𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 ✔️

6

I'm choking on the smell of cigarettes as I pass through a large group of men.

Shaw holds onto my arm, escorting me through the men, keeping me close to him.

"Jesus," I whisper to Shaw after getting through the crowd. "This was not the kind of party I was expecting."

It was filled with people, that part I was prepared for. But I wasn't prepared for it to be so casual. People were drinking, smoking, sitting, and standing. I could see pool tables in a different room through the open door. 

"It's not one of the sophisticated parties that Valerio throws," Shaw tells me. "This is a different kind of party. He allows people to get drunk or high on whatever drug they wish because their judgment gets clouded and they're more likely to make deals."

I nod. Upon looking around, there was nobody I really wanted to talk to. I couldn't spot Valerio, which made me a little relieved.

"I'm going to go play pool," I tell Shaw. "You should go speak to that girl over there. She's been eyeing you down."

He turns his head to look at the blonde girl who smiled at him from across the party. But he quickly looks away.

"She doesn't interest me," he says while following me into the pool room. 

I walk over to one of the tables at the same time that a man approaches it. He asks me, "Want to play a game?"

"Sure," I agree. I look over my shoulder and give Shaw a 'go somewhere else' look.

But he doesn't go far. He walks across the room to the brown leather couches that other men smoke on, and he joins them in smoking a cigarette.

The man I play pool with and I grab a stick and begin playing. 

"So, what's your name?" he asks as I land a ball. I walk over to my next shot and line it up.

I answer him, "Sabrina."

I land my next ball but then miss the next. I let out a sigh and the man begins to sink a ball.

"You're here with Shaw?" he asks me. "Are you guys together?"

I realize that he was not at the wedding, and is not aware of my marriage with Valerio. I watch him miss his shot while two of his friends walk over to the table. 

"No, we're not together," I say while aiming. Out of my peripheral vision, I see the other two men look at me. 

One of the men looks me up and down. He smirks while questioning, "A girl as beautiful as you are is out of Shaw's league anyway."

All of the men laugh. But I don't. I ignore their comment and just aim my next shot, but miss.

"Your turn," I say to the guy I was playing with.

But he ignores the game and what I say. He points to my hand and says, "I see that ring on your finger, so I know you aren't single. Who are you with?"

His question irritates me and I cross my arms. I repeat in an annoyed tone, "Your turn."

But he sets his cue down. We stand on opposite sides of the pool table and he presses his palm against the table while looking at me. 

"Come on, Sabrina," I hate the way he says my name. "Just tell me, who do you belong to?"

Before I can rip his tongue out and make him swallow it, the voice of the most feared man speaks. Valerio says in an even tone from behind them, "That one is mine."

The men's faces instantly fall and they turn around quickly. Valerio stands there, dressed in full black. Not a single strand of his black hair is out of place. He stares at the men, an unreadable expression on his face.