Chapter 8
The voice startled me.
Don't blame me for being jumpy. Dimitri and the guards seem on the verge of a gunfight. Killing each other with me as collateral damage.
Then again, the voice is as gruff as the man that owns it.
He stands a head over the guard with a daunting scar across his face. And the minute he saw Dimitri and the guard standing in each other's faces, a flash of dread crossed his face.
"Mr Griot."
Dimitri didn't respond.
However, the guard's eyes widen in recognition, and cold sweat immediately breaks from his forehead. He takes three steps back from Dimitri as if that would save him from Dimitri's glare.
"What's going on here? Why are you holding the line?"
"I-I'm not. He...he doesn't have an invite, says he has news." The guard said with a crack to his voice.
"You stupid son of a bitch, and you think you can scare away Dimitri Griot?" He said with a resigned sigh.
Turning to Dimitri with a disarming smile on his face;
"Mr Griot, I see you are very displeased with my man here. And I'm apologizing on his behalf. He's new and has no common sense of recognition."
Dimitri didn't stop glaring at the guard.
"But regardless of your news, I'm not in the position to turn your frown upside down, I've never been."
"Riddle me this, Clint," Dimitri said without taking his eyes off the guard.
"What kills a man faster than a bullet?"
Clint exchanged a look with the guard and let out a sigh.
"The Grimm Reaper."
"Good," Dimitri said with a smirk, and just like that, his anger is gone.
Or maybe he is just hiding it.
"Now, take a good look at my girl." He said.
"I'll go to this party, and you will bring D'manno to me. Understood?"
Clint wet his lips as if in doubt, but then he looks at me.
Automatically, his eyes go to my cleavages, and a flash of recognition lights his eyes up. Unlike the guard, Clint openly gawks at my boobs. He even takes a step closer.
At first, I wanted to be offended, but his next word stopped me.
"Sapphire?"
- How did he... -
"I-I mean," Clint cleared his throat and stepped aside.
"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you, Ms Sanchez. Please, come in."
Okay, you have to agree with me; something very fishy is going on here.
First, it was those thugs attacking me last night. They specifically wanted my heirloom, and they called me by my last name. Now Clint does the same.
Why would Clint allow Dimitri into the Manor all because of me?
I'm a girl from nothing... From rags.
Even more fishy, I saw something like shame in his eyes as Dimitri and I walked into the Manor.
"How did he know who I'm?" I asked Dimitri out loud as we walked down a hallway lined with wealth
"Why did he recognize me by looking at my boobs? Did you take pictures of me last night?"
"Heads up, shoulders high, and stop flicking your legs like a brat. You should waltz like you own the place." Dimitri said without looking at me or concerning himself with my questions.
"You took my pictures, didn't you?"
No response.
I stop in my tracks, forcing Dimitri to look at me. Okay, now I think I'm glaring real good.
"Frowning doesn't suit you; stick to throwing yourself at every man that saves your life." He snarled at me.
"Do as I say or you'll end up worrying about something worse than your nude pictures."
I didn't know what Dimitri meant by that until an hour later.
Oh and yes, I didn't argue with him.
Come on, do I need to? 20 grand, two diamond necklaces, and a marvelous dress. So what's the big deal if he took nude pictures of me?
Anyways. The party is a black party like Cisco said.
Everything is black.
The guests, the carpets, and even the Christmas decorations are white and black instead of red.
Dimitri specifically said I should stick with him. Drink only what he gives me. And stand beside him at all times. Except if, of course, I got carried away.
And now I regret not listening to Dimitri.
It started with me wandering down a secluded hallway; running my hand along the surface of an obsidian laced vase. That's when three men surrounded me.
Yeah, I know, again.
Except this time, these men are an identical triplet cornering me against the wall with a carefree attitude about them.
"And what do we have here?" The first said with a pleased grin.
"It looks a bit out of place if you ask me," The second said, looking me up and down like a piece of meat.
"Nice boobs though."
The third leaned against the wall to my right as though entranced by me,
"It's probably one of D'Manno's bitches."
"You think?" The second said,
"Yeah, how else would it afford diamonds." The third said,
His words sink into me. Hell, all of their words sink into me.
It's like once they saw me, they just knew I didn't belong here. That I'm nothing but shit wrapped in an elegant dress and diamond necklace. That I'm just pretending to be made of wealth just like everyone else...
"Don't fret, girl; we like gold diggers like you." The first said with a malicious smile. "How about we bounce and go get some fun."
This is not good.
Having a gun to my face is one thing, but three men flirting with me without care to use refer to me as a human? Worse, it doesn't seem like they are asking my permission.
My heart is thundering, my mind is on hyperdrive, and I'm effectively trapped against the wall. What I wouldn't do to have Dimitri scare them away. But I don't.
We are alone.
I look the first of the men in the eyes and take a small step into his space - just like Dimitri did. Yes, I am only pretending to be bold. And no, I have no idea what to say to him.
"You boys are very - very - rude," I said, catching each of their eyes before focusing back on the first.
Then I recalled what Dimitri said to Clint;
"Riddle me this, what kills a man faster than a bullet?"
In a daze, he steps into me and knocks me back against the wall. My heart jumped a thousand beats. But somehow, that only makes me want to attack him. Maybe even make him bleed.
I've to crane my neck to look him in the eyes...
"Bulldogs don't worry about bullets," He growled to my face. "We tear the skin out of our victims."
"Grr!" The second and third barked in unison.
"And then we eat them raw." The first said, pausing to let his words sink in...
...He is just making me plain mad.
I can feel my blood boiling, if my nails weren't well done, I'd be balling my fist. But then again, I could gorge their eyes out with my nails.
Whoa, wait a second.
These guys are a million times my size, am I seriously thinking about attacking them?
- I think I've been spending too much time with Dimitri -
"I like the tough girl act," The second said from my left, "keep it up, and I'll fuck your A-hole."
He burst out laughing.
Okay, I'll admit, that just put me on a new level of realization.
They are going to rape me.
"Ahh," The third said, "there is the look."
"Let's go have fun. What do you say, Sunshine?"
I swallow even harder.
I'm doomed, I'm... Wait, should I shout? Maybe Dimitri would hear me.
Just then.
"What do you dogs think you are doing?"
Oh my God, it's Dimitri.
A smile escapes my lips even before I can see Dimitri's face; I can tell he has his Grimm Reaper face on.
The men turn to look at the interrupter,
"Oh, oh, oh, it's the motherfucking Grimm Reaper himself." The third said with a big smile. Walking over to punch Dimitri hard in the shoulder.
I expected three rapid gunshots... They hugged each other like old friends. Yup, I'm so doomed.
"Hey, check out what we found." The second said, seizing my neck roughly, "Come play with us."
Dimitri's eyes flashed with an expression I can't really place. Anger? No, it's even more terrifying than his usual angry expression.
He struts up to the second and smacks his hands off me. Putting himself between me and them;
"It's mine," He snarled with such conviction the men stepped back.
"Whoa, relax man." The first said, with his hands up in surrender.
"We didn't know you had a new toy."
"Yeah, why all the aggression, man." The second said, "Aren't we supposed to share stuff?"
"I said. It's mine."
Okay, now he is my knight in shiny armor.
I know I'm here on rent, but he called me his. Yes, I know he is referring to me like I'm a china vase with obsidian flower patterns. But Dimitri Griot just called me his.