by Cassie May
“Did you make it right with your woman again?”
“Yes, I was just leaving her and Luca at the bakery. You know it wouldn’t kill you to call her by her name, Rico.”
“Be careful today. I have a bad feeling.” He doesn’t even react to my teasing and I sigh.
“I will. I’ll call when everything is over.”
With that I end the call. I have to concentrate on what’s to come now. Driving around town I search for Theresa at her usual spots, but I don’t find her and I get more nervous with every passing moment. Something is so not right. Looking over my shoulder I’ll make sure no one has followed me before pulling in a small street to call her.
“Matteo?” Her voice is strange and I grimace. What did I interrupt?
“Yeah, it’s me. Where are you? You said you have something for me.”
“Yeah, I am not in town anymore. I lied. I have nothing and I couldn’t keep this shit up. The police was onto me and I don’t want some officer following every step I make. He is still looking for me and I can’t risk getting found. Sorry.”
“But… Why telling me you found something? You could have just vanished. What’s going on, T?” Frowning I try to make sense out of her tone and the things she said. It doesn’t fit together.
“I just wanted some more money from you, but it got too hot in town. Like I said, the police was onto me. Have a nice life Matt.” With that the call is ended and I stare at my phone.
Punching the steering wheel I curse. Fuck! And here I was thinking I could end it today. Starting the car again I drive aimlessly through town replaying the conversation in my mind over and over. This is so not typical for Theresa. She would have told me if the police was following her. She did so before and I always told her to back off and vanish for a few days. This time it is different. She sounded… strained… And normally the police never worried her enough to skip town. The. Police. Fuck! It was a code. She never called them police. It was pigs or New York’s finest in a sarcastic tone. She would never call them police. And she never called me Matt. Or Matteo. It was always mafia man. Fuck! She must have been caught.
Pulling out my phone I open the tracker app that is connected to a small GPS tracker in her phone. It works without batteries, so even if they shut off the phone and take out the battery I would get a signal. Seeing the red dot pinging not too far away from my current position I decide to drive over. I have several weapons with me and in the car and if they let her answer the phone they can’t be too clever. Whoever it is that has her.
Shutting off my phone I make a turn and drive the short way over to an industrial part of New York where the Mexican’s are supposed to be located. I just hope this has nothing to do with them. Even Clara can’t be that stupid to finance our enemy. When I am sure that I have found the right warehouse I drive another round to check everything out. I don’t see any guards which is just plain stupid if you ask me. But it makes it easier for me.
Parking the car in the lot of a big company I get out. Strapping an additional gun to my ankle and hiding a knife in my sleeve I check the rest of the weapons hidden on my body and make my way over to the seemingly empty warehouse. I am not stupid enough to walk into an unknown situation without checking it out before. Climbing on a stack of empty boxes I look inside and what I see has my stomach clenching. Theresa is alive. But she looks bad. Obviously she was punched and tortured. One of her eyes is already swollen shut and I see burns on her naked arms. She is still fully clothed in jeans and a shirt, but the way the men around her are leering at her it is only a matter of time till that is going to change. “Fuck.” My voice is a gritty mutter.
She has already endured so much, why, why did I have to drag her into this? Shaking my head to keep my thoughts clear and alert I muster the guys. They must be Mexican. The ugly tattoos on their necks show as much. How did she get in their hands? When one of the guys strokes his finger down the front of her shirt she jerks back, making the chair she is bound to topple over and her head knock on the floor. It has left her unconscious or obviously too dizzy when the guys laugh and kick her in the stomach she doesn’t move.
“Let’s get out of here and come back later. She won’t wake up soon and if she doesn’t fight us it is too boring. We have other things to do. Mainly finding that bastard Italian who called. He may know more than she told us.” The four guys turn to the door to leave and that is my clue to hide better.
When they get out one stays back when the head bastard tells him to stay as a guard. He grumbles, but the others promise him the first try at T and I have to hold myself back when his face lights up in sick happiness. How? I never understood the fun in taking a woman against her will. This is so sick. After the other three guys have left I sneak onto him and knock him out with the butt of my gun. He crumples down without a sound and I drag him inside with me. Ziptying his arms and legs I make my way over to Theresa who is still laying on her back, bound to the chair.
Carefully to not hurt her more I shake her shoulder and her eyes widen. “Matteo! What the fuck are you doing here?” Her voice is a raspy whisper and I see the panic rising in her eyes.
“Shhh… I’m here to save you, kid. Sorry it took me so long to figure your code out. Since when do you call me Matteo, anyways?” I make quick work of her bonds and help her up from the floor.
“Since I couldn’t figure a way out to tell you that I am in trouble without tipping those losers off.” She grits out and grimaces when she makes a step.
“Where is the bastard? Do you think he started already without us? Idiot! I am just glad that I forgot my phone and we can check up on him. Enrico, where are you?” The voice from outside makes us both freeze and now I feel panic rising in me as well. There is no place to hide since the warehouse is completely empty, except for Theresa’s chair and a small table where the forgotten phone lays.
“Fuck! Matteo, you have to leave without me. I haven’t told them anything and you are far more important than me.” Theresa hisses and falls back on the chair.
Shaking my head I make myself ready for the bastards to come in. “No way. I can take three men out easily. I am not leaving you here to these sick bastards.” I just wish I would have called my brother before going inside. But the chance was too good.
When the doors in front of us open slowly I make myself ready to shoot, but a crash in my back makes me jump around. We are fucked. Five men from each side enter the warehouse while the leader grins.
“Seems as if our ruse was good.” Coming over to us he grabs Theresa’s chin and forces her to look at him. “See, we didn’t need you to tell us where to find him. He came all on his own after we caught his little spy.” When I see Theresa trying to get out of his grip I see red. Before I know it I have punched him in the face and he is howling in pain when blood gushes out of his nose.
“You don’t get to touch her, bastard. Does this make you feel good? Abusing a weak female? Why don’t you take someone of your size and we figure out who is the strongest?”
The clicking sound of a safety going off behind me has me freezing. “That would be me. Why don’t you put your hands up, so we can take your weapons and then make you watch us having fun with your little spy before we kill you both?” A dark voice behind me suggests and I lift my arms. Think. I need to think. My phone is outside in my car and unfortunately Rico won’t look for me till tomorrow. Val is going to miss me by evening, but it will take some time if someone comes looking for me. Damn secrets! I have to stall them.
The bastard with the broken nose steps up, blood still dripping down his shirt and starts patting me down. I almost laugh out loud when he misses at least two knives and the small gun on my ankle. Maybe the situation is not that worse. My grin must be enough to piss him off even more, because he punches me back.
“Still laughing? Well, let’s see how much you are going to laugh when we are having fun with that bitch here.” He grins maliciously and even though I feel my eye swelling shut I am more scared for There
sa than for myself. She is too weak to fight them and I can’t even imagine the things they can do to her before I can free myself.
I get pushed down on a second chair and we both get bound again. “We have to stall them, T. I still have two knives and a gun the bastard overlook, but I’ll need some time to figure out a plan. You good?” I whisper without moving my lips and feel her press my hand as a response. I just hope they leave her be for a while more.
When they step up to me I know it is my turn at first. Good. That means they are going to let her be. “You know, I’d love to send your brother your head after all this is over. It would be too funny to see him break under the knowledge that he has sent his own brother on a quest ending with his death.” One guy taunts while punching me in the stomach. I double over, but keep my mouth shut. I won’t give them the satisfaction of screaming.
“Do you think he will step down if you are dead? End his work for the Family that has already cost him his father and then his brother?” Another one asks while punching me in the face. Refusing to answer I see another one stalking over to Theresa.
“You know, you could be a real sweetheart if you wash all that street dirt of your skin. For me it is okay either way. I like my bitches dirty. I bet you are a fire cracker in bed.” He comes closer and tries to kiss her, but Theresa butts him in the head. That earns her another punch in the face and now I have to grit my teeth for another reason. There is nothing weaker than a man punching a woman or children. Seeing my reaction to her treatment the men let me and move over to her again.
“Obviously it hurts him more if we touch her. Well, that can be easily arranged.” The guys smirk and I force myself to simmer down my rage.
Think. Think of a way to distract them. “So is there something you expect as the outcome of this treatment?” I ask while slowly slipping my knife in my hands.
“Well, you mean besides us getting off? We already know that none of you would talk. It’s not the way you are wired which will make it so much more interesting to kill you later. If she would have talked we would go easy on her, but now she is going to enjoy every of our dicks more than once. In more than one opening, if you understand what I mean.” The guy grabs his junk and Theresa’s head snaps up, panic clearly visible in her eyes.
While I try to cut through my bonds they make her lose and drag her over to a dirty mattress someone has put in the middle of the warehouse. Theresa tries to struggle against her captors, but they are too strong for her already weakened body. Finally she manages to get lose and makes a run for the door, but I see it as what it is. Another ruse to make the chase more interesting for these animals. They come easily after her and when they make her trip she falls on the floor and I hear a sickening crack followed by a shout of pain. Laughing the guys drag her over to the mattress again while her right arm hangs down, bend unnaturally. She must have broken it. She flails and kicks when she gets tossed on the mattress and I feel the bile rising in my throat. I need to get us out of here and fast. I could never look in the mirror again if they manage to rape her.
One has already opened his trousers and an already hard cock gets pulled out. Not able to look away I stare at Theresa’s horrified eyes and cut hastily on my bonds. I need to get them off! I don’t care that I have obviously cut myself and blood is running down my hands. I need to help her. She doesn’t deserve this.
“I think I might try her mouth at first, so her screams are not that loud, what do you think?” The half-naked bastard shouts to his comrades and the jeer him on while holding her legs and arms. They don’t even spare the broken one and her shout of pain is muffled when the guy shoves his cock in her mouth. Gagging she swallows around him which makes him moan. “Oh damn, that bitch is good at giving head!” He moans and that is the moment I see the decision in her eyes. In the flicker of a second she decides that she is going to die. She closes her eyes in the same moment I have finally cut through my bonds. The acceptance of the situation rolls off of her in waves and with one fast movement I have pulled out my gun, but it is already too late. While no one of the Mexican’s has noticed the change in her I see her closing her jaw with as much force she can still muster and the jeering is cut through by a shrill scream when the guy on her mouth tries to pull out his dick.
Finally Theresa lets him go and bends over to vomit blood and whatever she had in her stomach on the mattress. “The bitch tried to bite of my dick!” the guy howls while the others are still in shock. He pulls out his gun and before I can think of my actions I have jumped in front of her to shield her from the wrath of this guy who has a now limp and bloody dick tangling between his legs. He really should let that get checked out. Well, he won’t survive this day anyways.
Before he can pull the trigger my own shot booms through the warehouse and he falls on the floor a tiny red point on his forehead. That snaps the others out of their stasis and chaos breaks out. I pull Theresa up to me to shield her as good as I can from whatever is coming against us while shooting in the crowd, trying to do as much damage as I can. Soon there is a small opening, but before I can take a step I feel the burn on my side and look down. Fuck! One of the bastards actually managed to shoot me. It doesn’t feel as if something important was hit, but gut wounds bleed too much, even if nothing important is hit. We stagger through the crowd while I try to fend everybody off.
I don’t know how, but we manage to get outside while harming at least so much of them that we have a tiny advance. “My car is parked on the other side. We only have to get there and then I can bring us somewhere safe.”
I feel Theresa shaking her head. “I won’t make it that far, please, just leave me here. It’s okay. They will just kill me now.”
“I won’t leave you here, you fucking stubborn girl!” I grit out and then pick her up in my arms. My wound hurts like a bitch and I know I only have seconds till these guys come after us and the blood loss gets too much for me to concentrate. I stagger over to my car and push Theresa on the backseat. “No matter what happens, you keep your head down, do you hear me?” She just moans when I let her down and I slip in the front seat. I need to get out.
We must have been longer in the warehouse than I thought, since it is already dark outside and as soon as I start the car a heavy rain starts. That is good. It gives us another advantage since my car is black and a standard model. As long as I make it to a more crowded area we can just vanish in the traffic. I drive like a maniac even though no one comes after us. Obviously they are not stupid enough to start a high speed chase. Theresa’s moans have stopped and I shoot a worried look at her. Her eyes are closed and she is barely breathing. I don’t know if she has injuries that are not visible, but I think so. The way those guys kicked and punched her I would be surprised if she wouldn’t have major organs affected. I look back on the road and realize that my subconsciousness has led me to the area where Valerie lives. I stop the car and get out. Immediately I am soaking wet from the rain, but I won’t park my car in front of her house. She doesn’t need even more danger coming to her. Groaning I pick Theresa up again and stalk in the direction of Val’s house. I try to hide in the shadows, but keeping a clear head is getting more difficult the longer I walk. I feel blood gushing out my wound and finally see Val’s door. Gathering my last strength I knock and then fall on the cold stone steps waiting for someone to come before everything gets dark.
Chapter 24
Matteo
The rest of the night is muted as if someone has put headphones on my ears and a semi-transparent blindfold over my eyes. I feel people prodding my body, hear them talking. Sometimes there is Valerie handing me a bottle full of something that must be alcohol, because it burns when I sip it. Then my brother is here and tells me that I am not allowed to die. He has brought a doc with him and tells him to look after me before looking after Theresa. That is the one time I do protest. She should be treated first. After all she was almost raped and has bit off a dick to save me. That has to be rewarded. Through the fog of pain and alcohol
I feel Luca sitting on my legs and Rico holding my arms. I know they want to take out the bullet and I brace myself for the pain that is to come. It comes. And it feels as if a fucking blistering pole is shoved in my side. I don’t know if I moaned, but I realize that I am being moved after the pain gets better. I hold onto the arm that carries me and murmur Valerie’s name. She has to come with me. It’s the safest place in the city right now since I don’t know if we were followed. “Yeah, brother. We are waiting for her. She is already packing a bag. She’ll come with us.”
And then she is here. Next to me. I am sure she wishes now that she has never met me. After the chaos I brought to her doorstep. “Val? Are you okay?”
Immediately she bends down to me and whispers in my ear. “I am okay. Don’t move too much. You are still losing a lot of blood and I need you to get completely better. There’s so much we wanted to do together. You’ll have to get better to do them.” Relieved I feel my eyes close again and this time I am too tired to keep them open. Val is with me. I will survive.
I wake up again when they carry me inside. A sharp pain blooms in my side and I hear myself groaning. “Shhh…It is almost over. You can go to sleep in a few minutes as soon as the doc has stitched your wound.” Val. She is still here.
A few minutes later I feel numbness spreading from my gut shot and force my eyes open. The doc is bend over me stitching the shot wound close and Val is standing behind him. Her bottom lip almost sucked in her mouth. I can't even imagine what she is feeling right now.
As soon as the doc is finished and has left the room she is crawling into the bed with me. Carefully snuggling up to my non-injured side she lays her head on my chest and then I feel her shoulders shaking when the dam finally breaks. Her sobs cut through my fog and the pain she radiates is so much worse than the pain I felt before. “I… I was… So scared… I thought you would die and leave me alone!” Her words are barely recognizable through her sobs and I lift my arms to wrap them around her shaking body.