Perversion (Perversion Trilogy #1)(22)

And so is my locket.





Eight





Gabby and I empty our pockets and backpacks onto Marco’s war room table inside his office. After the casino and having my locket stolen, the weekend got better, but not by much. I just hope what we have is enough. We’ll be close, it will depend on what kind of mood Marco’s in. The man is unpredictable. Even when he’s smiling, I’m convinced it’s only to hide the sharpened shark teeth growing in the back of his jaw.

Gabby and I finish emptying our take onto the table. The parade two towns over turned out to be profitable. Hundreds of onlookers all distracted by the passing homemade floats to notice their pockets and backpacks were lighter. We’d also pinched flags and souvenir t-shirts from empty lawn chairs, reselling them down the parade route.

“What do we have here?” Marco whistles, looking over the pile.

“Our take for the week,” Gabby says with pride in her voice. She should be proud.

We busted our asses for all this shit. To earn our keep. To show our loyalty. Gabby’s hardened over the years, and although she’s still afraid of Marco, she does a much better job of hiding it, showing only loyalty to Marco.

Fake loyalty. But still, at least it’s buying us time.

Marco sorts through the pile. He opens the wallets and stacks the cash, setting aside two iPads and a laptop. “Did you disable the find features?” he asks.

“We cleaned them before we even left the parade,” Gabby says.

Marco nods his approval and counts the cash, silently moving his lips. “Four hundred and seventy-six,” he says. He scans over the goods. “Not sure what I can get for the electronics, but you’re cutting it close this week. Too close. He glances between the two of us. “You two keep anything for yourselves? You know the rules. Don’t let me find out you’re fucking stealing from me.”

“No. We didn’t take anything,” I lie. Well, it’s only sort of a lie. I took something, I always do, but Gabby doesn’t know about it yet. I did that on purpose to protect her and keep her from having yet another lie to tell.

“We wouldn’t do that,” Gabby replies.

You wouldn’t do that.

“Pockets,” Marco grunts, his smile turning into a straight line. “Now.”

Gabby rolls her eyes after we turn around and she's sure Marco can’t see. We comply, flipping the insides of our back and side pockets to the outside to reveal their emptiness. I wasn’t stupid enough to have the forty dollars I’d skimmed off the top on me. Or the ID’s I kept.

“Shirts,” Marco grunts. “Take them off.”

He’s never asked us to take off our shirts before. Gabby and I exchange a worried glance.

“Shirts. Now,” he demands, leaning across the table on his knuckles. “When I ask you to do something, you fucking do it!” He’s more irritated than usual. There’s a thick blue vein throbbing angrily through the middle of his forehead.

“Marco—” Gabby starts.

Marco cuts her off. “Gabriella, I’m dealing with a lot of shit today and don’t have time for yours. I’ve been lenient with you two because you’re my sister and you two were young. But, you’re both old enough now to be treated like the others and prove you’re not taking off the top. As of now, this applies to the two of you. SHIRTS.”

“Why would we…” I start, planning on talking my way out of it.

“Not today, EJ. Just fucking show me!” Marco roars, shutting down any further arguments.

Gabby’s face falls as she lifts her shirt first. Her hands shake as she pulls it over her head.

“Bra,” Marco demands. Tears form in Gabby’s eyes as she pulls down the cups of her bra, she stares blankly ahead as she reveals her bare breasts and empty bra cups to her own brother.

After a few seconds, Marco nods, and she quickly puts her shirt back on.

He turns to me. “EJ.”

I do the same, lifting my shirt and pulling my breasts from the cups. I stare straight at Marco but don’t get the same quick approving nod as she did. Instead, Marco gives my bare breasts a long, lingering stare, one that sends a spike of revulsion up my spine. He licks his lips.

I hold steady, trying not to vomit.

“You’re good,” he says hoarsely while still staring at my chest. Marco adjusts the crotch of his jeans, and I taste bile rising in my throat. I quickly pull my shirt back on.

Gabby and I both turn to leave.

“Did I say you two could leave?” he snaps. “I’m in charge here. Show some fucking respect.”

We turn back around slowly and silently. “Your take,” Marco says, handing me a twenty.

I don’t want it. I don’t want anything from him, but I know refusing it would only anger him further. I take it and shove the bill in my back pocket.

His eyes roam down my body slowly before rising back to meet mine. “I’m finally starting to see how special you are. What kind of potential you have. I expect extra next week since you cut it close this time around.” He reaches out and runs his thumb across my cheek. It’s not lost on me what he’s saying.

I hold back a cringe.

“Extra?” Gabby asks with a horrified look in her eyes.

I know what she’s thinking. We’d worked our asses off all week to come up with the pile on the table, and unless there’s going to be another parade next week, we might not make it.