“Really? Princess? I don’t even wear pink.”
He laughs out loud. “It’s a compliment. Honest.”
I’m still a little insulted, but tell him, “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.”
We arrive at my apartment building, and Jack and another person from the team walk me upstairs to Todd’s.
“Thank you. I’m expecting a grocery delivery in about an hour for our dinner tonight. I hope you guys are hungry.”
“We appreciate that,” Jack says, smiling. “I’ll make sure it’s delivered.”
I change into a pair of shorts, a T-shirt, and a wide-brim hat, then grab my book to read on the patio. This is one of the rare moments that the sun shines; summer borders on depressing with all the gray and fog, so spring and fall are the best times to be in San Francisco.
I’ve only read a few lines when my eyes grow heavy. With so much stress in my life, I’m exhausted.
I’m only going to rest my eyes for a minute.
I’m awoken when I hear, “You were supposed to fall in love with me.”
I turn to see Jeffery standing only a few feet away. I sit up suddenly, surveying my surroundings and gauging if I can get to the fire escape stairs. My heart is pounding so loud, I’m sure he can hear it. “How did you get in here?”
“I sent your bodyguards on a wild-goose chase and came in with some groceries.”
I try to look cool, calm, and collected as I control my breathing and listen. Jim’s team must’ve figured out quickly that they’re on a wild-goose chase and will return to check on me. I hope. “Are you here to kill me?”
He releases an evil laugh. “Maybe after I fuck you in the ass.”
“Isn’t that what your boss Kuznetsov’s doing by making me and my friends prisoners?”
“He’s not my boss. He’s just some jackass who needed some help. Why did you run out on me that day? I’m a stud. I’m very handsome, and I would’ve showered you with gifts.”
“It’s good to see you have such a high opinion of yourself,” I say with as much bravado as I can muster.
In two quick steps, he’s standing above me and slaps me hard across the face. My head’s ringing, and I can taste acrid blood in my mouth.
“Don’t ever talk to me like that,” he growls through clenched teeth.
My hand automatically goes to the sting of where he slapped me. I fight back the tears and my fear, trying to give him my most convincing evil look. I won’t let him think I’m scared shitless, even though I am. Where are my security teams? They must see him on the security cameras. Shit! My panic button is with my keys by the front door.
He points to his crotch—he has a hard-on. Jesus fucking Christ. “This is what you do to me. I’d planned on fucking you that afternoon when you ran out on me.”
“My friend needed me. But you told me your name was Michael. Why didn’t you tell me your name is Jeffery?”
“I needed to find out what you knew about the organization, but you didn’t want to talk about your job.”
I need to stall and keep him talking long enough for Todd, the FBI, or Jim’s team to figure out something’s wrong.
“No, not typically. I find software developers all have ideas about starting their company and they want money for the investment. I don’t want to mix business with pleasure.”
He thrusts his hips at me. “I will show you pleasure.”
I slowly stand and move a chair between us. “You must have a lot of girlfriends.”
“I do. I get laid three times a day. They worship my big dick. I’ve seen the pretty boy you’re living with. I bet his dick’s small. You want to see my big dick?”
I see the door to the back staircase and fire escape. If I can get there, I can hopefully fly down the stairs before he can get to me. I move away quickly, but he’s quicker and grabs me by the arm.
“Not so fast, bitch.” He sprays me with spittle as he talks. My stomach is churning as I try to keep from shaking with fear.
I’m able to wrench myself free from his grasp, but I know I need to keep him calm so he doesn’t hurt me in any way. I’m sure Jim and his team will arrive soon, hopefully before Todd gets home.
Oh God, I don’t want Todd to come home. He’ll definitely kill Todd.
My mind races. I need to figure out how to stop Todd from coming home. I see my phone, but it’s closer to Jeffery than it is to me.
He pulls his black sweatpants down and begins to stroke himself. “I bet you give good head.”
I’m equally terrified of being raped as I am being killed. I negotiate for a living. Maybe I can negotiate my way out of this lunacy.
“Jeffery, what can I do to persuade you to leave, and then we pretend you were never here?”
His face softens, and I think I’ve made some headway until an evil look crosses his face. He licks his lips, making my stomach tighten and my skin crawl. “You were told to shut up, and you didn’t. There are consequences for that. Your friend Donald didn’t realize we weren’t kidding, but you will.”
If negotiating with him isn’t going to work, maybe if I explain myself and be honest, he’ll back off. “I don’t know anything, Jeffery. I only know what Ethan Sommers told me, that Dimitri Kuznetsov was the biggest contributor to our fund, but in exchange he wanted copies of all the proprietary information. I only reported that to the FBI through my lawyer. I never told them who I was. They found out the rest through Donald, and I think Ethan.”
“Ethan’s Dimitri’s nephew. He didn’t sell out the family. He knows that kind of disloyalty would put him and his entire family in a grave.”
That news physically knocks the air out of my lungs, and I struggle to stay upright. He got into bed with Dimitri on purpose. I didn’t think he knew Dimitri Kuznetsov was Russian mob, but he knew the entire time. He knew everything and still put all of us in danger.
I have to keep Jeffery talking and stall him until someone can figure out I’m in trouble. “Is Dimitri head of the local organized crime family?”
“He may think he is, but I have all the lieutenants lined up. They’re ready to find him a shallow grave in the desert.”
I feel like I just found an opening. I can get him to talk about himself. “Wow, how did you get so lucky to get them all in line?”
“I gave them money and whores. That works for those dumb fucks all the time.”
“What’s your plan when you take over?”
“I’m already the pakhan. That’s what we call the leader. Dimitri’s just a fat, stupid fuck, but I need to get him to give me his money, and to do that, I need to deliver you to him. He doesn’t care if you’re alive or dead, so it’s your choice. But first you’re going to suck my cock.”
“What will Dimitri do if he finds out?”
He laughs, making me recoil. There’s zero humor in his laugh, nor does he smile. He’s completely deranged, and it sends shivers down my spine.
“Dimitri will want you to do the same to him. You’re stupid. You’re a whore with a big mouth. I’ll tell him that to shut you up, I made you suck my cock and drink all my cum.”
There’s a flash above me at Coit Tower. I can’t be sure, but I swear it’s one of Jim’s men at a lookout. Even if I don’t know for sure, it’s enough to give me the strength to continue.
Suddenly there’s a noise, and Jeffery takes his eyes off me. I see my opportunity to make a run for it, and I seize it.
With my heart racing and my nerves shot to hell, I sprint to the kitchen, shutting and locking the patio door behind me. Running into the kitchen I try the fire escape door—it’s closer than the front door and I don’t know where my team is. I pull on the door with shaking hands, but it won’t open. I turn the handle and pull—nothing. I only have a few seconds before he catches up to me.
I don’t know what’s keeping the door from opening, so I run to the master bedroom to hide in the huge walk-in closet. Half of it is empty, but I know Todd keeps his golf clubs in a corner; I can arm myself
with one of the drivers.
As I wait for Jeffery to come looking for me, I try to slow my panting so I don’t give myself away.
I can do this. I can do this.
Chapter THIRTY-TWO
Todd
I’m just exiting the car when my phone rings—Jim. Before he can say anything, I offer, “Hey, I just got to the apartment.”
“Todd, I’m having trouble reaching my team in the building. The video feed’s down. It could be just a power outage or something else. The FBI and the police are on their way.”
Looking around, I see signs and lights on everywhere. I even notice lights in the front window of one of the apartments. “Jim, it isn’t the electricity.”
“Shit! Don’t go in. There are trained professionals on their way.”
Oh to hell with that idea. No, absolutely not. “I can’t leave her without any protection. There’s no electricity so the elevators aren’t working. I’m going up the fire escape stairs. When you guys arrive, just tell them where I am and what I look like so they don’t shoot me.”
“Don’t go in, Todd.”
I drop my bag at the base of the stairs, leaving my suit coat and tie behind me as I make my way up the stairs two at a time. “I’m halfway up the second flight. You can’t stop me.”
I disconnect the call, then call Cynthia’s phone.
Please pick up. Please pick up.
“Who’s this?” a man answers.
Holy shit, they’ve gotten into my place. I race up the stairs in a panic. “Who are you? I’m looking for Cynthia.”
“You must be the boyfriend with the little dick she told me about.”
He sounds like he’s off his meds. “May I speak with her?”
“After I’m done fucking her. If I’m feeling generous and she’s as fun as I think she’ll be, I may allow you to talk to her before I kill her. But I may change my mind. We’ll see if she’s as good taking my giant dick as I think she is. Tell me, is her cunt tight? I’ve been dreaming about her cunt.”
I close my eyes and stop climbing. If he’s hurt her, I’m going to personally make it my mission in life to hunt him down and gut him.
Holding the banister, I listen to him talk, but he’s making no sense. I can’t just go running in; chances are he has a weapon. I need a plan. Trying to keep my cool, I stress, “I’d like to talk to her.”
“She’s busy right now.” I can hear him panting, and I’m terrified for her. I’m back to climbing the stairs and am almost to the top floor. Why do I have to live in the penthouse? Why not the second floor?
I’m not really listening and don’t realize he’s stopped talking.
“You’re breathing hard, my friend. You must be very mad. Doesn’t she have the most beautiful tits? Those nipples look like pencil erasers. I’m going to fuck them too.”
I want to scream that if he touches her, I’ll cut his dick off.
I’m finally outside the door to my apartment and ready to enact my plan. In a menacing voice, I warn, “Just tell Cynthia that I’m on my way. And I’m coming for you, motherfucker.”
He matches my tone and tells me, “Oh, we’ll be gone before you arrive.” Then he disconnects the call.
I slowly insert my key and open the heavy fire door, spotting him looking for something.
“Cynthia, where did you go?” he asks. “I want to play with your cunt. Please come out and play with me.”
She must be hidden somewhere in my apartment.
Feeling much calmer because I know he isn’t touching her, I push the door open with a measured pace, trying not to make any noise.
Before I know it, I’m grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground in my kitchen. I never heard anyone coming up behind me on the stairs.
Rolling into a fetal position, I protect my head and take a beating as they kick at me mercilessly.
Chapter THIRTY-THREE
Cynthia
I’ve been ignoring Jeffery’s taunts for me. I heard other people come in, but they’re speaking Russian.
Jim’s team must be on their way. I just need to stay hidden until they get here.
I shrink back farther into the closet, which is angled in such a way that he’d have to walk into the closet before he could see me. There’s a commotion outside, and I figure this is my time to make a run for it.
Clutching the biggest driver Todd has in his bag, I come charging out of the room. My heart aches when I see Todd on the floor, bloody and beaten, but it gives me the adrenaline push to do what I need to do.
Somewhere inside of me, my anger boils over, and without a second thought, I wave the golf club all around. Sure, I look like a lunatic, but I need them to believe that I sit on the wrong side of sane.
I played baseball in school, so I get into a nice batting stance, cock back, and hit one of the monsters. The guy takes the full-force swing in the face and crumples to the ground, his blood and teeth sprayed across the floor. I swing wildly at two others, then look for Jeffery, but all I see is Todd in a fetal position on the ground.
The sight of him lying on the floor, blood dripping down his face, breaks me. All I can do is face them, go head-to-head, and hope I come out the other side in one piece.
Jeffery walks into the room and raises his hands in surrender. “I give up.”
That’s my mistake. His mock surrender gives me the false impression that I’m in control. That’s when he shuffles sideways, and I don’t react fast enough. He kicks Todd again, and my insides constrict as if I’m the one being beaten.
I lose sight of how many people are in the room and where they are. The next thing I know, someone picks me up from behind and slams me down to the ground.
“You fucking cunt. You’ll pay for what you’ve done,” one of the men exclaims.
The air shoots from my lungs, and I lie there, sure I’m going to die.
Jeffery keeps ranting and raving about his sexual prowess. Who’s he trying to convince, him or me? He pushes at me with his foot, but even though I hurt all over, I’m not going down without a fight.
“Just kill me now. I promise you, if you stick your dick anywhere near my mouth, I’ll bite it off.”
“I’ll leave you here to think about that.” He gets up in my face with a sinister look and growls, “Because I promise you, I can make your death slow and very painful. It’s your choice.”
He motions to his men, and they pull me up so I’m kneeling on the floor with my hands tied to my ankles behind me. It’s incredibly painful, and I know they’re enjoying this. They then walk out behind me to the patio, shutting the door.
If I can just hold on, I know the FBI will figure out what’s going on and be here any time.
Todd winks at me through a bloody and almost swollen shut eye. A wave of relief washes over me that he’s still alive.
Picking at the ties binding my wrists, I hear the door open behind me and I shift on my pained knees to look. There’s a scuffle of several feet, and then I see them—Jeffery and two of his goons.
“You know, I don’t recall your names. What are they again?” I ask. It’s all I can come up with to stall. I know Todd must’ve talked to either Jim or the FBI and someone must be on their way. If they aren’t coming, we’re screwed, but I can’t focus on that. I need to give them time, but I also don’t want these assholes to figure out Todd’s alive.
A goon steps up to me and wrenches my head back by my hair, his hand tight around my throat as he growls, “You have a big mouth, bitch.”
Jeffery waves his hand, and the man lets me go. I sag forward, sucking in air until I can breathe again—well, the best I can with pain slicing up my side. The slam to the ground likely bruised or even broke something.
“Here’s how it’s going to work,” Jeffery says, frighteningly calmly as he stalks toward me, staring me in the eyes. “You and I are going to have a little fun. If it goes well, it’ll only be me. If it doesn’t, it’ll be all of us, and maybe at the same time.”
“What a
bout Dimitri?” I ask, petrified of his answer.
“Oh, don’t worry, he has plans for you. Don’t be surprised if he cuts your tongue out for all the problems your big mouth has caused him. He doesn’t care what you look like when I give you over to him.”
My body goes cold. I know Todd’s alive, but I’m not sure he can do anything, not even nonverbal communication. My fingers work furiously at the knots holding my arms, and surprisingly they come free. I hope they’re too preoccupied to notice until the time is right.
When one of the goons lifts me by my hair, I stand and yelp. Guns are drawn immediately, ready to take me out if I make a bad move.
I’m concerned that it’s just Todd and me and our time is running out. My anger and panic are warring as I fight back the tears ready to spill free.
Suddenly Todd springs to his feet, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get through this. The man holding me is too busy watching Todd grapple a gun away from one of the others, and I kick him so hard in the balls that I’m not sure they’ll ever descend again. He’s turning a well-deserved shade of purple as Todd punches his opponent in the face, knocking him out cold. Two of the four men are now down.
I’m grabbed from behind by the third and held tightly. I stamp hard on the man’s feet, but he just laughs. “Bitch.”
With one hand, he grips both of my arms from behind, then wraps the other in my hair. My panic and fear return like a crushing blow at my immobility. I can’t help but cry as I struggle to break free, to no avail.
He pulls me close to his mouth, his warm breath on my ear. In a slight Russian accent, he warns, “Stay still, or you’ll get hurt.”
I won’t allow myself to let them take me willingly. I continue to struggle, writhing against his hold, until I see the flash of a blade. “He’s got a knife!” I scream at Todd.
Todd reaches for a towel, and Jeffery makes multiple lunges at him, trying hard to stab him. Each time he does, Todd defends himself with the towel, attempting to wrap it around Jeffery’s hand and wrench the knife from his grip.
They scuffle from the kitchen to the living room, circling like two partners in a fine dance. Jeffery lunges and Todd deflects him. Time and again they circle, sneering and sharing obscenities, until I can no longer see them.
Obsession: (Billionaire Venture Capitalist #5) A Billionaire Russian Mob Romance Page 21