Shattered Prince

“You’re doing nothing,” I said, blinking away the stupid fantasy. What the hell was wrong with me? Normally, I had better self-control. But this girl was driving me insane. “You’re working here and going to college like a normal person.”

“Sounds good, boss.” She grinned and went off to serve another customer.

I turned and glared at Cap. “Don’t say anything.”

She gave me an affronted gasp. “How dare you assume I’d make a comment?”

“You were going to,” Mal said with a slow nod. “Don’t pretend.”

She laughed. “Okay, yeah, I totally was. But look, Carmine, you know you can’t act on this, right?”

“I know,” I said, knocking back my drink. It burned nice and good as it filled my belly. I needed about ten more of those to dull the throbbing, intense desire that echoed all through my body whenever Jules was around. “I’m not an insane person.”

“Just be careful,” Cap said, looking serious. “I like her. I don’t want to see either of you get in trouble.”

“You know me,” I said, standing up. “I’m always careful.”

Cap and Mal gave each other a look as I walked away.

Chapter 3

Jules

For two weeks, I was a totally normal college kid.

I woke up, went to class, came back to the apartment, and studied. Carmine spent most of his time dealing with his business, and we interacted as little as possible. I noticed him up late, drinking whiskey and watching the fire, but I didn’t go out and sit with him. Carmine was like a monster, and I was afraid to get too close.

I noticed the way he looked at me. It was hard not to see it: the dark, possessive stare, like he wanted to undress me, ravage me, and leave me moaning and begging for more. When he was around and I caught that look, it sent wild, convulsive shivers down my spine. I wanted to reach out and run my fingers through his thick hair and pull it tight just to hear him grunt in pain as he grabbed my hips and pinned me down—but that would only end in blood and tears. No, I wouldn’t let this get any more complicated than it already was.

Things were good. I liked working at the Lowdown. I had to take an extra pill to survive the shifts, but then again, I’d never had a real job before and I enjoyed working behind the bar. It was a lot all at once, but I managed to pick it up pretty fast, and it was fun serving drunk people. They were loud and obnoxious and all that, but we had a good bouncer and I never felt unsafe.

It was a rush getting tips. It was fun serving drinks. I felt like a real adult for the first time in my life instead of the useless, overly pampered, and incredibly sheltered daughter of a drug kingpin. For a little while, I could pretend to be just another person living a regular life.

All that changed on a sunny Tuesday afternoon.

Carmine picked me up like usual. He didn’t say much as he drove back to the apartment, but before we reached the underground parking lot, he glanced over with a slight frown. “Your father sent the guard.”

I went very still. I remembered him mentioning it, but I thought he’d forgotten all about that.

“Oh, really?” I asked, trying to pretend like I didn’t care, when actually my heart was racing wildly in my chest.

“He showed up this morning. From now on, he’ll pick you up from school while I’m working. I’ll try to be as involved as I can be, but I can’t watch you all day, every day.”

“Papa should’ve just sent me on my own then.”

“Feeling neglected already?”

I shook my head. “I couldn’t care less.”

“Liar.” His hands gripped the steering wheel as he parked and killed the engine. “Look at me.”

I glanced over. His eyes tore into me like vicious claws. I sucked in an involuntary breath. There was so much packed into that gaze. It strayed down to my lips, to my throat, to my breasts.

“Who did he send?” I whispered, trying to ignore the feelings flashing through my body. Want. Need. Desire. Fear.

He met my eyes again. “A man named Oscar.”

I stifled a groan. I bit my tongue hard enough to make it bleed. He’d sent Oscar, of course he’d sent Oscar. Papa was a bastard. A clueless bastard.

“Is he upstairs?” I asked, proud that there was no quaver to my voice, though my hands shook.

“Waiting for you by the elevator. I need to head out, so he’ll take you up and hang around until I’m back.”

I nodded, frozen with fear.

Oscar. It had to be Oscar. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to think of all the horrible years I’d spent under his watchful eyes. I thought I’d gotten away from him. I thought I was free.