“Uh huh.” Naithon nodded, his eyes narrowed as he tried to follow her tract.
“So, I create the renditions, but instead of making them exact copies, I make them look like,” her lip curled with a grimace of grief, “like they’re dead. You know, dad would be grey and gaunt from the poisoning, and Janero,” she took a shattering breath, “would be burnt and…horribly damaged.”
Another long drawn breath, she went on, “Then I can photograph them, and you can get the pictures released to the media.”
Naithon nodded as he imagined what she was describing. “Ja, Duce would see them and believe they were dead. Then he’d go after your sister and,” his lips bunched with anger and a tinge of fear. “You. He will come for you, Kiri.”
She decided it wasn’t the best time to tell him about the second half of her plan. “Yes. I’d like to get started right away, can you take me to my studio? I’ve already ordered the materials I’ll need. And, I’d like to get the clothes Janero was wearing when,” she broke off at the memory of her brother lying in a coma swathed in bandages.
“Hmm, ja, okay. But first,” Naithon took the pad and pencil from her and set them on the coffee table. Then he grasped the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled it up so fast her arms went up with it and he popped it off her head and tossed it aside.
“Naithon! What are you-”
“The entire time I was downstairs I had this in the back of my mind,” he grinned seductively at Kiri. He palmed her breasts over the bra, fondled them, roughly squeezing the soft globes in his hard hands, then he reached behind her and flicked the clasp of her bra. While she was still talking, he swooped the bra off, dropped it.
Pushing her on her back, as he covered her body with his, he yanked the button open on her jeans, by the time he had them and her panties removed, she was no longer talking.
Chapter Thirty
With the enlistment of several soldiers assisting her, Kiri was able to create the effigies fairly quickly. She had photographed the bodies from several angles. When everything was done, Naithon leaked the pictures to tabloid mags, and the sleazier news stations that took candid, and lurid pics of celebrities doing bad or foolish things.
Several days after the pictures were smeared all over the media, Kiri and Naithon were in a yelling, knockdown, drag out fight. She had told him the second part of her plan.
Naithon was shouting at her, hovering his big body over her petite figure to intimidate her, and she wasn’t having it. He bellowed, “You are not going to be the fucking bait, Kiri Delducci! You are not leaving this house!”
She opened her mouth to retort with a shout of her own, but then spoke more softly. Her hand on his arm, she said, “Naithon, there is no other way. Melonie is tucked away in a safe house, he can’t get at her right now. If I put myself out there, it will draw him out and maybe he’ll think that after he kills me, the money will go to Melonie and he can force her to sign over-”
“No fucking way!” Naithon roared, shrugging her hand off his arm. Bending down to yell in her face, he shouted, “You are not leaving this fucking house and that’s it!” He sliced a hand down declaring, “No further discussion.”
She glared at him, he glared back. “Naithon, listen-”
“I said no. Now,” his voice calmed a little, his mouth curved up in an enticing smile. “I have other ideas of what we can do with our time,” he threw his hand out grabbing for her blouse, but she danced out of his reach.
“No, Naithon, listen-” The landline rang drawing their attention. He hadn’t gotten her a cell phone because she wasn’t leaving the house so he felt there was no need for her to have one. So when anyone called for her, they dialed the landline. Their heads turned in unison to the ringing phone. Kiri went over and picked it up.
“Hello?” she said, her voice curious. She had few calls, only customers discussing orders. Her father had called when Naithon had specifically ordered him to keep a low profile. If the phone was tapped their ploy would fail. Rueford called almost daily. Even under threats of dismemberment and death from Naithon, he persevered. Naithon wanted to marry Kiri as quickly as he could talk her into it, that would get the prick off their backs.
“Kiri?” Melonie’s voice came through without its normal sneer of venom.
“Hi…Melonie,” Kiri answered a bit hesitant. Her sister barely ever said two words to her that weren’t nasty and hateful. “Everything okay?”
“Sure, sure,” Melonie replied. Then paused. She said, “Um, thing is, they got me stashed away and I am bored out of my mind! I mean, I don’t think I’m in any danger, no one has taken a potshot at me or tried to blow me up,” she gave a little giggle like they weren’t all rigid with trepidation of when the killer would strike again. Naithon had warned Kiri not to tell anyone, not even Melonie that Ignacio and Janero were still alive.
“Yes, I can see how you would be going stir crazy. I at least have my work and,” she glanced at Naithon who was staring fiercely at her. “Uh, well, I have things to occupy myself,” and almost swallowed her tongue when Naithon cupped his balls and stroked his hand over his penis. The fierce stare turned to a lewd soliciting grin.
“Sure,” the bitterness crept into Melonie’s voice. She said with undisguised resentment, “You’ve got that super stud Naithon Adranokov at your beck and call. I hear you finally let him between your legs.”
Kiri gulped and lowered her head as flames of embarrassment flooded her cheeks. “Melonie,” she cleared the discomfiture from her throat, “it’s-”
Her sister spoke over her, “Yeah, you got the prize bull all right. I’ve got slim pickings here at the safe house. Small dicks and pansy-assed sex, these soldiers here are boring, I’m tired of screwing the same- same. You know what I mean?”
The phone to her ear, Kiri shook her head, her face grew redder. Feeling Naithon moving closer, if he thought Melonie was disrespecting or upsetting her he’d snatch the phone out of her hand. She turned away so he couldn’t see her aghast expression. “Listen, Melonie, I’m kind of busy, I’m working on a project-”
“I know,” the sneer resumed in Melonie’s voice. “You’re a big shot artist or some shit now.” A slight feel sorry for herself whine entered her nasally voice, “You have no time for your sister. I’m all alone and lonely and no one cares. Don’t worry about me, I’ll just,” her tone grew desolate, “oh, stare at the walls some more I guess.”
The guilt struck Kiri just as Melonie knew it would. “Oh, now, please Melonie, what can I do to help? I’ll do whatever you like if it helps you feel better,” feeling Naithon’s scowl heat her back, she turned further from him.
“Really?” the cheer blasted right back into her voice. “You mean it? Because, I’d hate to get my hopes all up, my heart couldn’t take a rejection right now.”
“Yes, yes, of course I mean it. What can I do, Melonie?” Naithon’s growl stirred the hairs at the back of her neck. Melonie had asked a few times, well, maybe a million, if she could come and stay at the compound.
Naithon refused to even hear her plea, and shut Kiri down every time she tried to bring it up. He did not want that vindictive nasty shrew within a hundred miles of Kiri. Forget the fact that she was always falling all over him, who knew what kind of plot the bitch could hatch to get Kiri to sneak out again, and fall into Duce’s hands.
“Wow, great, you are a wonderful sister, Kirs,” Melonie gushed. “I am so claustrophobic cooped up here in this boring place. I thought maybe you and I could do lunch.”
“Lunch?” Kiri echoed. She murmured quietly, “Mel, you know Naithon won’t allow you to come here.”
“No, no, I know, he’s such an asshole. Even if he’d let me I don’t want to go there now. No, I was thinking we could go to a restaurant. Naithon could have his silly soldiers guarding us. It would be broad daylight, in plain sight, crowds of people around us, no one would ever take the chance on trying to pop either of us there.”
Kiri grew silent, Naithon reached for the pho
ne, she turned away from him again.
He growled, “What, Kiri, what is she saying?”
“Kirs?” The nasally sound slunk through the wires. “Please, please make him let you go. I,” she sighed dramatically, “I don’t know if I can go on living like this…you know what I mean?”
“Mel, come on, you know he won’t let me-”
Naithon broke in, “Let you do what, Kiri? What the hell is she asking you to do?” He slid his arm around her shoulder to hold her from moving away from him. He knew Melonie was a snake if there ever was one, and he wished Kiri would just write her off, banish her from her life. But his lamb was too soft hearted to do that. Instead, she allowed her sister’s sick venomous mouth to continue slinging poison at Kiri’s sweet heart.
“Please, Kiri, I’m begging you. I swear, if I don’t get out of here, I’ll…I’ll slit my wrists. I swear.”
“So, why don’t you just go out yourself? The guards will take you if you insist.”
A heavy sigh ground through the receiver. “Kirs,” she pleaded, “they won’t protect me to the nth degree like Naithon would if you were with me. Do you want me to die of suicide? Or getting shot because my detail was too lax? I’m your blood, Kirs, your sister, we’re all we have left of the family, can’t you do this one little thing for me? Going out alone is just as bad as staying here alone. I need company.”
“Besides,” she said with a loud sniff, “we need to plan Dad’s and Janero’s funerals. As soon as the pathologist releases their bodies, well,” she sighed sadly, “we have to bury them, Kirs. Don’t make me do it alone. Please?”
Kiri’s sigh matched her sister’s, the guilt forced her to give in. “Okay, I’ll meet you. When and where do you want to-” she scrunched her eyes at Naithon’s roar.
“Kiri, fuck, you are not leaving this fucking house! How many times do I have to fucking tell you!”
Melonie giggled. “I hear the master’s bellow. He has a violent streak, they say his temper is monumental. But,” her voice lowered in sisterly collusion, “the word is that you have the big man by the balls. You close your legs to him and he will do anything you say to get back in your cunt.”
“Melonie!” Kiri burst with mortification and shock at her sister’s vulgarity.
“Kiri,” Naithon warned that he was reaching his limits. He couldn’t hear Melonie’s side of the conversation, but by the red in her face, and the distress in Kiri’s voice, she wasn’t talking roses and kittens.
“Okay, okay,” Melonie sighed with irritation. “I forget what a little goody two shoes you are. Anyway, tomorrow at 12, how about we meet at the Sailor’s Fork? It’s on the water, we couldn’t be in a more secure location.”
“All right.” Resigned to going and therefore getting into another big fight with Naithon, Kiri said, “I’ll meet you there, gotta go now, bye,” she hung the phone up quickly because she knew Naithon was going to explode.
“Meet her? You think you’re going to meet that bitch somewhere?” Naithon rounded on her as Kiri tried to put some distance between them. “You think I’m letting you out of this house, and especially to go see that piece of shit, sorry excuse for a sister of yours? Fuck, Kiri,” he shook his head. “I thought you had better sense, more pride than to subject yourself to her relentless rancorous abuse.”
“Naithon, please,” she said soothingly, trying to calm him. Wasn’t happening.
“Please nothing,” he spat, “forget it. Don’t even fucking ask. No.” Kako whimpered off down the hallway to the bedroom to hide from their yelling.
Now her ire was rising. Crossing her arms over her chest, one foot stuck out in a tap, brows firm in an angry frown, she claimed, “I am not asking. I am telling you. Tomorrow at noon, I’m meeting Melonie at the Sailor’s Fork.” She kept talking as his mouth opened, “If you don’t take me, I will find a way to get out of here-”
“I will fucking chain you to the bed,” his words rebounded back at him, that’s what Duce had planned. But Naithon would be doing it to protect her. “Just- just, fine, have the bitch come here, just this once.”
Shaking her head, she said, “No. She knows you hate her and she said she doesn’t want to come here, she really wants to go out, be out somewhere where there are people and activity.”
“Goddammit,” he roared, “the chains then-”
This time Kiri got up in his face. Her lips firm, she squinted at him. “Naithon Adranokov, you may command an army, but you do not command me. I swear to God, if you don’t take me, I will at some point, maybe not tomorrow, but I will find a way to get out of here. I’ve done it before, I’ll do it again. And I won’t come back. You will never find me. And in the meantime, there will be no…intimacy between us.”
“Huh,” he grunted. Hands on his hips he glowered at her. “You threatening me, little pigeon? You know quite well that I can fuck you any damned time I want. You split from here, I will always find your ass and haul you right back. Your threats are meaningless.”
The red had faded from her cheeks and now it blew right back with anger. “Yes, you can, uh, take me, you’re bigger and stronger, you can force me. But you can’t make me want you, or touch you, or,” her voice taunted softly, “kiss you.”
He had forced his kisses on her before so she corrected, “Kiss you willingly, with passion. There are other things you said you would teach me. You know,” her lids lowered in sensuous promise, “that thing you described with me on my knees and something of yours in my mouth?”
Naithon’s mouth snapped shut, he blinked at her.
“I’m thinking you would want me to want to do that to you? Put my all into it?”
Picturing her naked on her knees with her plush lips wrapped around his manhood and looking up at him with those shining, gorgeous, sweet green eyes, he nodded dumbly.
Gripping the bottom of her shirt, she pulled it up and off and tossed it at him. It hit him in the chest, his eyes on her tits, he was oblivious of the shirt hitting him and dropping to the floor.
“Well then, make the lunch happen,” she said, and sauntered away, heading for the bedroom.
Naithon stared at her for a few stunned seconds, then followed her like Kako after his favorite doggy treat.
Chapter Thirty-One
Naithon was so on edge he had paced, barked orders, punched one of his men that questioned one of his orders, knocking him out cold. His usual entourage of soldiers, and caravan of cars flanked them as they drove to the restaurant.
Teeth clenched, jaw gnashing, scowl that could fell a grizzly, he was livid that she could lead him around by his dick, he refused to say a word to Kiri. Just tugged at his suit coat and shirt sleeves in aggravation.
She’d gotten her way, and he was terrified. Idiot that he was, wanting her willingly in his bed, he had given in. Again. And now that she was out of the protection of the compound, he was insane with fear.
As they parked, his eyes, skilled at seeking out treachery, darted everywhere, searching for hidden danger. She refused to wear the vest or helmet, said she would only look more of a target, the manager may even deny her to come to his restaurant thinking she was drawing danger to his customers and staff.
Tony opened the back door and stepped aside for them to alight.
Hearing the damned catch in his voice, Naithon covered it with blunt gruffness, “Kiri, please, let’s go back home. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
She swiveled in her seat to face him. “I know. I’m not stupid. Melonie would never call me to have anything to do with me. Something is up. But it might be a way to lure Duce out with both of us here. Two stones at once,” she smiled.
His face darkened. “That’s not funny, Kiri.” She moved to get out, he grabbed her arm, stilling her. “You’re setting yourself up as bait, if I had known that, I-”
“You would never have let me come here. Naithon.” She patted his chest, “We have to end this before he kills anyone else. You know that. There’s no other way.”
“Ja, there is. We will find him, I have people looking for him”
Cocking her head she smiled at the big guy that had grown so important to her. “But before someone else is harmed? Before he finds out dad and Janero still live and he comes after them again? No. We’re here, we’ll follow through with this. At least we can see this coming.”
His sigh laborious, he set his hand on her thigh. “Kiri,” his face stayed hard but his voice softened. “If I see, hear, think, feel there is anything wrong, we’re out of here. You can close your legs all you want to me, but I’d rather fuck a cold angry live Kiri, than throw dirt on your bloody casket. We clear on that?”
Kiri tenderly caressed his face with her palm, green eyes alight with her smile. “Yes, Naithon, I hear you.” Stroking his skin, rough with early stubble, she moved her lips to near his, almost touching. Her breath warm and sweet on his mouth, she whispered, “I love it that you care so much for me that you want to protect me at all costs.”
Her mouth joined to his, and their kiss gentle at first, quickly grew heated. He spread his hand on her back pulling and lifting her up, his other hand gripped her hair and he slanted his head with a harsh moan, grinding their mouths, in seconds they were dizzy with hunger for each other.
“Geez, Nait, my man, you guys can’t do that shit at home?” Mazonn’s amused voice rudely intruded on their passion. He grinned at Naithon’s scowl, and the way Naithon was tugging at his pants to give his erection some room. “Need a minute?” he teased.
“Asshole, just get everyone in line,” Naithon growled. He did need a minute, he couldn’t get out of the car with a boner bulging out of the front of his pants, and his breathing fierce like he’d run a marathon.
Maz stepped away to give them privacy while Naithon cooled his ardor. He cupped Kiri’s face. “Dio, I wish this was over and we were home in bed.” His features lost their lust and sharpened in ire, he swore, “Never again. I am not going through this ever again. You wanna try to entertain your threat to shut that pussy down from me, then so fucking be it. You ready?” he snapped.
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