“Don’t. Fucking. Lie.” He slams his fist into my stomach, and I struggle to breathe, gasping when I can’t suck enough air into my lungs.
“You drugged me, you fucking cunt!” Spittle flies from his lips as he yanks my head back. He thrusts a few blurry images in my face—still shots of me rummaging through his apartment—and I know the game is definitely up. “You think you could snoop, and I wouldn’t know?”
“You got cameras installed at your place.” I checked for cameras and didn’t find any, but it’s the only logical explanation. Rolling my shoulders, I wince as pain radiates from the top of my arm up over my shoulder. My left arm throbs like a bitch, and I glance briefly at it, forcing panic back down my throat when it threatens to erupt. The arm of my sweater is gone, and dried blood clings to my skin from the wound on top where they hacked out my tracking chip.
“Got them installed a few days before you came over that last time because I already had my suspicions. Mazzone isn’t the only one capable of getting his hands on high-tech prototypes. These cameras have an anti-detection layer, so your pitiful attempt to locate them failed.”
The gloves are off now, and I let my anger take control. “Then I guess you already know I loathe you. You’re scum of the earth, Liam McDermott, and your puny cock never once turned me on. You’re the defective one, and you’re going to get what’s coming to you.”
“Fucking whore,” he yells, coming at me with venom spewing from his lips and his eyes. He goes to town on my face, punching and slapping me, and I regret my reckless outburst even if it felt so good to say it.
“I thought you wanted to have your fun with her first and record it to send to him,” someone says, and the words get through to him. Liam stops whaling on my face, looking at me with derision.
“How I ever thought you were perfect is beyond me. Everything about you is fake.” He grabs my chest and squeezes. “Except your tits. I might have to take these as a souvenir.” He lets go of my breasts to rub my hair between his fingers. “Was this for me? Was it your idea or that asshole Accardi’s?”
I attempt to glare at him through my good eye. The other is swollen and sore, and I can only half see out of it. Blood drips from my nose, over my mouth and chin. “Fuck. You.”
“Oh, you’ll get your wish, sweetheart. I promise we’ll get to the fun part soon.”
Bile travels up my throat, but I shut my emotions down and concentrate on loosening the rope binding my hands without making discernible movements. Whoever tied it didn’t tie it very tight.
“You’re going to die, Gia.” He spits my name out like it’s poison. “No one tricks me and lives to tell the tale. When I’m done with you, I’m going to rip your heart from your chest and send it to Don Accardi in a box with a big shiny bow.”
“It will only sign your death warrant. You and everyone you care about,” I say, continuing to unknot the rope at my hands. It’s coming away easily, and I’ll be free soon.
“Keeping her alive surely makes more sense,” the same brave idiot says from the back. He’s one of the men from the bar. “You can use her to barter with Accardi. She’s more valuable alive than dead.”
Liam is suitably incensed, and he turns to face the man who surely has a death wish. “Name, soldier,” he barks.
Briefly, I wonder if he is one of O’Hara’s spies. Did he bind my hands and wrists and purposely leave them loose?
“Hennessy, sir.” The man straightens up as Liam approaches.
All eyes swing toward the oncoming confrontation, and I slip my hands free, holding the rope between my palms until I’m ready to let go of it. I wrap one hand around my wrist to press the alert button on my watch, but it’s missing. I look down at my neck, cursing when I notice my necklace is gone too. I can’t risk touching my ears to see if my earrings are still intact, but I fucking pray they are because it’s the only slim chance I have of getting out of this alive.
“Well, Hennessy, who the fuck gave you the impression you could tell me what to do?” Liam squares off with him.
“It was only a suggestion, sir. I’ve heard Accardi is serious about her. She’s good leverage is all.”
“But is that all?” Liam tips his head to the side, inspecting the man like he’s a science experiment. The remaining men form a line behind Liam, facing Hennessy. “Are you loyal to me or my brother?”
Hennessy’s eyes drill into me with silent warning, and I’m sure now he’s trying to help me.
“You, sir. My father was one of your father’s most seniorcapos. I was at your house for dinner several times when wewere younger. We even played Monopoly together a time or two.”
“Is there a point to this fascinating stroll down Memory Lane?” Liam drawls.
Yes. He’s distracting you so I can get free!None of the men are watching me, so I take a calculated risk and free my hands, tossing the rope off to one side as I get to work on removing the bindings around my ankles.
“Just that I have known you since we were boys, and it’s an honor to watch you grow into this role and an honor to serve you. You deserve to be in charge, not O’Hara. It’s your legacy. Your birthright.”
“Is that so, soldier?” Liam pushes right up into his face. “Phone.”
“What?” Hennessy blinks.
“Hand over your phone.”
“Why?”
