Maid for the Mafia by Jaylee

Lead the Way

**ROMANY**

Even as I asked, I knew it wasn't him. Tiny was too gentle. Too soft spoken. And if I wasn't already sure it hadn't been him, his eyes just now would've told me.

He appeared insulted and shocked. "No," he answered gravely. "Absolutely not. I would never take advantage of any woman that way. I..." he trailed off, disappearing into my bedroom and coming back with a blanket to cover me with. I smiled at him as he took the time to tuck the blanket all around me, making sure I was covered from head to toe. "Thanks," I said with a sigh. My head was still cloudy. Images from last night stuck in their - *almost* - state. Coming in flashes, like from an old polaroid camera that snaps pictures you have to wait ten or so minutes to see.

"No problem," Tiny said, pulling up the ottoman to take a seat in front of me. "How much do you* remember?" he asked.

I shook my head, not wanting to see what I was *already* seeing. The older man with the cruel face and the dark demon-like eyes. Alex staring down at me and commanding me to suck him off while some faceless bastard behind me pounded into my core. I *didn't* want the images I was getting. Didn't want* the memory of the pain. Of the... *burning.*

"I was burning," I said softly. "I was so, so thirsty. All I wanted was the water in that glass that Alex wouldn't give me. I kept reaching for it. It felt like, no matter how much I drank, it wasn't enough." I shuddered, the memory of the burning in my flesh causing my stomach to roil. "I don't understand. Why the hell was I feeling that way?"

"You were drugged," Tiny said matter of factly.

Another flash - Stella coming into my room with my dinner! "That *bitch!*" I hissed, wanting now more than ever to go down for breakfast. "It was her! She must have done it! She brought my dinner!" I growled and Tiny nodded.

I thought back to that night that I went swimming. When that bastard guard, Gerald, brought me nothing but wine for my dinner. Then the next day when Stella mentioned how disappointed Santos was that I never tasted the wine. *What did she have planned for me that night, I wonder?*

"Stella drugged me!" I snapped. "I have to tell Alex!" I started to get up, but Tiny stopped me.

"Wait," he said softly. "Just wait. Alex is... he's..."

"He's sleeping off the barrel of whiskey he swam in last night," Mickey's voice sounded from the open bedroom doorway. "I wouldn't expect him to be awake for another couple of hours." I flinched, turning my head to face Mickey as he stepped into the sitting room. "How are you feeling, doll? Better I hope."

"I..." I shivered as Mickey reached out to squeeze my arm. "I need to know what happened last night. I need to let Alex know that Stella drugged me!"

did," Mickey said, his eyes glazing with fury. "And you better believe she's not going to

I snapped. "I don't trust her. That's the second time she's done something like that to me. The first

mean, the second

said it was from Santos. That Santos wanted me to-" "Santos?!" Mickey hissed, jolting forward. His bright green eyes were dark with calculation as he met Tiny's gaze.

back at me, his eyes full of concern. My body shuddered again as Mickey scooted closer, the bare muscles of his chest and arms flexing with barely contained

with the black eyes. "God," I hissed, battling back the tears that burned behind

know anything about him. I figure he's just another one of the guards Stella

"Not

I never tried the wine. That he couldn't wait to meet me or something. I don't completely remember, but I did get the feeling that the wine was tainted." "You are absolutely certain that *Stella* said the name

of me at his question. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes! She said Santos.

and for the first time I noticed Damien awake

"When did she mention him to you, Romany? Where

breakfast. The morning after that first meeting. Over a week ago." "Check the tapes," Mickey growled. "Do it now.

it," Damien said, disappearing into my bedroom to get

my room, his eyes fell on me. They were full of pity and for some reason it made me feel so stupid and so... weak. So, I snapped, "Stop looking at me like that Damien! You're pissing me off!" "Okay," he said waspishly, his

first. One minute Damien was standing in front of me and the next Mickey had him slammed into the wall. "Do not ever let that word pass your mouth again when talking about her!" Mickey

Mickey off of him. "I'm sorry," Damien hissed, closing

"Go!" Mickey shouted.

me one last apologetic glance before leaving

I grumbled, after he

me. He smiled sadly, clasping his hands together in

inquired, my eyes heating with more tears. "He wasn't... in the

unknown emotion. "He

said it, but I did and the look of resentment that Mickey suddenly wore on