by Baker, S. L.
“Did you get what you needed?” I asked handing him the wire.
“Barely, but it will help our case,” Agent Parker said. We’ll be in touch.”
“I’m sure you will,” I said.
When I exited the gates to the station, I caught the glimpse of the Black SUV keeping its distance. I smiled, wondering if Nicole knew that part of Hawke’s job was babysitting me all day. I could see those hands on her hips, and her just rolling those gorgeous blue eyes.
I waved and the Escalade pulled up to the curb. Hawke came around and opened my door. I hopped in and he shut the door. My cell rang.
“Hi babe,” I said.
“How’s my dream girl?”
“Ready to go car shopping,” I said.
“About that, babe. I’m going to be delayed, but I made an appointment in the morning with the dealership.”
“Ok.” I sighed, suspecting that Victor was delaying me buying a new car as long as possible so that Hawke would have to take me everywhere and Victor could have eyes on me more than he already did.
“See you soon, darling,” he said.
“Ok.”
“Love you, Angelina.”
“Love you too,” I said, snapping the phone shut.
Scarlett was tapping my arm to show me the tricked out Escalade with bullet proof windows and a secret compartment for her machine gun and rocket launcher.
Don’t encourage Victor, I mumbled. Besides, I was buying this car with the money my mother had left me. I knew that Victor would fight me on this, but I wasn’t giving in.
Chapter 9
“I hate the fact I have to go to L.A, for this meeting, but darling, I will be back by tomorrow night at the latest. I promise,” Victor said, sliding his finger down my nose and kissing the end, just like my daddy. Thanks for an amazing meal last night.”
“You mean me or the Southern cooking?”
“Both, sweetness,” he said and swatted my ass. “You stay out of trouble and I’ll call you when I land in L.A. My company jet is much faster than commercial, so I should be there by noon Jersey time.”
He gave me one more long passionate kiss with lots of tongue and my sweet spot erupted into a full fledge propane torch. Jesus H! The effect this man has on me! Fuck! How the hell am I going to quiet her down? Scarlett wasn’t helping when she unfolded her dainty little fan and began waving it at my sweet spot.
I sighed as I watched the Escalade disappear down the driveway. The second goon in charge after Hawke was Cooper who also happened to be my babysitter until Victor returned.
“Ma’am, anything you need, please let me know.”
“Okay, will do. I’m going to take a run to my house and get a few items I need.”
He raised his left eyebrow as to say, No fuckin’ way am I letting out of my sight.
“No problem, ma’am, I will get the car.”
“It’s like two minutes down the road. I need the exercise to clear my head. I’ll be fine I promise,” I said batting my eye lashes Scarlett style.
“But Mr. Salvatore gave strict orders...”
“I’m sure he did. But he’s not here and I’m a big girl. Please, I will be back in thirty minutes tops, or I’ll text you to come get me.”
Scarlett was taping her foot. She knew why I was so anxious to get rid of him. I needed to take care of my aching sweet spot whose relentless nagging was making me squirm.
“Ok, but if you are not back in thirty, I will be there in thirty-one minutes, not a second later.”
“Okay,” I said over my shoulder and was in a full sprint to the cottage. It would take me less than five minutes to run there at this pace, leaving me twenty to shut my sweet spot up, and five to return. Scar was already yanking off clothes as soon as she slammed the door behind her. I sprinted to my room and closed the door, even though Nicole was out with Hawke for the day. It was habit. I caught out of the corner of my eye, Scarlett sprawled across my bed panting, totally soaked in her own marinade. The little white box with the red bow on my pillow was open and the tissue paper littered the floor. I pulled out the contents and read the card:
“My darling, I know I’m only gone for twenty four hours, but in case you miss me. I have left you this toy called the Lilo to try. It’s not the same as me suckling the glorious sweet spot of yours, but it is close. Enjoy!
Holy fucking shit balls. I think my sweet spot just blew all to hell and I hadn’t even taken it out of the package yet. Scarlett had enough strength to give me the thumbs up and went back to her ecstasy.
I was lying next to Scar panting and in complete bliss. The pounding on the front door sent me running, I had forgotten all about Cooper’s mission to fetch me in thirty minutes. Scarlett threw down her Cosmo in disgust, she’d just started reading about six ways to keep your man satisfied. The knocking was so frantic and frenzied it sent a chill up my spine. Cooper must have had a good ass chewing from Victor already for letting me leave his sight. I flung open the door and my heart leapt into my throat. Two large imposing men filled the doorway, their appearance and air screamed Mob. My mind was screaming run, but, I knew there must be more from where they came from. So I sighed in defeat. Scarlett had yanked out her oozy, just itching to use it, her gaze scanned back and forth between both mobsters.
“Can I help you, gentleman?” I said, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. They were like rabid dogs, they could smell the fear. I firmly placed the right side of my body against the door jam in case they tried to yank me out the door.
“Miss, Ellington,” the older of the two spoke. “I’m Pauley and this is Frankie, were security for Mr. Salvatore.”
Which Mr. Salvatore? I thought. Scarlett had put out her hand wanting I.D., but I knew she was wasting her time.
“We’re here about your friend Nicole. She was involved in a car accident.”
“Oh my God!” I screamed. “Is she okay?” I asked, grateful I was being supported by the wall because my knees were about to give out. Scarlett threw Dixie cups of water in rapid succession.
“Hawke sent us to drive you to the hospital. He’s okay and with Miss Anderson.”
I grabbed my purse and slammed the door behind me. Both men flanked my side and the younger of the two goons, Frankie smelled like garlic and onions opened the door to the Cadillac. I slid in the back; he shut the door behind me and climbed in the passenger seat. All the doors locked when the car was put in gear.
“What hospital are they at?” I asked frantic.
No response.
“Where is Nicole? Is she going to be okay?”
A pair of eyes glanced at me in the rear view and then a partition went up.
I was isolated, being held hostage in the back of the Cadillac. Scarlett started pounding on the glass partition. “Hey asshole, what the fuck is going on,” she screamed. We both looked at each simultaneously as we realized what had happened. I was being abducted. I rifled through my purse to find my phone to call Victor in LA or Cooper — fuck, the Calvary for all I cared. “Shit,” I hissed under my breath. I had left my phone on my bed stand charging.
Scarlett’s face was intense. She was hatching an escape route, her eyes darting around the back of the Cadillac, the edges of her lips forming a smile. She grabbed my left shoe to examine the heel, to see if it was pointy enough to smash the back window. To her disappointment, I was wearing flats and we were traveling at a high rate of speed. Fast enough to do damage if I hurled myself from a moving car, but my odds might be better than being taken to some remote spot in the woods and executed Mob style, shot in the back of the head and thrown in a shallow grave. A knot formed in my throat and I fought off tears. I channeled my inner MacGyver and emptied my purse on the floor hoping to find anything to use as a weapon. If I could impale Frankie, the smaller one, then I could make a run for it.
By the looks of the driver, Pauley, his indulgence in one too many cannolis made sprinting difficult. Scarlett wished we had brought her purse because it held a small arsenal.
I grabbed the Mace that Victor insisted I have on me at all times; I love my overprotective Adonis sometimes, I smiled to myself. The Cady slowed to a stop and I glanced out the window to see two meaty fingers punching in a code. I saw the gates close behind us.
A sense familiarity washed over me. The Cady stopped and I heard the passenger door open. I concealed the Mace in my left hand, finger on the trigger. Scarlett pulled her Taser she had stashed in her boots at the house and was next to me as backup in case I missed. The door flung open, Frankie leaned in and grabbed my arm. I aimed the Mace, fired, and nothing, I tried again and got a small amount out. He slapped the Mace out of my hand and then slapped me hard across the face. Tears welled up in my eyes. Scarlett kicked him hard in the balls, neither one of us was going down without a fight.
“Why the fuck did you smack her?” Pauley yelled.
“The little bitch tried to Mace me,” he snapped, rubbing his left eye.
Pauley grabbed my arm, forceful enough to send me a message that trying to run was not happening. I gasped when I looked up at the house and realized where I was. I think Scar even peed herself a little. This was Victor’s father house, these were his goons, and I wanted to vomit all over the rose bushes. I noticed Frankie was trailing behind mumbling ‘Fuckin girl’ under his breath. Pauley shot him a ’shut it’ look.
The front door to the mansion was guarded by two men dressed the same as my captors. Gray dress pants, white shirt and a tie.” The Mob was a well-dressed bunch of criminals I’d give them that. They always looked like they stepped out of a fashion magazine. Pauley’s grip on my arm was still iron solid. He maneuvered me through the ample foyer with the large gaudy chandelier that had to be standard issue in every gangster’s house as well the opulent staircase. We passed paintings that resembled the ones that hung in Victor’s house, painted by his mother.
At the far end of the foyer was the dining room. Joe Salvatore sat at the far end of the table and Pauley pulled out a wooden chair at the opposite end and pushed me into it. Both my arm and my right cheek throbbed. Pauley walked over to Joe, leaned in, and whispered in his ear. Joe nodded and Pauley vanished through the side door.
“Miss Ellington, my pleasure to see you again,” he said wiping the side of his mouth with the white linen napkin. “May I offer you some lunch, my dear?”
“No, sir,” I said, barely audible. My heart was racing. Scarlett was on a mission to find an escape route. She pulled out her measuring tape and was jotting down dimensions in her little notebook mumbling expletives under her breathe. Fuck, that option is out she mumbled.
“Oh that’s right, you’re a Southern peach. I forgot how polite you are all raised.”
I just glared at him, desperate to keep my wits. He was so fucking intimidating, he oozed respect and power out of every crevasse in his body. His name sent the most hardened criminal into a state of panic. He was a handsome man, despite the brutality of his life. His eyes, almost black, were hiding more secrets than I ever wanted to know. Each wrinkle earned with bullets and blood, and each gray hair signified a life stolen by the Mob, including my uncle Sid’s. Anger welled up in me, but fear was winning at the moment. Nobody fucked with Joe Salvatore and lived to tell about it.
The dining room table was just short of a masterpiece; skillfully carved edges and a rich intoxicating color that was reminiscent of a good glass of merlot, the carvings on the table were similar to those of Salvatore Vineyards.
Joe pushed away from the table and motioned for me to stand. My legs were frozen like they were in blocks of cement. I gulped with the anticipation that they would be soon enough. He gently cupped my elbow in his hand, stopping for a minute as the light caught the bruise forming on my cheek from the back of Frankie’s hand. He frowned and looked in the direction of the driveway. He knew without me even ratting the bastard out. I had the pleasure of knowing what Victor would do to him when he found out. That’s all the restitution I need. Scarlett rubbed her hands together; she could hardly contain her giddiness at the mere thought.
Joe guided me over to the mantle above the fireplace.
“This is my mother Lucia and Victor when he was a baby.”
Even though every nerve ending in my body was on high alert and Scarlett was ready to open a can of whoop ass at any second, I let out a small giggle at my Adonis with his cherub face and ringlet curls. Joe’s reactions were harder to read than an instruction manual in Japanese. He grabbed my arm with more conviction than the last time and led me back into the dining room.
“Miss Ellington, you have caused me a great deal of turmoil these last few weeks. I’m not going to bull shit you. You will hand over that book to me. In the wrong hands it will cause unrest between the families and there are many people who will kill you and every one you love for it, including me.”
“I—I don’t have it.” Shit, I wanted to sound more convincing than that. Scarlett was much braver than I was and Z snapped him.
“Bull shit!” It was like the fuse I lit just made contact with the bomb. He pushed all the dishes on the table to the floor and glass was flying like shrapnel. In a flash he pushed me face down onto the massive table holding both of my wrists in one hand and with his free hand grabbed my ponytail. His body was thrust against mine. I was trapped, unable to even move. My heart was pounding. Scar was standing behind Joe with a cast iron skillet over his head.
“Now I’m going ask again,” he seethed. ‘Where is that fuckin’ book?” Joe’s hand was running up the back of my thigh and he grabbed my ass so hard I yelp.
I tried to pick up my head and he smashed my face on the table again.
“I don’t want to hurt you, because my son obviously loves you, but I will, without a second thought. Do you understand me?”
He was close to my ear. I could feel his breath on my cheek. My nose was bleeding from being slammed against the table.
“Yes, sir. I do,” I whispered barely audible. His grip on my ass tightened as his fingers dug into my flesh. I so regret throwing on a sun dress and thong.
“Good girl,” he said, his tone sinister. He brushed his finger down my cheek, to my neck. He pulled me back up and silently left. I tipped my head back to stop the bleeding. An older woman entered through the side door, she reminded me of those old grandmothers you see depicted in the old country of Tuscany. I wondered who she was and if she had a clue who she was working for. Scarlett was chugging the wine right from the bottle, and was eyeing the canter of hard liquor on the small table in the corner.
Joe walked back into the dining room and waved for the older woman to leave. She tucked a stray piece of gray hair back behind her ear, and silently left. Joe leaned against the table so he was facing me sitting in the chair. “Pauley and Frankie will take you to get me that book. Understand?”
“Yes.” I had to think fast. “But the problem is where its stashed is not accessible today.” His posture stiffened and the corners of his face turned down. I gripped the edge of the table and I braced myself to get slapped again.
“Don’t play with me, little girl. I’ve made it very clear to you that I will, without even a second thought, hurt you and everyone you love, including my son.”
“I don’t believe that, Mr. Salvatore. I know enough about the Mob’s code of family to know you wouldn’t hurt Victor. Not over something like this.”
I stared him in the eye, trying to play it cool. Scarlett threw a knife at the wall hoping to intimate him. But he was the Godfather of the East Coast Mob. He’d already proven to me when they tortured Luke that they didn’t care about anyone who threatened their way of life and mere existence. He didn’t respond immediately. He didn’t have too. Just his eyes and body language gave me my answer. Joe grabbed my head in both of his hands similar to how Victor did when he is about to kiss me. Joe’s eyes were intense and scared the shit out of me.
“Don’t ever challenge or threaten me, darling. If you’re so well versed in our code, then you know when a mark is placed on someone,
it seals your fate. The only one that can remove that fuckin’ mark is me, and only me. If I get the word out that Victor is planning on going to the Feds with information, then it is out of my hands. Because the people named in the book don’t give a flying fuck if Victor is my son. They will not go down and will kill anyone who ever attempts to fuck with their way of life or business. So don’t you ever doubt my authority and power. Do I make myself clear?” He dragged his finger down my cheek and I pulled away.
“Yes.” I didn’t hide the contempt in my voice and my eyes were launching grenades at him. Scarlett threw two daggers she had been sharpening the last ten minutes at Joe. One landed above his right ear into the forehead of the man on the painting and the other one I had to duck as it quivered hitting the wall just above an expensive looking statue. She made a mental note to practice her aiming skills.
“You have two days to retrieve that book and deliver it. Or your beloved Aunt Ella can join her rat husband and rot in the ground,” he said spitting on the carpet.
“Fuck you!” I screamed. “You bastard!”
He yanked my ponytail again and was squeezing my chin in his hand. “You have the power to save them all or watch them die. You choose.”
That was it, Scar had finished off the bottle of Merlot and the Sherry in the crystal canter. It wasn’t enough. She needed something else, she disappeared into the kitchen.
Joe was on his feet and yanked me out of the chair, grabbed my sore arm and escorted me into the foyer. Vivian was standing on the staircase glaring at me. I shot her an empathic look to please talk some sense into her husband. Her expression was blank, uncaring and distant. I wondered what she knew. Joe opened the large mahogany front door with the stain glass window and Pauley was waiting for me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Scarlett running through the foyer with a big ass piece of chocolate cake and flipped off Vivian as she darted by. She never did like the gold digging bitch.
Pauley replaced Joe’s grip on my sore arm, and escorted me to the waiting Cadillac. Frankie glowered at me from the passenger seat as a bright red hallo garnished his right eye. Scarlett stuck her tongue out at him; she was ready for round two with Frankie. Neither man spoke as the partition went up. This time I was thankful for the privacy. I wanted to just lose my shit and start sobbing, but refused to give those two assholes the satisfaction. I had to hold it together, too many lives, including my own, depended on it.