and making me gag.

  "And now that you're all broken in…" His grin turns hungry, and then I really want to throw up. "Well, I guess you and I can get a little bit friendlier, now can't we?"

  Don't scream. Stay in control.

  I almost don't, and I almost shatter right there, but I somehow hold it together.

  "Why the fuck did you bring me here, Nico?" Gino growls, coming up behind his nephew. "The theatrics are entertaining, but kinda a waste of my fuckin time, don't you think."

  Nico scowls and clears his throat before he turns to face his uncle with a smile on his face.

  "Don't worry, Gino, I promise I got you here for a reason. Give me a sec to deal with this shit and I've got a big surprise for you."

  Gino shrugs and goes back to talking to some of his guys, and Nico grabs my arm.

  "Time to go, sweetheart."

  "Wait," I pull back, my brain whirling a million miles a second.

  "Can I— can I call my sister first?"

  He scowls.

  "Please, I haven't talked to her since I got here. I mean, I haven't had a phone or anything, and I just want to talk to her once."

  Nico grumbles to himself.

  "Please ," I say quietly. "I did what you wanted."

  He sighs, and begrudgingly nods.

  "Fine ."

  He yanks me by the arm, half dragging me across the studio floor until we get to a door. He kicks it open and hauls me into what must be his own personal office.

  "Sit ."

  He plops me in a chair and uses a key to unlock a drawer in his desk, before he tosses me my phone that they took from me when they brought me here.

  "You've got five minutes," he grumbles, moving back to the door. "And don't try any bullshit, or I swear to Christ you'll regret it."

  I nod as he slams the door shut.

  Alone, I open the phone, and I'm about to call Keeley when my blinking notifications catch my eye — a voicemail I never saw, since I've been without the phone since the night they took me. The night Vinny was killed.

  …The message is from Vinny's number.

  I swallow as I move my thumb over it and click play, and the message crackles to life. There’s nothing but static and muffled nothingness.

  Pocket dial , I think to myself. And I'm about to delete it, when I suddenly hear the voice, and after the last few days, his is a voice I'd know anywhere.

  It's Dylan. His voice is muffled, but it's clearly him.

  "Fuck, we got company. Oh fuck! "

  There's the sound of brakes squealing, and Dylan swearing.

  "Fuck! They're armed, Vin. Call—"

  A moment of silence.

  "Vinny, what the fuck are you doing, man!"

  Vinny's horrible, sickly laugh that I always hated rumbles through the phone.

  "Put the gun down dipshit. Dylan . Put the fucking gun down."

  "Vin, what are you doing?"

  "Making a withdrawal. Now shut the fuck up and get those hands where I can see them."

  "You're seriously stealing from Gino Moretti ?"

  Vinny snorts. "Man, fuck Gino."

  There's silence, and I can hear the sound of a van door sliding open.

  "Money's in the crate back there, boys," Vinny says. There’s some muffled acknowledgments, and then the van door sliding shut again.

  "What about Nico," Dylan growls. "I thought you guys were close."

  Vinny laughs again."Oh, we are. Which is why we're striking out on our own with this cash. Gino's time is up, Dylan. We’re gonna pay off some of the guys to swing their loyalties our way, take Gino out, and then Nico's gonna be in charge, with me as his second in command."

  Dylan swears. "Jesus, Vinny."

  "I'm gonna say it one more time, asshole," Vinny hisses. "Get your hand away from that gun."

  "You know Gino will kill us both if this money disappears.

  "He won't have a chance, trust me. Now, Dylan , are you in or— fuck!"

  There's the sound of the door slamming open and then Vinny screaming at Dylan, who it sounds like is running from the van.

  "You stupid fuck!” he bellows, the phone in his pocket that's pocket-dialed me still recording. "Get the fuck back here!"

  There's the sounds of shots being fired, and Vinny swearing fiercely before firing back — the sound much louder with the phone this close to him. More shots ring out, then the sound of glass shattering, and then I gasp when I hear Vinny cry out and then go silent.

  The silence extends a full minute, and I almost close out of the message, when I hear more voices.

  "Fuck, is he dead?"

  "Yeah, grab the rest of the cash and let's get the fuck out of here."

  "What about that other guy?"

  "Fuck him. I'll call Nico. He'll know who it is, and he can take care of it from his side of things. Hell, in a couple days when he offs his fuck-head uncle, he can take care of all sorts of things."

  The message ends, and suddenly I'm alone in the echoing silence of Nico's office — my heart hammering, my mouth dry, and the phone that could change everything firmly gripped in my hand.

  Holy shit.

  17

  Rose

  M y heart pounds as I step out of the Nico's office. I can feel it roaring in my ears, right alongside the fear. But I push those aside, because I know what I have to do. I know what I have to do to save myself from this, but more importantly, I know what I have to do that will save Dylan.

  One of Nico's guys is posted outside his office, and he scowls and goes to stop me as I step out, but I just keep walking.

  "Nico asked me to see him right after," I say plainly, smiling benignly as I waltz past him. My phone rests in the palm of my hand, turned inward and hidden from view.

  "Look, babe—"

  "Nico wanted to see me, okay?"

  I just keep walking.

  Don't run. Just keep breathing.

  The guard doesn't follow or try and stop me again, so I keep going, walking across the open floor of the studio. Nico's by the cameras and the set where we were going to shoot the scene, talking to his uncle. But when he sees me, he frowns and turns, his eyes narrowing at me.

  "I told you to stay put ," he growls.

  "No you didn't," I say flatly. "You just said I had five minutes, and it's been five minutes."

  Nico glares at me, but I stare right back, unblinking.

  I'm not afraid anymore.

  Well, no, that's not true. But I'm not going to be controlled by fear anymore. Not after what I've been through, and not after I've met the man who makes my heart sing the way it does.

  Nico stares me down before he finally looks away and shrugs. "Whatever. Go back to the office until I come get—"

  "Gino?"

  Nico's jaw drops as I interrupt him and turn to his uncle, smiling sweetly.

  "Great studio, isn't it?"

  Gino's brow furrows, looking at me curiously. "What? Yeah, sure, kid."

  "Get back in the office!" Nico spits at me.

  "Oh, Gino?" r />
  I smile sweetly again at the older man, ignoring Nico.

  "Want to hear something?"

  My thumb taps down, and since the phone is already set to speaker mode, the audio of the pocket-dial voicemail starts to play loud and freaking clear . At first, Nico stares at me with total confusion, but slowly, as more of Vinny's little tell-all starts to come out, his eyes go wide.

  "Turn that off," he hisses under his breath, his eyes blazing.

  I ignore him.

  "I said turn that off! "

  "Hang on," Gino growls, his brow wrinkling as he tilts his head to listen.

  "This is the robbery from the other day, isn't it?"

  Nico looks white, and he swallows thickly. "Yeah, we already took care of it, Gino, so forget this shi—"

  "Shut up." Gino holds a finger up, ignoring his nephew as he stares at the phone in my hand.

  And then we come to the best part.

  "You're seriously stealing from Gino Moretti?"

  Dylan's voice cuts across the dead-silence of the room, followed by Vinny's snort.

  "Man, fuck Gino. Money's in the crate back there, boys."

  "What about Nico? I thought you guys were close."

  Vinny's laugh rattles through the room.

  "Oh, we are. Which is why we're striking out on our own with this cash. Gino's time is up, Dylan. We’re gonna pay off some of the guys to swing their loyalties our way, take Gino out, and then Nico's gonna be in charge, with me as his second in command."

  "Jesus, Vinny."

  I click the phone off, and slowly, as Nico's face turns ashen, his uncle's turns bright red as he turns to him.

  "You motherfuckin' ungrateful—"

  Gino reaches for his gun, and all hell breaks loose.

  I scream, lunging out of the way behind a piece of the set as suddenly every gun in the room comes out and starts firing away. The sound is deafening, and I scream again as I dive to the ground as the bullets rain overhead. My pulse races, and my hands cover my ears tight as the sound of gunfire and men screaming fills the space.