(11) Transgression
The first thing I noticed was the sign strictly forbidding anyone from entering except employees. The psuedo gangsters in front of us entered the hallway and we followed. Carlisle and Esme were right behind them. Esme kept turning around and giving me reassuring smiles. Was I the only basket case here? Esme shook her head in denial.
Rosalie and Emmett were behind us walking in a slower pace because of me. Usually I would hear Rosalie complaining about the slow speed but I didn't hear a peep out of her. I hunkered closer to Edward and he bent his head down. "Don't worry," he whispered.
Alice turned around and smiled but her smile was all-wrong. Jasper emanated his feelings of support. I felt better but still had an underlying tension. That could not easily be taken away. The long hallway was empty surprising considering it was a huge casino. We walked to a door at the end of the hallway, which looked like a tunnel. Dark and contrasting colors of beige and gray. The door opened and the three men in front went in. We followed.
I timidly stepped inside with Edward my feet barely moving. The feeling to run away was overpowering my movements. Edward seemed to notice my hesitation because he pulled me in using his tiny iota of strength. Well then! No turning back now. The two men stood against the wall. I noticed a large beautiful desk with wooden carvings. The wood was very expensive. It was definitely out of place here! It looked like it belonged in a presidential suite.
There were two chairs in front of us. We all stared at each other to see who was going to sit down first. Nobody moved. The chair at the head of the desk was turned facing the other direction. The top of a head was the only thing I could see.
"Sit down." He ordered his tone was very authoritative and his back to us. We all looked at one another. Edward pointed to Alice and Rosalie. He pointed to the chair and Rosalie took her seat first. Alice followed and Jasper moved to stand beside her.
Then chair swiveled around. I saw his black hair slicked back like the others. He had a silver cross around his neck. His suit looked more expensive than his bodyguards. Sal Malone. He had a smirk on his face. His eyes were dark red. Vampire.
I automatically moved against Edward. Rosalie folded her hands in her lap and waited. Alice was mutely sitting beside her.
"The creatures with the weird yellow eyes." Sal Malone pondered. The three extras from the Sopranos were focusing intently on Emmett and Jasper. Emmett looked like he wanted to ream the guys in very bad places. "Your faces lit up our monitors." The three men nodded in unison like the Three Stooges.
"Not very smart!" Sal continued. "The fastest way to draw attention to yourself is hitting our blackjack tables and dancing a "jig"."
Alice turned back and looked guiltily at us.
"What do you want from us?" Carlisle interrupted and Sal moved his gaze to him. I couldn't look Sal in the eyes like that. His menacing gaze was too intimidating.
"I take it you're in charge of this group." Sal amused himself. He was the only one.
"Not group. Family. Yes, you're right I am. I do not want to disrespect you or your business. We will gladly give you back all the money we made tonight." Carlisle replied. Alice looked at Carlisle to interject but Esme gave her a quick look.
"That's a start." Sal commented.
What does he mean that's a start? What else does he want?
"Are you going to let us go, if we give you back your money?" Rosalie had a hopeful expression on her face.
The men laughed and one of them actually snorted.
"Sweetheart, that's just one condition down a list of things I want." Sal leered at Rosalie. The two guys walked to Rosalie. Emmett got ready to launch at them. The men were faster and they grabbed Rosalie by her shoulders.
"Move again. They'll rip her in half and I'll enjoy watching them do it." Sal warned. Jasper moved next to Emmett and put his hands in front of him restraining him.
Rosalie whimpered. That was not okay. The old Rosalie would tear these men apart for even touching her clothes. She gave Emmett an alarmed expression. Oh, please, if there was ever a time for her to snap out of this weirdness, Now Was The Time. Nothing. She just stood there! Alice moved and the other guy shook his finger at her.
A strange feeling overcame me. I was no longer the damsel in distress. Did they even know I was human? To be safer, I moved closer to Edward.
"Take them." Sal ordered and motioned to us. The other guy went to us and stood beside Carlisle.
"If any of you get out of line, they'll snap Blondie in half like a wishbone." Sal threatened and stood up from his chair. His eyes finally landed on me.
"Don't worry dear. My first two wives were humans. Although, they were more like pets to me. I fed them and they, of course, worshipped me." He reflected and walked to Alice. That was wrong on so many levels.
"Now there's something special about you and I don't know what. You got that certain something." Sal talked a lot with his hands. I watched as he moved them rapidly while he spoke.
"I think your overcompensating my abilities." Alice trilled. Jasper moved closer and one of the guys holding Rosalie grabbed her by the neck. She howled. Jasper quickly moved back.
"Let's go." The guy turned to us and we backed up towards the door. "No funny business." The guy moved Rosalie by the neck towards the door. "Just a little insurance."
We walked back into the hallway. No one said a word. Emmett was walking beside Edward. Edward was nodding his head at whatever Emmett was telling him silently. Something was going to happen!
